Team 242 Supper Clubs: Day Five

Wausau, Wisconsin to Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin.

Distance pedaled: 127.39 miles.

2.5 days of not riding and feeling sorry for myself, I thought it was time to get back on the bike.  Body be darned.

After the 147 mile day two years ago, I was pretty much convinced that anything over 100 miles is, well, you know, just not enjoyable.  And after today, well, so, uh, yeah.  The weather was perfect: we started off at 48 degrees and topped out at around 70 degrees, the wind was mostly a tailwind, and the roads/trails were mostly smooth.

Thoughts:

The trails weren't always perfectly smooth.  One had a section of deep sand and it led to the first crash of the trip:

Other upright pictures from the trail:

To reiterate, I love the rails to trails.  I moved to the front of the group for a little while and pretended I was the engine of a train.  Choo-choo.  I might have made some sounds.  (Sidenote: Ben Gura has joined us this evening and I hope he does his Choo-Choo (come and ride the train) dance tomorrow.)

I still like trains.

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100 miles is a long (drive) ride inside of a (car) bicycle.

110 miles is a long (drive) ride inside of a (car) bicycle.

127.39 miles is too far inside of a (car) bicycle.

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But 127.39 miles in perfect weather conditions wasn't the worst thing in the world.  It really was enjoyable.

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I ended up with three ticks today.  None embedded.

Even though the trails were smooth, some were overgrown and legs kept getting whacked by brush.  It reminded me of an idea I had about running with someone (nobody in particular, just a test) on an overgrown trail in Houston.  If she complained about the blood and bruises on her legs post run, so be it.  And if she had fun and was amazing - elope.

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No Outlet signs sometimes means No Outlet.

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Oodles of road killed deer today.  Too many Bambi's, too.

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Track 11: Camera Obscura - Country Mile.

I won't be seeing you for a long while.  I hope it's not as long as these country miles.  I feel lost.

Team 242 Supper Clubs: Day Four

Wausau, Wisconsin to Wausau, Wisconsin.  Rest Day.

For the rest day some of the riders went shopping (see through spandex needed to be replaced).  Others went to a coffee shop.  Another went to the art museum.  And I decided to go birding on Rib Mountain.

Nothing.  Well almost nothing.  But a lot of time spent walking in the woods was walking in silence.  The place was almost completely devoid of birds.

5.5 hours of birding and only 21 species and 97 individuals.

In contrast, Becky picked me up and we stopped at a small park on the side of the road and in 15 minutes we found 11 species and 100+ individuals.

Oh well.

We ate at The Pinewood Supper Club.  I forgot to bring my camera - no pictures.  But the food was good.  Really really good.

Appetizers: Onion Rings. Cheese Curds.  Fried Cauliflower.

Dinner: Chicken Oscar.

Dessert: None, but I did have a root beer float at an ice cream shop later in the evening.  I'll look up their name because they claim to be the home of an ice cream cone with 1 pound of ice cream.

We've only had two supper clubs so far, but The Pinewood is the unanimous winner so far.

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Track 11.  Chin Up Chin Up - Collide The Tide.

Girl there's a fault line between us and it's all that keeps us stationary.  So let's go.

Team 242 Supper Clubs: Day Three

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin to Wausau, Wisconsin.

Distance pedaled: 0.00 miles.

Top Speed which was also Bottom Speed: 0.00 mph.

A whole bunch of zeros.  I decided to give my body and mind another break.

No bicycle riding.  Car driving.

I was able to help out with our support drivers, but I was still hit with a large sense of failure.  I don't feel good.  Not one bit.

But in ride news: The riders got hit with rain today.  Sunny one moment and then rain.  But you know what they say about the weather in Wisconsin...

We also ran across some other riders:

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Track 11.  Mates Of State - Uber Legitimate.

What if the sun is right?  You can't change that source in a day.

1000 Things To Do Before You Die: #85

#85: Climb the observation tower on top of Rib Mountain.

Accomplished: July 16, 2014.

Extra-credit: Timm's Hill.

Half-credit: Elevator.

1000 Things To Do Before You Die: #84

#84: Drink water from the mouth of a lion.

Accomplished: July 15, 2014. (And also in Milwaukee many many years ago.)

Extra-credit: Bubbler.

Half-credit: Water fountain.

1000 Things To Do Before You Die: #83

#83: Buy a Coca-Cola out of a Pepsi machine.

Accomplished: July 15, 2014.

Extra-credit: Walk the weasel.

Half-credit: Pepsi.

Team 242 Supper Clubs: Day Two

Tomah, Wisconsin to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

98.7 miles.

Actual distance traveled by bicycle: 41.38 miles.

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I know I typed yesterday that maybe it was because I've had a few years off of the bicycle, but I'm thinking, perhaps, just maybe maybe, possibly, or for any AP Stats students - probably - Kettle is still affecting me.  Five weeks ago I participated in and finished a 100 mile trail run (with 6 minutes to spare).  During those 29 hours and 54 minutes, I asked a lot out of my body and mind.  I have not returned to normal since.

So at mile 41.38, I called it a day and maybe a ride.  I'm going to give it a go in the morning, but who knows how the mind and body will respond.

At Kettle, somebody placed a sign along the course that said: "Pain is inevitable.  Suffering is optional."  I don't think I suffered during Kettle, but on today's shorter ride, I suffered and found myself unable to rid myself of it.

I'd write more because even with the drop it was a good day, but I'm going to bed.  Rest will help.  Yes?

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A few pictures from today:

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Also:

Yesterday I wrote that I like trains.

I also like bubbles.

Yes, they were in the trash, but the idea still brought happiness.

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Track 11.  The Sundays - A Certain Someone.

If I could have anything in the world for free, I wouldn't share it with anyone else but me.  Except perhaps a certain someone.