just another day out in the sun

it was 20 degrees out this morning when we suited up, down at buff creek. BUURR. especially considering it was near 40 when we left the house. we were all expecting to get away with knee-warmers, not 2 pair of leggin's!!!

but, 20 is what it was. so 20 is what it was.

• 45 miles
• 3,100 vert
• too many layers to count ;-)

we started straight up the hill. some of us like to warm up before we start working in earnest. some of us (them) had no freaking clothes on so we utilized the climb as a way to keep people from ... freaking out.

truth be told, i was a bit worried that i wasn't feeling up for the big hoopla today. after how i felt after our mini-ride yesterday, i thought i was having issues. turns out i was wrong. not only did i make it, but i had some really wonderfully good extended moments worth of moments. i may feel slower than necessary pushing up the hills right now, but there is fire in there. and i'm hoping that the mysterious fatigue and drain from last season just simply doesn't show up this time around. darnit ;-)

needless to say, i got the job done, and i smiled 99% of the way. despite feeling inexplicably strange the last 3 miles, the recovery-drink and following meal set me so straight i feel fantastic. go figure. i feel better now than i did after our mini-ride yesterday. hum.

Thanks, guys, for the hoopla today. Much needed.

The day in pix:

ed and i awoke to the wake of tonka's busy night. above is what seems to be tonkas version of a rabbit. can you see what it really is/was?

hugos layering process.... he didn't have too many layers to start. nutcase.

john's layering process. nice manpris! he didn't have enough layers to start either. dumkopf!

steveies slow layering process. he did end up with real riding shoes. but no booties! DOH!

ed came prepared! toasty hot ;-)

anyone want to guess how many layers i had on? go ahead, try ;-)

this was the view north-ish before we pulled out of the parking lot. the cloud blocked the sun for a solid hour or so ... and it stayed darn-right cold because of it.

this is the fantabulous crew, left to right: hugo, jenyjo, johnyboy, steevie, edmund (ed and steve were having a man-friend-quarrel;-))

this was at the 'top!' (well, not ACTUALLY, but it felt like it). the sun broke out right about here. much anticipated. we started the peeling process here.

ed, showing off his stellar legs, posing for the camera ;-)

at the bottom of the hill. hugo fueling up for the remaining 25 miles.

jeny refueling for the remaining 25. thanks for the food, darling!

end shot ;-) stevies derrier. we all looked like this. except ed. ed had a FENDER.

ed and johnnyboy, looking proud.

ed looking sated, and deeply happy.

darling!

darling! darling!

uhm. no lies, jeny was a wee bit on the tired side at the end.

happy pony. very, very happy jeny.

jj