I really wanted to get training going for the MS Ride.  But for this ride I was severely ill-prepared.  I had not fueled up enough, I was not fit enough, I was not dressed enough, nor did I have adequate bike lighting.  It was hard to pick clothing for this ride.  Just the other day it was snowing, but the online weather reports said 79, matching my thermometer.  At the same time I was riding into the evening where it would get colder, but I'd be pushing up hills which would make me hotter, but I'd be speeding downhills which would make me colder, but most riders out here are in just tee shirts.  Sadly, I developed full-body goosebumps on my first decent that remained the rest of the ride. I was numb and shivering when I had still an hour of riding to do. I cut my route short (full route on link at bottom of page) because I worried about getting too cold. I came home and gingerly lowered myself into the nicest bath ever, but by the time I got out I was so famished I felt faint and immobile.  It took 30-40 minutes to get food and another 30-40 to feel better.  Yesterday it seemed like the cold was my biggest problem.  But today, I think it was just too hard of a ride.  Mapmyride started using climb ratings modeled after climb ratings given by the UCI for races like the Tour de France and other professional cycling events. Category 5 is the lowest level, it must be at least 500 meters in length with an average grade of 3% or more.  As the numbers get smaller, the climb gets more intense.  This ride has stretches ranking in category 5, 4, 3 and 1.  With the hardest climb, category 1, spanning 10.8 miles.  I can't ignore the fact that I live right on the stage 6 route for America's Pro Cycling Challenge for this year, aptly titled "America's Toughest Bike Race."  I'm just a casual rider who hasn't exercised at all all winter and barely rode 1000 miles in the past 2 years.  This is not the route to "get me back into shape."  Oh well.

• distance: 26.76 mi
• time: 2 hr. 35 min.
• av. speed: 10.36 mph
• max speed: 37.35 mph
• av. cadence: 57
• climb: 2791 ft
• max altitude: 8879
• av pulse: 145
• max pulse: 163
• temp 50 (and I was in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey! What was I thinking?!)
• Ride map