The ride in this morning was fairly uneventful. The weather wasn't quite as bad as yesterday and I used some thicker hiking socks to keep my feet warm. They did an adequate job just leaving the very tips of my toes a bit cold. The ride home was far more noteworthy.

For the first time since I started riding my bike to work, I bonked. I figured it'd happen during the summer months when the heat and humidity were brutal, but instead, it happened as the fall weather is slowly creeping in. I left work not feeling too bad, but I knew my legs were a bit tired. I was happy to know I wasn't racing this weekend and that I could push through the tired legs and have a good ride.

As I was coming through the Powerhouse section to Vienna, I was rolling along at a slow pace and whistling. Then two guys went by me on road bikes and the chase was on. The frontrunner noticed me on his wheel and we started to go pretty fast. Since I was carrying a full load of clothes plus shoes and a towel, my pack was as heavy as it ever gets. But I was determined to hang. We actually traded off the lead a couple times and he got out of the saddle to pull away just as we were coming in to Vienna. I rolled up next to him as we stopped at a crossing and not surprisingly he was done. I told him thanks for the fun.

It's always nice to pick up a rider anywhere on the trail that will challenge me. I think most guys aren't out there looking to race, but when someone can push the pace, it makes it a whole lot more fun. Being out on the trail for an hour and a half can be monotonous when you do it several days in a row.

After I was alone again, the sun started to go down and with it went my energy. I threw in a few off-road sections to liven things up a bit, but I couldn't help but feel as though my legs were being drained of strength. I also noticed I was getting really hungry. And of course, I started thinking about the McDonald's just off the trail in Arlington. By the time I made it there, I was absolutely dead and more than happy to get out of the saddle and walk. I had a quarter pounder with cheese, six pack of nuggets, fries and a drink eaten in record time. Jess met me for supper and by the time she arrived I was ready for more food. Of course I was also freezing from the cold weather and the sweat that was sitting on my back.