Bikers on the Beach

Yesterday, I took Lauren on her inaugural adventure race training bike ride on the beach and let me just say, my sister's a natural.   She rode with ease and minus the initial pains in the glutes from adjusting to a seat the size of a lemon, she's ready for her next ride.  While logging miles on the beach doesn't compare to the technical rides that will consume much of our training for the Raid the Rock race in October, endurance rides are crucial to building the stamina that is needed to carry on during a 12 hr. race.  And of course it's not all physical stamina that will carry us and make us competitive in the race, it's a lot of mental fortitude as well. 
The scenery that encompassed us on our ride is something that even though we are both all too familiar with from our youth, it never seizes to amazes us.  Sparkling turquoise waters, stark white sand, amber colored sea grass blowing in the gulf breeze and protected nesting sea birds diving at our heads as we pass ever so   carefully through their territory. Its a feast of visual wonder for the eyes.  Tranquility for the mind.  Endorphins for the physical body.  13 miles of gorgeous riding and probably 60 oz. of electrolyte -filled, ice cold water later, we complete this exhilarating trip.  What a rus!  At this point in the afternoon the temps. are topping in the mid 90's.  What's phenomenal is that so long as you stay hydrated and keep the gulf breeze at your back, biking on the beach is in my opinion one of the most pleasant ways to enjoy the heat (besides surfing, but I'll talk about that later. :-)

  As we ride home in the truck, bikes in tow and cherry flavored Sport Beans in our mouths, I think we both realize how fortunate we are to share our love of exercise and the outdoors with each other.   The most rewarding part of our trip?  It's just the beginning of many, many more rides to come.

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
-Muhammad Ali