Back to Steamboat, CO this past weekend. Some memorable riding. Day 2 the group I was with ascended a mountain in ~90 mins with 1500' gain in elevation. I was feeling good and decided to drop down the backside of the mountain on my own then climb back to the peak. When I got to the bottom I spotted a black bear off trail. Watched in awe for awhile then realized I wasn't at the top of the food chain any longer, I was completely alone, and I had a 90 minute climb out before I was around anyone. The second climb of the day was full of paranoia and anxiety thinking every shadow was a bear.
I completed the ride which was 4 hours in total, 23 miles, and ~3000' of climbing. I bonked hard afterwards and felt terrible for hours. My body was up for the challenge but I don't have appropriate knowledge regarding refueling. Certainly a painful lesson. Nonetheless, a guilt free burger and several IPAs later helped.