Me riding up Kerr Gulch...when I was still warm!
Ride: 2:20 40*, sunny, windy, rode Kerr Gulch/Soda Creek 2pm-4:30pm.
Today was a beautiful day and quite unexpected. The forecast was for cloudy, cold and chance of snow. Instead we had clear blue skies, not a trace of snow and the temps were in the low 40's, however, with that sun it sure seemed warmer.
I was feeling pretty beat up from yesterdays' workouts and I was debating on what I was going to do this afternoon. Andy had to work today so I was on my own. I thought about just getting on the bike trainer for a couple of hours and watching a movie however, I wanted to hit the hot tub first to loosen up my muscles. Once I was outside I was instantly motivated to enjoy the sunshine by getting on my bike outdoors instead of indoors. I sat in the tub for about :15 min. and then got dressed in a hurry so I could be out the door by 2:00pm. I wanted to ride for about 2 hours and I knew the sun starts to go down behind the mountains about 4:00pm to where it gets cold very fast and daylight runs out at 5:30pm.
The temp when I started was 43 degrees and quite windy. The sun was beating down pretty good which kept me warm especially since I started out with a nice long climb up Kerr Gulch. My route then took me down Hwy. 40 over to Soda Creek and finishing down Squaw pass, thru Elk Meadow and then to our neighborhood. By about 1:30 into the ride I was starting to bonk and getting a little cold. I needed food and I needed it fast. I quickly ate a bar and instantly felt better. Back on the bike I was trying to think of the fastest way home...there is only one way home from where I was at but I wanted to be there now and I knew most of it was downhill. I had been thinking how much climbing I had already been doing and was looking forward to some downhill riding...or so I thought. At 37 degrees going downhill gets me REALLY cold REALLY fast! My hands and feet were the first to go. I was wearing 2 pairs of gloves (put a shell on these for the last :20 but it didn't help), toe covers, waterproof/windproof socks and smart wool socks, undershirt, jersey, vest, armwarmers, jacket and 2 pairs of knickers. My chest and legs were nice and toasty but I was freezing at the ends~
I didn't see any other riders out there, I am thinking they were either smart enough to ride indoors or take the day off to watch the game. I was able to stop and take a few pics and I was also on the lookout for elk. Living in Evergreen one doesn't have to travel very far to find them! I found 3 herds of them, one small group of about 8 in Soda Creek and then 2 large herds in Elk Meadow.
I am happy that I got out today and rode but next time I will rethink the riding at 40 degrees, or at least limit myself to an hour and a half. The temp. was 37 degrees when I finished and it took me less than 5 min. to strip and hit the hot tub and another 10 min. before the feeling came back to the fingers and toes. Ahhhh..
The view to the west at one of the high points in Soda Creek neighborhood.
One of the large herds of Elk in "Elk Meadow"....appropriately named.
Soda Creek Neighborhood, looking East.
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