Dirty Dirty Dirty

I’ve posted before about my trail biking experience and how tough it was for me.

Well, this morning I got out of the house by 7 AM to hit the trails!! I apologized to my road bike and road off into the canyon.

Now, I have a dilemma. Long time readers may recall that I had thyroid cancer last year and no longer have a thyroid. This means I take thyroid meds, and I can’t eat for an hour after I take them, which is first thing after I wake up. So I hit the trails on an empty stomach and BONKED!! So I’ll have to figure that out.

Also, I got downright FILTHY. No idea why – it wasn’t muddy, but me and the bike were caked in mud. I had to keep wiping off my water bottle (see pic below) and ewww grit in teeth ewww.

Grubby water bottle, stupid finger in photo

As the trail was mostly a single track trail, I was battered by the overgrowing plants (most of which are California mustard plants, so I was turning a nice shade of yellow).
BUT! Even though I have hiked this trail also several times, I never noticed all the THISTLE plants. If you are unaware of what a thistle plant is, it’s a spiky stabby plant with a pretty purple flower. See image below. You do not want this plant brushing up against you while biking an overgrown bike trail.

I STAB YOUUU

I didn’t complete the entire canyon (having done about 7 miles in an HOUR, ugh) but the goal today was get out of bed and bike. And I did just that!!! So now I shall conclude with some lovely vista shots and a gratuitous kitty picture. Just because I can. ^_^ /

I stared at the hill and turned back.

Santa Monica Mountains and seas of mustard plants

I AM GETTING SNUGGLES FROM A KITTY YAY

2 thoughts on “Dirty Dirty Dirty

  1. You won’t bonk if you don’t above your anaerobic threshold. The problem of course is that the hills in the trail riding are above that sub lactate threshold. You’re burning through your glycogen supplies seemingly too quick. My advice would to be to do shorter trail sessions fasted as your a body adapts to and becomes more efficient at trail riding.

    I mainly ride fasted these days. I’ll go two plus hours without food or sports drinks and I feel fine.

  2. Thank you for the awesome advice!!! I will do that 🙂 I thought even just a few miles would be OK and I guess I really have to build up to it =X

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