running on empty

Chris and I rode down to Beartown Lakes Reservation (map) in the southwest corner of Geauga County this morning. For breakfast, I had a bowl of cereal, yogurt, and a bagel. I knew that wouldn't be enough to power me all the way, so I filled one bottle with gatorade, and took a Clif Bar. Altogether, that's about 980 calories.

On the way down through Burton and the back roads of Geauga County, like Rapids and Stafford, we alternated between riding a fast tempo, and taking it easy on the rough pavement. I choked down the Clif Bar as we passed Ladue Reservoir on Valley Road. It wasn't very filling.

The ride back was fast. We had a tailwind all the way to Chardon on Auburn Road, then cut over to Bass Lake for the last few and fastest miles. On the downhill north of 322, we try to keep the speed high all the way to 44.

The timing was pretty good. The last big effort burned up the last molecules of sugar from the Clif Bar, and the first symptoms of hunger knock hit me just as I swung off on 44 to head for home. The engine shut off. I dropped the chain onto the little ring and jammed the rear derailleur all the way to the left. I crept home and strapped the feed bag on for the afternoon.