Recovery Milestone: I Rode 100k!

Just after getting a lecture from the spouse about how I shouldn't be asking anyone if they wanted to ride with me until I was back in condition so they wouldn't have to wait, there was a message from Susan - did I want to ride North Plains Banks Vernonia?  Um, YEAH.  However, I dutifully did the full disclosure thing, and she said she didn't care, even if we finished out of time.  (I cared.  Wasn't gonna happen.)

With the slight added complication of it being Passover, I prepared some ride food, and planned to supplement with french fries, if needed.



Weather was 50% chance of rain, but not going to be cold.

So, at 9:00 am on Sunday morning, after coffee and a hash brown, off we went.  The weather was fairly decent until we were headed out of Banks, when it started to rain.  On with the rain gear.

What with it having been raining, the trail was covered with wet pine needles, which kept filling up our fenders, so we had to stop from time to time to knock them out.

Climbing was a bit slower than usual.  There may have been walking the last pitch at Tophill.

Just before the descent, we found that we had just missed a hailstorm.  An enthusiastic one.  The picture doesn't do justice to the depth of hail a bit further along.



And then downhill to Vernonia and off to the control at Lake Vernonia.  Sadly, the trail is still closed.  We elected to take the Adventure Detour.  There was a split in the trail, and we weren't sure which way to go, but it worked out.

All the waterlilies in the lake are blooming!



Took the Road Detour back, and settled in for hot drinks at the Black Bear.  By now I had exceeded my longest ride since surgery, and we were only halfway.  Ok then.



The climb back was uneventful, if a bit slower than usual, and I had to walk the last pitch going up the other side of Tophill.  At that point it was downhill/flat the entire way to the end.

We finished with time to spare.  And french fries.

Recovery is Slow but there is Progress

I have gotten out on the bike a few times:

Lunch with Susan; 15+ mi

Bleriot and Wicked wait outside while we eat lunch

The heart rate was rather more spectacular than usual (red line)

Can I still climb?  Riding the Council Crest/Fairmount Loop, just shy of 15 miles.

Council Crest Summit, looking east.  That's Mt Hood.  Better camera on the new phone.

The next day, 25 miles on the flats with Kathryn on the Lemond (the fast bike).

I ride the Lemond so infrequently that I have to re-learn how to use the Flight Deck each time.

Today, heading west to meet the spouse at the Spanish language group he is doing with friends (I knit), 13.4 miles.  There were a few cameo appearances by the Big Ring(!!!)

I'm also doing some weight and core work.  The actual weights are embarrassingly low, but they'll go up.  I had given my lighter weights to my mom, years ago.  I borrowed them back - still in the original tote bag.  Guess they got a lot of use :-)  Well, they'll get used here.

A few weeks ago, I realized I felt just fine.  Didn't have to ask the sister-in-law to slow down on our neighborhood walks.  Nothing hurts.  Nothing feels weird, just out of shape.