Countdown to Triathlon1 – 220 Days, 31.4 weeks to Race Day (See Installment 38 of "The Journey", 220 mile bike ride, below)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY -  Let Down

This could have been me, but it wasn't.  I don't have long blond hair and I'm not that thin (or at all).   However, after a week of being away, no bike riding and all of the excitement of New York City for five days, it was a bit of a let down to come back to Hughson, CA.  I was back to the drapery shop, back to cooking dinners, washing clothes, cleaning house and back on the bike.

I've been gone all day today so I have to hurry to get in my excising.  It will be dark in about an hour and a half.  (Jan. 12, 2011)


The Journey - Installment Thirty-Eight
        When I returned home from New York there was an email waiting for me from the man who had been the former editor of the bicycling magazine.  I was truly surprised that the Prevention Magazine editor had remembered to give him my email address and that he would actually contact me.  He gave me his phone number and invited me to call. On the phone I described my needs and my dilemma since I needed a bike that would be suitable for the June ride but one that I could also ride on the canal banks.  He strongly recommended that I purchase a road bike.  I carefully considered his advice and prayed about the purchase because I knew I was blessed by our son and daughter-in-law to get the opportunity to buy a new bicycle and I didn’t want to make a mistake.

        After checking the Internet for bicycles and visiting several bike stores in the area, I decided which bicycle I would buy.  The bike is a hybrid, which means it is a cross between a mountain bike and a road bike.  I felt that it would allow me to ride either on the canal banks or, after changing to road tires I could also train on the roadways.  I was a little nervous about making the final decision, but when I rode with Don the next time, I mentioned to him what my plans were for the purchase.  I told him the bicycle came from a small company in Marin County (San Francisco area) and that the bike store had told me they had great results and good service from the Marin Bike Company.  As I mentioned the name of the bicycle company, I happened to look over at the bike that Don was borrowing from Mike.  There, written on the frame was “Marin”.  I had been riding at least three days a week next to Don and I never even noticed what brand name bike he was riding.  This was definitely a sign for me that God was giving me the go-ahead.  Some might say that subconsciously I had seen this name on the bike every time I rode.  But I know myself.  When I don’t notice something, I really don’t notice it even if it could reach out and bite me.  When I saw “Marin” written on Mike’s bike, it was if I had never seen it before. 

 December 23^rd I drove to the bicycle store to pick up my new bicycle. I called Hollen and Morena to thank them again for the bike.  Hollen asked me if I had ridden it yet and I replied that I didn’t have time because I was preparing for the Christmas festivities.  He chided me to at least go out and take a ten-minute spin.  I decided that I could take a quick ride to the corner and back.  Since I was only going a short distance, a quarter mile, I did not put on my helmet or gloves.  When I got to the corner, I swung out into the road to make a U-turn.  The next thing I knew, I was face down on the road.  The new bike had bucked me off!  I skinned up my hands and bruised my knees, elbows and hip.  So much for a quickie ride.  That taught me a lesson about leaving the helmet and gloves at home. At least now I didn’t need to worry about falling and scratching my new bike.  I had already broken it in.