Rain? Nope, just kidding.

Austin keeps teasing me with these overcast mornings. I swear, it seems like every morning, it's cloudy and looks like it might rain, and POOF! The clouds disappear.

Everybody, hold your breath! It sounds like we're getting a bonus. I know, huh? Now that I've said that... it'll probably be $22.

Last year, I was able to ride (the bike) three or four times a week (occasionally more), around 100 miles every week. My goal for the year was 50 miles in one ride, and I did it after only a few months of riding, with a pretty decent average speed, and with lots and LOTS of climbing. My goal for this year was to be able to ride 100 miles. It's August, and I still haven't even done 50. :( I did come close a couple weekends ago, riding 42 miles, but still. No dice. One thing that's very different from Omaha are the hills. On that 42 mile ride, we finally got some hills that I was accustomed to riding in Omaha. The hills in Austin are shorter, but can get really steep, and I get tired much faster. So even though I've only ridden 15 miles, it feels more like 40. I did the hill route last night, and was more exhausted than I have been in a while. I'm hoping to do a long ride this weekend.

I was thinking last night that last year, unlike this year, I paid close attention to what I ate before a ride, and I worried about whether I had enough sleep or if I drank alcohol the night before. Not anymore. I think not riding horses has made at least a small difference in my lackluster performance. I don't have as much strength in my legs, though I'm still developing more muscles. Does that make sense? No? Hm. Oh well, hopefully I'll be riding (horses) again soon. Between horses and cycling, I never had time for anything else last year.

The new saddle is working out fairly well. I think my problem is with the crappy shorts that I had. I've been trying to buy some more cycling clothes without completely blowing my budget, but when you buy a pair of shorts, you don't really know whether they'll work or not until after you wear them. So, I could easily blow $80 or more on a pair of shorts, and never wear them again. Speaking of, the team kit that I got for the UNMC team that I was going to race under last year looks completely ridiculous on me. $100 down the drain. The shorts are fabulously comfortable, though. I may have to start buying that brand.

Here's another blip of a conversation I had with my team lead, for your entertainment:

team lead:
why are you sooooo sarcastic all the time
You know what Malcom X said about sarcasm? Actually you probably never studied him in Nebraska
which is cool but makes is a bad reference

April:
wasn't he from Nebraska?

team lead:
hmmmmmmmmmmm

April:
yes, he was