Last Ride of 2011

I chose Friday for the potential quietness on the road and was rewarded with light traffic with the bonus of riding with Cathy and Craig. Matt and Bill were in close pursuit. The last ride of 2011.

Last Rides of the Year

After a week of no riding, Saturday, Monday and Wednesday have been exceptional. Three rides to the shed. Plenty of sun. Saturday was windy. Monday plenty of traffic with everyone off for holiday. Wednesday blissfully quiet. The big news on Wednesday's ride was a helicopter and emergency vehicles attending to a bicyclist down on Highway 39 at mile marker 21.25 around 10:52 am.

Pre-Winter

Cloudy with a chance of chicken soup. Yesterday was sun and bright sky however strong winds kept me inside. Today a 20% chance of rain was not going to stop me on my one day to really ride. The winter solstice is fast approaching the shortest day of the year, we are "half way through the dark."

Toy Ride 2011

San Dimas, California (December 5, 2011) – The Southern California Velo Cycling Club (SC Velo) and Incycle Bicycle Stores sponsored Christmas Toy Ride was held on December 4, 2011.

Toys that were collected at the 4 Incycle Bicycle stores since the weekend after Thanksgiving were taken to the San Dimas Sheriff’s station so that they can be distributed to needy families. 

A large and varied assortment of toys donated by cyclists from all over the region were delivered to the Sherriff’s station on Sunday morning.  In addition to the toys, an SC Velo member donated 4 bikes and  Incycle Bicycle stores, working with their local Specialized Bikes representative, donated 20 bikes to bring the total to 24 donated bikes that will brighten many local children’s Christmases.

All of the toys and bikes will be delivered to children of needy families by deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s San Dimas station. 

 

Bill's Ride 12/06/2011

Other than the cold - it was 38 degrees when I woke this morning - it was a nice day for a ride.  I waited for the temperature to get into the 50's before I set out.  The ride was uneventful, saw a few cars, some skate boarders, and about 6 other riders.  As usual of late, it was nice going up, but pretty chilly coming down.  I did take a couple of pictures of "Nessie" surfacing in San Gabriel Dam #1.

Tranquility 12/2/2011

Perfect day for a ride. Warm weather. Light winds. Tranquil Road. Left late enough in the morning to enjoy the full warmth of the sun. Late enough that the pummeling of Santa Ana winds one day prior roared at 50-97 mph fizzled into mere wisps of their ferocious selves. Late enough to see a large group of skate boarders done for the day. Late enough to enjoy the good will of those skate boarders who swept the road. Yes the road was pristine clean from bottom of Monroe to Coyote Corner (~ mile marker 10.78). Clear of tumble weeds, leaves, sticks, dirt and rocks. Thank you! Cleaner than many residential roads littered with palm fronds, leaves, seed pods, my own street included.

Tranquility. The number of vehicles on the road, I counted on one hand. While the outside world was tranquil the heart pumped, the lungs burst, the legs churned, and the eyes popped. Perfect ride. Solo.

The story of the day was of Ian and Kevin. Ian took the twists at 10.20 the reverse camber curve a bit too fast. He was one lucky dude as the car skidded into the berm. Lucky he was not an over the side statistic. Hope to see you two on bicycles next time. If not, remember the first run go slow and learn what's on the road. The most important thing is "Keep the cyclists alive".

Santa Ana Winds

The Santa Ana winds have kicked up dust in the air. Lots of trees on the ground. Power lines down. No electricity from 2 am to 8 am.

Bill's Ride 11/30/2011

Bill and Hillbasher were out on the road today. Different times. Here is Bill's report.

This morning was another great time to ride up GMR.
Clear skies, mild temperatures, and a lightly trafficked
road made for a very nice ride.  I did see a few other
folks on the road, about a dozen bike riders including
3 SC Velo and 4 Adobo Velo riders, along with a few
skate boarders and several motor vehicles of various
sorts.

I observed one car that was hauling a couple of skate
boarders up to their launch spots making stops along
the road to clean up gravel and debris - I thanked them
for their efforts because they were helping all of us that
were out on the road today.

