Every muscle in my body aches today and I plan to spend the entire time I'm in Oregon soaking in my friend's hot tub. Today, as lil red bird (the ride leader) observed in an after-ride post: "pain killers are my friend."
The ride was a real marathon for me. Longest number of hours in a row I've ever been in the saddle. Left the house at 7:30 and, thanks to a 401 debacle (it was closed between Markam Road and Brock Road because of an accident), rolled into my driveway just before midnight: 16.5 hours.
I forgot to check my odometer before setting out yesterday morning -- but think I clocked more than 750 kilometres. Some who lived farther west clocked 800 and more, so that sounds about right.
Vkhamphi, who rode sweep for the last part of the ride, observed that I'm scrubbing off too much speed going into the turns. I was braking less this weekend than last weekend, though, and hope next time it will be even less.
I'm also fighting the urge to brake mid curve, which lil red bird pointed out I'm still doing sometimes. My brain knows it's stupid and will get me into trouble but, as I said in a post on the board, my brake finger gets twitchy and sometimes thinks for itself. Have to over-ride it by imprinting new body memory, which is only going to happen with more time on roads like those. And Vkhampi says I need to push/steer.
It's very useful getting this kind of feedback. Great group of fellas.
Click here to read the after-ride posts, if you're interested.
When I got home last night, that spot between my shoulder blades that's always given me trouble (I've been at some kind of keyboard for many hours a day since I was seven years old -- starting with playing piano and culminating with 60-80-hour work weeks during the dot-com boom) was burning like fire. My wrists felt like they were gonna fall off, and discovered muscles in my thighs I never knew I had from gripping the tank with my knee(s) for that many hours in a row.
But I'm blissed. It was almost tantric. I told lil red bird he must be a male version of a dominatrix or somesuch. (laughing) We all got home sore and limping and we love him for it.
But I think I'm gonna eat some aspirin, clean my chain, and take Baby to Ann Arbor today so I can ride there with my friend Marc tomorrow before hopping that flight to Eugene in Detroit.
Forgot my camera yesterday (should have packed my tank bag before falling asleep the night before instead of doing it in a 6 a.m. haze), but took some pix on my cellphone.
Don't have time to transfer them (still have to pack for Oregon), but will post them as soon as I can.
I'm very grateful to these guys for letting me tag along and for offering me riding tips.
And, as lil red bird posted:
"You can now say you have ridden:
(Highway) 507
Glamorgan Road.
Elephant Lake/Peterson Road
Have boogied on the Calabogie boogie
and stomped down the Ompa stomp.
In one day."
Wanna go back and do Highway 507 and Elephant Road again, especially. I'm in love.
We deviated from it somewhat, but click here to see the route we took.
Woo-hoo!
Postscript: I didn't get the photos off my phone until I got back from Oregon and I have to tell ya, the HP iPaq takes *terrible* photos. Only one had enough definition to even tell who and what is in the photo. Here it is: a snap of lil red bird (in the red leathers, of course) checking the map with Vkhamphi. That's Bambata on the far right. If the fella giving the thumbs up cares to email me and remind me of his name, I'll add it.
But you can click here to see some better photos that Regenmeister took with a real camera and posted on Picasa. I'm waiting to hear from him whether I can copy one of them that he took of me on Baby so I can post it here in my blog. Thanks, Regenmeister!
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