It’s sunny with clouds. Temperatures in the low 60’s, winds from the North West. I had lab in the morning, so my departure was delayed slightly. I got my new Sidi shoes yesterday. I was able to try them on for the first time. Wow, they feel fantastic! Balance and form felt good. I think I got the cleat position spot on. The shoe fits like a glove, but needs to be worn in. I wore arms, knees, and thick base layer. I made it to the top of OTR in good time. The Banducci Wall had minimal traffic mitigation, so I was able to remain in the zone without too much worry. The Arosa climb went quick. The shoes proved their worth. I made my way around the backside and then to the top of Banducci. There’s still road construction, but I was not delayed. After making it to the summit, I took a few moments to recover and then headed back down the mountain. I spotted the lead construction vehicle escorting traffic up the mountain. By the time I was about to descend off the Banducci Wall, they were on my heels. So, I pulled over on Arosa and let the traffic by. As I was about to descend off the Banducci Wall, some cars queued up from behind, so I let up and let them pass. It was borderline safe on the way down. The wind was buffeting, so I was having to feather the brakes to the base of the descent. From there, I headed up Highline. I had a tailwind, so the ascent went quick. I zipped around the neighborhood and then hopped back on Highline for the return. After making it back to OTR, it was mostly fun and games. I pushed over Mariposa, then to the top of Weston where I shut it down.

Concentration was good. Minimal lapses and no gremlins to speak of. Balance and form was good. My form felt better with the new shoes. I’m not wanting to give 100% credit to the shoes as I put on new cleats and was meticulous about their position when I installed them. More rides are needed to confirm. My next ride is Caliente, all things being ok. Nutrition was good. I fed part of a banana, grapes, a Clif Bar and water. That held me over. During the ride, I went through most of my sport drink, no water. Gear worked flawlessly. Ailments were minimal. Some hand soreness. The top of my right foot was hinting on soreness, likely due to the new shoes needing to be worn in. I’m guessing a month or so. Other notes, no cyclists today.