My Friday evening ride started off well, then started to go downhill (not literally) once I hit the last third. Thinking back, I think it started getting crappy when I took a wrong turn and did about four extra (and hilly) miles. As I've mentioned before, I get lost easily. I think it's a combination of:
a) a bad sense of direction,
b) the tendency to second-guess myself, and
c) a slight map dyslexia
that make things go south in a hurry. If my cue sheets aren't written just so, I get all bent out of shape and pissed off that I can't figure out where the hell I am. (Doesn't help that I seem to have a bit of that male "can't ask for directions" disease, too.)
As you can see below, there were lots of turns on this route. My detour occurred at mile 6.5, where I was supposed to make a left turn at a T onto Chesterbrook Rd. However, when I hit Chesterbrook, it wasn't at a T. Based on my previous rides in this area, I knew that there is an Old Chesterbrook Rd. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I convinced myself that maybe I had meant to write down Old Chesterbrook, and proceeded to make all sorts of exploratory detours (meaning left, straight, backwards - anywhere but right, apparently) to try and find Old Chesterbrook. It never occurred to me that maybe I should have just written "R on Regular (not Old, dummy) Chesterbrook" instead of "L on Chesterbrook at T."
I know, it's sad. I think too much. Finally I asked a guy where Kirby Road (my next turn after Chesterbrook) was, and finally I found myself back on track.
The rest of the ride was uneventful, though I think the portion to the west of the Dulles Access Rd was pointless (e.g., provided no scenery nor physical challenge) and I probably won't go back there. Anyway, my total trip miles added up to around 28, which normally wouldn't be a big deal, but I was spent… either from lack of fueling up sufficiently beforehand, or just the stress of the week had finally taken its toll physically. Or maybe I'm just old and out of shape. Nahhhh. 
On Saturday, I contemplated not going out for a ride, but the weather forecast predicted rain for the next three days, so I dragged my butt out for a quick fifteen mile jaunt. (And yes, I somehow managed to get a little lost on this ride, too. It's inevitable, especially in Arlington, aka land of the fractured streets.) It was a nice day, and I'm glad I went out… despite leaving half of my rear tire behind when I had to do a sliding stop trying to avoid two drivers (who apparently didn't realize that stop signs = stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear before moving). Oncoming traffic being cars, pedestrians, dogs, squirrels, birds, small rodents… oh yeah, and BIKES! :rolleyes:
