55 Mile ride

In my never ending pursuit to up my cycling distance, I usually spend my Sundays at church then riding Lycra clad on the hit pock scarred, hilly roads of Litchfield County. Todaywas no different, after waiting out most of the afternoon to see if the good weather would hold, I managed to get out to Middlebury and did my usual loop out to Lake Waramaug, on the return loop however, I decided to go senic and took the long way through Morris and Bethlehem, then the back half of the Griskus Olympic route. The one thing I forgot about that detour ( which is the route for the Ride for Rick) is MORRIS IS HILLY!!! Ok so I'm being a baby Waaaa! The hills weren't that bad and were actually good for building strength, sadly I was still feeling my weight set from yesterday, so after one dose of hills my left knee was a little tight (probably from the lunges and my early ride gear mashing.) and I decided to bag the workout after 55 miles. I like the loop and I figure that I will do it often as long as the good weather holds out, I'm hoping to double it before the end of August to prep for Nutmegman and a possible early 09 Ironman, or at least my own masochistic desires. All in all it was an uneventful ride, I averaged 16.9 mph slow, but the speed should come as I focus on cycling over the next couple of weeks.

R.D.