GMR for 2,000 Please

Well actually it was a GMR fail but it wasn't! I think only the second time in my life I didn't make it to the shack. I climbed up 5 miles but man I started way too late and it was freaking hot. How do the hipsters say it now, it was HOT AF!!!!

I noticed the temp at 4 miles up was 91 degrees. I started after 11 and I should have known better. But the time I got up to the 5 mile point, it was 93. One of those days you are not breathing real hard, you don't feel tired but your body just feels like it doesn't want to move. I stopped took a few pics figuring maybe my legs would recover and loosen up. Nope! I took a few pics, got back on the bike and it was like I hadn't stopped at all. I actually remounted and restarted 3 times before I said screw it! Each time was like misery.

Meh, so I sucked today. Been there done that! I remember back in 2009, I started out to the shack and got to the 4 mile point. Something just wasn't right so I turned back. Some may think this a fail but it's actually a smart thing to do imo. If you push yourself too hard, you're going to get sick or something bad is about to happen. That day I went home feeling sad but 3 days later, I rode to the village. Amazing how the body works.

So though I didn't make it today, I will consider it a victory because on the way down, I decided that being at 1650 feet, I would turn around, head back up and make it an even 2,000 ft.

Well OK, I ended up with 2018 feet over the 14 miles. When you feel beat down but can find it somewhere deep inside to turn and head back up, that's a victory. Mat and I were just talking about that at the start. Us guys are strong. Some days after time off we might suck once or maybe even twice, but we always come back! That is the strength, accept defeat them fight harder next time. We cyclist suck at time, we all do, but hey, we are here, riding, climbing the mountain, and not at home working out our fingers on the  TV remote.

I know Gina and I have been hindered by a hundred things lately but I won't use that as an excuse. Cycling hasn't been the same but only one way to get it back, RIDE! I told Mat that I had not been feeling my old strong self on the bike lately so what other way to build strength and stamina???? RIDE GMR!!!!

I will say it is quite different from the trail. I could have easily done 40 there today. But GMR, trying to do 6 was tough today ha ha!

I won't use little riding as an excuse, but I will say in this heat, GMR is tough. Figure even when it is hot, I see on my Strava about 100 fly bys, tons of riders!

But today on my Strava GMR ride, I saw only 20 other riders out there. So though it was tough today, another victory getting out there and doing GMR at all!

2,000 ft, 13 miles, I'm good with it for today!

This was my second time up at about mile 2. I wanted a pic with that road in the background. After this is when I thought to myself, at least 2,000 ft you big baby ha ha!

Mat, always something good to say! Hopefully I see him more often as I plan to do GMR more often on Saturdays. Gina's plan is to spend Saturdays with her younger son while he does dialysis at the center. Then she'll ride on Sundays. So hopefully I get to chat with Mat a little more. Always a good time with Mat.

The famous GMR Blogger!

Matt, GMR, and Mr. GMR heading down GMR.

5 miles up, legs were shot from the heat. Just wouldn't move so I stopped to take pics thinking they would recover. Nope! 

There is a thread in a cycling forum I frequent. "Post your bike by a gate" thread. What better gate than that to GMR?! This will go in the forum thread! ;-)

Mat took this pic! He actually knows how to take a pic. Most people cut the frame right at the head or squeeze the subject in so there is no room to edit. Not only is Mat a cool dude, he knows how to take a pic ha ha!