My First Century Ride

I put the word first in the title because I can totally imagine doing another one!  Overall it was a great experience.  If it wasn't for the weather and my hand hurting it would all be good.

Random thoughts are the best I can do.

• It was nowhere near as painful as I expected it to be in the second half.  I thought I would be ready to quit after 60 but I never felt like I just couldn't keep going.
• It's fun to do an organized ride where it is all planned out for you.  I think the fact that others were out there too contributed to the "I'm not going to cut this short attitude."
• I rode this one alone and would like to do a century where I rode with someone.
• I had friends there but they were faster or doing a different length.
• I took nowhere near as many pictures as I thought I would.  I thought maybe I'd take one picture each ten miles but didn't want to stop every ten.
• I love riding in the Islands but did not love all the hills on the other side of the lake at the end.
• Love love love having aid stations where people make sandwiches for you among other things. Peanut butter and jelly.  YES PLEASE!
• I was glad it was cloudy as it was cooler but unfortunately it was cloudy because it was going to dump on us.
• Note to self: if rain is in the forecast bring dry clothes to put on afterwards. Duh.
• I'm not one to stop short on a goal I have made.
• Going to a party after where everyone thinks you are a rock star is quite fun. It was not a party for me, it was for my BIL who is visiting from FL.
• If you're going to be out there for 7 hours pick a scenic route.
• It's very easy to start out too fast in a ride that is not a race and try to keep up with the faster bikers.
• I loved my 14 mile pace which I checked as that is the distance in my sprint.
• I was pleased with my pace overall. It was 14.5 for 100 miles and in my world that is great.
• My left hand was killing me.  It has happened on the other longer rides I have done too. I can't get it comfortable even with lots of changing of positions. I don't know if it is left over from the broken wrist or just a repetitive stress thing. The other hand was fine even though it was in the same position.
• It is hard to shift when your hand hurts and I found myself avoiding it. This made the last miles slower.
• It is also hard to brake hard when your hand hurts but a couple of steep hills that ended at stop signs made this necessary.  My brakes weren't liking the whole downpour thing so this was interesting.
• I hit a small pothole and lost my second water bottle. I stopped and looked but could not find it and I was not going to go on my hands and knees looking through the tall grass.
• It may have poured but it did not thunder and lightning which was in the forecast.  That was a huge worry for me.
• I was ravenous all night last night.  On my way home I stopped   at McDonalds  (don't judge) as it was exactly what I wanted.  I got a quarter pounder, french fries and a shake!!  It was glorious.
• I kept eating at the party we went too.  Man, was I hungry!
• Today even though I would have said I felt just fine I have done nothing and had no energy.  I finally got myself to Burlington to leave off my camera which I won't have for two weeks!  I am not happy about that. My phone doesn't take good pictures either.
• And I just signed up for the triathlon I've been thinking about next weekend.
  
  
  
  
  Here I am before the race well rested and raring to go.
  
  
  
  These two pictures are on the East Shore where I have taken many pictures,
  It is my favorite part for sure.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I always like the look of these round bales scattered 
  through a field.
  
  
  
  Now I'm on the West Shore heading toward Alburg.
  I'm not yet halfway.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  I think this is around 80ish miles.  It is the first of the hills.
  You are looking back at St. Albans Bay I believe. It is worth
  the stop to look and take a picture, nothing to do
  with needing to rest.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  All four of the above pictures are from the same spot.
  
  
  
  Loved these yellow arrows which showed me the way, let 
  me know I wasn't lost, let me not think.  Right
  after I took this it started pouring.
  
  
  
  Just looking back at a hill I had just come up.
  
  
  
  
  
  Back at the beach where it started and it is continuing
  to pour.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  The shirt!
  
  
  
  
  
  
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