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SEA TO SHINING SEA: Training is fun too

dennis_forney
April 16, 2013

Training for a summer-long bicycle ride should be fun.  Last Sunday we rode the Junction and Breakwater from Lewes to Rehoboth Beach. Boardwalk was bustling.  Lots of visitors in town for the women's weekend sponsored by CAMP Rehoboth.  In front of Star of the Sea, a wave of pink rushed over us.  It was the Broadwalk on the Boardwalk. Lots of smiles and happiness.

Getting outside and seeing what the world is up to is what it's all about.

Cortadito and a breakfast burrito at Cafe A Go Go.  Becky did some shopping.  I stood in the sun. Saw Gainan Vernon in front of Quiet Storm.  He was itching to get into the surf.  "I've been in the ocean every month this year.  Really enjoying it."

"I should get you to teach me to surf."

"You're better off getting someone who knows what they're doing.  I came to it late in life but am really enjoying it."

"That's what it's all about."

Standing in the sun felt good.  The day before I loaded the panniers and rode to Cape Henlopen State Park.  Rode up the highest and steepest hills I could find - both of them.  Heading up to the overlook on the steep rise the skateboarders love, my speed dropped down to about six but I had a couple of more sprockets to go in back and it wasn't too bad.  I bought a Garmin Edge 200 to track miles and other specs.  It also shows ascent and told me the overlook was at 52 feet above sea level.

I wonder if Chief Joseph Pass at the Continental Divide in the Rockies is higher?

Oh yeah, about ascent.  I raised a question in yesterday's blog:  which state that we will be riding through has the greatest amount of uphill pedaling?  The states include, west to east, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.  The answer is Virginia.  All of those Appalachians that go on forever.

At any rate, on all of these rides what we see, who we talk to, is the fun part.  Here are some more pictures from our ride on Sunday.

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