This morning I rode with my usual Dawn Patrol crew into the Headlands. On our way up along Hawk Hill I saw a dude with a horse head mask just soaking in the view aboard his/her bike. I did a double take because it was so startling and strange. It turns out he's for real, and he has a Strava profile to prove it.
Also noteworthy on my ride was that I snagged the top spot on a hotly contested section called the Headland Heifer, a grueling 18% 1/2 mile climb to the top of the Miwok trail. I doubt I'll hold it for very long, considering my friend, Steve, also has an Open bike being built. His will be even lighter than mine! Can't wait to see it on the trail as we continue to duke it out on Strava.
My new bike is definitely a climbing monster. At the base of the Heifer climb I saw a rider near the top. I was determined to catch him, but I didn't feel like I was exerting myself 100%. It's funny, of all the days I go riding without my heart rate monitor I had to pick the one where I kick it up a notch. It'd be interesting to see what my heart rate zone was, but it definitely felt like an 8 out of 10 effort. I'm also in the best shape of my life, and know there's more room for growth as long as I stay focused.