Back in the Saddle

I finally made it out for a training ride this weekend! It was my first time on my bike this year. I actually thought it was my first time on the bike since the bike rally last summer, but I was mistaken - my log book tells me that I did go on a ride with Dave in October.

I was a bit anxious about the first ride. I didn't spend a whole lot of time getting my bike ready, and I wasn't sure how difficult I would find it to do 42 km as my first ride. Cycling can be pretty complex in terms of all the equipment... helmet, shoes, water bottles, spare tube, pump, tools, snacks, gloves, etc... so I wondered if I would forget anything. But it turned out that getting back on the bike was very easy. I think Stu and I must have perfected the art of cycling preparedness last year, so I was relieved to find that it was easy to get started again this year.

The ride went very well. It was cloudy, but the rain held off. Dave kept asking me if my legs were sore afterwards, but they weren't. My butt, however, was and still is a bit sore. It will take awhile to toughen it up again :)

Rally Fever - it's on!

Today was the second (my first) training ride of the season and the weather was perfect! We started at Kipling station and rode a 39km route which took us out to through Port Credit and up scenic Mississauga Road.

After having used the trakstand for the past while I think I was starting to forget the thrill of a ride on the open road. Feeling the rush of wind as soon as you push the pedals just doesn't happen on a stationary bike! Last night I had spent a while tuning Allen up making sure he was ready for the ride. Today he was shifting gears brilliantly, responding to every little whim I had. It's great having him on the road, it's pretty much like he anticipates every turn, hill, pothole and obstacle so he's prepared to respond at a moment's notice.

So yes, I was more than just a little excited after the ride. The thrill of the Bike Rally is back with me today -- the thrill of 600+ kilometers of open road and trails that connect Toronto to Montreal, and hundreds of other riders and crew to share it with.

Rally fever? It's back - it's on!

The weather

Last weekend was the first training ride; those around the Toronto area may have noticed that Saturday morning was still pretty chilly. I just couldn't bring myself to get out on my bike with temperatures hovering around freezing (the average temperature for the day was 2.4°C with a high of only 6.7°C). It's true that last year's first ride was a cold one too - you can check the blog entry for that to verify. However, while I do believe in biking in all sorts of conditions to prepare for the trek to Montreal, I know we won't have to put up with temperatures like that this summer!

The current long range forecast is calling for a high of over 15°C for this weekend's ride, which sounds a lot more appealing. No more Trak stand for a while I hope!

Fundraising

With training rides starting up this coming weekend, both Kevin and I have started our fund raising activities. It's definitely a tough task raising the $2,000 minimum that is required to participate in the bike rally, but it's well worth it.

Last year we were both lucky to have the support of many great people who helped us meet our goals. We're hoping that this year will be no different.

If you've not done so yet, why not take a moment to participate in this great event by sponsoring one of us. The funds raise support a fantastic cause! Last year we cycled nearly 4,500 km combined when you sum up the training rides and the trip from Toronto to Montreal itself - with that amount of cycling, it's clear that we both support the Bike Rally, and we hope we can count on you to do the same!