My ride was very pleasant and uneventful.  I did improve
on my ride time from home to the shed by 3 minutes, due
in the most part to the higher gears I have been pushing
the last several trips up the hill.  My "training" plan is to
keep working my way up through higher gears every few
weeks to build my leg strength and my speed.  So far
it is working.

Bill's Ride 11/28/2011

This morning's weather was pretty good when I left home at 8:45.
There was some overcast and a temperature of about 55 degrees.
GMR was almost deserted, I encountered only four other cyclists
and three cars as I made my way up the hill.  The visibility down
into the basin was good, so I took a couple of pictures of L.A.'s tall
buildings. Coming down was fast and tearless - my new glasses
keep the wind away from my eyes so I do not tear up when I exceed
25 MPH like I did with my previous glasses..

Thanksgiving Weekend 11/24-11/27

Thanksgiving Day was for turkey and family.
Friday -  Mystic Canyon and met Carlos the hunter.
Saturday - Enjoyed the crowd. Hung onto a couple of riders from 10.49 to 8.44. Met folks from Orange County enjoying the mountain climb. Descended with Bill until first saddle where we met group Beanz and Hillbasher and enjoyed a bit of a hill repeat. Nice to have a little gas in the tank. Why did I wear a jacket on the descent?
Sunday - Mystic Canyon hike. Blue sky. Good to be outdoors.

Wednesday 11/23/2011

Glorious. One of the remaining few days for a mid-week ride. Work let out early,  if you are wondering. The afternoon was warm when I started around 2:45 pm. The road was quiet, quiet, quiet. Very few gutsy folks out riding. Just me, road, breathing, no thinking a solo ride.


Descending reminded me that there are "54F" reasons why most cyclists have ended their season. The sun sets quickly and so does the temperature. Yep, toe-biting cold on the way down at 25-30 mph. Glad to have the knee warmers, head band, base layer and jacket. It is the warm feeling of a "quart" endorphins in the tank with 786 Kcal burned, 17,270 heart beats pumped, 21.3 miles ridden, and 2621 feet climbed. Total odometer for the bike is 6,576 miles. Thanksgiving here I come.

Bill's Ride 11/22/2011

Bill's report:

It was pretty cool this morning, so I waited for it to warm up
to 50 degrees before I set out for GMR.  The nice thing about
riding on weekdays is that there aren't very many other folks
on the road.  I expected to see some skate boarders because
the local schools are closed this week, but none were to be
seen.  Maybe it was too cold for them.  I did see a few other
cyclists, maybe 8 all told.

I pushed a bigger gear that usual, so my legs were ready for a
break by the time I got to the shed. Coming back was pleasant,
cool - the temperature was up to 65 degrees - but not so much
so that I needed a jacket or arm warmers for the descent.
I did take a few pictures that I used to make a panorama.

Indoor Trainer

Desperation has set in and the indoor Cycleops trainer has been dusted off and rev'd up.

Better Late 11/19/2011

Started later than usual at 10:30 am when a bit of sun came out. Quiet cold morning with grey layer of rain clouds ready to drop

Bill's Day Out 11/17/2011

This morning was ideal for riding - sunny, clear and just
a bit on the cool side.  When I went out around 8:30 the
temperature was about 55 degrees.  GMR was almost
deserted, I saw only two cars and five other cyclists as I
made my way up to the shed. I went on up a bit farther
to the wall  by the top of Monroe Truck Trail to take a
couple of pictures.  By the time I was ready to come
down, the temperature had gotten up to 70 degrees.
That made for a comfortable descent.

Ron and Ray

Ron and Ray took the SGRT to Seal and Huntington Beach. A short little jaunt of 106 miles or so.


http://connect.garmin.com/activity/129162277

Ron states it "Was Fun!!"

