The section of Rt. 35 north of Rt. 202 wasn't as good as expected (south of 202 it's ideal, at least for a few miles). No real shoulders, and while traffic was somewhat low (at least for this time of the day), the higher speed limits and low visibility turns made it a little sketchier than I'd like. Even so, not too bad. I'd ride it again, but just have to be careful.
The rest of the route was great. Rt. 117 does have some traffic on it, but also has shoulders that are so wide that it eases those concerns significantly, along with good visibility (i.e. no sharp turns so cars and trucks have a better chance of seeing you up ahead). The true back roads I traveled on were also ideal.
I've gotten a lot of great feedback on the effectiveness of cross training with the bike to help with running, specifically the quads. I've heard it from my fellow Trail Monsters, but also posed the question on the ultra list and was surprised at the feedback I got at how significant the results can be. Sounds like a good fit for me, especially since my quads are my weakest muscles.
Biked 25.3 miles @ 16.4 mph/avg. (29.7 mph/max)
Paved roads.
Very hilly.
Mid to upper 70s, sunny.
Bike shorts, short sleeved shirt.
