37 Feels Good Again, Part 1

35-mile buddy ride right in my own back yard yesterday. I didn't have to load up the car to get to the meeting place; I just pedaled down the street towards Rodriguez High! But since I was out of my (somewhat) pre-ride routine, I ended up riding back home a couple times for things I'd forgotten ... my jacket, for one. And DUH - your water bottles, girl! Whatta rookie. Wonder what my poor brother must have been thinking. "At least we got in a good warmup?"

(No, my brother didn't do the buddy ride with us yesterday. Since he's not part of the team, he was only able to do the Napa ride with us. So he rode out in the opposite direction to Jelly Belly just before we rolled out towards Benicia. Maybe next year, Rob?!)

I think there were 12 of us out on Lopes heading toward Lake Herman, which is my usual mid-week ride. Lopes to Lake Herman and back - 16.5 miles. Yesterday, however, we'd cross Lake Herman onto East 2nd Street and keep on going. Then, right turn onto Military and into Benicia State Park. Out of the park, we'd turn left to get onto the long and gradual incline of Columbus Parkway. We'd turn right onto Lake Herman (yes, the same Lake Herman that was made famous by the Zodiac Killer), and then a left back onto Lopes towards the high school where the morning began.

I started out in the middle of the pack. It was kind of exciting to be riding this familiar road with 11 other people. It's definitely a different dynamic than when I'm riding solo or even with my usual riding group. For one, we hit 21 mph on a stretch that I've probably only gone 14 mph max! Man, whatta feeling ... I was lovin' it! But I eased up a bit, as I knew I wouldn't be able to carry that same pace for the whole ride. "Someday I will," I thought to myself. "For now, let's keep it real."

We regrouped at the top of Lake Herman. (Three speed racers went on ahead.) "This is where I normally turn around and head back home," I told the team. Not today though. Not today.

... to be continued ...