Tuesday with Bill 11/15/2011

It was a nice clear, albeit cool, morning. Great for riding. I took off around 8:30 and headed up GMR. The road started off pretty quiet, very little vehicle  traffic and just three other cyclists that passed me (of course) on their way up the hill.  After a while, the road got busier, several motorcycles passed me going up and a group of skate boarders passed me going down. As I neared Newman's Point I became aware of some spoke "chatter" from my rear wheel - one or more of them were probably a bit loose. I stopped at Newman's for a quick check and decided that I would head home and do some spoke "tuning" in the comfort  of my garage.  The descent was cool and uneventful. I did see several more riders coming up to enjoy the day. I'll probably be back up again Thursday and I will see if my spoke adjustments have been effective.

Sunday December 4th Ride with Beanz

Ride with Beanz and Hillbasher on Sunday December 4, 2011

Glendora High School
241 S Valley Center Ave
Glendora, CA 91741
Time: 9:00 am

Application Form
1) Do you need SAG?
A) No, my bike is roadworthy and I know how to fix a flat, perform minor repairs and I will carry spare tubes, tyres, CO2s, etc.
B) No, if I get a flat I'll walk back to my car (what's SAG by the way?).
C) Hell no! SAG is for sissies.  

2) Do you think any person other than yourself should be responsible for your safety?
A) No, I've been over 18 for the past 30 years or so.
B) The only person responsible for my safety is the one that I see in the mirror.
C) Hell no! I'll be wearing a helmet which protects against any and all evils.  

3) Will you ride in any weather conditions?
A) No, I'm not stupid.
B) Hell no! And I'm the one who decides if the weather conditions are suitable for riding in the mountain.
C) No, I'm a wuss like JimmyNH and I ride only in good weather conditions.  

4) Do you mind if Mr. Beanz captures you in his video?
A) Hell no! Actually that's why I'm doing the ride.
B) No, Mr. Beanz makes the coolest videos with the coolest music background.
C) No, I'm too ugly to have my picture taken anyway.  

5) Are you afraid of wild animals that you might encounter on GMR?
A) No, the noise from cars and motorcycles keeps the wild animals away from the road.
B) Hell no! I can outrun a mountain lion and wrestle a bear.
C) Hell no! I'll carry protection in my back pocket.

RSVP to bikeforums.net -- Ride with Beanz

GMR Trifecta 11/12 - 11/13

The lure of the road outweighed the dark clouds after a week of no biking. The ascent by the ranger station felt new and challenging. As I approached the bottom of Monroe the drops poured gently down. Enough to remind me how wet everything gets as wheels kick the water up your seat. I headed down and the speed of downhill and droplets were enough to indicate that was a good decision. I cycled around the drier parts of Glendora over to Palm Drive and up Kregmont to Twelve House Hill with its 9.7% grade. Back around to Sierra Madre hang with the Tour Du Foothill riders for a few blocks. A race marshal on bike was stopped and searching his playlist to find "climbing music" for the next 9 miles. I consider coyote howls, crickets chirping and lizards, squirrels and birds digging through brush music to climb by. Ranger Station pass 2 -- a couple of cyclists stopped on the road by the ranger station were impressed as I spun by. The rain capes were the fashion of the TdF riders. I again gave up before the bottom of Monroe.

I left my cycling clothes on for Saturday afternoon and waited out the weather. After errands and lunch -- the need for altitude was strong. I headed out again. The droplets caressed the pavement on Sierra Madre, I nearly turned around twice. Above Sierra Madre was dry. Third time up the forestry curve my legs were feeling it. Perhaps I had done more than perceived in the morning. It was a fairly dry ride up Saturday afternoon. The rain waited until the first saddle. I had sun and rain at the same time. Downhill felt good. The heavy jacket and windbreaker were good protection for the descent.

Of course Sunday morning was stunning for Group Beanz. Bill took off for his ride this morning.

Ray and I rode Sunday afternoon. What a pleasure to ride the road on a beautiful sunny day with perfect temperatures. I could have left that backpack at home! Yahooie! Ride your Bike.

Carmichael on Training Indoors

As I sit and gauge the weather I am betting the clouds will hold their "rainy tongues" and I can get one day in on Glendora Mountain Road this week. Inspired by the words from the Carmichael folks, I may need to put a training DVD on my Christmas list. Read on.

