Not only that, but it was one of those exceptionally-rare days where you have a tailwind heading north on Stage Road between Pescadero and San Gregorio! How often does that happen? Even took advantage of that tail wind for a new personal record on the first climb!
This was a solo ride, since Kevin’s just 6 days past his final brain surgery and probably won’t be back on a bike until next Sunday… and that won’t be a very challenging ride. In the meantime, he’s back on the trainer. Normally I’d find someone to ride with along the way, but not today. It’s not like I haven’t done a ton of solo rides in the past; a few years ago I even did the Santa Cruz loop on my own. There’s something to be said for riding on your own, but it does get a bit old after a while. Sure, you’ve got Strava to prove you were out there, but it seems like you can work harder, more easily, when in a group.
France is just under 4 weeks away now. I’d like to be in better shape, especially with Ventoux in the mix, but obviously the bigger concern is what shape Kevin will be in. He’s younger, he’s stronger, so in all likelihood he’ll bounce back and run me into the ground again. But worst-case scenario, he’ll be better off than he was on our first trip to the Tour de France, so he’ll manage.
