After spending the first 8 hours of the day moving all by myself - I counted some 29 trips up and down the 3 flights of stairs - I finished and of course, could think of nothing but riding.

Up the 4000 foot climb on the sandia crest, 14 miles. It was 60 when I started with a strong headwind. Wearing just a s/s jersey and shorts, it soon became rather epic. Dimming light as the evening drew cloer, gustier winds and a serious case of the chills epitomized the climb. After the first 1700 feet up or so I couldn't even feel my fingers, toes, or even my arms. Surprisingly my heart rate was rather low, averaging about a buck forty-five.

Somehow, a little after 2 hours of riding, I got to the top. The thermometer read 40. It was a rather odd scene....picture biker girl, gabbed up in pink from head to toe...shorts, and short sleeves - shivering!....being stared at by a half dozen or so of the parka wearing folks who had driven to the top. The one guy says, wow I admire you. I laughed....I thought, no I have a problem, and it has to do with sanity, nothing admirable!

I didn't stay up there for long at all, a few looks down at the view and I was chilled to the bone. Tried in vain to find newspaper, heh, to stuff down my jersey, but none was to be found!

The 14 mile ride down was more akin to bobsledding than riding. I was clenching the bars sooooo tight as I was virtually stiff going 40 down the mountain where the temp was also 40 degrees. I didn't even want to think about what that all equated with wind chill! When I got to the base and entered my car, I must have been shivering and clattering my teeth for a good 30 minutes~

ugggh, like the whimsical grasshopper, I have waited a good week or so too late to get armwarmers....TE should be shipping them any minute!