This morning I get an email from Ueyn, a former regular of our Tuesday/Thursday-morning rides, letting me know that some guy from Texas was in the area yesterday and rode up Old LaHonda 30 seconds slower than Kevin.

http://app.strava.com/rides/6974489

For those unfamiliar, “Juan Pelota” is the name of Lance Armstrong’s ranch in Texas. And “Juan Pelota” did a smokin’ 110 mile Palo Alto-Santa Cruz loop, including the 2nd-best-time on Strava up Mt. Charlie. No biggie, except that it was on a Trek Speed Concept time trial bike!!! You don’t climb on a time trial bike. Unless you’re Juan Pelota. In which case you climb very, very well indeed (after a “slow” warm-up on Old LaHonda anyway).

Warning: Next section rated PG: Regarding “Juan Pelota”, the name isn’t random. “Pelota” is “Ball” in Spanish. “Juan” sounds a lot like “one.” And one certain famous cyclist who went through testicular cancer had one of his two testicles removed.