Back on the Horse (er..Monkey)

After 2 weeks of slothliness, I finally got back in the groove this weekend. A run yesterday, along a nice flat road in nice temps and a bike ride today. Feeling that my endurance and fitness from the past year would keep me going, I jumped onto the Monkey and climbed to Scott's pass, then down to sahdow lake and Mid-mountain all the way the the crest connector and then back the crest to Guardsman pass. Had heard a few reports of this route, but never actually done it all together. Had done most of it on various rides, but never did the crest this way. Suffice to say, I am not in the shape I thought I was, two weeks of nothing hurts when you do something and climbing 5700' on a single-speed hurts, especially if you bonk!! You might think that this was a bad experience, but nay!! It actually was a beautiful day (60's, sunny) with little traffic on the midmountain trail, nice to cruise this trail for 12 miles thru the slopes and pines with scattered leaves throughout. Finally, I came to the connector trail from mid-mtn to the crest trail. This is a fairly steep climb. I don't know what hurt more, my back, biceps or quads? After a short time though I was up at the great western/crest junction above millcreek. I think the next climb was the worst. This is where the bonk began to take root. Looking at the garmin and it saying 8900' was not encouraging, as I know the top of puke hill was 10,000'. Not sure I had 1100' feet more of climbing in my legs I nursed every chance I had to rest (giving way to downhill riders!!). After the spine, it all seemed to get better, flowing nicely along the crest, looking at the spires above Solitude all draped in snow, thinking SOON!!!!!! Anyway a quick trip down puke hill to the car, was refreshing and made the ride worth it!! Makes me wonder why I keep chasing the Ironman dream? Anyway, might be the last ride at that height for the year, but good to keep it fresh for early summer, well mid-summer after Ironman.

rk