Loop The Lake - Section 2...

(Post 5 of 9)


Section 2 –

I finished my business at the first rest stop, got back on my bike and headed down the road.  Most of the riders had already left with a police escort to ride through the town.  A sheriff’s deputy was announcing last call and a small group of us gathered by his car.  I took the opportunity to pull out a protein bar and devour it.  I was feeling pretty good.  I listened to the conversations going on around me and made some small talk with a group of women behind me.  We were next to a cemetery, and I said I wanted to get moving because it was creeping me out.  A few of the women agreed and we laughed. 

I noticed that mountain bike girl pulled up next to the officer in the car and was talking to him.  I was still amazed that she was doing this and wondered if she would actually go all the way and finish.  

Finally the deputy gave us the go ahead and our small group maneuvered along a few roads and through intersections.  I think we had actually waited longer to get going, than it took to ride through the town.  Anyway, we went back up another hill and back onto the levee.  The majority of the group took off and I wound up with mountain bike girl.  I asked her how she was doing and we chatted briefly.  I was trying to toss her some support because I knew she was at even more of a disadvantage on that bike than I was on mine.  She had a cheery disposition and seemed to be enjoying herself.  I told her I’d see her down the line and proceeded on.  

I got back into my groove around 15 or 16 mph.  It didn’t take long before I had to pee again.  Are you freaking kidding me?  Little did I know that was a good sign that I was staying hydrated.  I’d figure this out a short time later.  I cruised along, pretty much on my own.  There was a bit of a headwind but I figured that meant I’d have a nice tailwind later on.  I would be proven wrong about that one, too.  I started getting a little lonely and wished that my hubby was riding with me.  

At some point, I passed a sheriff’s deputy.  He asked if I was the last rider and I jokingly said that I felt like I was but there were actually 2 or 3 people behind me.  He laughed.  I realized that he was with the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office.  We had ridden so far west that we were in another county.  I had never been to Hendry before.  Wild.  

In general I was feeling good but my hands were getting a little numb.  I just pushed on and did my thing.  

And then it happened.  

Riders started coming toward me.  I knew that the second rest stop was the end of the line and then the route doubles back to the start.  I just didn’t expect to be that far from the rest stop and have the beginning of my group already heading back. One guy was trying to pass and didn’t see or expect me to be there.  That freaked me out for a second.  Before I could figure out what to do or say/yell/scream, a rider a few people ahead of him yelled at him and he got back in line.  Crisis narrowly averted thanks to an observant lead rider in that group.  So, now I’m kind of mortified.  I’m chugging away, trying to keep a smile on my face but having some real doubts.  Many of the riders smiled at me.  It was blatantly obvious that I was doing the best I could on a hybrid that I probably should not be on for a route of this distance.  I felt that most of them were trying to show me some encouragement.  One guy held out his hand for me to give him a high five.  I was taken by surprise and by the time I figured out what he was doing, it was too late for me to extricate my numb hand from the bars to slap him.  I felt stupid as I passed the riders behind him and hoped they realized that I was struggling, not rude.  

I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I pulled into the second rest stop.  Two women from the event staff were holding pom-poms and cheered at me as I pulled up.  I gave them an appreciative smile and said thanks.  I put my bike on the funky thingee and wolfed down some snacks.  As I chewed, I listed to a guy telling someone in his group that he didn’t know how he was keeping up with them since he was on a hybrid.  And he said, as far as exercise goes, you’re getting more of a workout than we are on our road bikes.  I smirked to myself.  A woman in the group asked me to take a picture of them.  I did and then told the guy that if he felt like getting more of a workout he could ride my hybrid the rest of the way and I’ll take his road bike.  He declined my offer and laughed.  I laughed too because I knew that I was going to be shopping for a freaking road bike sooner rather than later.  

I hit the port-a-potty again.  Even though I thought I had to pee, let’s just say the pitstop wasn’t as productive as I expected.  That should have been a sign to drink more.  But, I didn’t give it much thought because I had to jump back on the saddle and start heading back.  

This was now unchartered territory for me.  The furthest I’d ridden up to this point was 30 miles.  So, as I left that rest stop I knew I was about to go on the longest ride of my life, so far.