I'm writing this on a cold, wet and dreary Monday morning after a weekend out of town at our lake place, where on Saturday I did something new on the bike. Friday night we had family visiting from California, so a large group of us gathered for fish fry and wine and dessert afterward.

Much food and wine later, we talked until one in the morning. I got to bed at about 1:30 a.m. and was up and pulling on my bibs by 7:30 a.m.! I woke up with a foggy head and tired body, but the sun was up and the forecast called for things to cloud over as the day went on. I knew the morning was going to be the best part of the day. I was up. They were sleeping. I decided to stealth it out the back door and give this a shot.

I'm not a morning person, so all of this was new to me. I have never gotten up early and gone out on a ride on my own like this. Never. I didn't even stretch. I just filled a couple of water bottles and stumbled out the door and up the gravel drive to the road. I had a map I had printed out in my jersey pocket, and planned to try a new route around Whitewater Lake.

It's quiet in the morning when you are all alone out there with the cows and cornfields. But the sun was out and the cool air made for some morning haze in the fields. As I woke up in the saddle I realized two things. First, was I glad I grabbed my arm warmers. And second, this was the right decision. It was beautiful out on these rustic roads.

I stopped often at intersections to check my map and have a bite of a granola bar for breakfast. There were times that the only vehicle I saw was a tractor in a field as I got a friendly wave from a farmer. Later in the ride I toured the shoreline of Whitewater Lake, where homeowners were sitting on their porches by now greeting the morning by taking in the view while sipping coffee and giving me the thumbs up.

There are a lot of climbs on this ride, and it was by no means easy or fast. But it was unique, and a beautiful course that I will try again. And while I may ride it a number of times yet this season, I'm sure there will never be one as magical as this early-morning solo effort was.