Laid out a nearly-flat 15 mile loop in the Strava Route Builder (370ft of gain per lap,) then rode in 7 times. Thanks to the shape of the valley and two colliding pressure systems, I managed to get headwinds in every direction today-- but at least the system coming in from the west overpowered the one from the north, and I got tailwind when I needed it most, on the final "uphill" 7 or so miles right at the end of the day. Got a 3rd and 4th on some Strava segments at around mile 102, so I think I paced it out pretty well. Stopped at home right at mile 75 to throw 20 minutes of charge on the Garmin, refill water, and make myself the most calorie-dense mocha frappucino shake I could manage. Worked well, my splits were better in the last 10 miles than in the 30 miles preceding.
Made about half a dozen adjustments to saddle height, tilt, and fore/aft. I think I may have found the sweet spot, after just a minor 5,200 miles or so with the Selle Anatomica Titanico X.
It was beyond fantastic today-- zero discomfort during or after the ride. But those clouds-- they blocked the sunlight, but not the UV. For a ride that was 6 cloudy hours in the mid-to-upper 50s, I feel like I absorbed a lot of UV. I don't know If I look reddish, but I feel reddish.
check out The Cloudburn on Strava