May (Non) Permanent
by Karen Smith

Ok, I did another 200. Yesterday [May 28].
It was a weird one.
I left having a loose idea of where I was going. I kind of know the roads and the distances. This time I wanted to be max 30 km from home.
We have so many farm roads, and the possibility of loops and then in opposite direction, is (well almost) endless.
I figured since it really doesn't count towards anything, just for me, I didn't have to have a fully defined route before I left. I could change my mind on route. How liberating...?!

So, I left thinking that I was riding close to 4th & Sumas Way, near the border. But on Whatcom I met a large black dog in the middle of the road. He made me nervous, so I turned around there.
Shoot! Now I have to make up about 7 km, so I did an out & back on Cole Rd. Back on mileage track.
Then I had another deviation on Annis and turned around early just because I didn't want to go that direction anymore. That's ok, I'll go out towards Cheam Wetlands. Oops - was a bit short there at the end of the road, but close.
Then when I got within 11 km from home, I see on my odometer that I am 7 km short. No problem, I'll do another out & back on Hopedale and South Sumas. But when I got to the end of the road, I was short 0.2 km, which would mean I would be out 0.4.
But close, so back on track.
When I was back in my neighbourhood, I could see that I would get back to my house at just about 200 km. I thought I should be over 200. So I did a small loop in neighbourhood before getting home.
Final mileage 200.5 km.
Never the same road in the same direction more than once. Done! : )
I was really mentally fatigued from constantly estimating route distances, and calculating: what if I went there?...
All that mathematical gymnastics... I was done.

The other thing is because I wasn't doing my normal route and normal stops to eat, I didn't eat after 80 km. Well I had a bit of Boost in one water bottle, but finished that probably by about 100 km.
I kind of forgot to eat.
I could feel that I was getting slower and slower. The heat didn't help. First hot ride of the season. Hit 28 degrees.
I forced myself to stop and eat an energy bar with 14 km left in the ride. What a difference!
Michel said that I looked really beat up when I got home.
I was!

Anyway another one done, just for me.... : )

I bet cycling Stanley Park is amazing! Both on the road (car free) and in the Trails. Fantastic!

K

Hi Eric,

I rode a 200 again in June. I stayed in Chilliwack and Abbotsford, never further than 30 km from home.
I came back to my place a couple of times on the ride (never the same road more than once in the same direction), so I only had to use 1 public washroom.
Keeping my own streak going. : )

I see that Permanents are on again now, so I will be doing my Permanent some time this month.

: )
Karen