7/31/11 Bike Ride

20.5 miles
1:13:39
16.7 MPH
1500 mile YTD

So here I am on a Sunday afternoon.  We have recently gotten back from camping.  Everyone is tired.  My son, David, goes down for a nap and Michelle follows right behind.  My daughter, Hannah, is told she needs to go in her room to rest.  She almost never falls asleep in situations like this.  But she did!  Must be time for a bike ride.

I rode "The Loop" today.  It is a 5 mile loop very near my house.  Basically, it is Bristol from 3 mile to Walker, then Walker back up to 3 mile and a short stretch along 3 mile back to Bristol.  There are 3 hills along the way.

1. Bristol - this hill is not terribly steep but does last a while.  It flattens out in the middle.  There is a 4-way stop near the top.  That's right, you sometimes have to come to a complete stop in the middle of a hill.  Typically, I ride this one sitting in the saddle.
2. Walker - this hill is probably not as steep as the hill on Bristol, but it is continuous and it feels longer.  This one I usually charge up out of the saddle.  Right at the top, you have to cross a narrow bridge and I am always concerned I'm going to get hit by a car.
3. 3 Mile - this hill is not as steep or as long as the other two.  Sometimes I stay in the saddle, but a lot of times there is a wind at my back, so I get up and out of the saddle and pound up the hill.

"The Loop" is a nice ride because I am never more than 10 minutes from home, I get to do several hills and there is this really fun part along Walker.  The fun part has a slight downhill that you wouldn't even notice while you are driving but when you combine it with smooth pavement, you can really get up some speed and be easily going 20-25 mph.  Each lap is almost exactly 5 miles.  If I want to cut a lap short, I can always jog down Richmond or Waldorf and get back home faster.  It works well for me.