So today we were supposed to ride in the LBJ 100, out at the Lyndon Baines Johnson ranch about 60 miles west of Austin. Pat planned to go 32 miles, and I would do the full 100K (62 miles). I was really looking forward to it, because we’ve been out there before and took the National Park Service tour. It’s in the Texas Hill Country, and is quite scenic, with quiet, hilly country roads. For the ride, the former President’s daughter Luci opened up the ranch to the public. The ride would start on the private air strip just north of the ranch house.
But yesterday, Pat had a bad fall dismounting from a horse after a riding lesson. Nothing broken, but bad abrasions and bruises, and lots of soreness all over. We even left last night’s performance of Hal Holbrook in “Mark Twain Tonight,” at intermission, because Pat was feeling so much discomfort. By the time we got home, she had decided to skip the bike ride.
Before Hal Holbrook, we went out to dinner with friends at an Italian restaurant. I figured it would be a nice opportunity to do some carbo-loading before the ride. But I woke up this morning with major GI distress. Mother Nature did not cooperate, and I decided the best thing to do was not try to tough it out, but skip the ride as well.
Too bad. After good weather this week (and some much-needed rain), a cold front came through last night. Temperature at ride time was only 40F, with a wicked wind gusting out of the north. One of the guys in my club, who did do the ride, described conditions as “horrendous.” That would have been good prep for me to ride in the MS 150 next month. Last year’s ride was into a head wind all the way from Houston to Austin, and ride veterans say conditions were worse than they’d ever seen. Fighting a cold wind would toughen me up for that kind of adversity.
Oh, well. I’ll take it easy and eat some yogurt today, calm my insides, and hope I can ride tomorrow. Maybe the weather will be difficult then, too.
“Major GI ditress” Ugh, the last thing I would want to do is ride with those “issues”. Hey, unless you’re getting paid to ride, no one should give you any static over passing up the ride. You’d be better served recovering on the couch and watching the NCAA Tournament.
Hope Mrs. Noob is OK. You can ride another day.