2015-05-10 - Ride IX - Ride to Bear Mountain and Cold Spring - Part II

After picking up Chintan past the GWB, we headed north. Sam passed around some anti-fogging cream. The fog cleared up later in the day.

Why did the goose not cross the road? It was scared of the B's. :)

Oradell is apparently home to the first "Jerseyman" to orbit the Earth on October 3, 1962. We stopped for a rest stop and an early lunch along the way.

We had some serious climbing on this trip and also passed by several beautiful lakes. I couldn't resist stopping and taking a few photos. The brief respite felt great for my recovering body, so much weaker than before the accident.

I was really struggling through this, my toughest ride this year. Even with putting more weight on my left arm than right, my right arm on rare occasions pulsated with pain. My right wrist would also on occasion warn me that I was using it too much. My legs were complaining too, clearly not having fully recovered from the fall and the 45 miles of walking the weekend before.

I briefly asked myself why I was doing this? I remembered the even harder rides I did last year and plan to do in the future. Is this really the life I wanted? Yes it was. How badly did I want to accomplish my dreams? So, so bad. There were at least two people behind fighting up the hills like I was and that helped inspire and motivate me through the ride. They were struggling too, like me.

Eventually we reached our second rest stop where people filled up on water and took a breather after the long climbing. I had never been here to Lake Tiorati Beach and it was gorgeous. Bear Mountain was coming up. Were all the tales of its ferocity true?