It was a little chilly -- even though it was supposed to be the warmest day of the week -- and windy. As the best weather day of the week, I wanted to make the most of it and get in as many miles as I could ... push it a bit.
And it sucked.
It was burn-out, of course. A lot of folks around here seem to be suffering from it lately. We ride through much worse weather, trying to build fitness for when the weather turns ... and it doesn't turn. Eventually, the motivation falters.
So, I took the week off. Two spin classes, and a short ride on Sunday. Monday, I slipped out in the afternoon for a couple of hours of interval workout. The weather was about the same as it had been the previous Monday, but intervals are supposed to suck so it wasn't a big deal.
Work kept me off of the bike for the rest of the week, but I was able to get out for a few hours again on Friday afternoon. It was still a little chilly and breezy, but the week off had done it's thing.
I went through Franklin and up to a bagel shop for a late breakfast. I had been wanting to try that bagel shop for months (not really worth the trip, so I won't tell you the name of the place), and it was close to the base of Lynnwood Way, so I could follow my meal with a good climb.
After a couple of the usual roads, I stayed on Hwy 96 out to Old Harding Pike towards Fernvale, then got on Big East Fork Road. The day had almost warmed up by then, and this road is almost always quiet and now has great pavement.
Every time I go by this old car sitting out in this field, I think, "Let's get momma." You'll have to be an X-Files fan to get that.
After climbing up Big East Fork to Stillhouse Hollow Road, I started to go under the Natchez Trace to head down the hill and back for home. But I decided that I wasn't done having fun yet, and turned left down Fire Tower Road. After a mile, I turned into the driveway of some really, really, really rich person (and I'm probably shorting this person on a couple of "really's" here) to cut up and on to the Trace instead, heading back that way.
This gave me a chance to see Stillhouse Hollow from above.
I stopped at Puckett's for a late lunch -- a cheeseburger with lots of french fries -- and ran into the realtor who had found us our new home. She was actually with some folks looking for land with good cycling, so the timing was perfect. I told them where the good roads to bike on were, generally singing the praises of the area, and they really appreciated the advice.
After lunch, I headed for home down Southall Road.
Yonder lies the castle of my father. (Not really -- but he's almost my neighbor.)
The weather really had not improved that much from Monday last week, but my attitude had. They say that "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." But I think that sometimes, "You don't know what you've got 'til you take a break from it."
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