Bike trip

Cannot believe how long it has been since I posted anything here. I have just returned from a bike trip to Acadia National Park in Maine. It is a park that sits next to Bar Harbor which is a lovely little town nestled on the coast. This is my second year biking with this group. Last year we went to Caraquet in northern New Brunswick. We mostly biked on rail bed trails which made the ride generally quite good although the trails in the more southern sections were really rough. The trails improved as we went north to actual paved trails in Caraquet. Made for some interesting conversations about the loss of the lumber industry in the south and the good times for the fisherman in the north.

This year we were royally tricked by all the ads I and the others viewed about the trails in the park. Not one document or map indicated that the trails consisted of mostly mountainous rides. The going down the other side of these hills and I use the term loosely since we were way above sea level as we rode up, was the only fun part. But for every going down was another going up --way up. I didn't last past the morning of the first day. I had not trained this year on any hills so it was my own fault I could not do them. I had to walk my bike half the time and at noon I had had enough--was actually very afraid of heart attack or heat stroke whichever was going to get me first.

I was so far behind at one point that I followed the wrong group and ended up going higher all alone. It doesn't take much for a person to feel panic I found out. When I did finally come down the other side of the mountain the bigger group was waiting for me. I got a big clap but really wanted to cry. Everyone sped off as we are wont to do when we have been waiting for someone to arrive. By the time noon came I knew I only had enough in me to get me back to base. So I called it quits. It took two more hours to get back to the town. I decided not to even try the second day since my husband had to come out with me and if I couldn't do the second day he would likely do the same missing the rest of the ride himself.

When the others came back that second day they reported that it was more mountain trail and even the best of the group found it very challenging. So it was a good thing I did not try it.

I am not a happy camper when that happens to me even though I know it was the smart thing to do and I would not even think twice if anyone else had said enough.

I found a small plaque in a store that said "Put on your grown up panties and get over it" which made me feel better and now I wished I had bought it for a souvenir.

Will I try again next year-not sure now. If I do there will be lots of hill practice for sure.