Ready or not, here I come

Last weekend's rides were pretty fantastic - a team training ride from 7th and Payne in St. Paul through lovely Swede Hollow, along the Vento and Gateway Trails, and into Stillwater, where we took this picture.

Some of our team on our last group training ride before the MS150

Because no ride is without some sort of interesting event, to get from the Gateway Trail into Stillwater, I decided we'd ride to Pine Point Park and then take a series of roads down to the river. Little did I know that they're resurfacing the major road we would be riding on. It was a little bumpy, but it made for good conversation, like when you were a kid and someone hit you on the back repeatedly as you said, "Ahhhhhh." Or was that just in my family?

After leaving the river, we tried out the new Brown's Creek Trail. What a pleasant change from a pretty massive hill that usually at least one member of our team has to walk up! We all were able to ride smoothly back to the Gateway.

Brown's Creek Trail, before it got really pretty

After the ride, some of us had lunch at the Dancing Goat coffee shop, which I think we all agreed will be on the list of stopping points next year, too.

Later that night, Dan and I went to see an outdoor concert. Some sort of combination of biking, being cold, and standing for hours made for a bad scenario with my back, which has been causing me quite a bit of discomfort this spring. Trying to get in the car after the show was rather excruciating, but somehow I got it all back together by morning and went for another ride.

Matt and I decided to start in Stillwater. Our great scenic ride through Afton and back, followed by lunch at a super great little place in Stillwater, was slightly marred by the fact that, after the ride, Matt had to drive me home because I'd locked my car keys in my trunk before we started the bike ride. Jen had to let me into my house, and then Dan took me back to Stillwater to get my car and bike after he got home from the Twins game.

I'm a little nervous about the MS150 - just 10 days away! - this year, due to the unpredictability of my back. But, in the words of Schoolhouse Rock, ready or not, apples, peaches, pumpkin pie, here I come.

Maybe I will just count the miles in 5-mile increments, like the song. Or just really treat each 15-mile stretch between each rest stop as its own little bike ride.

I did get this free pass in the mail yesterday, due to having raised over $3,000. Thanks, donors! I think this year I'll actually get the massage where we overnight in Hinckley instead of giving it to another rider who looks to be in worse shape. Maybe my new combo of chiropractor, yoga, and Pilates will result in some sort of magic before the ride?

VIP tent (good snacks) & free massage passes

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2015

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MaggieTRAM2015