Indoor training season is upon us and although I’d rather we’d all rather be riding outside, the truth of the matter is you can make huge gains with relatively short workouts on the trainer. Below I’ve included a few tips for maximizing your time on the trainer.

I’m excited for the winter because two days ago our newest workout DVD arrived in the office. It’s a great one-hour workout featuring a mix of short, maximal efforts and longer lactate threshold efforts. If you do group rides or any type of road, cross, or mountain bike racing it’s exactly the type of workout you need. And since it’s the 2011 Amgen Tour of California Workout DVD, you get to relive the excitement of the 2011 ATOC on top of doing a great workout! (Click to watch a preview clip)

Another reason I have DVDs on my mind is that I was in the studio yesterday doing my on-screen portions for our next training DVD, an 85-minute climbing workout that features four of the biggest climbs from the 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge – including tons of footage that was never seen during the television coverage! It’s a great workout – the longest one we’ve ever put on a DVD - and it will be available next month.

There are a few tips and guidelines I want to remind you of as you go into the indoor cycling season:

1. Indoor training still has to be progressive: You can’t just do the same DVD time and time again and expect to continually get better. Training DVDs can be mixed and matched to plug into a training schedule just like any other workouts, and you have to look at the energy systems being stressed in the workout, group DVDs with similar physical demands together into training blocks, and structure your indoor training so you’re gradually increasing your weekly workload. (Click here to view the Train Right Guide to Indoor Training, a 6-week training program that features recommended DVD substitutions for each workout)

2. Don’t forget recovery: Some people think that since most indoor cycling workouts are only 60-75 minutes, you need to do one every day of the week in order to accumulate enough workload to see an improvement. But the one-hour trainer workouts are typically more intense than your normal outdoor rides, so you’re getting a big training stimulus in a short period of time. You need to recover from these efforts in order to adapt. Even if you’re only relying on indoor workouts for your winter training, I would recommend a maximum of 5 interval-based indoor sessions (most athletes should only do 3-4).

3. Airflow is crucial: If you’re going to spend a lot of time on a trainer, invest in three fans. I recommend directing one at your face (or at least across your head), one at the front of your torso, and one at your back. Indoors it’s ridiculously easy to overheat, which throws your sweat response into hyperdrive and increases the stress you’re putting on your body. That additional stress makes it more difficult to recover between workouts and hinders your ability to adapt and make progress.

All Train Right DVD titles – including both the 2010 and 2011 Tour of California workout DVDs – are available at: http://trainright.com/media-2. And if you’ve moved on from physical DVDs, we now have 27 titles available as video downloads! They’re available right on the same page.

Through the winter, indoor training can be immensely valuable. On average, athletes see a 13% increase in max sustainable power just from using the 16-session Progressive Power Series over an 8-week period. When you add in additional sessions and extrapolate the impact over 4+ months, your potential for performance improvement this winter is absolutely incredible. So get on it! Sincerely,

Check out bikeforums.net in the

Check out bikeforums.net in the SoCal section. Sunday DEC 4TH will have a group going up GMR if it doesnt rain. OC Rebels as well.

Monday with Bill

It was a very clear and sunny, albeit cool, morning so off I went on a ride up GMR. The ride up was slow but good and the descent coming back down was fast and cold - I am still thawing out! Photo from the top of Monroe Truck Trail.

Those retirees can ride when they want!

Saturday 11/05/2011

Saturday dawned clear and cold. It was 39F and I waited until it warmed up to 42F. The muscles responded slowly in the cold. Group Beanz ranks swelled with eager cyclists. Ready to crank up the hill laughing all the way.

Ron and Dixie rode Death Valley. which feels a whole lot warmer than home.

For me the magic was snow on Baldy.

Last Chance

Tonight was the last Wednesday of Day Light Savings Time. Weather was clear with light winds. Not alot of traffic. Five cyclists descending. I was the last one on the mountain. I enjoyed every pedal stroke.

Larry on the road 10/29/2011

It was amazing to meet folks of all walks of life on the road. Larry full of energy for a seventy year old road up Glendora Mountain Road on Saturday to enjoy the sun and the superb climb. Really Larry you looked fifty.

