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| This is from April of 2010, pictured are Beth and Stan Bradshaw, Chuck and Lisa Blanton, Jackie and I and Martin. I'm not sure where Kara is (she just had August in March) and the Killough's were outta town. |
Our biking group started in 2008 when I bummed a bike from a fellow runner in Wynne, David Reagler. David started our local marathon 12 years ago and is a big time runner. I believe he's done and completed the Arkansas Traveler which is a foot race that goes on for 24 straight hours running 100 miles. That's nuts! We all miss the Reagler's since they moved to Hot Springs in 2007. Our cycling started from Birdeye on David's mountain bike and Kara with her Bianchi road bike. I hadn't been on a bike since my teens and obviously Kara had by all the equipment she had on...clip in shoes for one. I was totally wondering why in the world would anyone wear a shoe that keeps your foot stuck on the pedal? Then she had on tight shorts with a big pad underneath...what is that for? Next were some fingerless gloves with a pad in it...then two drink bottles, a sweat band, sunglasses and snacks...OK..what was I in for? Why would anyone need so much equipment for a conversational bike ride? I had nothing, not a drink bottle, not even my glucometer. I sure should have had a snack packed but I thought it was just a little bike run. Well I huffed and puffed while she just talked about her day, her fabulous kids and job. I figured out after our first ride that those padded shorts are a must...there is a bone under there that gets sore after a few miles on a bike. There really is...
One of Kara and I's legendary rides was from Birdeye to Village Creek State Park on her birthday on September 20, 2008. We love going on bike rides, it's a time of talk about family, work, friends, church and our legendary "vault" talk. I don't think we stopped until we got to the golf course at Village Creek. The mileage round trip is 45 miles. When we got to Levesque on the way back, we were both spent. We had snacks on our bikes and made it through but it was rough! After that ride, Kara talked me into getting a bike. Jackie bought a Specialized Dolce bike for my birthday in 2009. A month later, I made him get one for his birthday and the four of us started out biking with Chuck and Lisa Blanton, Beth and Stan Bradshaw and Kyle Killough from church. Kyle made Cecilia a bike and she's been riding with us for all of 2010. When I say "made" her a bike, that's exactly what he did. That totally amazes me! I have zero talent in building anything except in the food department. And BTW, I do have clip in shoes and I think they are a must even if I clump in them from time to time. There's nothing more comical that one of us falling over on our bike because we're clipped in. We've all done it and it's hilarious. That reminds me of the mountain bike ride at Village Creek a few months ago when Martin (on his Specialized bike with clip in shoes) tried to jump a tree and totally crashed, probably broke some ribs, he said later. On that ride, Kara and I counted like seven crashes by him giving us a ton of laughter.
There are so many funny stories on our bikes! We'll have to get everyone to share them. Someone's always late for a ride, gets a flat, doesn't pack enough Gatorade or snacks but stories and laughter always come with the bike adventures. I'm planning on posting a calendar on this site so everyone can check when a ride is scheduled. We also host after ride snacks and drinks alternating between houses. I hope this year is another safe year for everyone! Calendar to come soon!
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