50+ miles - Marymoor to Carnation

Friday was an example of why I left the corporate world to work on a contract basis....the sun was coming out and the weather warming up. So, I cleared my calendar, shut down my computers and headed out at 9:30 am for time in the saddle on my bike OUTDOORS!! And, I think I may have found a road cycling group that I can see myself riding with on a regular basis (well as regular as can be these days since each week is different from the last). I pulled into the parking lot and felt a little intimidated with all the beautiful, late model bikes at the starting point: Colnago, Orbea, Cervelo, Serotta, Pinarello. I think I was the only one with a domestic model (Trek 5200). Yeah, this was a group made up of seasoned riders so I got a few butterflies in my stomach and did a mental check of how I was feeling that morning. I had a pretty good workout that week so I was a little tired but decided to go ahead with the ride...besides it would look so weird at that point to turn around and head out.

Of course, in the end, I'm glad I stayed and rode with the group. Our route for the day was a 50+ miler that started in Marymoor, headed northeast towards Woodinville, on to Duvall, down into a Carnation (a small agriculture community in a valley), and then back into Redmond. The route included some good climbs that were long and steady climbs that maybe maxed out at a 6% grade. Those are my favorite types of hills and why I enjoy cycling so much. I like settling into a steady pace (legs and lungs) where nothing else exists or matters other than maintaining the rhythm and a focus on one goal - to get to the top of the hill because, inevitably, what goes up must come down....whee! It was a great ride but it took longer than I had planned thanks to a lot of mechanical issues (a few people had flats) and an extended stop in Carnation. But, on my bike, I averaged over 16 mph which was great even with the hills. I'm definitely riding again with this group which meets every Friday...not only were they strong cyclists, but they also had some great stories to share which is important to help pass the hours on a bike.

I have my first century planned in June (Flying Wheels Century - 6356.6 ft. of total elevation gain...3 miles of climbing at the END of the ride....sick) but I'm going to try to squeeze one in in May because I am feeling great on my bike! And, I want to do 100 miles and not 100 km. It's just finding one that fits in my schedule (hockey tourney, first aid training, etc.). I may have to recruit my neighbor Jen and do our own 100 miler sometime during the week. Stay tuned.