My first ophidiophobic brick workout of the year June 9
*sigh* It’s true, I loath snakes! I seem to be fine with them when we are in pet stores or I see someone holding one, but when I’m running or riding and I come across them - plug your ears! There are only 2 times you’ll ever hear me squeal like a little girl: when I step on/ride over a snake or the time I was bit by a tiny terratorial reef fish that looked Dorey in Hawaii this past January.
Yesterday morning was our first big MOMAR oriented brick workout of the year and it started with Danielle, Rosheen and I leaving my house at 0830 in the warm sunshine headed to Mt Doug Park. It was the perfect opportunity for me to try out my new Salomon pack (LOVE it because you zip into it like a vest and have easy access pockets in the front for food and other necessities!) for an extended period of time and so far the review is: perfect! It fit like a piece of clothing with more than enough room for any and everything needed for a sprint AR. Anyways, we hit the trails from the Blenkinsop Rd side and started a wicked single track ascent into the sun. 40 minutes later, sweaty and grinning from ear to ear, we exited and headed for home.
We said good bye to Danielle and Rosheen and I hopped on our bikes for a spin out to Sidney on the Lochside Trail. As we approached Mt Newton X Rd the trail took a more rural turn with grass crowding it and branches across the path. I looked down in case I got a stick thru the spokes and started to make notes: stick, big stick, stick, snake, stick.. Aahhh!!! As I rolled over it the snake made a lunge at my foot and I gave a gargled scream and tore both of my feet out of my pedals and stuck them out to either side. Passings cyclists gave me the weirdest looks, but at least my feet were safe from the tiny garden snake that could possible try and touch my foot! Once we were about 50 feet past the ‘incident area’ it was safe for me to clip back in and the ride continued, my heart rate a little higher than it should have been for our speed.
Rosheen keeps a killer pace so before I knew it we were turning around (I kept a close eye on the ground in front of me when we passed thru snake land again!) and headed to Matticks Farm for a mid-ride caffine and fuel break. Soup and raspberry Italian soda down the hatch, rain jacket on (was getting very very chilly!) it was a nice easy spin back home. Rosheen and I said good bye at my driveway and it was straight into the shower to warm up! I spent the rest of the afternoon sipping a big mug of tea, watching favorite Brit-comms, checking under the couch for slithery things and napping. Aside from the snake? A perfect day!