Finishing strong…ish (part 1)

I’m behind in my posting. Clearly. It’s June (the middle of, actually) and I’m just finishing my May ride-everyday-update. Well, I did it. I rode every single day throughout the month, and it was such fun! Some days, I rode an extremely short distance, but it was still time #inthesaddle everyday.

Day 17 was such a fun day.  Oddly cold for May 17, but fun! I participated in the Tour de Nash with some local friends. My best friend Matt came up from Huntsville and pedaled the route with us. It was soooo much fun riding with him again. I sure miss my Alabama cycling buddies. On another note, I found a “for rent” sign on this ride, and I ended up snagging the house. I’ve been looking for a Nashville home for months, but it’s been difficult. Places disappear as soon as they’re listed. More on this later…

Day 18 included hills. One in particular that continues to give me grief. I’m so slow going up it, that video would take forever. So here’s an entertaining clip of me going down. This hill is on the Greenway near Two Rivers. I have yet to make it up without stopping once, but I keep trying. On this particular day, I rode it three times in a row. Each time, stopping the once. I’ll get there. Slowly but surely. But please, enjoy this ridiculous video. (editor’s note: Not showing up properly. I’m working to fix it.)

Day 19 found me on a new route with new friends in East Nashville. This side of town has since become my new neighborhood, so I’m exploring new routes all the time. And as with all things Nashville, there are lots of climbs.

Day 20 found another day of riding indoors. Forgive me, but there are only so many creative ways to photograph a trainer.

Day 21 found me climbing. Oh Percy Warner, you are not nice. This beautiful park in west/south Nashville is known for its climbing. There’s a one-mile route, a six-mile route and I’m told, an 11-mile route. I’ve only seen the one and the six, and I’ve only ridden the one. It’s great for training though; ’round and ’round we go. (At least that’s what I keep telling myself.)

I seem to find myself riding with these JDRF lovelies pretty regularly, but it works out because I really like them. Agnes and Louisa are also riding in the Nashville JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes in October!

This bridge near Opryland is one of my favorite places in the city. It’s quite beautiful which makes all the climbing to get there worth it.

It wasn’t raining when we started, I swear. Thanks to a bad joke of which I take full responsibility, we spent the rest of the ride singing “I like  piña coladas and getting caught in the rain.”

As part of National (and Nashville) Bicycle Month, I made a commitment to spend time #inthesaddle for 31 consecutive days during the month of May. While this wasn’t a fundraiser, I am participating in two JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes rides in the fall. You can support me, and type 1 diabetes research, on my Lake Tahoe and Nashville ride pages.