The Long, Long Loop...

We ride Lake Chabot pretty much every Thursday night throughout the year. It's not that its a partcularly fantastic ride, it's just that its local, a good ride and a great workout.

It used to be that there were two standard loops. The "regular" loop which is 10 Hills, Brandon, Golden Rod, Bass Cove and back to the paved West Shore Trail and up the hill to the parking lot. It's a good ride for sure at about 13 miles and 1500ft of climbing. The worst of it is the Brandon climb which is a long slog and the least fun portion of the ride.

The "Long" loop, used to include adding in Redtail and Soaring Hawk which although it only increased the mileage to about 16 it increase the climbing to 2200ft or so. This loop was one that I'd either choose to do or not depending on a couple of factors; how I was feeling when I showed up that evening, whether or not I was on the SS or the geared bike and how much I wanted to suffer....

Last week though, I was introduced to the "long, long loop". In addition to Redtail and Soaring Hawk, it includes Macdonald which takes you up to Parkridge Dr before bringing you to Skyline Bl. Of course Parkridge Dr is an unplanned little 11% surprise after climbing Macdonald which feels very similar to a kick in the teeth.

Skyline on the other hand is a good surprise in that its a fun little singletrack that runs right down the middle of the road. With lots of roots and bumps and opportunities to loose control....it really requires you to pay attention if you want to carry any speed through there.

Eventually though you come to the stables where you re-enter Lake Chabot's boundaries and from there, it gets a little hazy as to trail names. I think we were on GoldenRod, but I'm not sure. I do know there was another climb, because I was told it was all downhill from here and the fact that I had a pretty steep, but thankfully short climb to deal with did not make me happy.

From here down it became the rest of the regular loop...only, as toasted as I was, it was enough to make me hurt....thank goodness I was on the geared bike. After getting home, showering, taking some tylenol and checking out the Garmin I was surprised to find that I had only done 19 miles but 2900ft of climbing....
http://app.strava.com/rides/13508616

I've done the "regular long loop" on the SS and felt tired but ok. I'm not so sure I can do the "long, long loop" on the SS and not cry...I guess I'll find out this Thursday...Yay for stupid ideas and new challenges....