Another day in the saddle.....

.....And today was but another day in the training for things yet to come. JeffP and I decided to give riding together another shot after our Monday debacle, OK, my Monday debacle. Ever since I did that long ride with all the climbing last week, I've been wanting to hit up the big climb on my SS mtn bike. Crazy, I know, and man I tell you when I'm in the middle of it, half way up.....and I'm breathing through my eyeballs with my legs feeling like lead....I hate it. But when I'm done and I'm sitting back in my car with the A/C cranked, drinking my chocolate milk and wearing my R&R socks....it feels gooooood!! Today was no exception, to either of the above feelings.

Since JeffP is also doing Leadville and an avid adventure racer, he's always up for some crazy riding ideas....mine was to hop back on hwy-215(long road from last Monday with all the climbing) this time on my mtn bike and ride all the way up to the top...down the Blue Ridge and then loop back home. However, JeffP had a better idea with more climbing and less pavement.....nice. He's also the type of guy who can never ride without breaking out his trusty Pisgah map, honestly don't know why he has one, he's got the whole forest memorized....seriously. That and somehow ALL his rides are so long/remote it requires that everyone pack a lunch, and somehow he always forgets to clue me in on this....but there is NO better tour guide and luckily i too am always up for an adventure. His idea was to start from the Fish Hatchery(shown above) head up some of the roads that THE MOST HORRIBLE THING EVER race is on, climb up to the top, over the ridge, drop down the other side to 215, ride up to the parkway, down a bit, then drop back down some hike-a-bike/ride descents, past the infamous, Farlow Gap, all the way back to the car. Great, no questions asked....I'm in.

Four hours later, we had nailed out 35 miles and 5000ft of elevation gain. Not a bad day of saddle time. My legs felt good on the one hour climb, was able to find a good rhythm and maintain it the whole time, hopefully I'll find a good one next Saturday! Bike did good, clothing was dialed in...all that's left is to do it. Another great day on the bike in the Carolina's. I know I've said it before, but the nice thing about the majority of rides in the area is that they all end with a dip in a river....today was no exception. Nothing better than washing off all the funk in a nice COLD river. Today was a good final push towards Leadville....time to start packing.

11 days till Leadville....mmmm good.