New Friends

I know I've said it before but this time I mean it. No really -- I'm serious.

I need new friends. Or I need to be less susceptible to peer pressure.

First I had friends who talked me into a week long (weeklong -- are you kidding me?) trip on my bicycle in Northern Georgia amongst all the constant hills called BRAG. I stink at hills.

And then -- since I can't climb a highway overpass -- they decided on the way home (are you kidding me -- again on a bike?) to climb Clingman's Dome -- only the 2nd highest mountain east of the Mississipi. A MOUNTAIN? Really? After a week on the bike?

OK so maybe Clingman's wasn't TOO bad. And I'd heard of this ride called "Ride the Rockies". But really I just wanted to think about doing it, imagine how pretty (and HARD) it might be -- but really didn't want to ACTUALLY DO IT. Then my friend called. He had registered. Well I couldn't let him go alone. So I did it.

And then all of our friends saw the pretty pictures and wanted to do it. So I did it. Again.

And then, well I decided while I stink at hills I wasn't half bad at mountains. Maybe even deep down I kind of like this. So I decided to go to Europe and see what that was like.

But one ride I was adamant I never want to do is RAIN. What a silly ride it is. Start in Terre Haute and ride all the way across Indiana to Richmond. 160 miles in one day. ONE DAY. That's insane. I hate riding 100 mile in one day -- and yet my friends drag me out time and time again to do that. So I found my own way to do RAIN. SAG -- I drove the truck and met my friends at strategic locations refilling water and refueling their personal gas tanks. Truly the only sane way to get from one side of Indiana to the other.

During RAIN one of my friends (and trust me, I'm using that term loosely) saw an even WORSE ride called RAINSTORM. It's RAIN only worse. Before the insane tackle a 160 mile day they embark on FIVE -- yes 5 century or 100+ miles days -- IN A ROW. No rest days, no break. Hills all around in southern Indiana. And then -- like that isn't quite enough -- they do RAIN. I don't like 100 miles let alone 5 of them in a row. And I don't ride in the Rain.

They call it "ultra-marathon cycling". I'm not really much of an ultra anything (well maybe sleep). No siree that is not for me. I'm not as strong, I don't have as much endurance. I'm not fast enough, I can't go day after day after day after -- well you get the picture.

Registration number 031568. There had better be lots of opportunities for really cool pictures.

I hate my friends.