Our Thursday in Hell

Foresta was taking Rachel and I on a road ride. The plan was to go out east past Alpine and climb Viejas Grade, a 4 mile dirt road climb.

We stopped for a bathroom break.

A little further on we came to Sloan Canyon Road which Foresta said would bypass Dehesa and get up to the top.

We looked and decide to attempt it. A sign said there was 4 miles of curves, so we assumed 4 miles of road.

12 miles later, 3 locked gates, Rachel having leg spasms and in pain, we got back to pavement.

Not sure those Paris-Roubaix riders have anything over what we just did.

We still have to get home and thanks goodness we found an open Starbucks. My Frappuccino gave me exactly what I needed to get back.

Total estimated miles, 65.

All the pictures from the day at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vklips/sets/72157622764083399

There were those deep sand areas where I would stopped breathing, look and decide I had to walk through it. Then there were the ones that surprised me where I stopped breathing, looked, powered through, took a deep breath, and thought WOW sometimes I can do things I think I cannot. There was even one time when I thought I cannot clip out again, so I rode right through.

Epic hikes and bike rides are fantastic. Always challenging and rewarding. Riding with Foresta is fun, too bad he’ll be back in training soon, but we’ll have the next off season.