Cross training, or was it crashing down the terrain?

As I have ran 7 of the last 8 days, I decided today was a cycling kind of day. During a Skype date with my deployed husband, I told him I thought I would bike to the beach. As he scoffed, probably unknowingly, at the idea, he warned that it would be a rather long ways. I'm not sure he knows, but each time he doubts I can do something, I have to prove him wrong. So I donned my work out gear, laced up my shoes and headed out to face the world. It was a great workout, long and challenging at times. About 95% of the ride was relatively flat. Then, as the beach became visible, I had a decision to make; to go down the hill or not? The photo below really doesn't do the steepness of the hill justice...

My decision was that if I had come all this way (7 miles, I now know) I had to go all the way to the ocean. As I went flying down the hill at what felt like super sonic speeds, all I could envision was crashing down the hillside. As I neared the bottom I started to regret my choice, the beach was closed and that hill was darn steep! Somehow I made it home and to be honest, I feel more accomplished than I have in a LONG time. So nearly 15 miles and a quick 500 ft. elevation gain later, I am going to meet some friends for dinner and I am going to enjoy that well-deserved glass of wine. http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/29551610/