Well it took a while but I found the trailhead this morning and got rolling. I don't know what my problem was this morning but I got my ass handed to me. Eventually I threw in the towel and turned around once it became clear that the full loop was not in store for me. I spent just over an hour on the trail.
I had to go tear up a 7.5 mile lollipop on Miller Peninsula just so I could look myself in the mirror this afternoon. I'm going to have to give it another go next weekend, or maybe the weekend after.