LBJ 100, 2012

This past Saturday was the 5th annual LBJ bike tour. This is the fourth year I have ridden and the first I have taken advantage of the tour, concluding the ride, lead by Luci Banes Johnson. Luci gives great insight to the Texas White house and her personal stories add such a genuine touch to the ranch. I have to admit that this part of the ride is the highlight, although the BBQ lunch and beer is a close second.



As the name implies, I hit the rubber to road with the intensions of the 62 mile route. (For you non-bike riders out there, that is a metric century.) Without the stress of getting miles under my belt, I have become more leisure in my rides and I have taken pressure off myself.



The sun was forecasted for the day; however mist covered the morning air. A fellow cyclist, Marque, swore to me that it was not raining. So, we kept riding. Eventually, the sun came out later that afternoon.

Dear Marque: Thank you for not letting me quite riding due to the mist. But, mist is considered light rain. If you are reading this and you are still beating yourself up over the broken spoke, start caring extra spokes in your bike frame. Remember, you cannot ride a road bike with a broken spoke. And, if you are still beating yourself up… Really, it was not a big deal that I only rode 40 miles versus the planned 62. I was quite content chatting it up in the SAG. You certainly do not look upset, standing on the side of the rode- with a broken spoke.



Nolan, the ride organizer, does such a great job of putting this ride together. I especially love that there is someone placed at each turn ensuring riders do not miss the route. Count me in for next year!

CrossRoads Fredericksburg Ride, 2012

While riding across America, I am blessed to have met three groups of riders- and each will be friends for life. Every March, Jim Olson gathers up COBRA riders from Colorado and CrossRoads riders for a week of riding in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Fredericksburg is the Texas Hill Country with lots of back country roads. This year I joined the group for three days of bike riding, hiking, eating, and napping. When retirement time approaches, I will have perfected the art. Cold, windy, and rainy weather provided a perfect opportunity for rest, riding, and visiting with old and new friends.

Some highlights of the trip include sitting on top of Enchanted Rock.



Carrying Jan and Mike’s bike across the low water crossing. (I felt like such a super hero.)



Watching worms gather, dry, and then fall off my bike.



Not captured in photographs: is two donkey’s mating and a rider consuming four bagels, one cliff bar, and a gel to fuel up for a thirty mile bike ride.

The Plunge

There is a trip I have wanted to do and the dilemma has been, with whom. I have been thinking on it and decided I needed to grab the bull by the horns. I could spend months or years finding someone to travel with or I could take the plunge as a solo traveler. I figured that if I could ride my bike across America with a group a strangers that became my friend, then I could white water raft with a group of strangers.

The trip entails being helicoptered into the Grand Canyon, three days of white water rafting in the morning, hiking in the afternoon, and camping under the stars. Longer trips are offered but I think three days is all I can handle. It is not the fear of heights, white water rafting, or sleeping in a tent that scares me; it is not having a shower that dwells in contemplation.

It sounds absolutely peaceful to fall asleep under the stars and to wake by the moon. It must be completely majestic to be surrounded by the spender of something so grand. But let’s face it; no internet and no shower?! It must be the idea of primitive living that attracts me to the adventure of this journey. Yikes! What did I get myself into?!

Lucky Me

They pick me up when I am down and grab my feet when I fly too high.



We cry so much we laugh.



We laugh so hard it hurts.



I would be lost without my friends.

Moving On

The actual day of the break-up is gray and fuzzy. I am not sure when I finally decided there was not going to be any more chances; but one day, I woke up and realized I needed to move on. If you have ever been through a break-up, especially when children are involved, it is easier said than done.

At the end of day eight and I started sipping my second margarita; when it occurred to me that I could not feel my lips. I know I broke the “break-up rule” and turned to alcohol. What can I say? I needed some relief.

It is during these times of indulgence that I talk big. Stuff like; “I am going to find someone to get under, to get over someone” and “I just bought a new bed, ya wanna help me break it in”? Being a Catholic girl, I would not say that to any prospects and only say that out loud to my friends for a laugh.

It seems like I only date guys whose name start with the letter “R”. Roger… Robert… Roy… Ricky… Talk about confusing my eight-seven year old grandfather. Moving on, I might even move to a new letter.

Recently, I have been running to the first man I first fell in love with- my father. I maybe loosing cool points for visiting and calling too often but he inspires me and brings me hope.

Lines

W.C. Fields is quoted for saying, “I spent half my money on gambling, alcohol and wild women. The other half I wasted!”

All I am saying is that I do not want to waste my money or my time and I am looking for someone to share my life with. If we have some wild times in the middle, all the better.

What should I do? Sit around and wait for a guy to approach me or think of a something myself? I have been thinking of pick-up lines, the ones I have been sucked into and the ones that have failed miserably.

Lines that get a laugh but I do not take seriously:
You must be an angel because you have fallen out of heaven.
How much does a polar bear weigh? Enough to break the ice. My name is ________.

Lines I liked:

Boy: If I handed you a brief case with one million dollars, what would you do?
Barbie: I would put it under my bed because I am leaving in 10 hours to ride my bike across America. When I get back, I may fly to the moon.

Boy: What do you know?
Barbie: What do you mean, what do I know?
Boy: Yes, what do you know?
Barbie: Do you know we are standing 350 feet above sea level? I just bought a Garmin and this bar sits 350 feet above sea level.

So far, I have not needed a line. But, if you have any suggestions, let me know.

Magenta

With fiesta quickly approaching, I have started planning my wardrobe. Heaven forbid I wear the same clothes more than once. For fear of duplication, I reflect back on previous outfits and notice a pattern.

Your favorite color must be black, my youngest niece tells me, because your car and bike are both black. However, there seems to be a magenta theme depicted in the pictures below.