Well, I guess the YMCA workouts are making a difference......

After 25+ years I am a member of the YMCA again. My YMCA is undergoing the construction of a rather large addition to it's facilities. Once finished it should be much nicer than it is now, which is pretty good. Hoever, it is not the YMCA I remembered from my youth. The exercise machine room is great because they have machines with individual monitors and headphone jack so that you can watch your choice of a few channels. My favorite happens to be TNT's Without a Trace, just happens to be on when I workout. I have been doing 30 min. on the Treadmill at a 6.4 pace, 30 min. on the bike, 10 min. on the rowing machine, and 20 min. on the elliptical trainer. It must be making a difference as I finally got out on the road again this weekend and had a higher ride average than I have had since getting back on the bike in July. Getting tired of the same old route around White Rock Lake, I decided to visit the Greater Dallas Bicyclists Website for a few Options to choose from and found a Route fairly close to my house. (If you want to join a group to meet other cyclists and have a lot of ride options, this is a good one along with Team Bikin', Plano Bicycling Association, and Ft. Worth Bicycling Association.) It starts from REI and heads toward Las Colinas. It's a good route as REI is the highest point ont he route making you climb back up at the end of the ride. A quick ride up Midway Road gets me to and from REI and allows a few rolling hills along the way. The route heads through Farmers Branch and turns South on Luna Road. South of LBJ Freeway the road actually resembles a country road and leads past a golf course and a park, California Crossing Park, neither of which I new were there. I then road through Las Colinas and headed north to Valley Ranch. A detour next to La Villita that was used during the construction of the President George Bush Turnpike, takes you under the freeway and up the hill to Valley Ranch Parkway. This road is unmarked. It is just under the PGBT. If you miss this turn, as I did, you have to climb a pretty good hill up to MacArthur Boulevard. If you want to ride this hill, you can turn right on MacArthur and head to the next stoplight, turn right and back down a steep hill and return to Valley Ranch Parkway. My ride, with the added mileage to and from REI, was 42.32 miles. My average pace was 16.9 which is up .4 mph from my highest average. Not quite where I want to be but I am working on that. And, I noticed that my pace heading uphill has increased. I am looking forward to doing this ride again as I was not able to take the "hill option" listed on the GDB cuesheet and I can add some hills through the University of Dallas Campus as well. Also, there are many places to add loops along the route to add distance to any ride. This ride follows mostly new roads that are in great condition, however, there are a lot of people out there that don't want you on there roads. So, be careful and keep a watchful eye. And, never forget you are an ambassador on the roads. You will recieve the same attitude that you produce, be considerate and please, obey the law.