MHM -97/Bikeride -- Mon. July 5

Thanks to my carelessness (didn't notice that it was preregistration only, pick up chips day before), F and I missed out on the Pittsfield 5K; stayed home and did chores instead, then work in p.m., and came home for a bike ride in the evening. Out by 7:20, with a water bottle, and head for the powerlines to see what the trails are like there. Geohannum to Boardman, then cross 202 and enter powerlines there, just a hundred yards from Boardman. Follow straight along til it hits Carver/Rockrimmon, then continue all the way till it diverts into a park (Facing Rock) by the transformer station next to Springfield Res. Find my way out to 21, then up to Old Spfld, in and along to BHS, where I get a drink at the track, then home. So,

Bikeride = 19.03 miles in 1:39 @ 5:12s

Comment: the road portion of this was much faster than the trail: reasons being the insane hilliness and rockiness of the trail, plus mud flats/overgrown puddles and *damned* deerflies. Man, they got me good: face, arms, neck, back, and in my eyes and mind increasingly as I struggled up the hills at a crawl. Bike and shoes mud covered, and frogs scattered everywhere in my wake (didn't run any over, I think, though they squealed plenty!) -- *so* glad to get out into roads at the far side, by the time I go there. Still, I want to do it again -- it was a wearying workout, so satisfying. Good X-training