Today as we were pedalling by the wet northeast pasture of a nearby ranch, we found some cattle chopping the tender green plants growing in about 2-3 feet deep water. As we approached, the herd splashed and meandered away from us. Except for one sly guy. He was so-o-o obviously hiding in the tall weeds. Watching us. Standing very, very still. (Peek-a-boo, I see you...)
Al was being almost evil today. He is determined to get our speed back up to what it was a few years ago. So today I was once again chasing, chasing, chasing. We took a long ride to the south on a serpentine road. The wind was from the northwest, calmer than the tropical force winds of a few days ago, but still formidable. The leg south was OK. Hey, I thought, I'm getting a lot better! Then we u-turned and headed north. Agony, pain, and much gasping and panting! Finally we got a stop for a snack. Relief. Then it was off again. In the final quarter of the ride, I finally found a strategy that helped. I discovered that Al slowed ever so slightly whenever our course took us into the wind. I pushed myself then, using his slight slowing as an opportunity for me to gain any ground I'd lost. It worked! I felt like a champ.
Al is a great riding partner and coach. I decided he was only half evil. (But I always did like the bad boys...)