My buns of steel felt like marshmallows while my legs consisted of rubber. All due to a cold I was fighting. The sun felt good all through my bones. The towers of Los Angeles visible in the distance. The islands in the reservoir more exposed than last week. The long range weather forecast may include drizzle next week. Good to enjoy the vistas in the warmth of October.

Last A** Up the Pass 10/24/2011

Monday night on Glendora Mountain Road. Fewer folks than last Tuesday night. The crickets chirped louder than before. It was a last minute decision to ride. I'm leaving work early. Nope I'm not. Yes, I got home with about an hour of day light. All Systems are a go. Launched. Legs felt good. Race to the Sun. Saw one other cyclist at the electronic sign already heading home.

The hunters get my appreciation tonight. At the first saddle there was a dark image sitting on the wall. It was Diego in camouflage and dark face paint. He asked if I had a flat. Nope just throwing on knee warmers and jacket before the descent. I chatted with him and he had praise for Matthew. He's a great guy. I chuckled. If you took a poll of the people - hunters, cyclists, motorcyclists, runners, etc. on GMR 85-92% know Matt.

That was only the first positive. The second positive was a Suburban pulled up and two hunters asked if I was ok. I appreciated their concern with the dark enshrouding the road quickly.

Me, I appreciated having a disk in my camera.

Saturday Ride 10/22/2011

Good weather. Good day to see friends. Jason and Michael. Hung onto to Ruby's wheel to the shed. Rode up to Glendora Ridge Road mile marker 8.3. Talked to Ron at Fork plus six. And Everest Challenge Jason at Newmans. The island is showing in the reservoir.

Sna Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Assessment

It is with great pleasure that the National Park Service offers to you for review and comment, the Draft San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Special Resources Study and Environmental Assessment. The NPS initiated this special resource study in 2005 and published preliminary management alternatives in August 2009. This study represents your involvement and input into the planning process. The approaches to management and underlying values all reflect what you proposed or supported and concerns that you raised.

Comments Welcomed
The executive summary, full report, and link to the NPS online public comment system are available at the study web site: http://www.nps.gov/pwro/sangabriel/index.htm. If you requested a copy of the full study report or a CD ROM, they will be mailed to by the end of October. A Spanish version of the executive summary will soon be available on the web site as well.

Comments on the draft study report must be submitted by December 16, 2011. Your continued involvement will assist the National Park Service in determining which alternative to recommend as the most effective and efficient in protecting significant resources and providing for visitor enjoyment in the study area. Please note that our offices moved from Oakland to San Francisco in August 2011. All written comments should be submitted to our new address:

National Park Service - Planning and Environmental Compliance
San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Special Resource Study
333 Bush Street, Suite 500
San Francisco, CA 94104

Public Meetings
The NPS will host a series of public meetings throughout the study area in October and November 2011 in order to present the draft study report, answer questions, and accept comments. The first public meeting, October 29th in El Monte, will serve as the kick-off meeting for the public review period. The NPS will present the study findings and alternatives and answer questions about the draft study. There will also be opportunities to provide comments.

Public meeting locations and times include:
El Monte (Kick-Off Meeting)
Saturday, October 29
1pm - 3 pm
City of El Monte Senior Center
3120 N. Tyler Avenue
El Monte, CA 91731
Palmdale
Monday, November 14
7pm - 9pm
Larry Chimbole Cultural Center,
Joshua Room
38350 Sierra Highway
Palmdale, CA 93550
Pomona
Tuesday, November 15th
7pm - 9pm
Agriscapes Center, California Polytechnic Institute Campus
4102 S. University Drive (South of Temple Avenue)
(From Highway 57, Exit Temple Avenue and go West towards Cal Poly Pomona. Turn left on South Campus Drive, Agriscapes is the building adjacent to the Farm Store). Pomona, CA 91768
Santa Clarita
Wednesday, November 16th
7pm - 9pm
George A. Caravalho Activities Center
Santa Clarita Room A
20880 Centre Point Parkway
Santa Clarita, CA 91351
Tujunga
Thursday, November 17th
7pm - 9pm
Northeast Valley City Hall Auditorium
7747 Foothill Blvd
Tujunga, CA 91042
Thank you for your interest in the National Park Service's San San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Special Resource Study.
Sincerely
NPS Study Team

On the Road with Bill 10/19/2011

Bill got out on the road and zoomed up to the shed with other cyclists from SC Velo.

