I got up just in time. I departed around 9:15-ish. The legs were good to start. The wind was in the right direction. My GPS didn’t pick up the HR or power sensor. So, I was fiddling with in the first mile or two of the ride. Eventually, I got it to work. I made it to the summit of OTR in good average time. The Banducci Wall had some traffic mitigation. I was near max going over the top. The Arosa climb went well. I was in the zone. I waited for the climbing legs to kick in and then held no less than moderate tempo, putting in high tempo over the top. I reached max when I got there. I zipped around the backside. My GPS read 46+ MPH on the descent. I’m not sure if that’s accurate, though. I made my way to the summit of Banducci and recovered a bit. I let traffic by and then headed back down the mountain. Descending off the mountain was safe with minimal traffic. I was able to let the wheels roll without braking much, till I reached the bottom. From there, I headed up the Volcano climb and around the Buffalo Run. I stopped once to pet the local horses and then got back on the road. I was able to relax when I made it back to OTR. The descent off OTR was mostly fun and games. I put in a good push over Mariposa and another on Weston where I shut it down.

Concentration was good. Patience was in check and the morale was good. I was somewhat reluctant to get out of bed early, but I told myself I’ll be glad, and I am. Balance and form was good. Ailments, some hand numbness on the out of the saddle efforts. Nutrition was good. No hunger signs. I went through most of my sport drink. Gear held up flawlessly. I had to fiddle with the GPS to get the HR and power sensors work.