Muse back!
September 26, 2007 / Wednesday
Old Trail, New Challenge
I decided last week to ride the Toyon Trail in the uphill direction, and today it was time to do it. My legs were unevenly sore from hobbling around on my foot the last few days, but I figured it'd be good to even them out with some pedaling. They felt pretty uncomfortable until I got warmed up, but once I did they felt just fine.
I flipped my usual route around so I could hit Toyon before my legs got too tired. It's a lot less fun in the uphill direction, but definitely a better workout. I worked hard, but didn't feel I was going to die like I did the first (and only) time I rode it. As I approached the steep hill to the gate at the top, I remembered the last time I was there, hating life and cursing Aaron for telling me it was a good trail to ride. I threw the bike into low gear and slowly spun my way up the incline, trying my hardest to keep enough weight over the front wheel. Then, a mere five feet from the gate, I pushed down on the pedal, the front end came up, and I had to clip out. Damn! So close!
I much prefer the other direction, but I am going to ride this trail uphill until I can make it to the end without clipping out. I can do it, dammit. I can do it.
After Toyon, I rode up to Nob Hill, back down, and then turned off onto a single track along the edge of the preserve that I've never ridden before. It was a nice change of pace from the usual fireroads, and I eventually ended up on the Buena Vista and Fern Trails. Once I got back on the main fireroad, I rode up to the unmarked half peak, then backtracked uphill to ride up to Maisie's Peak. Back down I went, to the other side of the preserve, and up to Hunter's Point.
As I left Hunter's Point for the Seven Springs Trail, I passed by a guy riding up. He said hello, I said hello. Everyone says hello on the trails, so I thought nothing of it. Thirty seconds later, I heard someone charge up behind me on Seven Springs Trail. Turns out it was the guy. I stopped at the next fork to let him pass, and instead of passing, he slowed, then paced me and said, "I don't see many girls here! Are you riding alone? Want to ride with me?" I told him I was almost done riding and to go ahead, since he was faster. He rode ahead for a bit. At the next fork, he stopped again. "When do you ride here? We should ride together! Come back Friday, okay?" Sorry, I told him, Friday evening is boyfriend time. That didn't seem to bother him. "Come back Friday!" he said.
I won't be back Friday, but I do need to ride there again before the rains come and the Toyon Trail closes for the season. Next week, probably. I want to make it up the trail so I can start looping down it again.
September 26, 2007 10:35 PM | Mountain