We affectionately call this the Walhalla loop (though this time we lengthened it to include Cavalier) and it's a treat to ride those American roads because (sigh) they're better, there's less traffic, and the drivers are more considerate and courteous to cyclists than your average southern Manitoba bible belt Mennonite. Sad but true.
The wind was a steady 20 km/h from the North so we flew down to our first stop at the Walhalla supermarket averaging 38 km/h.
From here we headed south on the No 32, climbing up out of the valley (a 3% climb that's more than 2 kms long counts for something around here - at least it's fun) and heading down to the No 5 where we detoured West to climb another 3 km hill with an average grade of 3% (have mercy!) and then descend it (the warm-ish air seemed to rush up in our faces making the descent more or less energy neutral - not fast at all).
Still, there was terrain other than flat prairie on the ride, which is enough to get the mind and body bliss on a bicycle thing going for me.
Anyway, as I said, for me these 140 kms (4 plus hours) on the road made for the longest ride of the season which, for the last 30 kms or so really started to show. For GeeVs though, cheerful and chatting while holding an easy cadence into the wind, it was just another training ride. For me it was enough to keep my head down and use her draft and occasionally say "Uh huh" or "Yup" just to prove that I was still there.
But it sure is pretty damn clear now that the kid has surpassed the "master". Easily. So it goes. Good times though. Really good times.
