Closer and closer...

The early part of last week was wet and rainy so on Tuesday I took the bike in to the shop to have it packed for shipment to California. Going back on Thursday to pick it up the box was still open and viewing all those pieces was strange...after all the training miles we have put in that bike is like another limb and seeing it all broken down was like having my arm or leg in a cast. So Thursday Tom and I taped our packages shut and watched our bikes slide down the conveyor belt at FedEx - so the game is on. The only way to get them back is to get out to Los Angeles and pick them up. And, since we bought one-way tickets to LA we seem to be hooked.... Of course the training really doesn't stop. I came home and pulled down my old Trek. I have not been on it in almost ten years and I think it last saw the road maybe four years ago when I loaned it to a friend. To say it is badly in need of a tune-up is an understatement. I changed both tires, cleaned up the chain and applied some oil only to find the shifting was a mess. Long story short, I managed to get the middle ring functioning fairly well, the brakes work and out I went for a test. I felt like I was riding the Schwinn I got for my tenth birthday...However, I took it up and down a couple of hills on Friday and it seems stable and safe so this will be it for the next couple of weeks. The hardest thing to get used to again is that this old bike has the old cages on the pedals - I'm a little rusty at getting my feet in and out. I will be very happy to be able to clip in when we test the bikes in LA. And then Tom and I showed up for the first Anchor House training ride of the year on Saturday and it was great to get in one last ride with that gang. Was a beautiful day, even at an early 7:30 start, and with all the riding we have done this year 37 miles with a few good hills never felt so good. So tomorrow is Monday of the penultimate week...let the countdown begin.