The sunshine looks good to those of us working stiffs in buildings without windows.

Saturday on GMR/GRR 10/15/2011

The Mount Baldy Lodge Store saves souls every day with delicious refreshing, thirst quenching, ice chilled drinks and munchables. Spencer and Graham this one is for you!

Strong ride to Baldy Saturday. The mountains were clear while the valley remained under a marine layer. The temperature mildly warm starting in the 60s warming to the 80s. Not overly hot. Provisioned two water bottles plus one more with Heed. Started at 7:30 am and left Bill around the Dalton Hot Shots Forest Ranger Station. It was a solo ride to the shed with a few folks passing me by on the way up. In the no man's land between first saddle and Newman's Point, one rider inspired the legs to kick it up a notch. During the last ascent to the shed that 8% climb of a few hundred feet another rider went by and I hung on, I should have passed, but didn't want to burn that match quite yet. Plenty of miles to go. It was a lively pace to end the first leg of the trip. I wanted a quick break. Eat a bar, slurp up some water. Watch a few arrivees. Just as I wanted to leave, I was asked to take a picture with a cell phone. I acquiesced. The fellow was happy. Matt showed up needing a break to catch his breath.

The shed represents ~25% of the journey or 10 miles out of 46. The next twelve miles on Glendora Ridge Road are four miles of rolling hills with four "peaks" the fourth peak being the point of no return. A steep descent to Peacock Saddle and then the start of 3.3 miles of the Reward Climb, with the next three miles of the alpine section of rolling ascents. The final mile is a steep descent into the village. Remember what goes up must go down. Easy to descend, Killer to climb back up. I made a record time from garage door to the Baldy Stop Sign of 3 hours 14 minutes. I had motivators on the GRR section. One hunter's Dodge RAM 2500 had a nasty smell to its exhaust, and it was meandering up the road, stopping multiple times. I wanted to be ahead of that tank as much as possible. I rode as fast I as could. The GRR leg was 1:25 for 12 miles at altitude. In the Alpine section taking pictures of the autumn colors Rick caught us and rode with us to the Village.

I bought a deliciously cold Red Powerade at the Mt Baldy Lodge Store and peanuts. Spencer and Graham cajoled me about not featuring the store on my blog. I snapped their picture in front of the store. Filled one water bottle at the Post Office. Headed back. Time in the Village 28 minutes. Reverse the course took just under 2 hours. Rick parted company in the alpine section. Matt raced home after the climb back up to the point of no return. Total time was 5:40. Total Distance 46.1 miles. Ascent 5200 feet. Saw a few folks in passing Shawn of broccoli fame, Jason of Everest Challenge, and Group Beanz. I was on the clock to get done. Last week was a week for chatting. This Saturday was a day for riding.

Strong Ride to Baldy. Even though I had a flu shot. Tightening the core muscles helps with the knee.

Catching up with Bill

Bill completed a loop up GMR down to East Fork. Down 39 and back on Sierra Madre.

Bill tried the make your own bars.

Yummy.

A little FryDaddy and Beanz

April 1, 2011

Evening Ride

The sun retreats earlier every night. Out on the wheels before 6 pm, The body responds with the ache of sitting all day but good overall. Eight or ten cyclists head for home as I begin my journey. One more ride before the time change. My title is last bike up tonight short lived as Suzy heads up the road as I descend. The full moon helps on the way down along with my night light. Coyote alert as I rounded a blind right hand turn around mile marker 11.39. Coyote climbs the cliff side as I slow down. I ride down a bit more alert for other creatures along the way. Spotted a large owl flapping noiselessly between oaks. A good ride. A better mood.

