Lewisville Training Ride and Other Updates

This morning I rode the "Bluebonnet" ride out of Lewisville, which is right next to Flower Mound here in the Northwest Dallas area. (The first photo here is the view from our room in the Tour18 subdivision.) I had ridden this one a couple of years ago and knew it would be pretty fast. Having done a long and mostly solo ride yesterday, my legs were pretty sore right from the start, so I was definitely not going to show my face at the front today. Since I didn't really know the route, I had a great excuse! As usual, things started out nice and easy as the group worked its way through Flower Mound, picking up riders along the way just like the Giro Ride does. About ten miles in, the pace picks up a bit, but I think everyone saves a bit for the climb up aptly named Hill Top Road. Just before we turned onto Hill Top, my phone rang. Ordinarily, if someone calls while I'm riding I don't worry about it, but under the circumstances I figured I should at least check to see if it was anyone I know. It wasn't, but by the time I finished dealing with that we were turning onto Hill Top and I was at the back of the group of about 40 riders. I moved up toward the front, but once the climb started a group split off the front and I found myself in the second group. Lots of people got spit out the back, or maybe turned around, or something, because the group definitely got smaller. Our group started to chase, but there were only maybe 6 or 7 guys working. Everyone else, myself included, was hanging on for dear life.

We chased for a long time, with me showing myself at the front for maybe two pulls, and the lead group's gap got up to maybe 40 seconds. Eventually, though, we caught. The pace slowed for a while, but the climbs were just killing my sore legs. At some point, maybe 45 miles in, there's a sprint. After that, the pace slows down too conversational speed and riders start splitting off to head home. By the time I arrived at the parking lot where the ride had started, I was with a group of only four and my rear tire was almost flat. Apparently it had been leaking for a while, so I was lucky to make it in before it completely bottomed out. I took a few photos, and I'll try to add them later. Just FYI, these guys run the stop signs and sprint across busy highways in front of traffic just like us!!

My flaky laptop worked great all night last night, but has really flaked out today and I can't get it to boot normally, or in safe mode. It's happened before. We may end up having to buy a cheap laptop (using Tulane's purchasing card, of course).

Update: The Wife's boss gave the OK for us to buy a laptop, so we headed out to Office Depot with the University P-Card and picked up a basic Toshiba Satellite along with a printer, so we're all set up here for now.

We are very busy coordinating communications for the Psych/Neuro department, and The Wife has made a ton of phone calls trying to track everyone down. I have set up a database on a new yahoogroups email list so that everyone can put in where they are and how they can be contacted. I think I'll to that for the NOBC list today. No real word yet on Houston or Jackson LA., and I don't think decisions will be made for another few days. We'll see. I was able to contact the VP I work for, and she's in Houston right now. The good news is that all of Tulane's fulltime employees will continue to be paid this semester. I am starting to feel a real loyalty to this university that I certainly never felt when I was a student!

On the New Orleans front, more people have reported in to the NOBC email list, so that's good. I got a text message this morning from Kenny Bellau who must have snuck into the city today. He said he'd try and have a look at my house if he can. I just told him to be careful! I talked with Amy (or was it email?) and she's currently in Sulfur, LA. It looks like Gambit Weekly is basically out of business for now, so she's out of work. She's a graphic designer and may need to move soon to somewhere where she can get a job. Branden is working long hard hours with Entergy restoring power, currently on the west bank. I have not heard from Tim R., whose wife should be at term about now with their first child, but I know they're in Houston and OK. I have just gotten a reply text message from Marcia in our office, but have yet to hear from Tremica.