Tour Training and Time Capsules

Today we started seriously training for this summer's tour.  Which is to say, we dusted off the bikes, put air in the tires, and actually rode our bikes.  We chose a road in the wilderness with a few hills, in case this year's tour has a mountain leg.  We practiced taking the group picture. 

This gives you an idea of what I mean when I say 'road in the wilderness'.  The camera is sitting on the STP's bike helmet on one side of the 'road' and we are standing on the other side of the 'road'.   The road is actually a county road off of Lane 16 1/2.  Near Lane 22 1/2.

This shows you what a good time we were having.  This is on the way out.  There are no pictures of anyone having a good time on the way back.   Again, I am of the opinion that all of my life should have a sag wagon, but definately all bike trips should have one.   On the way back, the sun was high in the sky and I was having hallucinations at the bottom of each hill of an air conditioned sag wagon loaded with iced tea and chocolate bars.

Here is the Goob and his bike.  I share it with you because it is still a source of amazement to us that they appear any where together.

I made this sound way more grand than it was.  Know that we loaded the bikes in the back of the truck and drove to the wilderness. Remember that it was our first training day.  Remember that my bike needed dusting at the beginning of the day.  Remember that I had no memory of riding my bike at all last year. 
Now let's talk about my memory.  I forgot the gorilla pod, but I remembered my camera and my waterbottle.  I forgot to pack any candy.  When we arrived in the wilderness and I opened my bike bag to put the camera and my water bottle in, there was no room.  That is because I forgot to empty out my bike bag the last time I rode my bike.

Here is what was in my bike bag:  My favorite Eddie Bauer water bottle--with a few sips of water.  My tupperware dish--with the slimy black remains of one of last summer's salad.  My library card.  A fork--one of my good ones that you are never to take out of the house.  A hair clip.  And the original Star Wars trilogy on DVD.  All things I have looked 'everywhere' for over the past year.  None of which (except the hair clip) were particularly useful on a bike ride in the wilderness.  All of which is proof that I must have ridden my bike at least once last year.  (So my training is ahead of schedule.)

It was like a time capsule that I inadvertantly created.  I have never made a time capsule, but if I were to make a time capsule for today here is what I would put in it:  A smooth red rock from along the road.  The first three pictures in this post.  A copy of the menu from the sub shop where we ate lunch.  A pressed sunflower that the STP stopped  for me to pluck from along the road on the way home (because he loves me).  And a bag a starbursts--just in case we open the time capsule when we are on a bike trip in the wilderness.