8.31.2008

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y, hey!

Do Rosa and I know how to party or what? Neither of us have any idea
how we fit all this stuff in 525 sq feet for all these years- and
we're not even sure where it all came from! As we unpack I'm sure
quite a bit will get kai-zahned! (according to the Mike Farrell
definition of kai-zahn...which is the equivalent of making everything extraneous in a room disappear)

8.30.2008

Change of Plans!

After 75, 90 and 50 mile days with Coach Farrell, we started to shift
gears to prepare for the Trek Travel trip. This photo says it all.
There are lots more photos and stories to come, but we have to get
moved to our new apartment by Monday. As long as the DSL is up and
running I promise more soon!

8.21.2008

Day 2: Whose Idea Was This?

        75 miles the first day was a little tough, but bearable. So the second day we started out on a ride from Ojai to the Santa Ynez Valley that I estimated would only be about 70 miles.         Fortunately, I placed a call to fellow flatlander Mark Swartzendruber to ask him about the route I planned to take up over the San Marcos Pass. Mark’s brother lives in Santa Barbara and he’s fortunate enough to spend a few weeks every year riding in the area. Mark informed me that the main road included a lot of traffic that didn’t give bike riders too much room, and if we wanted to go up the “old road” then it would be like climbing Snake Alley for 10 miles. After three and a half ours in the saddle and packs on our bikes? Uh, no. Mark recommended that we head up the coast and take the 101. 
It was definitely easier going on the coast and the ocean air was nice and cool... but the ride ended up being closer to a 95 miles and there was one 15 minute, HOT, inland climb near the end that just about did us in. Although the bags are only 15 lbs or so, it definitely makes things a lot tougher. And it’s not even necessarily the weight as much as the way it redistributes the weight. The seatpost racks provide an upside down pendulum effect- but we’re getting used to it.
        At least after that hot climb we had about 6 miles of easy downhill into Buellton, and then another flat three miles over to Solvang where we called it a night. Another 15mph average put us at just over 6 hours in the saddle, and we felt it. Of course, it wasn't anything a delicious dinner at Cafe Angelica’s and a bottle of ‘05 Epiphany Petite Syrah couldn’t help with.
        

8.20.2008

Northbound

Yesterday, Farrell and I began our great trip North in what is my
first self-supported touring ride. El presidente (mike) flew in Monday
night, and Tuesday morning we loaded up our seatpost mounted racks and
hit the road for a three day trip taking us from Glendale to Ojai,
Ojai to Santa Ynez, and then Santa Ynez to Morro Bay where Rosa will
meet us before we drive the rest of the way to San Francisco for the
start of our Trek Travel coastal trip.

The original plan called forjuw to ride all the way from LA to San
Francisco (a trip of about 450 mles) but due to time constraints we
just cut it to a 3-dayer with anywhere from 75 to 90 miles a day. I
kind of thought we were being slackers with only that much riding- but
the terrain is pretty tough here and that extra 20 lbs of weight (rack
+ clothing) makes a big difference. We averaged 15mph the first day,
which considering the mountains and 30 mile headwind section, I'm ok
with. Today's mountians are a little bigger, but we get a long coastal
section, which will be a much needed repreive from the heat of our
inland ride yesterday.

I'll try and send some pics during the day if I have some decent cell
phone reception.

8.16.2008

Racing Bikes Is Fun!

(posted by handheld- sorry for any eggregious spelling or gramat errors)

Although it's been waaayyy too long since I've dropped in an update,
I'll try and not bore anyone with the details of my tardiness.
Suffice it to say I'm still working for ABD and the ABD/Geargrinder
team, working for Carter Thor Studio, riding my bike to work and any
other time I can, and oh yeah, getting married in about 4.5 months AND
looking for a new apartment. The last one has actually been the most
consuming thing of the past few weeks. The night we got the letter
from the landlord that he was raising the rent (again) we started
driving around looking at places. We're narrowing in on what we
want/need/can afford and hopefully we can check that whole moving
thing off the list soon. After almost 4 years in a 525 sq. foot
apartment, we're anxious to go bigger and add bedroom #2 for an
office/guest room for all the family and bike riders we love having
stop in. The extra space will certainly give us a little breathing
room with so much going on right now, and it seems like the only time
I get any solid workouts in anymore are when a teammate stops in to
whip me into shape.

And speaking of getting whipped... back to the bike racing.

While back in the Midwest last weekend for a sweet double ABD/Family
bridal shower, I decided to join the ABD/GG boys up at the Glencoe
Grand Prix. Nothing helps you sweat out two nights of eating and
drinking like some good old fashion suffering. Contrary to what my
scientifically minded current and former teammates think, I do believe
I'm capable of putting the suffer meter on 11 every once in a while.
And seeing as how my weekly training volume is under 6 hours right now
(I won't admit just how far under 6), racing against a bunch of dudes
fresh off 1,000 laps of Superweek certainly meant I would suffer...
And I did.

But it really wasn't too bad. There were a few laps where I was
further up on the nose of my saddle than I've been in the past five
years, but once the break was established it was business as usual and
I had fun rolling along with the guys, doing our best to keep it all
together until our riders lapped. The only thing that comes close to
the satisfaction of winning a bike race is the satisfaction of playing
a part in a well-executed strategy. That's why see guys like
Cancallara and O'Grady just slaying themselves in the Tour for their
leader, because if they do their job for the day then they can go to
bed happy men. And if their man takes the lead, then they cam take
pride in that and take a bit of prize money to boot.

Now I'm not saying we were anywhere close to Canca and Stuey, but the
team did a great job of executing the plan and keeping control of the
race. It was almost so much fun I forgot about the pain.