A job for the Monster and More Wine!

Not quite sure if I wanted to bother with selling The Monster, I offered her services to my co-workers. A handful of them ride, but have out of commission bikes or they rent them by the hour from a bike shop that is dead to me... so why not let them ride her? The response was good, two even asked if I'd ride with them. Cool!
I wonder if I can get them out on the roads?

On Thursday, I wanted to learn how to get from Station Square up to the Smithfield Street Bridge.... efficiently and to the correct side of the bridge (cyclists aren't permitted on one side). So on my morning ride I headed over there. I noticed another cyclist cutting into a parking lot from the trail and wondered if he was going where I wanted to. Sure enough, a complete stranger taught me the correct route. I found it hard to believe I'd never ridden over this bridge until today.

I was free from spousal obligations in the evening, so I went for a ride. It was the first very hot day of the year.

The blood sugar puzzle
It was in the mid 80's. I prepared with lots of snacks and water. I drank lots of water before the ride too. It's suggested that I should eat complex carbs before exercising to avoid a blood sugar crash, so I had some whole wheat toast about an hour before I headed out. I tested the 'loading up on carbs' suggestion the other day and had a bowl of granola with raisins and almond milk. It set me into a case of the shakes and sweats about an hour or so later and I was scrambling for sugar again. This is a fine line/balancing act I have to figure out here and I will not let it confound me. I am going to figure this out. It will not stop me from riding.


I putzed about on the Station Square side of the rivers before a group ride that was set to start at 6:30.

I noticed my beverage delivery truck was sitting in traffic. I will not stand for this tardiness!

I sat on a bench at Station Square snacking and debated going the group ride. Oh God! New people! A ride on the North Shore? Feh. I ride there every day. The introverted side of me won and I passed on the ride. I hate my introvert. I force myself to go to group rides to beat the introvert into submission. I didn't win today.

I had enough of the crowded North Shore and took off for the Jail Trail and the Eagle's Trail. Weekday evenings seem to be the best time to ride down to the Eagle's Nest as far as low pedestrian traffic. I made sure to stop, drink rest and eat frequently. Fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, nut bar... it seemed to work. I felt fine, full of energy and hydrated even in the heat.

A fair amount of gnats made life difficult for cyclists on the trail. I just kept my head down, glasses on and mouth closed. A few got in my nose and ears and the buzzing noise drove me nuts until I got them out. One rider made a point of waving his hand in front of his face, sputtering and saying "Oh, jeez! They're everywhere!" Keep talking... get some more bugs in your mouth!

Obligatory Hot Metal Bridge sunset photos:

I'm holding my own in the National Bike Challenge. I was #22 locally as of the end of today.

35 miles total for the day and a small test of endurance in the heat. I did well.