Fifteen Miles of Not Thinking Straight

This morning the Baldyga family awoke to a bright sunny day. The sky was blue, the air was fresh and our attitudes were triumphant after our eight-mile trek down the Orting Trail yesterday. A monumental, Sunday-changing, muscle-destroying conversation ensued:

Lee: Are you and Hope going to church?

Kris: It's so nice out...let's take the bikes on the trail.

Lee: Roundtrip to Orting and back? All 15 miles?

Kris: Sure. You and Hope took the neighborhood kids last year. Let's do it.

It started as simply as that. We loaded up the bikes. A power bar or two and some water and off we went. Our hopes were as high as the morning sun. :)

The ride into Orting was lovely. About halfway there, Lee made a halting statement.

Lee: Hey, do you realize that this path is primarily a downhill grade?

Kris: Yeah, it's nice.

Lee: The 7.5 miles back are brutal.

Kris: silence. and maybe a little fear.

We made it to Orting. Lee and Hope played around on the skateboard structure (with their bikes) and we ate a most fabulous breakfast at some joint on the corner. I have no idea of the name - but it was really a good breakfast. Good thing. It was the last pleasant thing to happen for the next hour.

Miles 1 through 7.5 were truly brutal. I do not believe there was one single downhill grade of any measure through the entire trip. My legs - actually, all six of our legs were pretty well-worked after 8 miles yesterday. Rough stuff. Rough stuff, indeed.

The last few miles were ahead of us. We were stopped, taking a break--I was grouchy and Lee was trying to keep it positive. Amazing, since he had been pulling Hope and her bike with his right arm while riding his own bike (ie she wasn't pedaling). We offered up the promise of a $10 toy if Hope could finish pedaling the last few miles on her own. To our surprise, she took off! Lee caught up with her--I was on the lowest gear, my legs were pumping and I didn't seem to be getting very far. I was wondering if someone might be able to offer me a little incentive to finish up the last few miles with a jump and a start. Pedicure? Massage? A cab ride home? I just looked down, shifted down yet again and somehow powered through.

We came into South Prairie to groups of strollers and moms and babies blocking the way. I didn't have it in me to plow them down. So I found some sanity and gently toodled around and past - downshifting up that invisible uphill grade.

I was never so glad to see our truck in the parking lot. I have never had a more difficult time extracting myself from a bicycle. I have never been so glad to sit my tush down in that truck in all of my days. I had a new appreciation for one of the girls who made that 15 mile trek with Lee and the kids last summer and literally cracked along the way. I can't believe those kids did that trail!!! Eegads.

And then, the following conversation ensued:

Hope: Mom, can we go get my toy now?

Kris: As long as we can drive to the store, Hope, we can go anywhere.

And so we drove. Got the toy. One very large Gatorade. And one gigantic note-to-self: pride cometh before the fall.

We were not ready for a 15 mile round trip to Orting and back after such a massive exersion yesterday. BUT....WE DID IT!

Ours is a very slow moving home this evening and our bathtubs have been well-used.

:) Happy trails!