All aloed up

Woke up a little late this morning but managed to get to Richfield around 10 after 8 for the sweet corn ride. I met up with A and we got our maps and food tickets, v. important!

Before we headed out we sunscreened up, pumped tires, and loaded our bikes with gatorade.

We signed up for the 50 mile route again this year. They changed the course this year which was probably for the good. I remember it as being much hillier and brutal but that could also be because last year I was riding a hybrid. To put that in perspective last year it took us 4 hours and 40 minutes to do the ride while this year it took us about 3 hours and 40 minutes.

I am not sure exactly how they changed the course but there was an extra water stop this year and the 25 mile stop from last year was the 12 mile stop this year. I just remember last year we were just making it to the rest stops as they were shutting down :) This year we made it in plenty of time to each stop!

The course was well marked and most of the way was pretty light on traffic so it makes for a nice long ride. We did miss one turn though and probably cut about a mile, but we rode to the start and back to our cars so we ended up with 50 miles total according to my computer.

I didn't fall off the bike today which was great. Especially considering at one point my gears locked while going up hill! I did however fall on my rear end at the first water stop just walking around :) Nice!

I think A and I both felt a lot better this year about the ride. I am not even sore right now, which is a plus (well not any more sore than I was yesterday, or the day before, or the day before that...) Although A has turned into a freaking billy goat and was killing me on the hills, I couldn't even attempt to keep up. Especially with the crowds. Climbing hills with numerous cyclists of different levels is v. dangerous. Not my thing at all.

My back however is very sore! I apparently did not do a very good job putting on sunscreen and I now look like a beet on both of my shoulders, and am white as a ghost where my shirt was covering me. So I will be applying aloe generously for the next few days.
This pic doesn't even do it justice. My shirt line is completely white and the rest of my back is tomato red!

The sweet corn this year was not as good, but hopefully the corn we got to take home will cook up nice.

We had to carry the corn from the tent back to our cars while riding and A informs me I should carry the bags by the handles. I told her it felt like they were going to tear, but she told me not to worry. Here is evidence that I shouldn't have listened!

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