My Love For Road Biking and Spinderella

I absolutely love to go road biking.  Right after college, my friend Kathy Harrison and I both purchased bikes and took several long rides along the South Bay beaches and even an overnight ride to Santa Barbara and Solvang.  Family life eventually changed with children and my sweetie Rick that biking went with many other activities such as downhill skiing and scuba diving.

Four years ago I needed a hip replacement and found that biking was a wonderful activity for recovery after surgery.  I started with a recumbent stationary bicyle and used it almost every day after surgery.  Meanwhile, Rick and I purchased some used mountain bikes from Sally and Dell which we used now and then.  Rick really does not like to ride bikes.  He says that he feels like a runner on a bike and they are not comfortable for his rear.

Two years ago I needed a second hip replacement and I knew exactly what I was in for with limited ways to exercise. I ordered an internet road bike so that I could get started with riding as soon as possible.  Meanwhile, several riders in the Pocatello area started an all women's riding event called Spinderella.  I thought some about signing up but my friend Lorie Murray convinced me that we could do it.  Actually Lorie didn't even have a road bike at the time but had been taking spinning classes.  Lorie and I signed up for the 50 mile ride last June with Spinderella.  I bought a new/used bike from LaChelle Hamilton and Lorie bought my old bike.

We had a wonderful time training for the event my taking several rides down towards Inkom and some to the university.  Spinderella was fantastic and we had some a great time riding with so many, many women that we knew and got to know.

This year we decided to sign up for the 100 mile or Century Ride because I really wanted to do it once in my life.  Lorie and I both started taking spinning classes and were looking forward to getting out on the rode as soon as the weather and the streets permitted. 

These pictures are from our very first bike ride.  We decided to ride to Inkom and back which is around 22 miles from our houses.  The day was beautiful and we had a wonderful ride down to Inkom.  As soon as we turned around to head back there was an unbelievable head and side wind.  You could be at the top of a hill, heading down at full speed and the speedometer might say 15 to 16 mph.  There were several times when we felt like the wind was going to blow us sideways off of the road.  We decided to give Rick a call on the way home and have him pick us up at the Tee Box.  It was a great decision because by then, we had had quite a ride!