Yesterday, in Saginaw, Texas, I did my fifth bike rally of the year and my 499th overall. Although it's mid-May, and this is Texas, it was cold! (Okay, cold for Texans.) The temperature at the 8:00 start was in the upper 50s, with a forecast high of 71. The brisk north wind made it feel frigid. I wore a long-sleeved shirt under my cycling jersey and brown cotton gloves to keep my hands warm. (I'm one of the few cyclists who doesn't wear cycling gloves.)
Three of my friends showed up, and two of them (Randy and Bryce) did the 40-mile course. Phil and I did the 60-mile course, which turned out to be 57.31 miles. I'm not complaining about the short distance, because the course was hilly. Phil rightly pointed out at the finish that the course was hard enough with no wind; when you added the wind, you got an ordeal.
My average speed for the day was 16.35 miles per hour. (Elapsed time = 3:30:18.) That's down from 17.55 the previous week, but I expended just as much effort, if not more. I burned 3,403 calories. My average heart rate was 112 and my maximum 147. My top speed was 34.6 miles per hour. I averaged 16.20 miles per hour for the first two hours and 16.55 for the final 1:30:18.
The day was gloriously sunny, which kept my spirits up. Phil and I talked and commiserated. We stopped twice for refreshments (including delicious Schlotzsky's oatmeal-raisin cookies) and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of North Texas. The course brought us into proximity to two lakes (Eagle Mountain and Weatherford) and through some exclusive neighborhoods. There was good ride support and the volunteers were friendly and helpful. If you click the image in this post, you'll see Lake Weatherford from the north.
Keith Burgess-Jackson, J.D., Ph.D. 