Long rides

Sometimes, I just need to get outside and push myself. When I first started biking, it would have been a near miracle to ride any kind of trail that wasn't completely flat more than a mile without stopping. These days, if I don't get in at least 10 miles in on a ride, it doesn't even seem worth it. It's amazing how our bodies can adapt.

I guess with that being said, distance isn't really the key piece to what brings the pain. My 25 mile one way commute to work is pretty straight-forward. I could probably do it every day if I wanted to commit the 3+ hours a day it would take to pull it off - not likely at this point.

That said, forty miles on mostly dirt with some good climbs thrown in equals some pretty good pain. It all started off well. I cruised east from my house skirting the northern edge of Deem Hills park and trails and following the CAP canal. I crossed over I-17 via the pedestrian bridge and continued to follow the CAP until I had a road crossing and then proceeded to do a little road riding to hit the Desert Vista trailhead to begin my trek around the southern loops. It was around here that I committed to doing the full southern and at least a partial bit of the northern loop.

The southern side of the preserve went well. Saw quite a few people out, including a group of three riders who couldn't bother with any kind of response to my greeting as I munched on some trail mix and drank some water after the transition climb to the northern half of the southern loop. No worries; I finished up and then they acted as trail rabbits about 100 yards in front of me. I kept up with them and was constantly gaining ground on them. Even with me stopping for approaching traffic (like the lady who jogs with 3 on leash dogs). I caught them for good on the descent, and had to slow up because I didn't feel like trying to pass 3 riders on that part of the trail. No matter - the intersection was coming up for me to head north. They headed SW toward the DV trailhead.

I meandered through the neighborhood network of paths and jeep roads to meet up with the northern loop. I was still feeling pretty good at this point, so I rode at a decent pace but wasn't really pushing it. I made an effort to not attack the climbs to hard - I granny geared up some of the bigger ones because at this point I was at least twenty miles away from home and didn't want to bonk. I was eating every hour and I was still good on water as I started the downhill part paralleling carefree highway heading east.

I passed some other riders heading the opposite way and the warned me of a snake off the trail - you know they are out there and you know that you are probably passing them quite often in this weather, but it still makes you paranoid.

Anyway, it was all good. Just a slowish constant grind and fun going down the hills.

At the eastern end, I made a wrong turn and ended up doing a bit more climbing than I anticipated and it was at this point that I was starting to want to be off the bike. And so it begins. The epic grind to get back home. Funny enough, there are a couple of options to bail off onto the paved road they are working on, but I neglected to do so. I decided to keep on the trail and just stick it out. I knew I was getting low on water, but there were a couple of parks in the neighborhood, and worse case, I could stop at a friends house and get some water from his hose out front.

I made it off the southern loops, but wanted nothing to do with the jeep road path on the eastern edge of the housing development, so I made my way through the neighborhood hiking paths. I stopped at the first park and enjoyed the shade and sent a text to my wife that I was about an hour away. I shoved some trail mix in my mouth, grabbed my bladder out of my pack and walked to the drinking fountain. Pushed the button and nothing. Crap.

Got my stuff put away and hopped on the bike more more meandering through the neighborhood. Next stop at the next (and larger park). Stopped at the drinking fountain and again - nothing. What the hell?

Resigned myself to stopping by my friends house and getting some water from his hose bib. I did so, but I was starting to feel like crap and neglected to let the water run through the hose for a bit. I didn't really think about it much until I was about 5 minutes away from his house and I took a sip. Bleh! The water was hot and nasty. This is what happens to water that in a hose that is sun exposed. Gross.

Hitting the western edge of the southern loops was OK, but I had to walk the end of the last climb. Once I was down to the parking area, it was just pavement back to the CAP canal. Once I was to the CAP canal though, I knew I was done. This is basically all flat and gravel for the most part. It sucked and I just wanted to be off the bike. Crossed the I-17 bridge again, and then the final stretch home. Seemed like it took forever and at the very end, there is a hill climb that is steep, but not really that bad. It's loose, but ride-able for sure. Just seeing it made me just about get off of the bike. I rode up to the base of it, hopped off the bike and walked. At least going down the other side was fun. =)

All in all, it was a good ride and pushed me to my limits - which aren't great at all. I see guys out there doing crazy rides. This would be a recovery ride for them. I guess the thing is that I'm striving to get better. I never thought I would be a guy who searched for these kind of rides; long hours in the saddle and pain. Here's to finding more about that guy...