December 23, 2021
Looping The Loop!
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My planned route for the day was riding the entire loop. I decided I needed to get on the road an hour earlier, because of the longer miles. Of course, I didn't sleep a wink last night, for wondering what time it was, and how soon I needed to get up.
I was out the door right at 9 AM. Oren would be happy with my punctuality. The sun was shining, and it was 57 degrees. Wind has not been an issue one way or the other this trip. It looked to be a fine day to ride.
I like to ride the loop counter clockwise. From our starting location, I get in about ten miles of downhill. That's a nice beginning. Then it is a long slog of an uphill for roughly 30 miles, before a smile educing downhill finale!
I had hardly gotten on the loop when I saw a red LWB recumbent. Yesterday part of the Christmas group I saw also had a red LWB. I wonder if this could be the same man, sans Christmas getup? For the rest of the day, I saw two SWB recumbents, and fewer than ten trikes. In general, I don't feel I've seen as many people riding as the last couple of years. Maybe I am in the wrong place at the wrong time? I saw an Elliptigo also. One little terrier dog in a basket. Certainly this year I'm not seeing as many dogs.
I didn't take many photos or stops in general today. I tried to keep moving. I think I'm too hot now that I'm becoming more familiar with the area. But, too too familiar. I passed up the bathroom at Camino de la Tierra, thinking I would stop at Ted Walker Park. Far too late, I realized Ted Walker is north, and I'm going south . . . damn. I no more than figured that out and a bathroom became a necessity!
At this point I was headed south on Santa Cruz. Traffic had been light on the path. I parked next to a little bridge, and went a discrete distance behind a bush. I was in the act of standing up and pulling up my shorts, when here came two white bearded men on bicycles! Sorry! Bad timing! They were stopped a little further down the road. I got a big smile in return for my sheepish grin.
I was moving right along. I had several snacks as I went. A Quest bar. A banana. I took several Hammer brand Anti Fatigue capsules. The confusing area around the VA center was coming up. I needed to be prepared. I've always tried to bicycle the entire loop on a weekend day, because there would be less car traffic in this area. Edna said her friend tries to ride it on a weekday, because there is less bicycle traffic on the path! Good point. Today is a week day . . . there wasn't much traffic on the path.
I happily navigated the VA area and got back on the path proper. Now it's called the Julian Wash, except in my mind Julian Wash is the area around the Roy Schoonover Trailhead and the pretty arch. Certainly the ride through the long cement wash is not my favorite. It is trash filled, and a little spooky. I was happy to be out of there.
At this point I had just less than 30 miles in and was dragging. That's not good. I'm only half way. Why am I so tired? It couldn't have anything to do with my two weeks off the bike? Nah . . . maybe I need a proper break. I stopped at an out of the way potty close to a school, near Alvernon Way. Watch for it, there's little traffic. It's a good place to catch your breath. I mixed up another bottle of electrolytes. Unfortunately, this was a left over lemon lime flavor. This reminds me of the prep you have to drink before a colonoscopy. Ugh. I hope this is the very last lemon lime one.
As I left the bathroom, I ate my apple. I've been wondering for awhile now if apples don't have more magic in them than the fancy bars and capsules. I perked right up after eating the apple. The fact that I was approaching Rita Road and the downhill might have had a little to do with it!
I didn't stop at Roy Schoonover, where I ran into Edna a couple of days ago. I was ready to hit the downhill! I was also thinking about tacos at the trailer on 22nd Street. Yep! I'm ready for tacos!
The Rita Road section went quickly - next was the honking downhill on Harrison Way! Yeeha! The miles were rolling. I wonder how many miles I have to go, after the tacos, until home?
The answer is nine miles. I ate two tacos. When I got up with my trash, I noticed a man a couple of tables over had some great looking ice cream. What the heck - I'll have one of those also!
I slow pedaled those last miles. There was no need to rip open the refrigerator door in hunger. I was full! In the end, it was a good ride. I wasn't sure right there in the middle, but my apple revived me.
Jacinto drove over to ride West Saguaro Park. Let's see how his ride went. Watch for an update later.
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Today's ride: 57 miles (92 km)
Total: 187 miles (301 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 5 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 4 |
2 years ago
How do your legs feel today, after the big effort?
We ate last night at Selena's Salvadorian Restaurant. Masks were required to enter. I haven't seen that in a year . . . maybe things are blowing up.
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago