Well, this last week was not a great biking week for me. I was on-service for the first time in months, so it was a bit busy work-wise. The only biking I managed to get in last week was on the trainer in my garage on Sunday. I tried to be efficient and multitask. Since I'm a not-very-good subscriber to Netflix (I simply don't watch enough movies) and have had this new DVD for the last 2 weeks, I decided to watch my movie on my laptop while cycling on the trainer. Sounds like a great idea, right? The movie would distract me from the boredom of cycling in place for the next two hours. The laptop was some distance away from the trainer and the screen was small, but no problem. Then I started my workout and realized that I could not hear the dialogue with the whirly-whoosh of the bike's tires on the trainer. Still, not a problem: I put the subtitles on feature on the DVD and was reading the movie while biking. The problem came with the movie itself...I guess it wasn't a very good idea to watch "Hotel Rwanda" while attempting to bike. It was such a sad movie at times that I was crying, sweating, reading subtitles and cycling all at the same time. A few times I was just sitting there, motionless, engrossed in the movie. I just couldn't believe what had happened over there in Rwanda! It was also amazing that I hadn't heard very much about the genocide over there, which makes me realize the power our news agencies have over us. The news can really control what we see and understand in our world just by deciding the content it releases. Instead of hearing about Britney or Anna Nicole, let's learn about more important things in the world! Okay, sorry, this is a biking blog...
The good thing about taking a break from biking last week was that I was able to heal somewhat. The bruises on my legs are so much better, and the muscle that I pulled in my left popliteal area finally stopped hurting. It was nice to actually walk around without achy soreness for a couple of days.
Finally came off-service last night, so today Mel and I were able to get in some outdoor cycling. We rode about 20 miles (me, more like 19 miles) and even though it was a level ground at the Shoreline/ Bayland's Trail, the headwind we faced was incredible! We pedalled rather hard and went pretty slowly because of the strong breeze. When the wind came from the side of our trail, we had to grip strongly to our handlebars just to keep straight! I think my shoulders and arms will be sore tomorrow.
A not-so-momentous first also happened today: I hit my first people on the bike! Whoops! There was a couple stopped on the trail ahead and another set of bikers coming the other way. Mel was able to squeeze through the middle, but I panicked and did the very thing I was avoiding...falling over ON TO the couple themselves!! Amazing how it didn't hurt as much falling on to people than the hard ground. I think I mostly hit the girl, which was bad, because I was taller than her and fell on her pretty hard. It was a hard enough fall that it knocked my water bottle and bikeseat askew. I can't believe that happened! Oh well, the couple were nice enough, but I still feel badly.
I'll need to put that behind me tomorrow, when we go riding on Canada Road with Jerry, the coach for the California Coast Classic. I'll try not to embarrass myself too much!! (Or Mel for that matter!)
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