7 August 2011 Ride: One mile for every degree...almost

Didn't stay up to try and see the Northern Lights the night before but the light show last last night was a close second.

What is it that gets into our heads that a 100 miler is a good idea when we know the temperature will hit above 100 at some point in the ride?  Via Mountainburg, no less, which includes a few mighty fine climbs.  It's got to be more than just bragging rights because that's a heck of a lot of work just to say "I did it."  And, even then, a person has to have a lot of determination just for that.

I think it's about wanting to push one's self to the limits, to see just how far we can go and the satisfaction that comes from reaching those boundaries.  Of course, maybe it's just plain craziness.

 Today's ride started off in a light drizzle and then tapered off until I reached the Brentwood rest stop, about 25 miles into the ride.  From there to Mountainburg, it rained off and on which was good for keeping cool but not so good for going down the hills into Mountainburg.  The road had deteriorated considerably since my last trip there with heavy cracks and small pot holes.  The rain obscured the faults and they would take me by surprise at times and I felt as if I was holding on for dear life; I am not a big fan of downhills unless they are on nice smooth pavement.  Needless to say, I was glad to reach the bottom.

 Besides liking the composition of the lettering and the window, I found it humorous interpreting the "FREE HAY" in a different light; a message to the powers that be to free from prison a citizen by the name of Hay.

While I wasn't crazy about the rain as I went downhill, I did appreciate the cloud cover.  Like clockwork, when I turned around to head back up the hill, the clouds gave way to the sun.  

By the time I was off Mt. Gaylor and coming out of Winslow, the temperature was starting to rise in earnest.  I was surprised to see a bicyclist heading south so late in the day (noon)  and it turned out to be a friend and fellow colleague of Carol's, Jon.  He lives up on Mt. Gaylor near the fire tower so he was actually returning home.

 I'm slow and steady so I knew it would be close to 4:00 PM before I would make it back home.  I suspect that by mile 70 the temperature had hit the 100 mark and the going was getting a bit slower.

I made my way home via the bike trail wanting to check up on the status of the shoes; nothing had changed and they were still in the same position as the other day.


Reaching my road, I have one more small semi-steep climb.  At the top of the the rise is a T.  To the left, it is .6 miles to home.

But I have a ritual or tradition that I have been sticking to fairly religiously.  To the right, it is .4 miles to a cul-de-sac.  No matter how tired I may be even if I have reached my goal for the day, I almost always (99%) go right.  It's a way of saying to myself that I still have a bit extra to give, I still can push another 8/10ths of a mile.  So, even today, with the heat beating down and the goal well reached (100.3 miles at the T), I turned right to push that limit just a bit further.  It was good to get home.

Today's Ride:  8hrs 20mins. (Actual time: 9hrs 30mins). 102.6 miles.  77- 103 degrees.  Miles YTD:  5,197.92

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