bridges out, and tew overdoes it

Laura OLPH's already got a more complete post than I would have done about today's ride, except to say that I didn't know that the bridge on 518 was out, so I had to find a back way to drive to Lambertville (I'm almost as hopeless at navigation in the car as I am on the bike), so hearing that the bridge was ALSO out at Raven Rock just sounded like karma or something to me. (Go read Laura's post.)

She posted the map, but here's my link to the route, with our results. And I only got a few pictures that came out decently:

Below is Laura with, I think, the fluorescent green spider (go check out Laura's post, already!):

I like pictures of bikes.

Some Slugs at Homestead Coffee Roasters in Black Eddy, Pa:

... but that's not really what I wanted to talk about in this post.

Regular readers will remember that The Excellent Wife (TEW) got a new bike this summer. Since then, she's ridden with me a little, done a ride at the picnic, and ridden on her own.  She's been hearing about this C ride that Roland B does out of the Sawmill Y in Hamilton, and several people told her that she could do it, even on her heavy old hybrid, so with her new bike, she was confident. It's advertised at 20-25 miles, at a C pace. So off she went yesterday morning.

When she got there, she found the plan was for 29 miles, which for her is a lot; more than she's ever done (she wound up with about 30). But she was there, and gamely decided to continue... and she did, despite the long distance and despite a difficult pace in the second half of the ride. I called her when I left the parking lot after my ride (it's a habit I've gotten into so she knows I survived the bike and am still upright), and when she called me back and told me about it, I was afraid she'd never want to get on the bike again.

That doesn't seem to be the case. While she was tired, she still seems to want to ride, and doesn't think the bike was a foolish purchase. She HAS resolved to contact ride leaders before the ride to see if there's a change in plans (which I think is reasonable and prudent). And, while I don't think she'll do another group ride this season, I'm hopeful for 2014...