Well. It was back to work today after vacation. I made sure I commuted by bike today so that I could take the edge off grumpy - it was hard to go back.

However, I achieved another personal best on the commute. I broke the 16's and rode 17.1 mph for the 20 miles or so. I certainly don't have the same giddiup on the way home though. That work thing in between. I'm weary by end of day and I just feel like taking it down a notch, plus there's always those southerly convective headwinds by afternoons end.

My hill rides during vacation paid off. I tried to do the longest and steepest hills I could find last week and did those 4 days in a row. I knew it was about my last shot for that in terms of frequency...there are no challenging hills on the commute and right now it is already getting too dark to go out on a ride after work as I get home by 7-7:15. Especially along the heavily wooded roads I'm on that get much darker earlier. It's that time of year already. Sigh. Now riding hills or distance is relegated to weekends for me.

Tonight on the way home I was very hungry. Probably the hardest part of the commute was passing by all these good smells from Chinese restaurants, and the grills of those people who were already home.