Last Sunday marked the start of Daylight Saving Time here in SC (and in most places in the United States, for that matter). Now in general I'm not a fan of DST, I end up feeling sluggish for a couple of weeks while I adjust to the new time schedule. What I do like about it is that it marks the unofficial start of Cycling Season here in Greenville. The daylight is long enough that you can get out and have a great time riding. Officially the SCTAC season starts on April 3, but that didn't stop ... well, anyone it seemed, from showing up at the old Donaldson Center and getting in some time on the bike on a beautiful Tuesday evening.
John, Paul and myself got out a little before 5:30, giving us just over 2 hours of daylight to complete the country loop. For me it was a chance to see what my real fitness was, and how I'd handle the course prior to the start of the SCTAC rides, so I knew which group to try to go out with. The course is also just under 32 miles, so that meant that with stops we had to pace at 16mph to complete the course in daylight. The pace was absolutely no slouch, and for the most part I was able to keep up. I'm still struggling on the climbs some, which honestly I'm not surprised with right now. I have gained a lot of leg strength, but I have a bit to go before I'm going to be strong on climbs. With all of that said and done, we completed the loop in under 2 hours, and my moving speed was at over 17mph! I'm not sure I want to go out the gun in the "C" group, but knowing I can keep that pace and potentially keep with the group is inspiring.
Now, what exactly of that are "a few of my favorite things", you may ask? A beautiful spring day, good friends, a spectacular countryside to ride in, and the fitness to be able to enjoy it. I praise God for these gifts, as they are wonderfully made, and make my heart sing. Sitting here today I look forward to the heat of summer being able to ride that loop.
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