My two loves wrapped up in one.

     Well, the Bike To The Bay is really sneaking up on me, and I realized I better start putting my training into high gear if I want to be ready for the ride.

     By this time last year I would have been on many bike trails, but because of our crazy weather I've only been on a few.  But more than anything I needed to build my confidence back up on all of the challenges that come with bike riding.  And with the new season it feels like I'm starting all over again. What I really needed was to get over the fears of the steep inclines and uneven surfaces that I so often face on trails.  

     What better bike trail to do this on then Ottawa Park.  This trail is practically a hundred years old (at least it looks like it)  and it definitely gave me a run for my money.

     I've passed this sign in the previous times I've been on this trail, but it's usually later in the season when I've had a chance to build up my confidence.

        But no matter how many times I ride down this hill I don't know if I'll ever actually feel comfortable on it.  And I'm still green for the season as it is.

         If this hill looks steep to you, I swear it gets steeper every time I ride it.  I ride the brakes the whole way down, and pray I don't flip over the handlebars in the process.

          Then this rickety old wooden bridge has seen better days, and there was no way we were riding over this three inch lip.  If our tires slipped we would end up in the creek, so we walked them over...

     This ancient tree was so big, and when it fell across the trail it was too big to move, so they simply sawed through it to clear the path.

     Notice the sign behind me; it says "service road. Not open to traffic."  We were only on bikes and I didn't think they Meant us.

     My riding buddy, Robert, Knows all of the trails well and I asked him if that road would be a good change of pace from the skinny bike trail.  He thought that was a great idea!

     This trail was so much wider; I was wondering why we weren't on it all along... 

                                        

But, while Robert knows all about bike trails, he's not a golfer.  However, golf was my first love and this was no longer a bike trail!  It was Ottawa Park Golf Course!  Oops!!

     Next thing I knew, we were riding smack dab between the fairway and the green.  I'm sure if there were any golfers around they would be saying "WHAT THE HECK?!?!"  I now know why it said "service road, not open to traffic"; live and learn...

     But then again, I guess this was a way for me to combine my first and second love into one outing.  I'm not going to lie... I would have loved to have picked up a club and given it a crack just then.  But this was a bike ride, and it was time to head back to the trail...

     So I'm one trail closer to being ready for the Bike To The Bay; though I still have quite a ways to go.  I honestly don't think I'll actually ever be ready for that long grueling ride; but that doesn't stop me from doing it:)

Have a great day!!

Christine:)