40 in 41

The weather is turning. Last Saturday was 60's, I got up today to ride before Conference and it was 41 degrees - this is OMG cold! Even so, I got on the bike and rode 40, making it 6 1/2 hours on the bike for the week and on track for getting ready for TdT in November.

I rode on a road today that I had not been on before. I found it on the Bicycling website. I had ridden by the road many times and a few times wondered where it went but never put my wheels on it. I had limited time so I figured to try it out since it fit in with my schedule. It was about a 4 mile loop off of the 240 and ties back in with Laughlin road. It is a nice climb for the first 2 1/2 miles. On the climb, I saw three raccoons scurring up the side of the road and then across it. Further up the road I saw several small groups of deer, nibling on leaves before jumping into the trees as I approached. As I crested the top of the climb, I looked to my left and was overcome with the beauty of the scene below. Here I was climbing through this tree lined road creating a tunnel, the leaves in varying colors of green, yellow, and orange. At the top, it opened up so that I could see the valley floor, covered in brilliant white low clouds as the sun was sending rays through breaks in the higher clouds. These rays highlighting greener sides of the hills with the higher clouds painted with blues, reds, pinks, and whites. Magnificent!

As I rode down the hill, I began to feel my legs as I started to get cold. I forgot that at about 1 1/2, the cold starts to creep in and the legs start to become uncooperative. This was the case today as I pushed through the cold the last 45 minutes. Although my body was physically growing colder, my soul and heart was warmed by the beauty I beheld. Even now, several hours later, it continues to warm. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be there.