Same mileage, just normal. After weeks, months of shorter rides than normal, fewer trips over the hill than normal, this past week was finally looking a bit like… normal. Just slower than normal.

A weeks ago, Thursday, Kevin and I rode the regular Tuesday/Thursday morning route, nothing cut off due to either weather or running out of time because I’m making it up Kings in 37 minutes instead of 30. We get back to the start of the ride, Olive Hill & Canada, at 9:32 instead of 9:18-9:22. This is apparently what being 68 looks like. And have to admit, getting up the hill, it doesn’t feel great. As the miles go by, it does get better; over 50 or so and Kevin starts to tire but I’m still going. Not fast, but going.

Tuesday (a couple days ago), again, the full ride. Again, pretty slow up Kings, but OK past that. It’s getting a little bit warmer; I can get by with a light baselayer, just two layers, not three. No more temps in the 30s, no more concern about ice on the roads, but still the possibility of rain for the next two months. As if that’s something to complain about; how quickly we forget (if we ever knew) that it’s normal, in most of the world, to have quite a bit of rain in the summer. Here, it might rain between November and mid-May, and that’s it. Not even sure why I’m bringing up rain in the first place as I think I’ve only had one real rain ride this season, using an indoor trainer instead. First year I’ve ever done that and pretty sure it’s tied into the issues with my wife’s health, creating a stronger-than-usual rationalization for caution.

But I’m hoping to at least keep the miles back up where they should be, and absolutely positively need to do at least one 100+ miler this year, something that didn’t happen last year.

It’s been a while since doing the “full” Tuesday/Thursday-morning ride; “life” has gotten in the way, many times. I’ve actually wimped out on a few wet mornings and ridden the trainer indoors, on Zwift, which is not nearly as good a workout, for me, as being on the road. Just cannot get much power on Zwift. Tuesday was one of those Zwift days, rode with Kevin on side-by-side trainers in my family room. Kevin can crank the watts; climbing the virtual Alpe d’Huez, he was up there at 5 watts/kg while I was struggling at literally half that.

But today, the sun was out, the roads are drying (still wet most places) and ex-Pilot (Kevin K) was back on the bike after some surgery on his back to correct pain while walking. Pain while walking? Just ride your bike instead, right?

It was a pretty easy pace up Kings (thank goodness for ex-Pilot’s month off the bike!), and he rode with me as far as Swett Road before turning around to meet up with others who were riding later. Ah, the life of the retired! Me, I kept going, and it really wasn’t that hard. I need the miles, for sure! Real miles.

West Old LaHonda wasn’t easy but still worth the beautiful view high up. Note the new mini rockslide if you’re heading at speed down the hill. Normally I’d move debris out of the way, but that thing is a bit too big (and if I could, what would I do, roll it down the hill and hope it didn’t do serious damage to something?).

And where was younger Kevin? Long story but basically he thought I wouldn’t be riding this morning because I’d made plans to take my wife to Las Vegas to see a show. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much interest so I was available to ride after all. Very glad I did. It feels so good to get in the full ride… so much better than when it has to be shortened by lopping off the West Old LaHonda section.