Healthy Breakfast, Healthy Ride

One of my cycling friends has recently gotten me started on Green Smoothies. While I was in Texas, I got my mom to start too.

Basically, you use about a handful and a half of baby spinach (or any other greens you like), and then add fruit. You can add protein powder and various seeds and sprouts -- and even veggies if you're so inclined. Here's one I made for my mom while I was down there. She added an almond/pomegranate mix and a strawberry on top. I just drank it green and plain.

At any rate, these things are really healthy -- and filling. So this morning I made one with spinach, two cut up fresh figs, 1 cut up banana, chia seeds, 1 scoop protein powder and a handful of frozen blueberries.  Oh yes, some water to make it whirl. It was great and kept me going until I returned home 22 miles later!

I met my friend Amy at her house this morning for a ride. We started out at 8 and headed up Fairfax County Parkway. At Wiehle, we crossed into the Herndon Sugarland Run Stream Valley Park. We followed the path there for a while and then crossed Dranesville into the Folly Lick Stream Valley Park. After our 3rd fair weather crossing for the day, we exited to Monroe and proceeded to the part of Herndon where the W&OD trail crosses. After a stop for coffee at the Green Lizard, we headed out on the trail to the Rt. 28 bridge, and then returned. We took a minute to look at the Farmer's Market (no basket, no purchase) and then headed home via the W&OD and the Fairfax County Trail. So, a big loop.

When I got home and looked at my miles I thought, "Wow, I didn't realize that was so far." Then I looked at the map the GPS had drawn with Map My Ride+.

Um...we never went down to Rt. 50!

The program has been acting up ever since I upgraded to IOS 7.  What a pain. So I uninstalled and reinstalled and my next ride will tell me whether it was successful.

I went to the Map My Ride+ site, and used this REALLY COOL function to draw the route we actually rode. But I can't get it to display here, so if you want to see it, you'll have to click the LINK.

So my total today was 22.55 instead of 36 something.  I didn't take photos because the trees are still pretty green.  Give it another week or two ...