Well, this last weekend I finally graduated. I am so glad to be done with classes but graduation means my June 11th start date for the trip is looming even closer.
After finals, a week at the beach, and recovering from graduation my training has not been what it needs to be. I'm going to focus this week on getting out for some rides around my neighborhood and local parks. In that vein, I joined my mom and her friend on a bike ride on the Mt. Vernon trail in Alexandria. We rode about an hour and 15 minutes. The view of the Potomac was absolutely gorgeous. I liked the trail because it was paved (unlike my favorite running trail around here) and they had lines separating the directions to make it feel like a mini road and to keep people from blocking the entire road. The trail also had plenty of curves and hills to make me get more skilled in those areas. I'll admit, at one curve I thought I might wipe out cause it was so sharp.
The one time I did wipe out was because of the clipless pedals. My mom and her friend came to a stop right in front of me and I didn't have time to unclip so I toppled over. Luckily I didn't fall too hard and I was able to pop right up.
I really need to go somewhere to get my bike fitted to me. The last two long rides I've gone on have left my knees all messed up the next day because the seat wasn't adjusted properly and I don't have the expertise to really know how to fix it. I raised my seat a little halfway through my ride yesterday which I think helped from further aggravating my knee.
All in all it was a good ride but I really need to get myself outdoors more. I've become a lot more used to the clipless pedals and except for the problem of stopping suddenly I'm a big fan. I'm also a lot more comfortable with playing around with the gears but I think I need to grease my chains some cause they are very clunky at the moment which concerns me.
People keep asking me if I'm ready for this trip and the closer it comes the more I think no. I don't think anyone can ever fully prepare themselves for a trip of this magnitude but I'm starting to freak out and wonder what I got myself into. I think once I get to Boston and we get started I'll feel a lot more comfortable and these nerves will go away. There's just so much to do to get ready and not enough time to do it. Despite the nerves, I don't regret for a second signing up for this trip because I think it will be the experience of a lifetime and I can't wait to reach Santa Barbara and to make plenty of memories along the way.
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