Started out very ambitious, & eager to use the gloriously clear weather that the Lord has so graciously provided, (for my 2 & 1/2 days off), and do the combined Kimberling into Grapefield Loop Sunday, and the Annual Summit-to-Summit Ride on Labor Day Monday. Decided on NASCAR Kimberling 1st, & thus doubling up the section between South Gap access road & Bastian exit. Scaled Bastian side of Brushy Mtn OK, zipped down other side dodging potholes in speckled sun & shade. On the way down Wilderness Road 2 little figures appeared on my shoulders. The Good Angel w/ a halo on the
R shoulder said that I had probably had enough for today, got a late start, been 15 days since I rode, & be good to not hold family dinner up, take the R to the access road & head back to RG & home. The Terrible Beelzebub w/ a pitchfork aimed @ the back tire on the L shoulder said 15 days is no big deal, have done lots of 7 & 8 day gaps, even a month, & besides I need miles badly, & I can zip on through & dinner will still be on time. Of course, I was dumb & kept on straight @ the access road. So... slow up Grapefield (but no bears), did get down Clearfork Creek Rd better than I figured but still slow, & did get to truck right @ 6pm as I told Holly, but failed to take into account getting ungeared & driving home. So dinner @ twilight w/ skeeter for all, & now SO sore & crampy. No recovery ride today, but did get some moving preliminaries done. Maybe Summit-to-Summit next week. And figure out creatively how to get 974 more miles by 12/31 w/out a smart-trainer w/ autumn very near. Flowers are changing, crickets & regular cicadas fading, last hay being made.