Weekend Warrioring

Well, I haven't ridden a ton since the last post, but I decided this weekend that it didn't really matter and I have enough of a base level of fitness, muscle memory, and stubbornness to do a 75-mile ride to Hastings and back. So, that's what I did. (I also felt like I had implicit permission due to some article I read on the Internet written by who-knows-who that it is okay to be a weekend warrior.)

It was a lovely ride with Carolyn and Laura, through town until we got SE enough to connect with the new trail that fully connects through, now, to Spring Lake Park and on to Hastings. And then we took the trail along the Mississippi River all the way back through St. Paul until we got close to home and took a road, rather than the trail.

Leaving my house at 8:30.

One of our breaks, in Spring Lake Park.

My goofy pose in Hastings.

Both of them remarked that they didn't think I was acting or looking tired at the end of the ride, but I was, and I definitely needed to do some stretching and my PT exercises for pain relief later that night. Dan made me a good dinner and bought my favorite snacks. After eating and having a beer, I laid down on the couch with my mystery novel and promptly fell asleep. 

I rallied though and went to bed at a normal time and felt fine the next day. I'm hoping that when I do the week-long Bike MS Ride Across Minnesota in July that my hip feels better sleeping on the ground than it did last year, even if it won't feel as good as it does after sleeping in my bed. (Thanks for all the support so far with respect to the July ride! https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participant/GoMaggieGo)

Carolyn went back to the trail today and took this video from Spring Lake Park, just north of Hastings. It is such a pretty place. It was fun to see so many people biking on the new trail to Hastings. When you had to ride on a crappy street, cross some horrible tracks, and take a gravel road, there weren't that many riders. If you build it, they will come! 

I've been enjoying riding with the assorted Thursday night crew - we go 20-25 miles and then end at the brewery. I led this past Thursday night's ride and I think doing some hills was a good reminder on Saturday that you just can just switch your gears and do what needs to be done.

Last Thurs' riders, minus Laura the photographer.

I have a lot of booked weekends coming up, so I'm not sure exactly when I'm going to get in some good consistent riding before the July ride, but I'm sure I'll figure it out, or just get 'er done. I wanted this year to be a year of lots of riding, so I should actually figure out how to do that.

Yesterday, we went to a memorial service, which really, truly was a celebration of life - in honor of my sister-in-law's dad/my brother's father-in-law, Michael Brodie. Michael and his wife, Jane, have been big supporters of my bike rides/fundraising, and he used to always ask how my training was going. He loved the outdoors, athletic activities, and people. He was a remarkably kind and warm man who shared some common traits with my own dad. When my brother and sister-in-law were dating, he was the first family member of hers that I met - as we both helped the two of them move. I thought he was world-class then, and after knowing him for over 20 years, my appreciation for him only grew. It was so special to be able to hear about how he touched the lives of so many people over his life. His was a life well-lived, and if the world were a place full of people like Michael Brodie, we'd be in a pretty great spot. I often bike near the Dodge Nature Center, which is close to where he lived for 38 years, where the celebration yesterday was held, and where they have a memorial bench in his honor. I look forward to visiting his bench in the future and taking time to think of him, my appreciation of his kindness, and my gratitude for the role he has played in the life of my sister-in-law, my brother, and my nephews. Seems like a great destination for some bike rides...