It's been a while since I've done this ride. I did two rides in the counter clockwise direction. In the spring. I wanted to do the clockwise route while the weather is favorable. I got up around 6:15 AM, ate breakfast, got dressed, put the gear in the car and headed out. When I arrived at the parking area, there were no other cars, so I parked the car where I normally do. I assembled the bike, locked the car and headed out. The temperature was perfect. It was in the 60's when I departed. I started at around 8:22 AM. Earlier than I planned. That's a good thing.
I had a headwind making my way to the fork. When the climbing began, I allowed for my legs to adjust. I'd say about 15 minutes into the ascent, I was able to settle into a tempo that I was able to sustain. The miles went faster than I anticipated. The mountains provided shelter from the wind. So, I was fighting gravity, more than anything. There was tons of tree cover. Some places were fully enclosed. It was like going through a tunnel of trees. It cooled things off by about 5 degrees. As I approached 20 to 30 minutes to go, I found a few places to take photos with the smartphone. I kept the photo sessions as brief as possible. It's better for the legs. After arriving at the summit, I made my way to a turn-out that provided a panoramic view below. I fed one Cliff Bar. I was a bit cautious on the downhill as it was in excess of 10%. The ride through the valley was probably the least enjoyable part. I had a headwind in some regions. I'd say it was somewhat turbulent. I did my best to stay focused. Perhaps lapsing in a few places. I was able to find a discrete location to bio. Before I knew it, I arrived at the fire station climb. I put it in my smallest gear and tacked my way to the summit. When I arrived, I pulled over and fed anther Cliff Bar. I don't think I got phone reception and I was reluctant to walk into the sandy turn-out. There may have been thorns. Shortly after, I headed down the mountain. There were just a few more uphill's followed by a generous downhill. I stopped at the general / cafe to take photos. Apparently, it was acquired by a new owner and re-opened as a new establishment. Good to see, and noted for future reference. The remainder was non-stop. I had a nice tailwind. I was calculating the ETA back to the car. I was doing the how many songs method. I think I got it right on. This part of the ride was very serine and calming. At this point, the legs were starting to feel a bit sore. Perhaps slight cramping in the right calf. Never escalated, though. When I got to the fork, the morale was getting better. No mishaps thus far, so I just reminded myself that it wasn't over yet, so watch for debris in the road. At one point, I calculated how many songs back to the car. I thought about 5 should do it. Turns out that I was spot on. It took exactly 5 songs. The ride was a success and I got out what I put in. Concentration was good for the most part. There were some dark moments, but that was to be expected. The music helped a lot. The distraction from taking video footage also helped. Balance and form was good. Gear worked flawless. Ailments, mostly hand soreness. I have a callose in my right palm. Some lower leg soreness that never escalated. Nutrition was perfect. I fed two Cliff Bars. I had enough fluids with left-over. Other notes, I saw no other cyclists but there were some motor bikers. They seemed to be in good spirits. To my surprise, there were places that had phone reception that I didn't anticipate. I was able to lock the vehicle doors and check it's location. Worked like a charm! Overall, it was a satisfying adventure, mission accomplished!