Training

I went for my evening mtb training ride last night. I got in 3 hrs and 20 minutes. The ride was fairly uneventful until the last twenty minutes....

It was raining and chilly when I started and the temps hovered around 65 degrees. It was humid though. Winding up and over the WNC mtns, the lush green similar to a rain forest. The trees and weeds drenched in water. Roots wet and slick as ice.

I'm not great at going downhill fast, add some moisture and I'm terrible. I timed myself on one 6 mile section and I am about 1 minute slower than when it is dry. Gotta work on that.

The gravel road section was fast. I did see some tire tracks but not another person on a bicycle for the entire ride. Riding up and around ridges, the bright green leaves creeping up to the highest mountains. The mist in the valleys and the dark, menacing rain clouds blanketing the sky, threatening to let loose at any moment.

Cross the creek, wave to the lone fisherman, hit the pavement and spin through town.

20 minutes from the parking lot the light dims. I start to pull out my cell phone to call Rhonda, decide not to. 20 seconds later I drift to the left of the path and see a 3 foot long copperhead on the right side, less than 5 feet from me....I probably would have run over him if I had been on the phone.

Startled now, the sky goes dark and I throw my training limits off the side of the mountain. I don't want to get to the parking lot after dark because of the possibility of sketchy people. I get there right as the darkness sets in and sure enough, sketchy people hanging out. 1.5 minutes later I pull out of the parking lot and the sky lets loose. It rains the rest of the night.

Have a great day.