Man, that was one heck of a long sleep. Last post was March 25th? And it's now the 14th of May? At least it's still 2010. Hey, if you had the 2 months I've had you'd have ejected on this blog thing back around Opening Day of baseball. I won't get into the personal details but I will say that having 2 - 50 year birthday's followed by an anniversary followed by a new puppy...you get the picture. Good thing is in the time since Post #1 the new bike came to be a reality and since then I've been training like now other. I got a job to do...
I am motivated to start posting again because today is a significant mark in time as I get ready for Leadville. It is exactly 90 days until blast off. So it truly is reality check. My training has been steady at 4-5 days a week but nothing of the intensity that I need to start rising to. Since I got accepted to the L100 in early February I have done only 1 century (the soggy San Diego Gran Fondo... which I will detail in a future blog) and one metric century in Fallbrook a few weeks back. In between all that it's been loops and repeats in and around the trails near my home in PQ. The Lusardi Loop is a 10 mile rolling loop around some nice homes and a great golf course and it has a nice mix of short but steep climbs and some fast rollers. If time allows, I extend 45 minutes and climb to the top of Black Mountain (elv 1554'), that radio-tower topped beacon of Rancho Penasquito.
Last weekend it was time to start getting some elevation in and I did a climb up the Nate Harrison grade to the top of Mt Palomar in North San Diego County. That was nearly 5000' of climbing with a finish at an old fire lookout station. I had a sweeping view all the way to the Pacific Ocean and it truly made the effort worthwhile. The fast ride down the dirt road had two challenges: cars that swing around the corner suddenly and too fast and rattlesnakes that straddle the road. I came around the corner and there he (or she) was stretched out across half the road. As I went by the snake jumped immediately into strike pose. I've come across snakes before on MTB and have literally hopped over them but the size of this one freaked me out. Nonetheless, the kid curiosity got the best of me and I stopped and went back to it to take pictures and taunt it by throwing pebbles at it. I wanted that pose again. Never got it as the snake slithered off the road...safe again for all other riders.
I have so much to catch up on and get current with my posts: First, to finish the PURPOSE of this whole site and why the heck I'm riding in this crazed race. How I raised the money to buy the bike (no, I didn't just charge it to the VISA card...wouldn't be prudent!), how I selected my bike and the help the good folks at Black Mountain Bikes gave me through the process. The whole procedure in choosing to make this ride a fundraising effort for a great cause that was founded by an amazing couple along with the talented efforts of their web designer. How I've already met great and inspiring people that are so supportive of what I am trying to accomplish. Among those people is George Hincapie's brother- Rich, who's company "Hincapie Sportswear" is creating a commemorative jersey for the ride. Great people. Go Team BMC in the Tour of California that starts this Sunday! Huge thanks to Dan Goese for hooking the two of us up.
All of these stories will be told over the next few weeks as I attempt to get current. Goal? Do so before Beth and I drive up to Oregon June 9 to pick up Jenna from her first year of college. I will never have the extra time after then. The training schedule plus my wild and crazy work schedule alone, as the summer approaches, is going to go up several notches. Sticking to time schedules will be the order of the day.
So, tomorrow marks 89 days until THE RIDE, so it is time to finish the Stone Pale Ale, take the puppy (pictures later!) for his bathroom walk and go to bed so I can get in about 4-5 hours in the saddle tomorrow. Its that, then a wedding followed by a wine dinner at Tommy V's Urban Kitchen (check your local listings for the debut of a reality show on the Food Network in early July called "Family Style"...its about the Maggiore family that owns this and many other Sicilian owned restaurants)...you get the picture on why nearly 2 months went by before Post #2. If you know me you know that I've got way too much on the plate. I call it "Cat Juggling". Whatever it is, it is what drives me and what ultimately will drive me to succeed in this ride.
It is with that thought in mind that I sign off as the beer is now gone and the dog needs a walk....
