:: Gravity Demons Almost Win ::

:: one tough day for shojo! for some reason, i'd had it in my head to do this ride for awhile now. it's one i've been doing on feb 14th as the first ride of the season; what i call my 'lookin for love' ride and the last time i did it, it took me 4:35. i wanted to see how much i've improved since feb, so i tack on an additional 1000 ft climb to start and an extra 500 ft in the middle up to the I-80 overlook at the top of moose run. after about 1:40 i was already over halfway through this new version, and feeling great. things started to not feel so great part way up the biggest climb - moshannon, so i stopped at the spring for a break. even the teeming artesian well was looking a bit faint, but still provided some much needed fresh water. back at it, and things started falling apart. over the next 20 some miles and 2300 ft i didn't get out of the saddle and kept my head down. 5 miles from home i stopped to regroup and found the last bit of energy and made it back to the house, to the shower, and then to bed. from 4:35 and 5800 ft to 4:05 and 7300 ft in 6 months. not bad i'd say. except for all the suffering in between ::