Bicycling (Road) 3:16:31 [3] 45.25 mi (4:21 / mi) +734m 4:08 / mi
slept:7.5 weight:205.1lbs (injured)
I used a guide book that I've been using since the 1990s to do some good rides. I picked-out the "Back by Noon" ride from Chuck and Gail's Favorite Bike Rides book. The problem was that I didn't even get started until after 1pm. Starting out it was humid, sunny, and around 89 F. It probably got hotter. I was feeling the early hills and not recovering so well from them. The ride starts next to the Potomac River and heads north. I extended it by taking a portion of other rides in the book. I generally climbed for the first +13 miles. The wind was with me on this but that meant I wasn't getting a cooling breeze. After hitting Comus Rd. I then hit some rolling hills as I crossed ridges getting to the base of Sugarloaf Mountain. Some of these from the beginning were steep. I took a much needed break at 20 miles, in Dickerson, getting a cold drink and an energy bar. Clouds started moving in and the route became less severe regarding the hills. Traffic got lighter too. There was some rather nice farm country and a few facilities tucked away so that few would see them (power plant, NIH Animal Testing center, and a county police gun range). I missed a turn (using cue sheets) and had to turn around at one point, after the road had turned to dirt and had shifted northward, where I'd come from. I was going slow enough (by necessity) that the winds didn't bother me much--when riding into them or hitting them from the side they were cooling. Though I was nearly done, I took a break at 40 miles, with 5 miles to go. I guess I looked decrepit sitting in the grass since a passing car stopped to see if I was okay. I judged the clouds in the distance and figured correctly that I could beat the coming rain. Finishing-up going down the first big hill that I climbed, I hit the top speed of the route--a little over 30mph, and had to take a sharp right at the bottom. Back at Riley's Lock there were people riding the C&O towpath. I stopped in Potomac, MD to bring home some pizza and groceries. With knee pain, I walked kind of funny there. I was rained on while driving home, but I got ahead of it again and got everything out of the van before it fell.
