After meetings this morning, I took off to go rent a bike. I figured, what the heck, Google Maps told me that McGhies was only 3.7 miles away, so after a nice lift and swim this morning, a light run would do me some good. Google Maps was wrong. Turns out it was six miles and I was pretty shagged by the time I got there. Just started training again within the last couple of weeks, and the lift and swim were great, but I budgeted energy for 3.7 and it was far more than that. On the plus side, I think I was hauling backside up and down the terrain. It was ALL uphill going back, though. Lots of uphill here, though. Hello, base of a mountain range and all.
The elephant in the room is that I didn't take into account the local elevation. It's about 3700 feet I've been told. The "Scenic 13-mile loop" climbs 1000 feet as well. Suffice it to say, I planned poorly. I made about four miles (and it was a beastly four miles) and decided that rather than have the rangers retrieve me, I'd take myself back down.
Kelly did this ride a number of years ago for Team in Training and as if I already didn't have enough things to love my wife and sit in utter amazement about here, the ability to knock out 100 miles around here tells me that she was just a machine. I look forward to the day when we can do this ride as a family.
I took a little 20-second video at the first rest stop. It gives you an idea of the majesty of the place. It's awe-inspiring, make no mistake about it.
And what travelogue would be complete without a picture of the person on the journey? Hi, everybody! Daddy misses you mommy and Makenna! I'll be home soon.
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