100 miles Ride - August 15th

I'm a bit slow in getting to this post, but needed to download the photos. This one is of Bob & Dan at the start of our ride - I'm grateful those two showed up to join me, would have been lonely doing it by myself. The rest of the photos can be found at http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=wytd589.4351h9rt&x=0&y=-lqax61&localeid=en_US (start on #33) or click on the Team Indiana links on the lefthand side of the blog and select 2009 training rides.

It was a warm day, but manageable and good training for Death Valley (too bad I'm going to Vermont). We headed west up to the outskirts of Zionsville and enjoyed apple fritters at Starbucks, then we joined part of the CIBA route from last week and made our way up to Lebanon where we enjoyed a stop at the BP (next year we will go a mile further and stop at Casey's). Then we headed north, taking a tour of the junior high parking lot and then making our way to Strawtown road. Unfortunately our next turn would have been onto a gravel road (what is it with the people between Lebanon & Frankfort and their gravel roads) so we re-routed to SR 39 earlier than planned and made our way up to Frankfort and our second BP, except this one was closed so we headed back to the one we had passed 1/2 mile before that had the laundry mat. It was also across the road from a hospital - not sure if that was good news or not. The little girls in the store were intrigued by our biking shoes and we were intrigued by the tattooed lady that came into the store. A slight breeze had started from the southeast, too bad that was exactly where we were headed. We managed a pace line for a good 15 miles, but then it became too hard to concentrate. We were happy to arrive in Sheridan for a stop at the Speedway (next time Bob we will stop at the DairyQueen). From there we headed south through Lamong, Eagletown and then back onto Springmill for the final 7 miles. I was right at 100 miles when I got off my bike at Holliday Park - very happy to see Stacey, Liz & Dawn.

We enjoyed a wonderful picnic with the Youth Ambassadors and I for one am ready to hit the hills of Vermont.

Thanks again to Bob & Dan for joining me on this adventure.

Alex