Why didn't I let Jim buy me two bikes?

Today my ride showed me exactly why I need a road bike too.  My mountain bike is designed for exactly what it's named for.  It pulled that trail last week like nothing (the problem was the driver), but it was not designed for what I did today with my friend Andrea. 

She invited me to go to a local resort subdivision where she's been riding her hybrid.  There are rolling hills and it's a beautiful ride.  However, her bike pulls the hills way better than mine.  This is paved road we're talking here, and my bike is about 5-6 pounds heavier than her's.  We rode about 10 miles, and there were some pretty bad pulls.  We tried to do "Vomit Hill" but I could only go halfway up before vomiting, so we quit that one.  I felt like a weenie.

Just so you can appreciate the fact that I CAN pull hills, let me pause here and tell you about Cripple Fly Ranch Road.  This is a non-paved road that Jim and I ride near our house.  It is the first ride we ever did outside our yard, one mile up, and I thought I was dying.  This was during the period of time when I still couldn't get started on the bike after I stopped.  Especially on a hill (matter of fact, I still have trouble with that).  After I thought my lungs were going to explode, I stopped.  We were halfway to the top.  Jim stopped with me, lectured me once again about the art of the lower gears on a hill (I was in 3) and we started again.  Well, he started, and I tried to start.  I toppled, tried again, toppled some more, Jim was out of sight by this time (did I mention this is a very wooded, somewhat scary area), and started to think I might never make it up this hill.  Somehow I did get on, by the time he turned around to come back.  We finished the hill, but again, I was panting like a dog in heat all the way up.  (I also didn't know the first thing about "locking my bike in", but we'll save that for another time.)

On the way down, I feared for my life, scared to death to go fast in the gravel.  It was almost as bad as the ride up!  And I never mentioned the fact that we had to cross a real road (with cars) to get there.  Probably THE biggest fear on my list at that date.  I was bad about going directly toward the object that I was trying so hard to avoid - that would be a car.

Well I lived through the experience, and since then, we've returned, many times.  Twice in a row, one day.  Talk about progress!!!

So yes, I can pull hills.  Yesterday I looked in the mirror at my legs and saw something buldging in the back.  What is this? A hamstring? No amount of squats, lunges, or running had EVER produced that definition!

Back to the story of today.  After the 10 miles, she asked me if I had time for more.  "Yeah, let's do abut 9 more minutes." We turned down a side street.  Little did I know we were going to get lost for 20 more minutes while Andrea decided which street (complete with hill) was the way back.  I was almost exceeding the 25 mile and hour speed limit down the hills just to make it up the other side!!!  "No, it's this way."  More hills.  She turns around, "Sorry, it's the other way!"  Again, hills.  By this time, I was PUSHING the bike, almost in a horizontal position.  Did you know you can get just as much exercise by pushing a mountain bike up a small mountain?  The dog-in-heat panting style had returned.  "I've got it now, this is the way out!"  She assures me.  "OK, I'll be there in an hour..." I barely eek out.  And then, there was the somewhat tame hill where I knew I could begin riding again.  By now, the hammies and quads were so spent it took this weenie 3 tries to get back on the bike! 

I had thought after the ride I might go do legs at the gym.  I reconsidered that idea.  I did have a blast, and Andrea knows it!  But I did come home and tell Jim I needed a road bike now.  We'll see how that goes!