Back in the saddle

Now that's more like it. A challenging 35 miles, 2 1/2 hours in the saddle and no skimping on the hills.

The ache in my legs this morning was a great feeling — it let me know I pushed myself, just like I'll have to do next week on the three days (June 13-15) of the Trek Across Maine.

I admit it. Up until now I've looked for pretty flat routes to do my training on. But it's crunch time, time to get serious. So my longest ride to date was up some of the toughest hills I've found yet this season. It was an interesting ride.

I set out from Loring Ave. with no route planned. I just wanted to put 35 miles on my computer. I kept going straight down Rte. 100 through Falmouth and into Cumberland until I hit Mill Rd. on my right. And then I started to wander. Back out to Blanchard Rd. in Cumberland, past the Cumberland Fairgrounds, past Greely High, out into North Yarmouth, into Yarmouth, past Yarmouth High, down the road that leads to Val Halla G.C., out onto Rte. 9, then zig-zagging through Falmouth, past the Town Hall and high school before fighting my way up that final, most grueling hill on Allen Ave. Ext. to get home.

These hills kicked my butt, but they're nothing like what we'll be riding on the Trek. There's a doozy of a hill just before the finish in Waterville on Day 2, a whopper coming out of a rest stop so you have no help from momentum and a couple killers to tackle on Day 3, just to mention a few. To see the route we'll be covering check out the DeLorme map. In doesn't show elevations on it, but trust me, it's up, up, up and a little bit down the whole way.

Time to get yourself psyched up Trekkers — especially you Trek virgins. The big hill fun is soon to begin.