Did the Konocti Challenge 65-mile option. I hadn't been on the bike for three weeks and there is no way I could have completed the full century. Thankfully, I got back in to the the p/t on Thursday and he gave me some relief for the hip flexor strain AND gave me the okay to ride this weekend.

The morning started out clear and COLD - around 40 degrees. Despite my full-fingered gloves, my fingers were painfully cold for the first 10 miles or so. After that, it started to warm up and the weather was absolutely lovely for the remainder of the ride. The scenery was BEAUTIFUL. There were 7 rest stops total (for the century). We stopped at two. At both I ate about 1/2 banana some grapes and some trail mix. I was kind of leary about the trail mix, wondering how many guys just came out of the porta-potties and then stuck their hands in the trail mix . . . I ate it anyway though. Drank one large bottle of recovery drink and one smaller bottle of water throughout the ride. This was plenty of fuel for me.

Total climbing was somewhere around 3400 feet (the advertised 2200 feet of climbing was NOT accurate. I'm not saying that routeslip is completely accurate either, but in talking to the others that did the 65-miler, it seemed more accurate than what was advertised).

Only one mishap. We had a pretty good downhill and then an immediate WALL. I went to shift down my front chainring and it got stuck. I went down HARD on my right knee. I have a nice goose-egg on my kneecap now and it is stiff and SORE. Luckily I was able to finish the ride.

I would HIGHLY recommend this ride. It is beautiful and enjoyable. I just tried to upload some photos but got a message that the uploads failed.