The Whole Enchilada

 

   C and I have had a goal all summer. We want to bike the entire Cannon Valley Trail both ways. This is a distance of about 40 miles. It would be the longest ride we've done. We started calling it "The Whole Enchilada".

   We have spent much of the summer training for it. We've ridden half the trail using my Runkeeper app so we would know our average speed. We've started our rides from various places on the trail so we could decide where the best place to start would be. We've talked about whether it would be best to power through or if we should plan some rest stops. We planned to take extra drinking water and some snacks with us in a small backpack.

   We were getting close to ready when the accident happened with my bike. Once my bike was repaired, we decided that we would have to delay a bit. I needed to get used to my new seat and handlebar grips. 

   Finally we decided the day had come. Our route was planned. The snacks had been purchased. We felt ready and prepared. C put the day on our calendar and we discussed final plans like when we needed to be on the road and other details. I was excited. After talking about it  for so many months we were finally going to do it.

   Then, on the evening before we were going to do it, C started to feel sick. Rats! Another delay! I put the snacks in a drawer and erased the date from our calendar. I had wanted to do this so badly, but it was going to have to wait.

   One of my worries is that our window of opportunity is getting smaller.  We have about one month of good riding weather. The trail closes at the end of October. We won't be able to do it once we get  back from Door County. If we are going to do it this year, it will have to be within the next few weeks.

   I'm hopeful that we can still get it done this year. I don't want all our training and planning to have gone to waste.  A fall ride on the trail would be beautiful.

   I'm keeping my fingers crossed.....