Memorial Day Weekend Part 1
May 29, 2022
Weather
Sunday was NICE! The morning started off in the 80s but stepping outside didn’t feel like a chore. The air was cool even though the sun was shining.
Rolling around the DMV
The festivities were beginning in my neighborhood and people were doing the right thing by loading up their ATVs to ride on trails. I495 / I95 were a mess! There was high volume, and I was under the impression most people had already arrived at their destination, but I was wrong.
Destination Rock Creek Park
Alas, we arrived! As soon as we mounted our bikes and went down the first hill, a car was behind me and my visor flew off as I was trying to keep speed (yes, I know I should’ve worn a helmet, but rigid headgear isn’t a part of my wardrobe given my current hairstyle. For now, I’m wearing cycling caps and a visor. So, my visor flies off and I hit the first left which is an even steeper decline, hit a U-turn and come out of the saddle quickly to return to my crisp white visor that probably has tire tracks at this point. I’m only out of the saddle for about 20 seconds and my legs are tired when I land back on the saddle...
Revelation
I’ve been thinking about the differences in the areas where I cycle, and I think I’ve figured out why I cannot ride at least 15 miles at Rock Creek. This area, compared to my Bladensburg route (heading to the Douglas Bridge and Audi Field) contains more hills. I can ride and come out of the saddle on the hills and as soon as I sit back on the saddle my legs feel fatigued. I may be able to attribute this “fatigue” to back-to-back cycling days.
The odd thing is that while the fatigue is noticeable, it doesn’t prevent me from coming out of the saddle later on during the ride.
Overall, I’m glad it’s riding weather again.