I don’t even want to think about how long it’s been since my last update. What’s changed since then? Main thing is confirmation that the new, higher dose of Hydroxyurea (the chemo-type med for the mild bone marrow cancer I have) did a real number on my hematocrit. If Lance Armstrong were at the performance end of the hematocrit scale, I’m that far on the wrong side. 39 is not a good place for me; my normal hematocrit has run between 42.5-45, and my body had, up until now, adapted to increasing levels of this drug by increasing what’s called MCV (mean corpuscle volume) to compensate for declining RBC count (how many red blood cells in a given volume).

Why the increase in dosage? Trying to shut down a bleeding issue that sometimes happens when your body manufactures way too many platelets. It’s called acquired Von Willebrand, which is related to regular old Von Willebrand aka hemophilia. Fortunately, in my case, the bleeding issues (razor cuts that wouldn’t stop bleeding) went away as soon as I stopped taking daily aspirin. The doctor wanted to keep chasing the rabbit though, thinking that, if I get my platelet count low enough, the acquired Von Willebrand will go away. But you know what? Who cares. Unless it causes an issue, acquired Von Willebrand is just a thing, a bark without a bite. And the research I did showed that it’s not nearly as rare as previously thought; more than half the people with my particular mild bone marrow cancer thingee actually have it. Sending the link to that (peer-reviewed) paper probably helped convince my doc I could go back to my prior dosage.

All of that to explain why I’m kind of sucking on the bike these days. It’s probably just an excuse; it could be that the gradual decline in fitness as you get older isn’t a straight line but might have little up and down bumps along the way, and right now I happen to be in a down bump.

I’m also beginning to think about my next bike. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE my current machine, a Trek Emonda that now has nearly 50,000 miles on it. But it’s got as low a gear as its drivetrain can handle (50/34 front, 11/28 rear) and I need at least a 30 for stuff like Redwood Gulch, and it won’t be long, within the lifetime of my next bike, that it will have to be a 32 or 34.

And disc brakes. I don’t need them for stopping power; I need them to reduce hand fatigue on long descents. My hands aren’t as strong as they used to be, and eventually I’ll be dealing with arthritis, like most do as they get older.

The new gearing options come without a downside. Disc brakes? A lot more maintenance (pad wear and bleeding the hydraulic system) and a lot more noise. Plus a pound of weight. But making descents more enjoyable offsets all of that. I hope!

Sometimes you make up the ride on the go; this was one of those times. Kevin didn’t want to do the usual Pescadero/Tunitas; not really sure why, but it was kind of nice to ride past Old LaHonda without making that right turn up the hill. I’d thought about Page Mill, but didn’t want to bring it up. Kevin’s original idea was a short ride, up Old LaHonda and back via West Alpine, but I wanted something longer and Kevin went for Page Mill/San Gregorio/Tunitas.

Climbing Page Mill was the least fun I’ve had on a bike in a long time. Normally it’s tough because it’s difficult finding a rhythm; today it was tough just because… well, just because. I was sweating like crazy, constantly having to press my helmet against my headband, trying to squeeze out the salty water before it got to my eyes. Eye I should say; for some reason, it’s only an issue on the right side of my head. Whatever the case, 53:20 was one of my slowest-ever times up Page Mill, and it’s not like I wasn’t trying. The engine room just couldn’t deliver anything. Kevin actually stopped twice to wait for me.

Yes, I was thinking terrible things, like maybe I should just turn back, or find some other way to shorten the ride. But if a very long history of rides has taught me anything, it’s that I generally feel much better later on, and today wasn’t an exception. I did cheat though; the entire run to the coast on 84, I was glued to Kevin’s wheel.

At San Gregorio we stopped for a coke and sandwich; not the usual coffee, as it wasn’t the usual cold. First sandwich at San Gregorio I think? Not bad; turkey, cheese & lettuce. Leaving San Gregorio I didn’t have that post-meal-sluggishness associated with the half-sandwich and pastry when in Pescadero.

There was a favorable breeze from the coast as we headed east on Tunitas, so I tried to “launch” Kevin so he could get a good time, but he didn’t seem very interested. He finally ditched me just before the bridge of death (beginning of Strava’s “Hammer of Thor” segment). I was determined not to fall apart on Tunitas, and succeeded; it was as different from my earlier climb up Page Mill as could be. And I managed to challege the upper part too, and thought I did pretty well until I just looked up Kevin’s time and found him a full minute faster. Hate that.

Overall a good ride.