Back On the Saddle Again

Yeah, I knew they were closed.  Just stopped for a photo.

A few days off felt like an eternity.  Ride 350 miles in 4 days (87+ daily average) and get home in time for a heat wave.  Monday rode 7 miles to the store and back.  Tuesday's planned single track ride was aborted after 1 mile.  90s with high humidity.  Tuesday it was 82F at 4 am.  Or was that Monday?  Too damn hot and humid.  But the biggest issue is my state of mind.  With our Dakota and Iowa bike tours over I really have nothing to look forward to, nothing to keep in shape for.

So today being the last day of vacation is the last chance for a good size ride.  50 miles.  Good goal.  Makes up, almost, for 2 days of commuting to work.  Weather was good.  Not hot or windy.  Ride to St Marys taking the Great Western Trail.  Pack a snack, fill the bottles and grab the easy riding carbon road bike.  It'll feel like a Ferrari after being on the touring tandem and fat bikes.  Just got to get out of the house.  Easier said than done.

Thoughts of turning around hit before the first mile was completed.  Forward.  Just keep moving.  Keep moving.  At the 18 mile mark I stopped at a lean to, not that lean to, and ate a sandwich and took advantage of the water fountain.  So easy to turn back now.  But only 3.5 miles to go until Martensdale.  Keep moving.

I did not make it to St Marys.  Took a right at the paved road near the top of the first hill.  I had almost 25 miles completed.  Explore this road and hope it leads to something good.  No.  Just a non-incorporated residential neighborhood.  But it gave me the requisite miles and then some.  Stop at the gas station in Martensdale and purchase a tea and fudge round cookie treat.  Caffeine, ginseng, sugar and chocolate.  Eat at the park and head home.

Not my best speed but I never got passed.  Yes, there were other people on the trail, most south of Cumming.  I saw Dallas at the golf course.  Usually see him on the Bill Riley Trail on his hybrid with aerobars during my commute home.  He was trying to get 75 miles in but was "running out of time."

Miles for the sake of miles.  Exercise?  Yeah right.  Hitting a new annual mileage record?  Hell yes.  I think I can reach 10,000 miles this year.  Just keep moving.