Country Views: Pep Talk

Escape Route: Sans Souci Bridge

 Well, things just didn't work out for me to get out on Memorial Day weekend, but on Tuesday, which was functionally a Monday in my brain, I did get away for a bit. 

It was a fine hot day, little breeze to speak of, and I wore the Summer type kit as a result. The new flowery Twin Six jersey made its debut. I rode the pink BMC, of course, in preparation for the upcoming BRAN gravel ride. 

I wanted to head out South, but the Sergeant Road trail has an ancient railroad "bridge", (more like a drainage crossing), which is collapsing after all the decades of usage. I really didn't want to use that trail anyway, as it makes you cross three major roads at intersections which carry heavy traffic. It's a bad design for cyclists.  

Anyway, I ended up going North again, but not without some dismounted scurrying across a section of Broadway Avenue which is being prepared for new pavement. Watching out for re-bar and ropes, I tip-toed across the compacted gravel and remounted going North on Burton Avenue. 

Looking back from where I came. 

 

Gravel straight ahead!

I was worried on this ride. Worried I wasn't going to ride well in Nebraska. Worried that I hadn't done enough time in the saddle. I know.....worry gets you no where. But that said, it is hard to put it out of your mind. 

 

The gravel going up Burton was fresh and a little deep in places. The going was difficult. This did not play well with my mental state at the time. I tried to distract myself by looking around at the scenery. The crops barely peeking out of the soil. Green ditches, trees all leafed out, and a few ditch flowers brightening the roadside helped. 

Fortunately there were no issues with the bike, just the motor was a little off!

Curious cattle watched as I rode by their shed.

I looked at the watch and realized I was going to have to go East on Mt. Vernon Road. I then made it over to Sage Road and back toward town. I was still battling doubt and worry, but by this time I was rationalizing my situation a bit more clearly. 

The road improved as well. Now I was out of the freshly laid gravel and on more "average" conditions gravel. Average for around here anyway. So this made me feel a bit better, even though I was going into a headwind heading South. 

 

I'd likely be riding with people, and that would take my mind off of myself. I would not be in a big hurry. The average day mileage is a little over 58 miles and I'd have all day to do that. Yes, there is a 72 mile day, and one that is 60-something, but I'll make it work. I just have to keep pedaling. 

I ended up giving myself a bit of a pep talk there. It helped, and I felt a lot better about things once I got back home.  

I'll try to ride every day this week for at least an hour or so just to get used to being on a bike every day. Then next week I'll rest up, pack, and hopefully get myself out there and on the bus to Valentine. 

Onward.....