Great Pumpkin Covid Style

Well, I was so excited for this ride. Looking forward, for the first time in a few years, to going out and kind busting my butt for 60 miles to see how fast I could go--and I expected to feel really good. After a few years of rocky fitness, I thought I might finally feel endorphins again while riding. But getting COVID last week changed all that. I worried about overdoing it as it seems exercise can actually be detrimental to recovery. So I forced myself to do only the 24 mile ride. The one positive was that the new plan enabled Deidre and I to ride together. She had been planning to do the 40-something route, but she kindly changed her plans. 

Deidre got a late start, so while I was waiting in the parking lot, I took this pic of my bike next to a jeep the color purple I wanted for my handlebar tape. A much redder purple than the blue periwinkle color I got. I wish I hadn't cut off the handlebars in the pic so I could see how much they clash! But I was wanting to see if this color purple would go with the bike, and I think it does!

Deidre and I at the start. I think we might have been the last to leave. I have my face covered because I was still testing positive - even though I had no symptoms anymore.

I was pretty disappointed to ride the shorter ride but tried to keep a good attitude and be grateful to be recovering well enough to ride at all. Thank god for vaccines! Aside from missing out on all the miles, we also missed out on some of the rest stops, so not as much great food. Still, I ate an amazing pumpkin bread pudding at the stop we did have. They had pumpkin soup but the timing didn't work out because they had just refilled the pot and the soup hadn't heated up yet. 😖 

Some of the treats!

It was a perfect beautiful day with a bright blue sky. I only took a few pics though. Just focused on riding.

Afterward, Deidre and I went to Old Busthead for a beer. It appeared there was no rest stop for the ride set up there this time. That was strange, and a little sad. We made a bike meeting of it and compiled our still-need-it equipment list for next year. 

Then we headed home laden with tall 4-paks of beer for the guys. 

Distance: 24 miles

Speed: 11.7

Covid Catastrophe in Middleburg

Laurie and I hadn't ridden together all year, so we were excited to have finally planned a 40 mile ride starting in Middleburg. 

Before leaving, I told Laurie I had sinus congestion, but we both agreed it was probably seasonal allergies, which we both always have in the fall. We drove 50 minutes to the start from the public high school in Middleburg.

It was 45 degrees when we left home and probably closer to 50 when we arrived. I was surprised that I felt like I needed to keep on all of my layers.

I didn't take many pictures because I've done the ride in and out of Middleburg so many times. Read about that here and here and then as part of this group post here. But we did manage to stop at a pretty place for lunch. The leaves were just barely starting to change.

We were warm by now - past the 20 mile mark. But I got chilled while we were stopped. 

Then, in the second half of the ride, my quads started burning/aching. I've never quite had that sensation before. I took another Nuun and split a banana with Laurie, thinking I was dehydrated or lacking electrolytes. I also stretched because my muscles felt twingy, like I might cramp. 

We headed back toward town on Rectortown Road, which is like the Snickersville Parkway, rolling, new, scenic and fairly heavenly. All along the road we saw wooly bear caterpillars - hundreds of them! I thought they were supposed to be out in spring, but apparently you see them in the fall too. Here is one little guy making his way across the road.

The final few miles into town happened on Zulla, which was super busy. I noticed heavy traffic on this road last time I road out here. At that time I thought it was because it was a weekday, but I guess this is the norm now. 😕

The good news, however, is that this ride solves a problem for two other rides. At 40 miles, it makes my original Middleburg ride (25 miles - too short) longer. It also makes the original Marshall ride (too boring) much prettier by combining Marshall and Middleburg into one. Yay!  

At the car, I thought this spray of purple flowers was pretty. 

Then we began the drive home. I got cold again but thought it was the AC because we were stripped down to our short sleeves. But at home, I couldn't wait to get into the shower to warm up. When I got out of the shower still feeling chilly, it FINALLY occurred to me to check my temperature. 

Mild fever of 100.5. So then I was like, wait, do I have COVID? Not too quick on the draw here. 

So I had to make a bunch of calls to tell all the people I exposed, including Laurie who rode in the car with my for 2 hrs that day. Then I canceled my plans to go to Fall for the Book, got under a blanket, and finally got warm.

Distance: 41 miles

Speed: 13.2 mph

Here's Laurie's Ride with GPS map, which she never turned off as we drove home! Also, here is the link to the Ride with GPS map.