First Adventures on the BRP

BRP = Blue Rdige Parkway.

Saturday I did it. I rode the BRP. and could still walk afterwards, too! Similar to Ozzie and Harriett, there are the Mis-Adventures of the BRP.

Animals to report:

- lots of catapillars. I think they were crossing the road like an annual Grunion run (think of Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead). I tried to steer around the catapillars as best I could. I apologized to those who were smooshed previously and to those I may have smooshed myself.

- a rooster. at one parking lot area there was a rooster.

and last but not least...

- a bear. not a goat, but a bear. (although we did see goats on the way home) yes I know I was by myself and without camera when I saw this bear. But i swear I really did. he was up on the rocks walking around. and not the cute snuggly kind. I decided he is a teenager. he wasn't little - so not a cub. but wasn't big so not a daddy. she could have been a petite female. whaever the sex and age - the thing was real and if he fell off the rocks I would have been smooshed like those catapillars. however I was going about 7 or 8 mph when I saw him and I found myself kicking it up to 12 - we were on a deent incline. talk about motivation!

The ride:

we started out at mile 13 and rode tomile 0 to re-group. The downhills were amazing! I hit 42.5 a new bike record.

then we rode back up to mile 13 to again regroup and refuel as needed. this is when the bear was spotted. katie's husband said he could smell a bear in the area - i guess my bear friend had BO.

from there the TM group headed up to mile 23 - I think this was 10 miles uphill. I kept thining about how great the return trip was going to be! I did well, though, if I have to say so myself. There were a few moments when I thought my hip flexors were going to explode, but overall I felt good the whole time. On the way up we passed a girl that a. was on a mountian bike, b. was in sneakers, and c. she had her apartment on her bike. I waited for the crew at the look out point on mile 23 where we were joined by a crew of honda drivers. they kindly took pictures of us - with our cameras and their own. i am curious where those pictures pmay end up. hmmm. but hen we saw the girl trucking along and we gave her a standing ovation for her effort. we were impressed sa she pushed onward and upward.

now the fun part - 10 miles downhill. i mean it ws almost al uphill on the way here, right. um no. hmm. i don't remember these hills that I am climbing on the way up. where did they come from.

we return to the parking lot and don our sneakers for a run. we are suppoed to do 50 minutes. but now we are tired so we think 30 minutes sounds good. My legs had the qualities of jell-o. I did a 4-1 run/walk. I went out for 15 minutes. and made it back in 10. hmmmm. oh well.

made it back to home base consumed a few adult beverages and tasty treats and we headed to the "rusty pig" for some eats. (ps - has anyoen else tried pomegranate michelob ultra - now that's yummy!!!)

shout out to jeff for the ride. it was a great little carpool. i look forward to the next one (shhh don't tell blake)

then - back to packing!

pictures to come! and they are goooood.