Really solid solo Pescadero Tunitas loop : Almost-Daily Diary : http://www.chainreactionblogs.com/diary

This page was exported from Almost-Daily Diary [ http://www.chainreactionblogs.com/diary ]
Export date: Fri Apr 19 7:51:52 2024 / +0000 GMT

Really solid solo Pescadero Tunitas loop

Riding solo, I had a chance to spend a bit more time at the LaHonda duck pond to get some photos.

After Tuesday's ride, where I felt better than expected, I was, well, hoping for more. Today, I got it. A solo ride (Kevin had an afternoon coffee date and wasn't interested in an early-morning ride), so I had a chance to ride at my own pace and have a bit of fun.

I approached Old LaHonda a bit timidly though, thinking maybe I ought to start the ride easily and work up to a strong finale on Tunitas. I thought I was doing that, but I found myself hitting "pipe country" (a section where there's a retaining wall on the left-hand side of the road with some plastic pipes sticking out) at about 7 minutes, maybe 25 seconds faster than what's passed for "normal" lately. The half-way point was just over 11 minutes, so I'm thinking it's possible I'll get about 23, maybe even, but not likely, a 22-something. That would be a big improvement over the 24 & 25 minute times lately! Truthfully, I thought I was fading badly on the second half, but somehow finished at 22:38, best time my 22:19 a year ago July. I'm good with that.

Since Kevin wasn't with me, I brought my nicer-than-iPhone camera (Canon S120) and spent a few minutes getting photos of the LaHonda duck pond (actually called "Reflection lake"). Not the best day for it, with gray skies, but if you looked hard, there were a number of birds hidden about, as seen in the photos. And, of course, the turtles.

Haskins? To the second, the exact same time as two weeks ago, which was about the same, again, as a year ago. A year older, higher dosage of hematocrit-killing med, and haven't deteriorated further. I was going to say "just as fast" but "fast" days are way behind me!

Without Kevin it was just a Mtn Dew and Cherry Turnover at the bakery/store, and then on to the headwinds on Stage. Nothing exciting there, except that, with the headwinds, I didn't have to worry about Strava. If there's a strong tail wind, well, you just can't let that go to waste, right?

I arrived at Tunitas a bit more tired than I'd hoped, but still kept the speed up on the lower flanks, reaching the entrance to the forest more quickly than usual. I kept going, never really feeling that strong, especially on the steeper parts, but managed a few seconds over 48 minutes, which ends up being my best time since 2015. I'm good with that. I'd rather not feel so great but have a good time, than feel good with a poor time. :-)

In the closeup, you can see how he’s been tied down, to keep from escaping.

Post date: 2018-08-20 00:18:42
Post date GMT: 2018-08-20 07:18:42
Post modified date: 2018-08-20 00:18:43
Post modified date GMT: 2018-08-20 07:18:43