Days 11 and 12

As part of my preparations for a long weekend of riding, I have limited my riding for the last couple of days to the closest imaginable neighborhoods.

Day 11: I rolled out of my apartment at 5:50 AM to meet up with riding buddy Chad for a morning spin down to the Marina. It was somewhat celebratory as I recently heard some good news. We also stopped by Groundworks Coffee on Main Street for some hot morning beverages. It was fabulous. Also, I made it to work with plenty of time to prepare for my TA duties. 6AM it is! For those interested, here's my (abbreviated) morning route to the Marina. Total miles (with commute): just shy of 32.

Day 12: Afternoon rides are never very fun, but today it was just downright irritating. Maybe I should shift my Friday strategy? It is a little tough to do otherwise since I teach in the morning, and I normally need those morning hours to prep for section. Today, it was windy as an added bonus, numerous things happened to me to make this ride less than pleasant. Much of this had to do with bad luck and poorly chosen route. I elaborate below:
• I got lost in the Palisades two times.
• I neglected to bring enough liquids for a warmer-weather ride and had to stop after 15 miles to get more.
• A truck knock a tree on Upper Mandeville Boulevard blocking traffic in both directions. I helped with its removal as much as I could in my cycling cleats.
• A fellow cyclist flagged me down to help him with his flat tire.

On the plus side, I had friendly conversation with everyone I encountered on my ride. Also, the actual riding was great. I felt really strong on Mandeville's slow ascent and had no trouble going full strength on the last, tough grade increase. Lesson learned: leave the house by 1PM on Fridays to avoid weekend traffic. Total miles: 31 (though it felt longer)