Say Anything

I was sick for two weeks. It started the night after that last post. I didn't ride for two weeks. Since last weekend I've ridden 3 times, about 20 miles total. I don't think I lost to much this time. I need to train for my "Birthday(ish) Ride" I am planning. From here to the ocean. about 17 miles. About 3000 feet of decent, about 1500 feet of climbing. About 3 miles of pavement, about 5 miles of single track. In the world of cycling it's not that far, but for me it will be a mile stone. When I started this 2.5 miles was a long, long, way.

Oof.

So it started as a simple ride. Planned total distance, about 6 miles. Somewhere along the way I crested a hill only to see yet another, bigger hill to climb. Being tired I turned back, remembering a nice chunk of single track I've ridden before. When I got to it I remembered another chunk of single track I had never ridden and rode to that. I took off down it, and it was a blast. It flowed into another trail that wound through the redwoods. Zipping down over root, rock, and gully I was reminded of "Return of The Jedi" during the "Speeder Bike" sequence. Zipping along the trail I was sorely tempted to make engine noises and watch for Ewoks. Coming up out of that trail was a whole other matter. All the roots and rock made it a fair bit of work. There were portions I had to get off and walk, not due to fatigue, but because the trail was so difficult. That trail connected to one I rode before going down to check out the Sea Otter Classic. Riding it from this direction it was MUCH easier. Finally I hit the Wilder Ridge trail and was able to bomb down back to my truck. When I got to the truck, the trip odometer read 12 miles. Half of that fairly technical single track. It was a hard day of riding.