The Mountain Goat and The Owl Went out to Tea.....

Cece has created for  herself a motivational poster that is hanging on her wall right across from where she is sitting as she writes this.    The poster has  photos cut out in collage form and features sleek and powerful   women lifting, doing pilates and yes....cycling up a steep hill whose road goes round and round the hill....or should she say mountain!  Up  Up it goes.

If you know Cece, or have been reading this blog, you know Cece likes to complain about hill climbing.  She will do it....but it is hard for her.  She likes certain hills...and not others.  One of the hills she does not like is the Tramway hill.  She has forgotten if it is 6-8 miles up with no breaks.  She has successfully avoided this for 2 years now.  Her friend Mike says, "It is a good measure of yourself...because the hill never changes, only you do."  Still,. Cece avoids it and pretty successfully! 

Well, this morning , she will ride with her friend Stephanie. They spent a while negotiating the route.  Stephanie was told to ride flat pedals and around the block for her first ride.    Stephanie is recovering from ankle surgery and this is her 2nd ride after several months recovering from plates and pins.  Stephanie's nick name is "the Mountain Goat".  Are things getting clearer to you now?

So, Cece offered a 1 mile ride on the bosque.  Perfectly flat.  Steph laughed.  "I rode 8 miles yesterday!"  Cece said, "I thought you were going tor ride around the block."  "Steph said, "I had to get to work."

Stephanie wanted to ride up Elena.  Cece said no...she was pressing her luck.  They detailed other routes that were hillacious. No to all from Stephanie.  So, Cece had to dig deep and offer the first mile up of Tramway!  Well, of course, The Mountain Goat jumped at that one right away!  Cece reiterated...just the first mile up!  Agreed!

So The Owl and the Mountain Goat  ventured out on a 10.48mile route whose final mile before the turn around is a 1 mile climb.  You can be sure Cece will be watching her computer to tell Stephanie WHEN to stop and turn around....and Cece is sure The Mountain Goat will want to climb more!  So, they will have to wrestle.

AND as Cece expected, The Mountain Goat wanted to climb more!  So, they negotiated up to the next gas station.  Stephanie said, "I think I can make it all the way up."  Cece said she was sure she could and so could she but it was not sensible.  Cece offered additional flat mileage after the glorious downhill and she accepted!  So down they went!  Weeeeee!   WEEEE, Weeeee WEEEEE !

They ended up riding 13+ miles and they were both happy with that.  Next they have planned about 21 miles....including the Atrisco hill which Steph says she has never done before.

 It was another perfect day in New Mexico with moderate temps and little wind..They relaxed and chatted afterward at the Satellite coffee shop and had a coffee and snack!  A good day, good challenges and good company!  What could be better?