Author Archives: Melissa | Growing Green Nutrition

I took full advantage of Sunday’s amazing weather by biking to church, then combined bike and MetroLink out to REI for a quick errand.  I used a new-to-me M-Link stop (Brentwood/I-44) and successfully navigated my way though some back roads and parking lots to REI.  My hubby met me there, and we tossed the bike on the car and headed to brunch at my father-in-law’s.

After brunch, I opted to bike back home rather than get in the car again on such an beautiful day, knowing I would be confined to the car all week.  Our route to/from my father-in-law’s is a decently challenging 6.5 miles each way (not far, really, but a distance I haven’t biked in over 3 months!), with a couple of good hills thrown in the mix.

I felt great, but still dreaded the long, gentle climb toward the end of the ride.  A block into said climb, four bikers entered the road a bit in front of me.  They looked pretty serious, all spandex-clad and on nice road bikes.  (I was clad in distinctly non-athletic gear — jeans (legs rolled up due to the temperature) and a button-down top.)  I thought, “Well, at least I’ll have some good company here, climbing behind this group of cyclists.”

Behind?  Not for long!  Before I knew it, I overtook, one, two, three, then all four of them, while going uphill, with no extra effort — no spandex required!

In case I wasn’t feeling good enough when I got home, my husband reported that he had only beat me by about 5 minutes in the car.  Love it!