One of my greatest fears on one of the weekend group rides is that I will get lost.

So this morning we head for Seattle. I was feeling pretty good up until about 15 minutes before time to leave when I started getting nervous, "What if I get lost?" For some reason I don't worry much any more about crashing. But lost scares me. I couldn't navigate my way out of a wet paper bag at the bottom of a river. So by the time I get there I'm literally shaking. I must stop this WEENIENESS! Run to the restroom, feel a bit better, and on the way back and find a green plastic ant. He promises to be my navigator, so I say he can come with me. Everyone is about to go, so I throw on my helmet and like a dolt, can't get it clipped so ask Roy to, then realize that everyone must think I'm a helpless idiot because I have to have my HUSBAND there every week helping me. And now, he's clipping my helmet like I'm a five year old. (But you know what, he calms me and I love that he wants to come with me.)

So we head out for the Lake Washington Loop. Things are going really well for the first 14 miles. I got passed a lot, but I'm all about the pacing. Last ride all those who passed me were exhausted by the end of the ride, and I passed them coming in well before them. So I let them pass me and hang back with Eugene knowing that I work best when I ride steady. We stop at Logboom Park. Half the group keeps going, half goes to the restroom. I don't need to use the restroom, I just need to take off my headband because it's pushing on my glasses, which are pushing on the bridge of my bruised nose. So Eugene says, "If you hurry, you can catch them."

So I zip off and see them ahead. They cross 68th and I get left at the light. No biggie. I know the trail. I cross and eventually catch up to them...only it's NOT THEM! It's ANOTHER group! OH ! I look down at my map "Turn right on 68th". Oh ! I start to panic a little, but realize it isn't like I don't know where I am and I have the map so I can just catch up.

I head back to 68th, pause to check the map again, and figure at this point I'm about three miles behind. Problem is, since now I have to check the map often, I know I'll end up slower. I just hope someone will realize I'm not with them and come back for me. Even though I have the map, I really REALLY have a fear of getting lost and I was about to head into an area I've only been once before.

So I head up up up Juanita...which is just one long damn hill, or damn long hill...it's a hill. It's actually not a bad hill, it's just a LONG hill. Fortunately what goes up...So down was great and I was able to really pick up the pace because it was that perfect "downness" where I could switch into the big ring and put some power into it and get some great speed. I was feeling all She-Rah at that point. I hadn't gotten lost (yet) and I was going fast and feeling good, and was sure I'd see Eugene ANY minute coming to sweep me up.

Things went pretty well. I passed into Kirkland, enjoying the beautiful spring smells and weather. I stopped at a park to use the restroom and called Roy to let him know I had lost the group, but so far I was fine and was just enjoying the ride.

Sailed into Bellevue feeling all Magellenish as I passed Lexuseses and BMWs with my Schwinn. (Yeah, she's a Schwinn...wanna make something of it?) On the route was "Turn left at 2nd Street" but the 2 had been crossed out and replaced with a 4, so I crossed left at 4th street, turn right at 114th...uh wait. This isn't 114th, this is 116th. Hmmm...okay no way I missed 114th because I just crossed over 405, and there was only turn at 116th or buy a car. I didn't want to buy a car, so I turned at 116th. (There was a car dealership, so it was turn or go into the dealership.) Okay I do NOT know this area unless I wanted to get onto 405, which Dulcy said was a "no go" (weenie). So here is where I panicked. I consulted Navigator Ant and he just shrugged all four shoulders and gave me a dumb look. I rode back and forth on 116th and realized nope, I had no idea where I was. I called Roy and as soon as I heard his voice I started to cry. I was so upset I told him I was in Renton and he was going to try to come find me and help me get back on track. I drove back to 4th street and stood in the middle of an island thingy and thought, "Okay...where would make sense? That doesn't make sense. This side of the freeway does..." Then I had a novel idea, call Cheryl! DUH!!

So I called her and she felt REALLY bad, told me that I was supposed go to down 2nd, that she'd second guessed herself. OKAY! WHEW! No one had come back to get me because they thought I'd gone ahead with Jennifer. Nope! I'd stayed behind with Navigator Ant who is just plain worthless if you ask me, but I tried not to let on. He can be sensitive.

So back in bidness and ain't it grand? I actually didn't do too badly the rest of the way. I recognized the route for most of it, and when I didn't I stopped and checked the route map. Got turned around in a few places...but no biggie.

All in all I was REALLY proud that I only had a minor freak out and that I did NOT have Roy come get me. (I had told him if I was able to find the route I'd not call him again.)

At one point I said to myself, "Okay, now you've faced your biggest fear. You got lost and you did okay, so now you can STOP WORRYING about that!"

I think the route must not have been a full 50 miles because I calculated that I'd gone off route a total of 5 miles, but ended up with only 53. (Ha! ONLY 53!) I'm thinking that next weekend I might do the same route again. I actually really like the route and would love take Roy on it.

Of course when I got back everyone was gone, except Cheryl and Eugene. I know they felt bad so I just made light of it. It happens. I will say, though, if she emails me I'm going to request that I please get a route in advance. That's why I need one. I don't know the areas we bike in very well...I live 50 miles NORTH! I had the route two weeks ago and felt so much calmer about the ride because I had mapped it out and uploaded it into my Garmin. I know many of the other cyclists are either from the area, or had done the routes last year. I don't think that's an unreasonable request, but I got the idea last time she she did not want to give them out.

All's well that ends well, though! I made it back, we ran into Starbucks for a sandwich and made it right on time to see Alysha's play (one of Roy's former students). I had a VERY hard time staying awake during it, though. (I've seen this play MANY times before, and was even in the play in high school...plus Roy directed it a few years ago.) I was just beat!

Since I got back so much later than everyone else, I decided to wait to run later in the day. Sure I could have NOT run, but I was about 2.5 miles from making 50 miles this week and well...

So Roy and I had dinner at Thai place. He does NOT like to try new foods, but he said I could pick and I'd eaten there a few weeks ago. So I had a thai basil stir fry, heat=4, and about a cup and a half of rice. He suggested the easiest way to get my run in was just to run home. I wasn't sure if I should run with Thai in my tummy, but I also knew once I got home it would be easy to not go for a run...so I did. I am probably the only one I know who could eat Thai food, complete with the hottest of the hot peppers, and then go for a run within 20 minutes of finishing.

It was awesome food and a pretty darn good run! Oh, and no one called me a whore today! That's always refreshing!

Yesterday I got off work and ran to the Chiropractor, then out to the mall to meet Roy for date night. For some reason I'm running along Beverly Blvd in Everett and this black Honda drives by and the passenger is yelling out the window "Whore! Whore! Run whore!!! WHORE!!!" What the hell? He's laughing with his buddies because obviously, he's like a Robin Williams in the making. I'm checking my outfit; black running pants, green running top, and jacket...no pasties, no glitter g-string, no sign that says, "Hourly Rates, Inquire Within." I generally save THAT outfit for my long runs...you know, special events. Dude needs to get a hobby!