Please tell me. How does anyone get fit enough to ride the Tour de France? I don’t know what all the hype is about when it comes to cycling. Your butt kills, your neck feels like the helmet weighs a ton, leaning forward so your back aches. Hamstrings feel like they’re going to snap any second, legs are heavy. Where’s the thrill?
Well, it was the least I could do to try, right? My friend Gene is a serious cyclist and has been trying to get me to go for a ride with him for a year. Now, if you told someone that you hadn’t been on a bike in 30 years, would they map out a 30 mile mini Tour de France for you? Well, happy to report I survived it.
I had to borrow my entire outfit. I’m totally amazed that my biking pants didn’t fall off mid-ride. Was I being greedy when I asked where my helmet was? Oh, I guess I expected too much. We borrowed one for me.
The ride I was on would have been any cyclist’s dream. To cycle through the vineyards in Southern France, gazing at the beauty of the mountain ranges in the background. A nice cool breeze (or was it a mistral?) We rode on the outskirts of Sablet, Rasteau, Roaix, Vacqueyras, Cairanne and Seguret.
I was hollering, “Hey, which gear makes it easier?” “The right silver or the left black?”
More often than not my questions went unheard as a few campers that passed us (on the one main road we had to cycle on) almost blew me off the road. I was learning how to shift as I rode.. not a really great idea.
All of a sudden a male and female cyclist passed on the left. They looked serious. I mean, I could tell she wasn’t wearing her boyfriends pants. They were outfitted with top-of-the-line equipment. I spoke my polite “Bonjour” while breathing heavily and struggling to keep up with my Mr. Castelli. I named him that because it was all over his shirt.
Immediately the distance between my partner and the other passing cyclists started to grow. I was thinking “Wow, Mr. Castelli really makes friends easily.” I really enjoyed watching the three of them compete for the race to the top of the hill. So, I decided I might as well take a little break. I noticed they were pulling away, but I figured I would probably be missed somewhere close to sunset, so I wasn’t concerned.
I continued to bike within 5 minutes and Mr. Castelli had already turned back to look for me. We finished in under two hours. I think I would have preferred the vertical one hour walk up the mountain.
It was an experience. I found that trying to “be in the moment” was helpful. Noticing the beauty of the vineyards and mountains did distract me somewhat. And, when I got home I took a nice long hot bath and had a delicious pasta lunch.
I plan to make the bike part of my exercise routine at the health club when I return home.
No pictures of me in my outfit. Couldn’t think of taking photos while cycling. Maybe next time?
A bientot!
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We could always go biking together, I am needing a new bike partner