Pretty Sunrise

This Ride: 23.7 miles
Kona Distance: 2,472.2 miles
Month to date: 133.3 miles
2010 Total: 2,938.7 miles
Pace to 5,254.8 mile goal in 2010: (37.5 miles ahead of goal pace)

As anticipated Tuesday evening, I chose to sleep in on Wednesday morning, and as a result missed the tail end of a rain shower.  I haven’t ridden in a summer warm rain yet, but fully expect that to happen before the summer is out.  A day off the bike after 109 miles on Monday and Tuesday was nice.

This morning dawned and I found myself looking for an excuse to sleep in again.  But, I climbed onto the bike and started out.  I planned an easy ride, and in fact, coasted downhill where I usually pedal for speed.  I expected to encounter Jeff as he made his way to the morning peloton ride, but I didn’t expect him to be coming around a blind corner on the wrong side of the road.  We missed each other by a couple of feet, but you couldn’t tell my heart rate that.  It immediately spiked.  Following that excitement, I continued to the trail and south toward the Naval Academy Bridge.

The colors in the sky were a bit muted, but pretty none-the-less.  I guess I would call it a dark peach.  I stopped at the peak of the bridge for 2-3 minutes to watch the sun rise.  The Naval Academy football team was out running drills.  The water under the bridge was calm.  It would have been perfect if there were no vehicles rumbling over the bridge.  I wondered how many noticed the sunrise and the pretty start to the day.

Heading back north on the trail, I encountered Mike C.  I stopped and waited for him, and we rode the trail back together.  It looks like I picked up the pace with him.  I know that the miles went by quickly as we rode and talked.  I think he is in better shape than I am.  At least his conversation was less breathy.  He has rapidly taken to road cycling this past month being part of the “Nickel & Dime ’em to Life” project at the church. He is putting in some good miles.

The morning ride ended with another loop at home.  It was a good morning.

Tomorrow is the breakfast ride.  If I get 100 k in tomorrow, I’ll have 3000 miles on the year.  Not a bad goal for the day.