So today made three strong rides in a row, which is a very unusual situation for me this time of year.

Kevin and I weren’t sure where we’d be going until we got out towards Woodside. The only thing we knew for sure was that we were riding over Jefferson, then heading South. It was tough passing up Old LaHonda but, with quite a bit of fog visible on Skyline, it seemed like maybe not the best day to ride to the coast. So instead we did the Redwood Gulch, Skyline & return loop.

Redwood Gulch. Why. Every time you do it, it’s why. Curiously, today I was moving better on the climb than Kévin, finishing more than a minute ahead of him. Not that it mattered though, since the Garmin didn’t record it. I did have the video camera on though, so I figured out the time from that. 12:16, which I haven’t done for a year or so.

Climbing the rest of the way on 9, I was thinking how many times I thought we were further up the hill than we actually were, and postulating that, each time that happens on a climb, it takes a little bit out of you. We eventually got to the top, only to confirm our belief that Mr Mustard is no longer to be seen.

The run north on Skyline netted us a PR, which surprised me, but I was pulling pretty strongly. That very rare day I’m able to pull Kévin along. I was seeing pretty good power numbers too.

Could be that I’m getting used to, and seeing the advantages of, weighing a bit less than last year. My weight is stable (so not indicative of any continuing health issue) and I’m beginning to get back that twist-the-throttle-and-go feeling that I’ve been missing the past couple of years. We’ll see how long it lasts.