Get a bicycle. You will not regret it if you live. ~Mark Twain, "Taming the Bicycle"

Some fellow TNTers. Guess I didn't need to sport the Uggs this day.

Team Estrogen + our "Token Boy", Steve

The bicycle had, and still has, a humane, almost classical moderation in the kind of pleasure it offers. It is the kind of machine that a Hellenistic Greek might have invented and ridden. It does no violence to our normal reactions: It does not pretend to free us from our normal environment. ~J.B. Jackson

Oula. What a weekend. I was up and out the house by 7 AM both days…. this coming from an un-morning person, it was rough but well worth it.

I went home grumpy and tired after a long week on Friday in just enough time to eat some dinner, watch an episode of Heroes and crash.

Saturday I woke up to blue skies, ate a big breakfast, packed up my car and headed to Half Moon Bay for a 65-mile bike ride with TNT. It was just gorgeous outside- clear, warm (I think around 69 degrees F), all in all the perfect day by anyone’s standards. We started off with about 24 miles along the coast/Hwy 1 with some rollers and then headed towards La Honda/Pescadero. All in all we did about 4,000 ft. of climbing (though Jennifer’s little computer is being more generous giving us 7,000… I’m not too sure how that worked). But we for sure did 4,000 which is the same amount of elevation we will have to do in Solvang next month. Some of these climbs seriously kicked my butt, like the 4-miler up in the Redwoods that had my heart rate up and my head pounding. It really was quite unpleasant at one point, and that got me thinking about Maxx and that if he had a choice, he’d probably chose to be battling his way up this hill no matter how unfun and difficult it was. Literally, that’s what kept me going (and maybe Monica’s company a little bit too, oh and Penny just up ahead kicking some serious butt, and the fact that SAG was at the top of this monstrous hill). We did 1,000 ft. of climbing over an 8-mile stretch, which is, as my Dad put it, “Harder than running down the street to the neighbors house”. Also notable about this ride is that I finally gave my bike a name (it’s about time). My chain locked up on me during the uphill of one of the coastal rollers which almost had me as roadside roadkill (thankfully not). I don’t know what happened. I’ve taken my bike into the shop 3 times, and they don’t see anything wrong to fix. The whole back break thing just comes and goes, so I said my bike was bipolar- and the name Brittney was given- totally appropriate, I know. We enjoyed some beautiful scenery (as you will see from the pics- thank you Jennifer!) and stopped at this little grocery store to refuel. This is the first ride where I finished all the water in my camel back (and let me tell you, sucking air rather than water like you were expecting is NO good) and water bottle with sports drink. This was a quaint little shop with lots of guys on Harleys outside. I came out from the bathroom to find Melissa schmoozing a backrub out of one of them! It was pretty funny. After this stop, we were on our home stretch but not w/o one last treacherous climb (a dirty little surprise left at the end). Made it back safe and sound, all members with all body parts intact and headed down the street to Camerons for some a well deserved brew, and fish and chips which was randomly exactly what we’d been craving.

Headed home and was in the sack out like a light bulb by 8 PM.

Today I woke up at 5:50 (I guess that’s the payback for falling asleep like a little old lady last night), and headed out to the barn to meet Shannon who was bringing her horsey from Sacramento. I got to the barn way early, cleaned Pokey’s stall, emptied and scrubbed her waterer, cleaned all her brushes, cleaned my tack (noticing a theme here?) turned her out to hang out in the sunshine for 45 min. clipped her face (she’s a hairy beast!) and legs, and was ready to roll when Shannon pulled in. We’d planned to trailer out, but neither horse would load 2nd in her trailer and after 1.5 hrs of trying to coax them, we decided to go on a ride from the barn. I actually had to put sunscreen on- that’s how nice it was. We did about 2+ hours in the hills, let them rip (I almost forgot how powerful they can be when they explode and take off at a full gallop- Poke even broke the leather strap on her breast collar. I know, she’s buff). She was completely drenched from head to toe foaming under her bridle, and it was still so warm that I have her a much needed bath. I think she should be a pretty tuckered out girl and am sure that it felt good to let go since they tend to be a little more confined/cooped up in the winter months.

Now I’m tired again, and finally feeling a bit sore though I don’t know if it’s from the bike or horse. I think I will sleep well tonight for sure in clean sheets and PJs (can’t beat that!).

Hope you all are well! Much love,

Elizabeth