A Momentous Cycling Day (Loops #8 & #9)

The view from Champlain Lookout under an early
morning, cloud-filled sky.

Joy here...This Sunday, we woke up to a bright blue sky, fluffy white clouds stretched across the blue like pulled cotton, and comfortable temperatures--not too hot, not too cold, very little wind--and we headed to the park for our weekly ride.  Now last Sunday I didn't ride with the normal group, because I was participating in the Gatineau Gran Fondo sportif event, and then on Tuesday I competed in this week's time trial (where I placed 1st in my age group!!! a fact that still thrills me to the bones); on Wednesday, I rode with the Women on Wheels group through the park, and on Thursday I had strength training, but then I took both Friday and Saturday off, which meant that I was up for a hard effort this Sunday...so I decided to try doing two full loops of the park with The Man and Power Penna's husband (who is still in need of a nickname on this blog...I tried to convince him to go with Pantani after the Italian cyclist, but he wasn't all that keen on that).

Champlain Lookout (and the guys) with a lighter sky
on our second round!

Last summer one of our big aims as part of the "sisterhood" was to ride two full loops of the park, a feat which we achieved in August and which the Sashinator and I repeated in early September.

But it's only May now.

What on earth am I doing thinking I'm ready for two loops of the park?

With the guys, no less???

But wouldn't you know, it wasn't so bad after all.  Power Penna's husband, The Man, and I all rolled outward and upward, with me showing them the hard gear drills up Fortune Climb, and being able to stick with them throughout two loops of the park, averaging 27km/hr through hilly terrain for a total of 91.6kms (my longest ride to date this season).

Ryder Hesjedal wins the Giro!

And while that distance (91.6kms, even longer than last Friday's long ride), the speed (27km/hr, only 0.8km/hr slower than Wednesday's one-loop ride with the Women on Wheels folks), and the fact that I achieved a full two loop ride of the park before it's even summer all excite me...what excites me even more was what was happening while I was out there having my good ride.

Across the world in the middle of Europe around Milan, Italy a Canadian cyclist was riding his little heart out.  That's right; I'm talking about Victoria BC's Ryder Hesjedal who just secured his win in the Giro d'Italia (Tour of Italy)...the first time EVER that a Canadian has won a grand tour.  By a margin of 16 seconds, Ryder has just ridden his way into cycling history.

So on behalf of Ryder's momentous ride, and my own momentous ride, I'm going to sit down and have a celebratory beer.

Or two.

Over and out,
Joy