Longish Ride

After dropping the kid off at school and making a run to the store to get a new battery for my computer, I stalled a little more, waiting for the sun to come up.  It was chilly outside, and I was hoping for some solar heat to come my way.

It was 59 degrees, when I finally rolled out, which is not that cold, but felt cold for some reason.  I headed up the parkway, planning on a 4 hr spin around Bent Creek and back home.  I love this route.  Not the techiest route around, but definitely a good workout. 

Feeling good, I pushed a little hard up the hills.  This would be the longest ride I have done since the stage race.  About 1.5 hrs into the ride, I decided it would be wise to cut it short and head home.  Maybe if I had paced myself a little better, I could have gone into the 4th hour, but I was not really worried. 

I hit some of the single track in BC,  passed a squirrel hunter on Sidehill, and headed back to the Parkway. 

It was an uneventful ride, but exciting just the same.   The colors of the leaves are amazing right now, and something about that ride did something in my head that left me feeling peaceful and confident about the future. 

The past 7 weeks have been amazing that way.  In the past I have been stressed in the situations, losing sleep and not eating.  This time, though, things have been different.  I'm cherishing every day, and every moment spent with my wife, kid and friends. 

Have a great day.