DAY 5 - THE RETURN OF THE SUMMIT SURFER

WHAT'S TO BE DONE when we find ourselves straggling behind, day after day, pass after pass? It's not too far back, yet it's clearly apparent...

... I am the weakest link.

Nobody's saying anything.

But, ya know...

... it's real easy to slip into deathmarch mode.

Rather than...

• chase the fellas
• stare at my Wahoo
• push into the red zone

... today, I searched for the Zen of climbing.

The fine line,
below pain.

Elation.

Taking in the beauty...

... riding the endorphins all the way up.

Glorious!

And it didn't stop there.

Once the jackets were on,
we surfed down the asphalt ribbons.

Some were pedaling into and out of turns.

I opted for the feeling of chainless,
letting gravity work her beautiful magic.

Breaking late into turns,
cutting the apex,
off the brakes. 

HR still in the 90s.

This is summit surfing. 

Going up

We are what we eat and i needed some Zen

Cobblestone climb with a million switchbacks.