Slacker

Slacker. No denying it. I skipped the weekend sojourns. It was a bit rainy the weekend of Feb 2-3. But the rain could not wash away my antsy feeling as I sat there writing a bit of code for work. My body knew it, my mind knew it, there was a need, a need for speed. Sigh. Acknowledged. Dig in with the brain. Catch up with the work stuff. Bend down, straight leg and searing hot nails flamed up from my heel into my calf. Amazing how fast pain travels to the brain. Then gone again. Too many stairs at work.

I lasted ten days off before I caved into my needs. The weather was dazzling on Saturday Feb 9, 2008. I rationalized that it didn't hurt when I cycled. So cycle I did. Besides the spouse was out of town I could get on the road earlier on Saturday. It was warm 55F when I left at 8:21. Two guys in khaki shorts and mountain bikes fell in and behind me at the street light and the horse corral. They quickly dropped off my tail as well.

I stopped at the turn out just by Monroe Truck Trail and chatted with a mountain biker who asked about the two guys I had seen. They are coming. Then he noticed that a couple of other mountain bikers had quickly turned around and were exiting Monroe. We went over for a debrief. Washed out. No clear trail. One fellow had taken "Poop-out" trail at Big Dalton and GMR and came down MTT. The other alternative was a 2.5 hour ride up GMR to reach the top of Monroe and ride down. Good estimate of time. But too ambitious for me today. The 7.5 inches of rain in December/January have really made a mark on the ecology. I realized I haven't been on the trail for nearly a year.

It was a slow ride for me. I felt "alone". And yes, let me think, yes amazingly yes, no motorcycles. A few cyclists sailed by on the way up. The sun was bright and I realized I had forgotten the sunscreen. It was an ok ride. No camera. no pictures. Being outside was heavenly. Summer was already here. What happened to spring?

The crowd coming up as I was going down looked like they could use the exercise. I thought I saw a few more Christmas pounds on Saturday. Some good groups were surging upwards.

My heel did complain after I got home. Frozen peas for you! Still in the bag. The pain was a bit more active so it was easy decision to make Sunday a no ride day. Perhaps the elliptical trainer will get a bit of use on Tuesday night.

I keep track of Pommi every now and again. I noticed he posted 110 miles as of Feb 1st. For me -- 124 outdoor miles plus the 13.4 on Saturday. Grand total of 137.4 miles.

Palo Alto is next Sunday and the opening of the 2008 Tour of California!