Years ago, I tackled an MTB loop through the local mountains that I’ve been keen to revisit. My memories of that ride are not particularly fond; it was long and filled with steep sections. I distinctly recall a particularly steep segment with very coarse ground that forced me to dismount and walk. I didn’t drink enough water, I didn’t eat enough, and by the time I got home, I was completely drained.
Revisiting an Old Challenge
Determined to give it another go, I decided to redo the loop. Several years have passed since that initial attempt, and I hoped that my subsequent years of hiking and cycling would have improved my fitness. However, I had no idea how fit I was back then, so this was partly an experiment. This time, I planned the route with Outdooractive.com which estimated that the loop would take 4 hours and 40 minutes. The route was over 40km with roughly 940m of elevation gain. It was time to see how I’d fare this time around.
Starting with a New Perspective
Before starting, I reminded myself not to push too hard. I knew I was in for a long ride, approximately 5 hours according to the plan. As other cyclists passed me, I resisted the urge to speed up. My goal was to complete the loop, not to race.
To my pleasant surprise, the road conditions were much better than I remembered. The improvements made the steep sections far less challenging. They were still steep, but the technical difficulties had been reduced significantly.
An Unexpected Triumph
As the video shows, it turned out to be a fantastic day on the bike. The scenery was great, and the ride was thoroughly enjoyable. Most surprisingly, I completed the loop in just about 3 hours – far less than the 4:40h estimated by Outdooractive. It was a huge confidence boost, and it felt great to realize how much I’d improved.
One lesson learned from this ride: next time, I’ll lower my saddle for the downhill sections. This small adjustment will definitely add to the fun and comfort.
I hope you enjoy the video as much as I enjoyed the ride!