The Longest Ride Yet – and a Thank You

Dad and I rode my farthest distance this Sunday on the RAIN trainer, 82 miles! It was a little difficult towards the end, which we dealt with by means of a Subway feast. This one was a step up of about 20 miles from my last longest distance – around 65 miles. It’s pretty good news for the quickly approaching RAIN ride, because it’s preparing me for the significant saddle time that RAIN and the epic ride are going to require. I’ve got to say, I’ve seen much more beautiful country than the highway, but it was fantastic to get so many miles in my legs for the first time

This blog post is a bit of a shout out to my dad – my coach and chauffeur and culinary artist. I wouldn’t have been able to make it through the last ten miles without my dad doing his best to make sure I’d been sufficiently fueled and rested, and never losing his patience even in the hottest part of the day when both of us were sore and tired.

I have my dad to thank for much of the organization of this trip and training, the biking expertise and coaching, constant encouragement, and my bike itself of course. I wouldn’t have been able to make it this far, and I know he’s going to be the difference between my success and failure on the epic ride in August. We’re having a pretty great time, loudly singing “Life’s Been Good” by Joe Walsh when we’ve had a little too much sun and coming up with dumb puns to entertain ourselves through the cornfields. We’ve enjoyed Popeye’s fried apple pies after rides, and brainstormed my AP Language and Composition essays. If nothing else, this season of biking will mean many more memories with my dad before I go off to college.

Once again Dad, thanks for all you do! And congratulations on our first Strava Grand Fondo of the season!