Team Garmin: Patty & Kris Ride… Sort of.

Anyone that’s ever been on a bike knows that it’s not all about the destination — getting there is half the fun (and challenge).  In that spirit, we bring you the latest installment of Team Garmin (bike version), an intrepid group of every-day cyclists training for Ride the Rockies in June.  It seems as though Patty and Kris each had a different account of their ride — we’ve included versions of both — but it’s up to you to choose who to believe.  And while their stories may differ, the Edge 305 does not lie.  Click on the graphics to see their rides provided by MotionBased.com in full, animated glory.  First, here’s Patty’s account:

We were due to meet at 10am.  We finished at 7 pm.  We rode 45 miles.  You do the math.  No, don’t.  Riding with Kris is a unique experience which certainly defies any 7th grade calculations.  But I wouldn’t trade it.

I’ll take some of the responsibility.  Knowing we were operating on “Kris Time,” I ran a few errands so I didn’t get to Kris’ until a little after 11 am.  Is Kris locked and loaded and ready to go?  Nah, she’s strolling the neighborhood with her dog, Lucky, checking out the neighbors’ garage sales.  No worries, I’m relaxed.  Get the bikes on her car, she’s in and out of the house getting gear, etc, etc.  I think it’s around noon when we get in her car.  The ride starts 15 miles away.  We could have rode the bikes there, but it would have meant uphill coming home.   Park, unload the car in the mud. Borrow new friends’ pump for Kris’ tires.  Pack the Samsonite.  Bikes are eventually ready to go.  “I forgot my Camelbak!”  Kris yells.  I offer an extra water bottle I have.  “No, my inhalers are in there.  I can’t ride without my inhalers.”  Okay, go get them.  I’ll stay here with the bikes.  “Are you sure?”  Kris spends 5 minutes debating with me/herself if she’s going to go and if I’m going to stay.  No point in getting upset.  I wait on a rock by the side of the road with my goosebumps — it was windy.

We finally start pedaling at 1:10 pm (according to the Edge).  We know it’s ~10 miles up Deer Creek Canyon.  At mile 6, we learn there’s a turn-off to take us up a steeper climb.  I set my Edge to squawk at me if I go less than 5 mph.  The closer I get to the summit the steeper it gets and I hear a few squawks.  I give the pedals an extra push.  Hmmm, gotta work on that.  Even on 6-8% grade I should be able to go a little faster than that!  Reach the summit (~8.5 miles up).  We plug our blog to a few guys amused by Kris’ stereo system.  They think an iPod Nano with battery-powered speakers is too much extra weight, and they were bummed their ride today took them 10 seconds longer than their last (more wind).  I think they said their ride took 33 minutes up.  Ours took 1:06.  Hey, neat!  Exactly double!  We ride down very fast.  Stop for snacks, pitstop, talking, talking.  Meet a few more friends.  This is almost all Kris’ doing.  I think she wants to meet every cyclist in Colorado.

So we’re back where we’ve started and have only gone ~17 miles in 2+ hours.  Starting at 3:43 pm, make our way to the 470 trail and I coax Kris to Morrison.  Rolling 15 miles, more up than down.  In Morrison.  We cross the street with a beautiful bride and handsome groom heading to their reception at the Morrison Inn.  Kris had to take their picture.  We peek inside — the rowdy crowd is whooping it up at the bar in their finery, including the groomsman with a beard long enough to cover his tie.

Up and down the hills and back to the car, finally.  Those 30 miles took us 3:20 with all our stops.  7:03 pm.  At least Kris let me have dinner before Lucky.  It was a close call.

The day after the ride, a friend asked me how I could be so patient.  But the thing is, riding is a total adventure with Kris.  There is a time and a place for more serious riding, like with Heather who didn’t even want to get off her bike when we got to Morrison a few weeks ago.   But I never would have done RTR if Kris hadn’t suckered me last year, and, as I told another friend recently, no one has much fun as we do.  The training, under the watchful eye of Edge and everyone who’s watching us on line, will naturally improve my riding.  Riding stronger and faster will just give more time for chatting everyone up and stopping to photograph the brides.

Here’s Kris’ account.  We report, you decide, folks.

My how Patty dreams… here is the real story.  We plan on riding around 11:00. I talk to Patty at 10:40 she is still not done running errands. I am ready — dressed, Camelbak ready and full, iPod and stereo speakers charged, and snacks packed. I just need to put the bikes on the car and take out my stuff.  Since I’m waiting for Patty,  I decided to go and say hello to the neighbors who are having a garage sale.  (I live in Highlands Ranch I need to be social- or the neighbors talk.)  Patty arrives — we load the bikes and away we go.   We arrive at the starting point, swim in some mud and unload the bikes and car. I  mingle and borrow my new friends pump and promote the Garmin Blog.  Then I place my luggage on my bike and realize no Camelbak.  (Which would not have been so bad except I have asthma and I never know when I might need inhalers.)  Please know that this was not a situation of forgetfulness — I was just preparing Patty to wait for me on RTR.

So off I go back home to get the Camelbak and beef jerky, which came in handy on the ride (thank you very much).  Then about 1-ish we begin.. and the fun starts.  If  it wasn’t for me what would Patty have to talk about?  Nothing I tell ya.. the guys at the top would have never questioned how much the stereo system weighs on my bike and we never would have been able to promote the Garmin Blog again!  I tell ya it is all about the OPPORTUNITIES. Wherever I go opportunities just seem to follow — luck or skill?  You decide!

The rest of the story is correct I do chat with anyone and everyone on a bike and within earshot…  including newlyweds.  And in case you are curious I did promote the blog to them too.  And after this whole ordeal…. Patty is excited to ride with me yet again… so stay tuned.

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