Connections

Toe chilling to start the temperature was 52F. But as soon as you round the first hair pin turn and start the real climb the sun streams down on you warm and intense. Connecting with friends today along the way. Friends rendezvoused at the shed. Matt. Eric. Bill. Hadn't seen Eric in ages. Eric and I were recovering from other non-cycling exercising. New muscles were screaming at us. Eric headed for Baldy. Bill headed down. Matt and I went a little farther. Chatted with Rick at Fork plus one. Needed to scoop on Greg. Kids. Work. Kids finding jobs. Steve Jobs and Al Davis passing. Made it to the Experimental Forest Sign.

On the way down at second saddle. Caught sight of Gina. Then Mr. Beanz and Hillbasher. It was a film fest. Except my data was lost in digital translation. No photos. No videos. Nada. Nothing. Nil. Zip.

Hillbasher asked why I rarely reference Peacock Saddle with is Fork Plus 4.5 miles. Truth be it, I rarely stop in the valley. The peak at Fork Plus Four is called the "Point of No Return". I have to be in the mood for that climb back up to mile marker 4.0 on Glendora Ridge Road. It is a tough son of a gun.

Bill had great karma with his camera. This picture is his from today.

Evidence that I took pictures. Care of Mr. Beanz Productions:

From Hillbasher! Two out of three cameras worked. Matt, Beanz, GMR

Symmetry

Riding home in the dark of the evening on Thursday the street illuminated in the beam of my head lamp. The road conditions on GMR were dry after the Wednesday deluge of 1.5 inches of rain. Only one sandy area that blanketed both lanes occurred at the Colby hair pin. Traffic was mostly light however more parked cars along the turnouts. Couples enjoying the cloak of evening perhaps.

The symmetry of the evening was balanced with the early morning exercise in the predawn darkness of 5 am. I saw more wildlife in the city than I did the forest. In the morning I had turned onto Cullen avenue heading north, when an undulating critter stopped mid way in the road. Alert and aware of my oncoming progress. It turned to gauge my approach. A squirrel perhaps, no. it was bigger than a squirrel, a possum perhaps, no its long flowing tail with luxurious hair worthy of petting. I moved forward with the thought my presence would encourage it to skitter into the shelter of bushes. NO! Identification occurred and I high tailed it southward in the opposite direction. Skunk! I circled the block and was ready to try a northern route once more. As I turned the corner another critter larger than before, longer leaner legs, interested in the comings and goings, alert and hungry looking for smaller animals that moved. A coyote! Once again, I turned southward and looped back to my house in the clock of early morning dark. Bike or foot the road was dark.

Build Your Own Bar

Having trouble finding your favorite brand of bar? Do you have a special dietary concern? Need a bar customized for you? Check out these two websites: You Bar and Element Bars. These companies have options to customize a power bar for you. Tons of choices. Soy or whey protein? Cherries or Dates? Nuts or seeds? So many choices. What are your performance needs: endurance? performance? antioxidants? focus on your brain-memory? These sites can build a bar do it all.

Here's a drive of GMR that I may be using to pedal indoors this winter. GMR

Leadville 2012

I watched the 2010 Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race from DVD on Sunday. That was the year Levi Leipheimer blew away the recently set record time that Lance Armstrong set in 2009. Leadville Colorado at 10,152 feet above sea level traverses 100 miles in an out and back challenge with 12,000 feet of ascent with forest, twin lakes, the pipeline, the powerline and little oxygen. The personal stories of the men and women who take part in this epic adventure are tales of determination, fortitude and true grit.

If you need help on achieving this awesome goal, Chris Carmichael has a team to help you train. And now is the time to start.

2012 CTS Leadville 100 Coaching/Camp Package Lotteries

OVERVIEW
To maximize the improvements you can achieve in endurance, power, and weight management, CTS is proud to offer a limited number of Leadville 100 Coaching Packages that start in November 1, 2011 and include a guaranteed entry into the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race.

This lottery is open to all athletes through October 31, 2011. Pricing and information available below. Call 866-355-0645 with questions. Complete details and rules/regulations available here.

