Hot and Humid in Webster Park

I've been thinking I should ride at Bay Park West and was leaning toward that today. But in the past I joked that BPW stood for Big Punishing Workout, and today was 80F and high humidity, so I decided instead to ride at Webster Park yet again.

Some small notable things:

• Last time I climbed 'short hill #1' like a pro, impressing myself, but this time failed. The roots and required sharp direction changes got me.
• Last time I failed to climb 'short hill #2', but this time I did like a pro, impressing myself.
• This time I climbed 'short hill #3' past the 'tricky root', but if I recall I unfortunately got tripped up on something else.
• There is a location that is a very root-covered down and up that is significantly longer that the 'short hills'. I don't think I've ever made it through. When I attempt it, I always go in a particular direction but today I planned my route so I could try the other way. I do think it offers more hope, but the up portion is still a killer and I'm just not sure I will ever have the endurance to do it.
• With all of the hill climbing, if I fail, I generally take 30 to 60 seconds to breathe before continuing. It genuinely feels required. I don't get those breaks when I succeed, which means I arrive at the next big challenge sooner without a break. It's tough.
• There was a huge tree down across one of the trails near that area. It will require a large chainsaw.
• I fell to the ground with a roll due to a pedal strike on a tall root I didn't see. A smaller wheel, like I've been considering, would put my cranks closer to the ground. Something to consider.
• It was nice to pass all of the trail work areas that Kessa and I cleared last weekend, without having to stop!

Something I find more interesting, is there is a side trail off a main trail that I prefer to take and last time there were two old cut tree sections laid across the trail. It seemed intentional, as if to prevent people from going that way? But it was already maybe 20 feet into the trail and could be stepped over or moved. Maybe they want to keep bikes out? But any rational person would understand that wouldn't work. So what's the deal? The side trail ultimately goes right along the back properties of 3 houses, so maybe someone living there doesn't like that? Last time I move the trees out of the way, but today they were back! I moved them again, a bit farther from the trail. Will they return?

big downed tree

one of the reoccurring blockers