Tour de Kota

On the left is a picture of Cycling Cathy and I, nearly finished with the first century of last year's TDK. This Sunday I again start the Tour de Kota. It should be a good ride. Might get a few showers, so I and the bike will either be sparkling or even more dirty. I don't feel like I have enough miles in. And I really don't. I have maybe 448 ish miles, trainer miles included. Though I did okay running consistantly over the winter and spring, though short distances.

Anyway. It may take me awhile to complete the rides, but I should be fine. My goal for the tour is to not walk my bike up the hills around Chamberlain and Highmore.

I'm trying to decide whether or not to post pictures of last year's tour. But... I suppose I will in an effort to show why I won't be attempting the century. If all I had to do was 100 miles, I'd be fine. I'll only be saving 25 miles and a couple days later we'll have an 88 mile day, so that may as well be a century too.

But, I promised to not do it. You see, I did the century the first day last year. I contend that I was fine. Though I perhaps hadn't logged enough miles to do it comfortably and then proceed with a multi day tour. The next day I was tired and sore. The third day my friend Angie and I were riding and decided that we could try the century that day and SAG in if it proved to be too much. We're stubborn ladies and kept picking away at the miles, knocking them down one by one. Then, around Crooks we were 91 miles into the ride, still some distance from Dells. I didn't know that it would be more like 114 miles either. I saw railroad tracks at a considerable angle. I thought that I was approaching them at a perpendicular angle. Something made my tire slip, my tire was caught between the plate and track, so down I went.

So, this year I feel even less prepared on the bike, though I'm confident that I'll be fine. My husband feels that I was fatigued and perhaps misread the situation and that may have contributed to the fall. I don't know. I wasn't the only one to fall there. I just know that I need to try not to make any stupid mistakes this year and try to watch out for potentially dangerous things a little bit better. Accidents happen, it's true. But I've already broken two bones. If I crash again, I've been threatened with a melted down bike. :D We shall see. Just call me paranoid.

In the spirit of being a member of the Lanehogs: Team Roadkill. I will post my roadkill photos.







I'd never had a stitch before. I think that I got like 3 in my elbow and maybe 5 or so in my knee. I don't remember. I was supposed to update my tetnis shot before the Tour. I wanted to wait until I got back. Yeah, the people at Dell Rapids Avera poked me with a needle several times. And no beer to be had there! My clavicle seems to have healed pretty well.

I still don't really know how I ended up with such a flesh wound on my right arm and left knee. I must have bounced off my bike once I hit the ground. Eesh. Angie and I never really could piece together those couple of minutes. I do have the Lanehog group picture from Dell Rapids, but not yet available digitally.

Tis but a scratch. I got better. I feel happy! I feel happy! I think I'll go for a walk. * Name the weak movie reference.