Day on the Ride

Every year, ALC hosts Day on the Ride - which is an approximation of what a typical day on the actual ALC ride will be like. There were tons of people, lots of them familiar and we had a great time. Our ride was from Golden Gate park, up to Nicasio Valley Reserve and back. There were rest stops, sweep vehicles (vehicles that patrol the ride route and pick up those who have mechanical trubs and get them to the next stop) and fun, fun, fun.

Unfortunately, I had to utilize the sweep vehicles not once, but twice! ARGH. My back tire trubs continued, and I popped a tube about 8 miles outside of the lunch stop in Nicasio - which was the half-way mark. Some of you may ask, don't you know how to change your own tire? Well, yes... I do. But the external tire I had on the wheel set was so tight on the rim, I broke 3 tire irons trying to change it myself. I got swept into lunch and the bike tech tent managed to change my tire.

I ate, rode out again and then popped my back tire AGAIN about 3-4 miles outside of the final water/rest stop in Fairfax (about 3/4 of the way through the ride and only about 25 miles from home). I didn't have a spare tube and knew I'd not be able to get the damned tired off anyway, so I got swept again. At Fairfax, there was a great bike shop and I hoofed it across the street and $60 later, I had new rim tape, a good tube and a new puncture-resistant external tire that fit my rim better. PROBLEM SOLVED.

So I rode back into the city on my own and that was sort of nice to just ride solo. I always love riding with others, but sometimes it's nice to be out on the road alone... :)

Here's my stats:

Day - Saturday, 4/26
Ride Type - Onroad Training
Ride Distance - 72.45 miles
Ride Length - 06:02:11
Avg Speed - 12 mph
Avg Cadence - 76
Avg Heart Rate - 144
Max Heart Rate - 193
Calories burned - 5546
Total Training Distance To-Date: 1000.21 miles

More Distance, More Hills

So yesterday I rode another ALC ride... from the North end of SF, near GG Bridge, up to Marin, all the way up to China Camp (BEAUTIFUL!!! right on the water - amazing!), back down, then hopped on Paradise Drive for the Tib Loop and came home. It was CRAZY windy on the ascent back to and going across GG. So much so that it blew me OFF my bike. I luckily was able to clip out in time to get my foot on the ground, so I didn't eat it and I didn't damage Clyde. But it was rough. So harsh that it sounded like a contant very loud hum of machinery along the bridge, but that was the sound of vibration the metal of the bridge was making from the wind!!!

I rode with my lesbians (finally - it'd been forever) but also we hooked up with the 3 J's again! It was awesome to see them again- they're such nice folks and will be additional friendly faces on the ride. And who knows, maybe my first set of East Bay friends!

Here's my stats from yesterday...although it's missing about 5-8 minutes of time, probably 200 calories roughly and maybe a mile of distance. I popped a tube JUST before the ascent out of Sausalito, roughly 5-6 miles from our finish. DAMN! Luckily I had lesbians in tow to help :) ! And while changing the flat, JT held my bike computer and then forgot to get it back from her for the uphill to GG. But I got it back before we traversed the bridge.



Day - Saturday, 4/19
Ride Type - Onroad Training
Ride Distance - 64.95 miles
Ride Length - 5:15:25
Avg Speed - 12.0 mph
Avg Cadence - 82
Avg Heart Rate - 142
Max Heart Rate - 190
Calories burned - 4849
Total Training Distance To-Date: 926.92 miles

Long Distances, Y'all!

Today I rode with an ALC group that began in the Peninsula - in Palo Alto - and was mostly flat and geared to get mileage up. I made it about 1 mile out of the start point and realized that I had left my helmet in my friend's truck. ALC rules include that every rider must ride with a certified helmet at ALL times. No one even noticed. I was like - why is my head so damned cold? - and then had to loop back and get it. Thankfully the guy who gave me a ride was behind me so I stopped him and grabbed his keys. At any rate, I did fine, met some great new people - espesh Jessica, Joanna and Jarod - the 3 J's. They live out in the East Bay in Berkeley, I think. I hope I get to ride with them again. They truly were awesome.

The route was mostly east, across the Dumbarton Bridge, through Fremont, out to Niles and back. It was pretty close to the midpoint but the Dumbarton Bridge is BORING. And WINDY later in the day. Something about it being in a little valley of marshland, around water, it warms up in the sun, creates wind, blah blah blah. I just know it's not fun to ride into headwinds. BOO!

Roughly 5 miles from the finish, we were cooking along at like 18 mph, I blew a flat. I yelled ahead to Jess, but she didn't hear me. So there I am outside of a church, during a wedding *they were outside taking photos* and cursing like a longshoreman on leave. Some lesbians also on the training ride stopped to help, thankfully, as I had the wrong tube (what is my luck like?) and they pitched in. So I rode in with them, at a considerably slower speed, but was happy for the break and got to know one of the ladies a little bit as we finished. ALC is a wonderful community....

Here's my stats:

Day - Saturday, 4/5
Ride Type - On-Road Training
Ride Distance - 65.79 miles
Ride Length - 4:41:44
Avg Speed - 14.0 mph
Avg Cadence - 78
Avg Heart Rate - 141
Max Heart Rate - 184
Calories burned - 4622
Total Training Distance To-Date: 837.43 miles