The Garmin Legend-c GPS that I use as a bike computer was acting up, and it refused to get a satellite lock until I shut it off and turned it back on again. This was well into the ride, so the distance of 23 miles is actually significantly low. I estimate I actually rode 26-28 miles. Go me.
On long rides like this, I have a Camelbak Unbottle that I load up with ice cubes and water. I stick it in my seat bag, with the nozzle hanging out just behind my left shoulder, so I can reach back for it. It is so damn refreshing to suck in mouthfuls of ice water when you’re sweating up a hill.
I only had one close call, where Hall Blvd. intersects Durham Rd. Rather than get into the left turn lane, I decided to just go through the intersection and then turn left. A lot of the traffic there turns right onto Durham, though, so I stopped about three car lengths short of the intersection to let the cars that might not have seen me come up behind them, turn right. After three or four cars had turned, I proceeded into the intersection, thinking that everyone else in that lane had come up behind me while I was waiting, and therefore knew I was there.
It was a bad assumption. A brown/tan pickup accelerated and cut in front of me while making a right turn. I had to brake hard enough to make my wheels squeal, and it really pissed me off. There was no way he couldn’t have seen me. I’d like to think maybe he just assumed I was turning right, but he was moving awfully fast. If I hadn’t been paying attention, I would have run into the side of his truck.
Anyway, the long ride has racked up the muscles in my shoulders, which translates into muscle tension and a blinding headache this evening. Oh, and my legs feel like jelly.