The Ins and Outs of an Ordinary Life

Saturday, September 02, 2006

The Millbrook Ride

Many years ago, (uh, about 20), my brother and I would ride from our parent's home in Hopewell Jct to Millbrook. It was always a favorite bike ride, really beautiful, challenging, and most of it on quiet back roads. When DH became my DH, he would ride with us, too. Yesterday, DH and I both took the day off and we decided to take the bikes up to Hopewell Jct. and ride to Millbrook. We even found the original route directions in my brother's handwriting. I knew there was a couple of really big climbs on this ride, but DH kept assuring me that the hills would be smaller than I remember them. Not. I'm grateful they didn't get bigger but they certainly didn't get smaller. This was a very challenging ride for me, 40 miles round trip. I felt like my legs were toast when we got to Millbrook. Luckily the ride out is more difficult than the return trip, but we still had to go over Chestnut Ridge. You know you are in trouble when you turn onto "Overlook Road." DH stuck with me, even though I ride much slower than him. He was wearing his heart rate monitor which beeps whenever he is not "in his zone" (kind of annoying but the monitor is broken and he can't turn the beep off). Everytime he pulled up alongside me, his heart rate monitor was beeping because his heart rate was way below the zone. Riding my speed for 40 miles, his average heart rate was 108. Holy cow the man is fit! Well, this ride was still a major success. It was as beautiful as I remember it, Millbrook is a funky little town, great for a lunchbreak, and although it wasn't a beautiful sunny day, the cooler cloudy weather was a nice change from the summer heat. We saw a soaring eagle and got to visit with some cousins. When we got home, I fell asleep on the couch watching the Yankee game. Today is the perfect recovery day, as the remnants of Ernesto churn up the coast. Tomorrow I shall ride again! The September Monthly Mileage Challenge began yesterday, and 40 miles converts to 10 miles in the challenge. Not a bad way to start the month!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"Overlook" anything on a bike is bad news unless you drove there with your bike on your roof rack! LOL
Good job on the 40!
The guys I ride with can kick my butt any time they want and thankfully they wait at the top of big hills for the straglers.
Nothing like a new bike to get you juices flowing!
I hope you find the perfect one!
Ride everything that might possibly fit you with alittle adjustment.
You can always get a shorter stem put on to dial your handle bar reach into perfection.
Your not limited to how the bike is set up the first time you try it at the shop.
Make your shop owner do alittle work to make the sale.
If it's a good shop he will not mind at all!
Try carbon, aluminium, steel and titanium just to get a feel for what those materials ride like to you.
Have fun shopping!