Tough ride to do today…camping with friends and they are all going on the water for some kayaking and paddle boarding. Oh did I mention I was camping! And it was hot! Nothing like squeezing into your cycling kit while laying down in a steamy tent! I kind of missed it :) This wasn’t supposed to be a tough ride today. Biggest climb was going to be at the end of the ride. Nice downhill to start. Ride ended up being a blast. Ever have one of those rides when the wind just always seems to be at your back! Up until the end…that was this ride. Rural…farm roads…rollers…low traffic…clearly a cyclist’s route based on how many I saw out riding. I guess the secret was out about the “wind always at your back” thing. I was zipping along pretty good when at about mile 20 I came across this great little water stand someone put up for cyclist outside their house? I don’t know it was in something older than me…come on man, come on. I did play Oregon Trail on a computer…with green text (and only text), but I was not reliving my younger days in doing so. I really dug the sign they had “Tacos….just kidding…Water” Ride on! North part of the ride got a little less rural. Just a bit though. Rode through a cool neighborhood and golf course community. Grass looked a bit greener than that stuff growing in Phoenix. The ride back south into the park was a mother. Clearly the wind gods said enough! I had a great pace (for me) going to that point, but the last 5mi put an end to that. Really the punchy steep climb back up to the Carter Lake area was what sent my numbers sliding in reverse. That was a tough slow climb. Not particularly long, but sure didn’t feel short either. Rolled into the Carter Lake Marina store that was across from where we were camping. Cyclist sitting there hanging out with the same idea as me. More water! They were all mid-ride though. Not me…I get to take my sweaty self back to my sauna (tent) and try to peel that skin suit off. Did fill up on water and picked up an extra bottle. No ice machines, but cyclists, I guess, by bags of ice, use what that want and leave the rest for future riders stopping by looking for cool water. Figured I should do the same. Ice up! Ahh, my friends! As I was walking out of the marina store, who did I see walking down the path across the street, lugging kayaks and paddle boards…yup. Guess it was a slooow morning start. Can’t say I blame them. I didn’t have the energy to join them though. One of the cyclists sitting at the marina store bet me to run down to the lake and cold plunge it, but the thought of going in with my $400 Sidi’s on really didn’t sit well. No water for me (lake water, I did shower(camp shower)).