3's

There is something about riding a loop rather than an out and back. Better yet there is something about loops that have only one way to get around them. This eliminates that choice of taking the shortcut back, avoiding a huge hill on the main route, and it also keeps things interesting. I love loops and my timing for the ride allowed me to do one that I haven't been on in a while.

Quick prep with a bunch of 3's. 3 bottles, 3 gel's, 3 dollars, that is all it takes to prep for up to a 4 hour ride. I could squeeze more out of those 3 groups but since I was hoping for something just over 3 hours and didn't do the mapmyride distance check and my planned pace would be a little slower, a lot slower than the vomit sessions of the previous night I thought better safe than dead. Yes the other thrill of loops, if you bonk on a loop you just automatically die and become buzzard food.

Living in Waubaushene now I've found that I ride to the east more or south to the hills of Oro. The Awenda Park loop was something that used to be a monthly trip from the old house. I did have a couple options on routes depending on what time it took me to hit the parks entrance. With no drama on the way I was there surprisingly quick, I turned into the entrance with full commitment. No turning around , if I did I wouldn't say that here. I forgot how awesome the park road is and with a speed limit of 40km/h cars were not supposed to be going that dramatically faster than I was.

A continued drama free ride minus the idiot teenagers that had parents that didn't love them and never told them to look both ways before crossing the road and forced me onto my brakes. Funny thing was they gave me the dirty look. A highlight, no more death at the midway point of the ride, the store in Sawlog Bay is open. Great refuel stop which I didn't need. It took roughly an hour to do the circle. An hourish after that I was shifting up a few gears for a nice cool down on the rail trail. 100km round trip, I messed up the 3's by rolling 3:10 for time. Considering the legs are still a little frustrated when I make them do things they seem to have regained a good amount of power. Made me feel better with the 8 coming up fast.

What loop will I attempt tonight with my mild abuse ride? HMMMMM, need more coffee to decide that.

P.S. to one reader, yes I rode at the right lower wattage, yes I stayed in that wattage zone even on the hills and almost had to walk a steep pitch to stay in that zone, there was only 1400 feet of climbing on that ride and I had a tail wind the whole time????