blown away

Sunday was a stunner of a day and we made sure to get after it quickly with a nearly 8 a.m. trail time, despite a later-than-usual night (we went to Rio Tinto to watch Real Salt Lake vs. Montreal - it didn't end up being that exciting a game but RSL salvaged a tie and it's always fun to go to a game).  The skies were clear and blue, with the sun beating down and the wind already blowing.  The wind blew all morning, in fact, and only got stronger as the hours passed.

Working my way up Rambler

There really weren't many people out there, perhaps because they were recovering from/gearing up for the Park City Food and Wine Classic, which was fortunate for me because I was all over the place.  I don't know whether I was unfocused or just tired from the Days Fork hike, but I was definitely off - either making poor decisions or having bad timing.  I never went down but I had a couple close calls on spots that I usually ride fine.  Plus the wind was everywhere: the front side by Quinn's Trailhead, the Rambler uphill, the Rambler downhill (which we actually rode without seeing a single other person, making it much more fun to swoop through the sagebrush switchbacks), the short portion of the bike path, in amongst the scrub oak, on the Nouvelle Loop ... the wind was terrible.

I suspect that's more grimace than smile

I got my hopes up that we would be getting a tailwind for the last uphill back to the truck; when there's a headwind on the Round Valley Express, there is often a tailwind for the homestretch.  Not this day.  This day it was headwinds for everybody everywhere.  I really struggle with headwinds but am trying to improve my attitude about them: at least my legs are getting stronger.