All posts by Mike

Another strong ride; fastest Kings via the park since July 2017. I like this.

Tues/Thurs 7:45am ride

I could get used to this. I’m seeing numbers better than I’ve seen in a year, and in this case, even longer. I’m finishing rides actually feeling a bit tired, not the normal tired but the type of tired that you volunteer for by really pushing yourself.

The proof is in the numbers; I’m finally able to post climbing speeds over 1000 VAM (the number of meters you’d climb at a given pace for an hour). Today it was 26:37 through the park, 1018 VAM and 253 average watts. 8 years ago it would have been 24:15, 1117 VAM and 280 watts. But as they say, that was 8 years ago! 6 years before I started taking bone-marrow suppressing drugs that reduce the red blood cells that cyclists (especially Lance Armstrong) crave. Not that anyone would think a 63 year old would be at a disadvantage to his 55 year old self. But just turning the clock back to where things were two years ago makes me feel pretty good. Strange to think it comes after my pelvis fracture back in February, that kept me off a bike for 6 long weeks.

This morning we had Kevin & Kevin. I hung well through the park, clawing my way back after getting dropped near the entrance office. But, making the right turn onto Kings, I had to let the two of them gradually ride away from me. Kevin more so than Kevin. In fact, I was able to keep Kevin in sight the rest of the climb, while Kevin last last seen at the wide-open clearing section. In the end Kevin finished a couple minutes ahead of Kevin, and I was 30 minutes behind.

Despite the fog & drizzle on Skyline, something I would have complained loudly about a couple weeks ago, it was a really nice morning, with the skies clearing nicely by the time we got to West Old LaHonda.

Ride interrupted, solitude & e-bikes are easier

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Looks more like an oriental tea garden that something buried between hospital buildings.

I slightly overdressed this morning, looking at the fog-shrouded hills from my kitchen window so put on a base layer. Refused to use leg warmers, just because. Of course, the fog did what it’s supposed to do and burned off before we got to it.

The “we” today included Kevin, Karen and, long-time missing from our Tuesday/Thursday ride, JR! Unlike the past three rides, Kevin felt better this morning but I didn’t recognize how much better until too late, causing me to self-destruct before we even got to the park entrance. I kept sight of Karen in front and JR behind.

Up on top we encountered what a text from the Sheriff’s Dept warned- Skyline was shut down at Skeggs. A body had been discovered adjacent to the road and they were still looking for the bad guy. Turning around, we made the most of it and descended Swett to Tunitas and ride back up the last (the easy) part before descending Kings.

Only 22 instead of 30 miles but it still felt like a nice ride.

The best came later; I had an 11:30 Doctor’s appointment so, with plenty of time on my hands, headed down to Kaiser an hour early and spent 40 minutes relaxing with coffee and pastries in an idyllic setting (as seen in the photo at the top of this page). It felt so nice to just relax and not have to rush for once. High point of my day!

And then there was the ride home. First commute ride in a week on my regular bike, not an e-bike. Did you know it’s a lot more work climbing Jefferson without a motor assist? But also very satisfying getting home under my own power.