It's super windy today. Winds from the South East. I made it to the summit of the descent in super fast time. The descent was safer than I anticipated. I almost reached 45 MPH. I stopped once at the Loop Monument to take a photo of the sign that was posted for the tourist improvement.
After making it to the base, I pulled over to take a video of an emergency helicopter hovering near the ground. Seemed to be practicing their maneuvers. I got it on the video and took a few photos. Shortly after, I headed back up the mountain. As I was making my way up the first 1/4 mile, there was that little pesky dog that bolted out of its yard. It was chasing me for a few yards. A vehicle was behind me. The dog retreated to safety. The climb went well. I had a few things to think about, so the miles went fast. The worst part was the open grounds at the base of the loop. I was in my smallest gear grinding my way up. After making it past the first dip, the morale felt better. From there it was mostly moderate tempo. I made it to the summit without red-lining it. Concentration was good. The morale felt good. I'm finally getting over the tiny chip I put in my car. Balance and form was good. Gear worked perfect, some creaking from the rear. Ailments, the left hand was numb while out of the saddle. Nutrition was good. I had 3/4 of my Gatorade. No water. Other notes, no other cyclists today. There were some tourists at the Loop Monument.