Talk

Ben: Good post ride meeting to go over the route for the trip. The morning's ride had been fast and very humid with a bout of atmospheric theatrics forcing a caffeine stop.

Dry kitchen, fresh fruit, cute if skittish King Charles Cavalier spaniel worked to keep the meeting positive, if boisterous.

Talking through a trip day by day, climb by climb gives concerns a chance to be presented, talked over, hopefully laid to rest. It's the stuff we know we don't know that's scary and the stuff others discount as scary that can be frustrating and maddening. Just go read the posts about climbing.

Negotiation, discussion, consensus, argument make group travel much more fun than solo. Unraveling tension.

2.5 weeks to go. J wants to fit in 2 more 100 mile days and more. Lack of mountains, lack of grades in a land of flat pushes us towards endurance rides as the last effective way to build some strength. Would love to get three back to back days of 80 or more miles each.

One, two more chances to prepare then the real thing is here.

Maybe if we take a dog?