Tour de Cure Day 2

Update to day 1 real fast...
So I was cruising along downhill at around 25 mph when a squirrel ran out into the middle of the road. I thought it was going to be the end.

Image by metimbers2000 via Flickr

I wasn't sure if it was going to be the end of me or the squirrel, but it was going to be the end for one of us. I used my driving instincts telling me that it's safer to hit the animal rather than swerve and possibly get in a wreck. Thinking back I'm not quite sure that's the right logic on a bike... it may only be a squirrel, but it could cause some serious turbulence and a bad crash if I hit it. I got lucky and after giving me the "deer in the headlights look" with big eyes it moved just enough, just fast enough that I didn't hit it.

Day 2

Susannah talks me back onto the saddle. I hurt. That's an understatement, I feel like crap. Another understatement, I feel like my muscles are going to fall off my bones. I really feel bad, but I committed to do this ride and my wife would kick my butt (which would really hurt right now) if I didn't try. So I get all ready for the ride, let everyone get set up at the start line ahead of me and get pedaling at 7am. Off toward the first rest stop... let's just do it one stop at a time. I'm pedaling as much as I can as hard as I can, but trying to set the pace and not do too much too fast. On the first big hill I was struggling so I stopped. It happened to be in front of a house for sale so I checked out the listing information and price. $500,000 for a 2800sq ft house. Crazy, but at least I got a break for a few minutes. Then some guy from South Carolina started riding with me. He was pretty motivational, but I wasn't really in the mood for talking. I disliked people even more than usual, I guess you could say I was a bit crabby. Finally I made it to rest stop 1. There were several Campbell riders there.
On to rest stop 2... Wow, I had already finished 8 miles and now was trying for another 12. Hill, flat, hill, flat... I kept pedaling. My ass really hurt. LOTS! My legs hurt. My stomach wasn't right. Did I say my butt really hurt? Well I kept working at it, seeing all the horse ranches and thinking that they looked real nice and pleasant. Maybe I was just hoping they were nice and pleasant because I wasn't nice and pleasant. Riding up toward the 2nd rest stop I started wheezing. I couldn't catch my breath... sucks to my ass-mar! I ended up having to take some puffs on the inhaler and throwing in the towel for the ride. I was SAGed into the finish line. I completed 20 miles today before having to give in. A total of 80 miles for the weekend. Since my previous best as 35 miles, I more than doubled it. I am proud of myself, a little upset that I didn't get to complete 150 miles, but I will get it done next year! I'll keep training, work the trails, the trainer, and the hills on the way to Fuquay.