careful what you wish for...
Oh man - I was toast after my ride with Alicia.
I had volunteered to sweep the girl's ride because of my Flagstaff ride earlier in the day.
I told the girls I hope some beginner, beginner's show up so I don't have to ride too hard.
I get to the trail head and there's around 14 girls there. I noticed an older lady with a older hard tail and flat pedals. I guessed her to be in her late 50s/early 60s - it was cool that she wanted to come out and ride. Her name was Annie.
Off we go and even tho she started in the middle of the group - Annie dropped to the back when we got to the road hill to the trailhead and had to stop and catch her breath. I could see this ride would be a struggle for her and I wanted to make sure she didn't feel pressured to ride too hard.
As I was talking to her, she told me she was 69(!) years old and had not ridden her mtn bike since she had knee replacement surgery 3 years ago. As we rode along I would pay attention to her breathing and when she start getting winded I'd insist we stop to catch her breath.
She wanted me to leave her and ride with the others but I told her that wasn't possible. It was my responsibility to stay at the back and make sure everyone gets up the trail safely. Once she accepted my stubbornness - we just kept going at her pace.
As everyone knows - Heil is a bit rocky and as i watched Annie slowly weave in-and-out of the rocks I was *hoping* she wouldn't fall. But I was super impressed with her balance. It's hard to go slow and weave through rocks but she did that really well.
It took us ~40 minutes to make it 3/4 the way up the trail to the loop but then I suggested we go back. Amazingly she cleaned everything she attempted. I seriously couldn't believe the stuff she was riding! I mean she'd only get 200 yards and stop but then she'd get back on and keep riding. I was super impressed.
I tried to take a pic of us at the end of the ride but my camera is dead(again). So all i have is words. Even tho she said she had fun and thanked me for riding with her - she said she won't come back. She wants to find some senior citizens to ride with. I offered to let her come on my Marshall Mesa lunch rides in order to get her comfortable on the mtn bike again - so I'll have to see if she contacts me.
I don't think my heartrate got over 110 bpm during the ride - so i did get my wish of not having to ride hard. ;)
I had volunteered to sweep the girl's ride because of my Flagstaff ride earlier in the day.
I told the girls I hope some beginner, beginner's show up so I don't have to ride too hard.
I get to the trail head and there's around 14 girls there. I noticed an older lady with a older hard tail and flat pedals. I guessed her to be in her late 50s/early 60s - it was cool that she wanted to come out and ride. Her name was Annie.
Off we go and even tho she started in the middle of the group - Annie dropped to the back when we got to the road hill to the trailhead and had to stop and catch her breath. I could see this ride would be a struggle for her and I wanted to make sure she didn't feel pressured to ride too hard.
As I was talking to her, she told me she was 69(!) years old and had not ridden her mtn bike since she had knee replacement surgery 3 years ago. As we rode along I would pay attention to her breathing and when she start getting winded I'd insist we stop to catch her breath.
She wanted me to leave her and ride with the others but I told her that wasn't possible. It was my responsibility to stay at the back and make sure everyone gets up the trail safely. Once she accepted my stubbornness - we just kept going at her pace.
As everyone knows - Heil is a bit rocky and as i watched Annie slowly weave in-and-out of the rocks I was *hoping* she wouldn't fall. But I was super impressed with her balance. It's hard to go slow and weave through rocks but she did that really well.
It took us ~40 minutes to make it 3/4 the way up the trail to the loop but then I suggested we go back. Amazingly she cleaned everything she attempted. I seriously couldn't believe the stuff she was riding! I mean she'd only get 200 yards and stop but then she'd get back on and keep riding. I was super impressed.
I tried to take a pic of us at the end of the ride but my camera is dead(again). So all i have is words. Even tho she said she had fun and thanked me for riding with her - she said she won't come back. She wants to find some senior citizens to ride with. I offered to let her come on my Marshall Mesa lunch rides in order to get her comfortable on the mtn bike again - so I'll have to see if she contacts me.
I don't think my heartrate got over 110 bpm during the ride - so i did get my wish of not having to ride hard. ;)
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