lost.... again

What is it about me and directions on a ride? It seems like I can get lost pretty much anywhere. Sometimes even the most obvious of turns escapes me, like yesterday at the first Chickadee. The route (if you don't know the area or don't care about the route, skip to the next paragraph to avoid the boredom of description): Sawtooth trails to Shaffer Creek into Northstar to 06rd to Fiberboard to Rim. Rim to Missing link to Western States to bike path to Alpine Meadows rd. Climb Alpine to Snow Crest up and over to Rim Trail into Tahoe City for re-fuel. Fairway Dr to Bunker (this is where it all went wrong) to gas line to Rim Trail (by missing link) back to 06 to Watson Tr, then back to Truckee via Happy Face and various Sawtooth trails. All told the route was supposed to be about 50 miles. Start time: 8:20AM.

So, I get into Tahoe City for the re-supply trying to figure out why I can't catch Conrad and his team-mate. As it would turn out, the reason I wasn't catching them would be that they were behind me. A quick check of time/11:00. Fill two bottles and I'm back on the bike. I remember my phone ringing a few times on the way into TC so I decided to take the next few minutes to check my voicemail while "idling" up the road. Soooo, I guess while on the phone, I unknowingly missed the left onto Bunker Dr. Oh, don't get me wrong, I made a left. I don't know what street it was on, but I went left and started to climb. After a mile or so, I saw some water tanks and realized that I took a wrong turn. The road terminated into a soul robbing dead end so I turned around and went back to a trail I thought might get me back over to Bunker. Hike-a-bike. Damn. I turn around again, backtrack and try yet another trail. After traversing a ridiculously technical trail I come to a fire road.... off course, but not lost. Getting lost and aimlessly riding around trails I'd never been on took its toll. I contemplate the idea of dropping back into Tahoe City to Daron's house to eat all of his food and watch some TV in an attempt to recover. Never the less, I continue. The fireroad climb was in the sun. It's hot. I'm slummin'.... big time. I get back on course, but the damage is done. I'm tired and my legs don't have the "snap" they did before missing the turn. I realize that I've got quite a ways to go to get back to Truckee. My agenda turns from "steady gunnin" to "slow & slummin" as I make my way back towards Truckee. I skipped some of the course and added a trail or two that wasn't on the "agenda" for an epic day of riding.... right from the house. The downhill on B.W. trail sure did get my head into the game of riding again to finish the day off strong.... or at least just above "slummin" pace. All in all, a pretty fun day.