· Jonathan Cutrer · Notes · 2 min read
Field Note: Marble Falls Loop, Pre-Dawn
67 miles before 10am. The good kind of tired.
Out at 5:45am. Temperature 44°F, no wind, full moon still up. The FM 2147 descent out of Marble Falls in the dark is something I’ve done maybe twenty times and it still requires a moment of commitment at the top.
Took the usual route — 2147 to 1431 west, cut south on 1174 toward Spicewood, then back east on 71 to pick up 2322 and return. Sixty-seven miles, about 3,000 feet of climbing, nothing technical.
The sunrise came up around mile 22, right when 1431 straightens out and you can see maybe five miles ahead. The light was flat and orange and hit the limestone bluffs perfectly. I did not stop for a photo because I was on the good side of the effort curve and didn’t want to interrupt it.
Saw three deer, two vultures, one very confident roadrunner who held his line longer than I expected before finally veering off into the cedar.
Back by 10:10am. Coffee, shower, back at the desk by 11.
Stats: 67.2 mi / 3,140 ft gain / 4:25 moving / 15.2 mph avg
The ride was unremarkable in all the ways that make it worth doing every few weeks. No drama, no mechanicals, no wildlife encounters that required improvisation. Just miles and the particular clarity that comes from being outside before the rest of the day starts.
Next up: the Llano loop via 2233 and 152. That one has some climbing I’ve been avoiding since last fall.
