I'd been hearing about this "Bradshaw loop" and the uphill switchbacks up Old Catawba and frankly I was intimidated by it. But I signed up for the 58 mile option of the Wilderness Road Ride in two weeks and wanted to get a longer ride in and build up some confidence. So when I heard they were hitting this route and at a "leisurely pace" I figured the time was right.
It was a great ride, but I would not describe it as leisurely. We averaged 16 mph and most of the time my HR was in the threshold zone (150-155 bpm). I was solid up the switchback climb, led the ride for a chunk of time, and my endurance held throughout. However, for some reason I was toast the rest of the day. Today, I feel fine, my legs and body feel normal, but I'm taking a day off so I can start the coming week off strong.
Now that I've conquered this, I see Mountain Lake as the next thing to tackle!!
