Summer is going by so fast, but I am still having fun with friends!
He said
This week was an incredible week of slowing it right down at the trailer. When we posted last week we had just started our week at the trailer and I can confidently tell you we continued that narrative all week long. There were no morning alarms, we woke when we wanted to. We managed to get in a bike ride together on the G2G every single day. And I even managed to do some upgrade work to the roof vent bathroom fan that was long over due. And every night would be spent at the fire pit—some nights even with the projector up and the Jays game on. The entire week was as much bliss as we could stand and the perfect antithesis to all the ‘busy-ness‘ we normally have back home. We came back Friday afternoon relaxed and refreshed in a big way!
As I mentioned last week, this weekend was part two of my bonehead race booking that saw me in two events over this weekend to add to the two days of MS Bike I did last weekend as well. All totalled I rode a total of 494 km since last weekend. But, how did the 2 races go this weekend? Well in true pre-race fashion Friday night before Gremlins closed we were in a panic getting new tires purchased and mounted as I had unfixable puncture at the trailer earlier that day on the G2G. It took a lot longer to get sorted and in the end I didn’t swap the front tire as I didn’t want to chance the same fiasco that seating the rear tire was. And to add to the mix I managed to bend the rear brake rotor in my haste of trying to get the tire mounted that cause brake rub at every rotation.
That stress didn’t help and I had a rotten sleep that night unable to fall asleep until after 2:30am with a 5:30am wakeup alarm scheduled. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t have my best race ever. There were so many things stuck in my head in addition to my sheer exhaustion, with an upset stomach I didn’t fuel very well either. So, while I finished and it was another race where there was never a second where my foot came off the bike and I had to hike it. So, I am proud that under the circumstances and having to work against brake rub for an entire race, while my result was much lower than I am used to, I still finished and with that result I am still placed well in the overall series standings.
Today was the Bluewater International Granfondo (“BIG”) which is my third year doing that road event (meaning road wheels back on the bike). It isn’t a start to finished timed event – there is one timed section that is what gets your placing. With today’s weather, the 22Km+ headwind coming straight down through time trial section and how my legs were feeling with all the riding I had been doing I wasn’t expecting great things. But, my legs did not fail me today and I managed to finish that section 27th overall, 25th in overall male and 4th in my age group! And the best part was after that section the course turned back and headed back to Sarnia with that wind at my back and my ride speeds increased by 10km/h on average!
Given all the distance I rode this week and all the events I hilariously jammed into both weekends without knowing, I am really happy with how everything went and how I did. It’s one thing to continue show up at the start line, but it’s an entirely different thing to show up at the finish line too, and complete what you said you would!
She said
Last week was exactly what we needed, I know I needed it. I took last week to really disconnect and just take time for John and I. After an amazing weekend with Lauren, John and I headed up to the trailer for the week to have our second vacation week of the summer. For John and I we only had one bigger project on the to do to list for the week and other than that we really wanted to get out on the bikes, take our days lazy and end our nights around the fire. And that is exactly what we did. The week flew by so fast that before we knew it we were packing up on Friday to come home.
We had hoped that Emelia would have time to meet us this week but between cheer training, plans with friends and lots of shifts at work we have busy every night. Emelia has been working a lot of hours at the theatre and with a lack of consistent shift at her second job Emelia finally gave her notice as a gymnastics coach and stay with one job. Emelia has made a really solid friend group at the theatre, they are a great group and we were able to have the group of 10 girls here Friday night before they went off to the bars together. They are all so supportive and fun, we love seeing Emelia really put herself out there. Add this group of friends along with the core groups of friends and friends she is making at King’s our girl is really living her best life.
Friday night after Emelia and her friends were off to the bars John and I got ourselves to bed because the next morning was a very early one. Once again I went along with John to volunteer at another Substance race. I helping again at the aid station. It was great to see John racing and to help out a these grassroots races. The day was long and hot so by the time we were heading home in the mid-afternoon John and I were exhausted and ready to be home. We got home and crashed by 9:00, I slept for 10+ hours waking much more refreshed.
Last week was exactly what we needed and we are even happier to know that we still have another week off later this month. Our plan to get to the trailer more this year has really helped up make up for lost time over the last few summers.