Proud Cycling Husband

CDV posted a ride for tonight leaving at 5:30 at a slower pace to encourage more to ride. It was an absolutely gorgeous night! Hardly any wind and a little over 60 degrees. I told Laura she should ride on the tandem with me, knowing full well the route was a little over 30 miles. Not a big deal to most of us. However, Laura has only one other 30 mile ride under her belt, and that was last fall. It included 2-3 "butt breaks" along the way with a stop in the middle for ice cream at Edgar's Old Fashioned Soda Fountain in Elk Point (bribery to go 30 miles).

Tonight was different. The Meckling Loop. Cycling Cathy, CDV, Cindy L., Evie J., and Team Brady took to the road. We usually ride this without stopping at all, but told Laura that we would stop half way if she needed it. At the halfway point she said she was okay. Later she confided that she was afraid that if we stopped she wouldn't want to get back on. At about 20-22 miles I could see in my mirror that Laura was visibly starting to hurt. When I asked she said her hamstrings were screaming. Nonetheless, she hung in there and finished the ride and I couldn't be prouder. She's getting there fast, we just need more ride time.

She just finished stretching and is now going to soak in a hot bathtub. Here's hoping there is a little love left in the morning. Hopefully she knows that I wasn't out to kill her, but I do think it was good for her to see how far she can go and how far she can push.

Did I mention that I love the tandem and being able to ride with Laura?