Post PMBAR Ride...Worst I've Felt on a Bike in Years.

So, after PMBAR (see previous post), I felt pretty good physically. Definitely could have ridden harder/faster. So after flying in I do a Trainer ride on Thurs. and plan an HTFU ride for Saturday.
So, inspired by this thread on MTBR, (and Mr. Tryone Shoelaces a.k.a. Ron S.), I set out today for an HTFU ride.

My Niner One9 is still in pieces having flown back late Wed. and stripping down all the parts for cleaning, so I grabbed my wife's bike (Niner SIR9 1x9) and off I went. My plan was to keep the bike in three speed mode the entire ride (34:17,20 & 23). Yeah, that didn't last long. On a normal Auburn out to Forest Hill Divide Loop (FHDL) and back, I would use two bottles (~46 ounces). Knew it would be warmer so I grabbed three. A check of the weather the night before said high of 80. Wrong ended up in the mid 90's (doh)! And why did I grab only three when I already planned more than the usual Auburn loop? Idiot! I realized my mistake before I turned down Drivers Flat. My realization was more than Validated as I was heading up M.Ponderosa. Unlike local studs like Ron, who surely jet up these long, steep climbs, I took my time to enjoy the views as well as some quality time with the bugs trying to eat off my skin or suck my blood. Naturally I ended up in granny gear quickly and still ended up off the bike at least three times. Two were from bad shifting and one was from an evil bug who led my into the side of the mountain. As I recall there was one more because my legs just were not there.

 It was so weird. Was it jet-lag? Maybe my small breakfast (some Kefir and handful of walnuts)? The heat? The rationing of water? That I was wearing a new 'low on the back' pack? The heavy, geared bike that never seemed to be in the right gear? Whatever it was, I was struggling. The last part of M.Ponderosa was a welcome sight; mostly flat and SHADED! Made it back to FHDL (mostly downhill, yeah!) and on to the connector trail. I had little energy and even less strength. As my rationing left me with half a bottle, I decided to cut the ride short to avoid the two mile Stagecoach climb and just go out on top of Culvert down to the Forest Hill bridge and home. Fortunately (or unfortunately) at the top of Culvert I ran into a godsend who offered to fill my bottle from her bladder (an angel actually ...and by bladder I mean from her pack, she did NOT pee in my bottle (sicko's)) so I decided to HTFU and head to the bottom and up Stagecoach. MISTAKE! Made it up over the hump and thought I might spin my way home but then the cramps began. Tried to ride/fight through them but then the left leg locked up. Barely made it off the bike and started hoofin' it, in the blaring sun, for a few minutes. Repeated this scenario again before I was finally able to ride out, fighting off cramps the entire way, and finally up Lincoln Rd. and then home.

So, my original though was "Anything Ron can do I can do.....slower". Oh, and for comparison for my NC friends, Ron (or Tyrone Shoelaces) is a local riding stud (think Kelly K. or Stranix, Dickey etc.(. Anyway, I might have to reassess that thought. But in the meantime I will simply chalk this up to a bad day on the bike. It happens. Now off to put that SS back together and maybe try this ride again...in the Fall.