It's just kind of hot

In case you all haven't noticed.

I'm guessing this is why mountain biking isn't big in Louisiana. Well, that and the lack of mountains.

I went riding at Skeggs last night. When my friend asked me if I minded riding with guys I didn't think I was going to be the only female in a group of 5 men and one boy. But when I arrived, I found out from the ride leader she wasn't going to be there.

Oh.

I might have changed my mind, but when you pull into a parking lot full of guys with a Nomad on the back of your car it's a little hard to sneak out the back way.

"Wow, cool! Is that your bike?"
"How much does it weigh?"
"Look!It's a mini Nomad!" (huh?)
"Are you going on this ride?"

Ummm...yes, absolutley, of course! (oh shit)

Did I mention how hot it was? I mean really, really warm?

But I tucked in behind the bmx kid, with the jeans and the duallys on and started to ride.

It was so hot I didn't even enjoy the downhill. And it was a very nice technical downhill section that went on forever; rocks and jumps, and a log. My only saving grace for the entire ride was that I rode down it without stopping. Of course that could have been mostly because I couldn't see the trail in front of me from all the dust. By the time I got to an "oh no!" section it was too late to stop, so I rode right over it. But I kept up, and didn't embarrass myself. And I didn't squeal. At least I really hope I didn't.

So the downhill was fun, or would have been if it wasn't so stinking hot. The rest of the ride? Pretty much sucked eggs. Maybe it was the heat. Or maybe it was my bike. Or the trail, or the tides, or the position of the stars in the sky. Or more than likely I'm just not a very good mountain biker cause I couldn't climb those hills. My legs were suddenly made of a jello like substance, and it felt like I was riding though a puddle of tar. The hills weren't that steep, I just didn't have any oomph. Even the granny gear felt like too much work. Sad. Very sad. Me and the bmx boy hiked our bikes along and talked about his shoes and his bike and what kind of jumps he did.

Anyway, boys are different. I was riding with a very nice group of guys. They weren't overly solicitous, or patronizing or anything like that. They were just nice guys. But it was hot. And about an hour into the ride, we had two options. Cut the ride short, or ride for another hour, with an hour of climbing back to the car.

An hour of climbing?! AN HOUR?!?

Of course they picked the hard route. Except for one guy. I almost wept with relief when one guy said he had to cut it short because his wife was expecting him for dinner.

Oh thank God. I went back with him. Thanked the guys for a great ride, and took off back to the car.

Except he got lost.

And we added another 4 miles to a trail that was only suppose to be 20 minutes back to the car.

And by that time I couldn't even ride the stupid fire road out.

It was not a good day to bike.