Doing it for the oranges

So Dora and I met my Dad at Prairie View A&M for the Bluebonnet Express. It's a very well-organized ride, with plenty of rest stops and some decent routes. We intended to do 80 miles, but the officials made a decision to close the route early due to forecasted bad weather, so we only did about 69 miles. Oh, and the combination of wind and hills (which we hadn't trained much for previously) kicked our heinies. They had excellent fruit to eat - oranges were especially tasty and abundant - and they had fig newtons, which really seems to satisfy. Another benefit of this ride was the great rest stops put on by Boy Scout Troop 202. They were prepared - first aid kits were always available - and they had some excellent "fruitcraft." Some of the stops the boys had carved some display fruit, such as a banana carved with "welcome" and an orange carved like a jack-o-lantern.

It was a pretty ride - lots of bluebonnets to be sure, and probably 2500 riders. I had a nice conversation along the way with some various folks, including Mike - a lawyer who had recently returned from Brussels, and another gentleman originally from Birmingham, England. Reminds you just how many international businesses are located in the Houston area.

Just two more weeks of prep time for the MS, and then we're off. Really hoping to get a good medium ride in this next weekend, such as the Space Race, but we'll have to see how it goes.

Never again!

"Never again!" said Dora after the strong headwinds we ran into during the Great Escape a few weekends ago. Of course, she ran off and left me once we went with the wind, topping 24 mph in some instances - on flat road. At the end her legs weren't tired - she was just bored. Oh well, it's what happens when a marathoner starts to ride a bicycle...

Of course, those winds were nothing compared to what we ran into in Monterrey, Mexico during our drive to San Luis Potosi during Spring Break. Gusting winds tearing down billboards and smashing cars, fences falling, you name it. With 4 kids in the car, we were thankful to make it to hotel - and very, very blessed. Dora and I are convinced that there is NO WAY that we could have navigated to our hotel - the Monterrey Valley Comfort Inn - without God's help. Not only did he keep us safe, but he guided our path. There were multiple roads closed into the center of town, but he showed us how to get there. Don't tell me it was coincidence - there's no way.

This week, we are back to spinning at the YMCA and heading to Prairie View A&M for the Bluebonnet Express. We're deciding between 62 and 83 miles. We'll let you know how that goes...