Realignment needed... again

Back to being focused on the journey and letting the outcome happen. Strike that being focused, ENJOYING the journey. 

It is very easy to get wrapped up in the frustration of not being able to do what you want. Damned ego. 

Realignment tends to happen more than I'd like to admit. But right now I'm grateful for where I am. No, not able to ride/train the way I think I should, but got on a bike yesterday and today and just decided to ride. Being off the bike tends to take away the fitness quickly for me.

I poached a ride from a friend (with their permission) and rode gravel yesterday on my CX bike. Flatted early and decided to wrap it up early. Today I went back and rode that ride and made it 18 miles. Took my Scalpel instead. Something about tubeless tires with Stans made me more confident I wouldn't flat, though that possibility is always present especially when gravel is concerned. 

What a beautiful ride it was. I did an out and back. When I gain more fitness I'll do a longer loop. I walked the big climbs. Remembered my inhaler, which I didn't need. Yesterday I forgot it and had an attack about mile 2. Not sure why.

Quite a bit of this ride is shaded. A real plus on a hot day. 

This picture doesn't do the hill justice. It's 7% over 8/10 of a mile. The first (and last) climb of this ride was 9%  over 6/10 of mile. shew-wie. A few places on each are exposed and got quite warm due to the effort and the warm and humid day.

The Ohio river is just to your left on the way out and on your right on the return. It's full of mud and debris after all this rain we've had for weeks. It was moving very swiftly. I took a video but you can't tell so I'll not bore you with it.

There is a large bend in the river, called Horseshoe Bend. I thought I captured it, but I did not. 
This as I approached my starting point. Always nice to have a history lesson.

And no summer trip to parts west of New Albany, IN are as sweet without a stop at Polly's Freeze! Today was Mango Sherbet. YUMMY for my tummy and a few moments of brain freeze as well.

So, this 4th of July weekend has been so very nice. Slept in a couple of days, ran some errands, rode my bike, cooked some desserts for friends and got to see both of my daughters and Mom!

The journey has been good. The destination kept changing. And That Is Okay.

I surely hope everyone had a nice weekend as well. The sun shone today which was so good!

peace and respect

Moist weather

and unhappy girl parts have left me off the bike since Tuesday. Finally got my gear together and took off to ride today.  This is what it's looked like for weeks now, but with the added rain.

I stopped at LBS for tubes since I had none for the CX bike and was planning on gravel. Arrived at destination, started getting ready and realize my cue sheet was not in the car. No problem, I'll google the page and write it down again. No writing utensil. So frustrating!!!! Think I need a new tire. We've looked at it several times now. There must be a barb or thorn we've just not found.
I only got 6 miles and last 1.5 or so was on pavement returning to my van. From what I did ride, the scenery was beautiful and the ride was going to be difficult. I have little fitness so the first real climb was misery and I know it only gets more difficult as you ride in and out of the river bottom.
This is the view I was gifted on my detour following my flat tire.

I'm grateful to have friends that explore a wide variety of areas. So you could say I'm a ride poacher. for now.  Hope to start creating my own in the near future.

Lots of other things I've missed writing about over the last weeks, a trip to Land between the Lakes at Grand River, KY and Lock 4 in Gallatin, TN.  The amount of riding in between has been miniscule. Couldn't even hike/run. Have put on too much weight. Mostly too many inches for my clothes. I need to sweat and burn calories in the worst way.

USA Cycling's National XC Mountain bike Nationals is coming up. I'm not fit to race. The IRS still has my refund and fiscally I shouldn't take a week off without pay. BUT you only live once and while I may camp instead of hotelling it, I want to experience new trails. There are a few IMBA Epics in Pennsylvania so I hope to check out at least two while traveling that state.

So much life happening besides me and my bike riding/lack thereof which seems so insignificant.

Hope everyone is enjoying their 4th of July weekend. It's a special for one sure.

peace

there is so much I want to type, but can't