83.9

A beautiful number, but what does it mean? Is it a hot new radio station? Is it my current hermatocrit level? How about VO2 Max?

No, 83.9 is the top speed I achieved down the Monarch hills with the ridiculous wind yesterday afternoon. Now before you non-Euros bust our your HPs to translate that speed from KPH to minivan, its 52.4 MPH. That's a new high speed for me. And let me tell you I bellied up to an expensive bar. I am guessing there was a 30 mph tail wind as the flags at the top of Daniel's Gate were straight out; a reference to the 1983 edition of the BSA Field Manual proved this out. This meant a brutal head wind or side wind for half the ride. It was torture.

The payoff came on the down hills. I had held a 123 cadence all the way out in the gears at the top of the big hill, hit an 81.2 kph on this descent. The tailwind allowed me to carry a ton of speed up the back of the Monarch double hill. From here it was down in the aero bars with the ass off the back of the seat to watch the speed climb steadily up the ladder.

What a rush.

PS - Basso is a pig.