Perhaps The Dumbest Thing I've Done On A Bike

Sometime Friday night I cut my pinky toe. I'm not sure where, when, or how. All I know is between the Moses Guest show a short walk to the store and my house it got sliced! The cut was bad enough to require stitches. Saturday... I was not about to cram the wrapped toe into my bike shoes and hammer on them. That was smart.

After spending a day and-a-half riding my couch, I couldn't stand it anymore. I wrapped up the toe as compactly as possible and headed out from the house at the absolute hottest part of the day! Those of us who train know that it sometimes borders on obsessive. I prefer to call it irrational dedication!

First I ready my drinks. This is NOT Tom Boonen's stash!

It's two baggies filled with Maltodextrin, salt, and unsweetend Koolaid. I've started adding maltdextrin since it's gotten so hot. With the heat, my appetite on the bike is nil. I still need the calories during the ride. Getting them along with the hydrating liquid that I still have an appetite for is perfect. I use 1/2c per bottle; 190 calories. About the same as 2 GUs. Come in nice and steady instead of all once. Oh and one of the best things about maltodextrin... nearly tasteless. I find anything sweet makes my stomach churn. It's perfect!

Off I go! Just down skreet from the house I see this bumper sticker...

I like it! The sun is out and hooooott. Tripple digits today.

In fact, I left at the absolute hottest part of the day. Not smart #1. It's temptation to jump into the water at the Hwy.6 spillway...

But I don't. I continue down the dam toward Westheimer Pkwy. This may be the tallest 'hill' in Houston! HA!

By the time I reach the intersection of Westheimer/1093/Westpark Tollway my toe is really hurting. Not so smart #2. It's nearly bad enough to call for a ride. Except I don't have my phone with me. Not so smart #3. Time to backtrack rather than take the Barker Cypress route. The offending toe...

Nothing to do but slog it back. By the time I got back to Terry Hershey Park my hip flexor is cramping. Likely because I'm favoring my left foot to keep pressure off my toe.

But despite the slog, I make it, as always. I'll stay off the toe tomorrow and I should be OKAY for the rest of the week. I hope! Today's route...

*Click* it for bigger! Just shy of 57-miles... I need to do this type of distance more often!