I admit I lack discipline and have a reputation for procrastination and being easily distracted. Al, on the other hand, is the poster child for discipline and adherence to routines. Without him, I doubt this week would have played out as it did. Al played the role of task master. His plan: lots of miles and constant interval training. (Not in his plan: stopping for pictures and stopping and chatting.) Being the sneaky sort, he mentioned rides we could start doing if we jump-started things this week, tempting me with fantasies of espresso and toasted bagels, Cuban sandwiches, and tacos. (He had me hooked at espresso.)
Living where we do we have access to wonderful biking on low-traffic roads with lovely scenery, thanks to being surrounded by ranches, orange groves, and wildlife/environmental areas. But rural living means very small towns and not many of them. It's a long bike ride to things commonplace for urban and suburban cyclists.
For us:
- Cuban sandwich and espresso, 40-50 miles
- Espresso and toasted bagel, 60-70 miles
- My favorite tacos, 70-80 miles
These are the round trip mileages from our house, the shorter being the most direct bike route, the second being the more interesting bike route. There
is a closer small town, a pretty place with lots of murals and pocket parks, but its McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendy's are strictly desperation stops, and not one of the its handful of little restaurants serves a decent espresso.
So I whined quietly and chased Al down the road this week. I'll admit now that it was worth it. The week is done, and I'm ready to bike for that Cuban sandwich and espresso. I'm salivating just thinking about it.
