Borrowed

For the first time, I didn't think I'd meet a challenge.

Spoiler alert: challenge met.

At the start of the month, I had joined a cycling challenge through my Garmin watch and its Connect app. I join these challenges almost every month during cycling season, knowing that I can complete it. June made these challenges difficult—to cycle a certain distance in a period of time, like 400 kilometres over the course of the month, or 100 kms in a week, or 40K over a weekend—because the weather was bad (either rain or gusting winds).

I completed all of my June challenges and confidently joined the July challenges the same way, taking on all three of the aforementioned distance challenges. The challenge to complete 100 kms in a week ended last Saturday, and I came close to not meeting it.

All because of my bike.

Last Thursday, as I mentioned on Monday, the crank arm that was supposed to be repaired came loose during the first ride that I took after collecting it from the bike shop. I would have ridden my bike sooner, except I had come down with a throat infection that took the wind out of my sails. Thursday was the first day that I felt good enough to ride, and I only had three days left to complete my 100K challenge.

I had planned to ride about 60K but only made it just over 36K before I called it quits, not wanting to risk further damage to the bike or to my safety. DW rescued me about 24 kms from home and we took my bike directly back to the shop. I wouldn't see it again until Sunday, the day after my 100K challenge would be over.

I do have another bike that I can ride and I had used it at the end of June, when my road bike was initially in the shop, in order to complete my June cycling challenges. But that bike is heavy and I find that my thumbs will ache after a couple of hours of changing gears. My hands also get numb faster than with my road bike (poor circulation does it to me all the time).

On Friday afternoon, some good friends of ours invited us to join us at their cottage, just west of Perth. We were already planning to visit them on Saturday but they told us that if we didn't have plans, we could come that evening.

The only plan I had for Friday (and possibly later, on Saturday) was to complete my 100K challenge. If DW and I were to head to the cottage after work on Friday, I wouldn't have time to complete the remaining 64 kms of my challenge.

Unless...

I asked DW if I could borrow her bike. "I'll cycle to Perth and you can pick me up and take me the rest of the way to the cottage."

I've cycled to Perth before, as part of the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour. But the 77-km route from Algonquin College avoids major roadways and would take me more than three hours to complete, and I had forgotten parts of that route (I've only cycled it twice and I was following signs and other cyclists). This time, I would be starting from home (a little closer to Perth) and planned to stick to the most-direct route, which would mean taking County Road 10 through Richmond and Franktown.

I know this road and there are sections that I just don't like: long stretches of unpaved shoulders; potholes and crumbling pavement on the edges of the asphalt; drivers exceeding the 80 kph speed limit (I should know: I do it, too).

"You'll take good care of my bike?" asked DW. Her bike, an Opus, is the same size as mine, and DW has it pretty much configured as I have my own. It wasn't a perfect fit but I didn't have to readjust her seat or handlebars.

"At least as good as I care for my own." The parts that were being replaced were due to years of use and not due to neglect or abuse.

Fallowfield Road, between Moodie Drive and Steeple Hill Crescent, is awful and I hate to ride it, but at least it's a short distance. Same with Richmond Road, from Steeple Hill to just past Cambrian Road, but then there's a paved shoulder into the town of Richmond. Where the road gets bad, again, is the west end of Richmond until you cross Munster Road, when the shoulder is paved again until you reach Dwyer Hill Road.

The paved shoulder comes and goes, and I was constantly finding vehicles—particularly, pickup trucks—not respecting the one-meter distance. IT'S THE LAW, PEOPLE!

It took two hours and forty-five minutes to get from my driveway to Perth's town hall. DW had passed me, just before I reached Richmond, and waited in a parking lot as I passed by. She was looking for me to give a thumbs up, a signal that I was comfortable on her bike and could make the whole journey. By the time I had reached Perth, she had spent at least an hour with our friends at their cottage.

Straight line to Perth.

From home to Perth, I covered 67.5 kms, completing my week-long challenge. Nearly two-thirds of the challenge completed in one ride and on a borrowed bike. When I arrived at the cottage, I went straight into the lake, not bothering to change out of my cycle shorts and jersey.

They needed a good rinse.

Would I do this ride again? Maybe. And maybe, next time, I'd continue all the way to Stanleyville, the closest village to the cottage. But I think I'd have to see if there's a smoother and safer route to take. It might be longer but it would be less stressful.

Of course, I'd have to wait until DW and I are invited back to our friends' cottage.

Happy Friday!