TWO WAYS TO GET READY FOR LEADVILLE!
Option 1: CTS LT100 Premium Package
With this coaching package you’ll be paired with an experienced CTS Coach who has specific knowledge and experience with the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race. Your training plan will be hand-built one month at time – and adjusted every week as necessary - based on your progress and ongoing phone and email communication between you and your coach. Your training plan and training log will be available and can be updated online and via smartphone applications, and your coach will also analyze and utilize data from your power meter, heart rate monitor, GPS unit, etc. to monitor and adjust your training. Price: $288/month*

Option 2: CTS LT100 Ultimate Package The Ultimate package is the most comprehensive way to prepare for the Leadville 100. You’ll work with a coach hand-selected by Chris Carmichael for his or her LT100-specific experience and expertise at the Ultimate service level – an upgrade from the Premium service level featuring increased responsiveness and nutrition analysis. And for 2 ½ days in July 2012 you’ll join the CTS Coaches for our proven Reconnaissance & Training Camp on the Leadville 100 course. These coveted camp slots sell out in minutes, but through this exclusive package you are guaranteed a camp slot at a significantly discounted price. Price: $620/month (includes coaching and discounted camp fees)* *plus LT100 Mountain Bike Race Entry Fee

HOW THE CTS LOTTERY WILL WORK 1. Click on the button below to go to the CTS Online Store. Click the Leadville tab and add your choice of LT100 Coaching/Camp options to your shopping cart. Registering for both will increase your chances of being selected, but you will only be selected for one package. You must register for the deadline by 12:00 AM MST on Monday, October 31.

2. Click the Checkout button, enter your contact and billing information, and check out. Your credit card will be authorized to make sure it’s a valid card, but you will not be charged any money at all for registering for the CTS Lottery.

3. On October 31, we will draw names. If you are selected for one of these Coaching/Camp Packages, your credit card will immediately be charged for the first month package fee, coaching registration fee, and LT100 entry fee. See FAQ below for pricing details, initial charges and monthly charges.

4. CTS will notify all athletes who registered for the CTS Lottery of their status on Monday, October 31, 2011.

“Over the past two years, CTS has helped me take more than two hours off my LT100 time! Your expertise before the race, and the support during, have been crucial to my success. Thanks!” - Jeff C.

Race to the Sun

Sunlight a precious commodity nowadays spurs the legs into higher gear. Reached the first saddle in good time. The plentiful vehicle traffic kept the forest denizens at bay. You know when you burn more calories downhill than you do uphill it must be a change in seasons.

Motivation

Saturday awoke to clear skies dotted with a few waning clouds colored orange with sunrise. The spring like temperature of 62 promised warmth and boasted blue skies for a rare autumn day. The sunlight picked up the spirits after a week long string of grey marine layer mornings on the morning commute. Mostly single riders on the road as Bill and I arrived around 8:15 to the road. I picked up the pace at the base of the first climb by the Dalton Hot Shot Ranger Station.

It was a solo ride for those of us on the road. The reward was written on the mountains. The lure of clear air, warm sun and a gentle breeze made perfect weather conditions for a long ride. Catalina was visible in the distance. The strength of legs, self and bike -- it felt great to be alive and in the mountains riding. As the heart and lungs pounded I enjoyed the freedom of solo pedaling.

Scott zipped by me after the feedzone. "Shake a leg, GMR!" Jolted me and spurred me out of my comfort zone. Did I see 9.3 mph? I closed the gap but not enough. I was chasing Scott and it felt good. The visual of Scott in the lead helped me visualize where I wanted to be. By the time I arrived at the shed, the morning spring temperatures had heated up to summer levels. Spoke with one guy from San Marino, who had a planned group ride that had gone astray.

I felt like going on to fork plus four, six or seven, however the reality was the day was hotter than I planned for, water was the limiting factor. I pedalled out to Fork plus Four at my own pace having achieved my goal to the shed. I soaked up the scenery and the air and the rays. Decided to sit at the wall at the Point of No Return when Ron rode up. Damn Ron is nearly back to his pre-crash riding levels. Wow.

Ron and I headed back the same way, but I had photos to take, he powered his way up the first hill. I again enjoyed my own pace with no pressures to keep up stopping for photos and really just dallying to enjoy riding.

On the return visit to the shed meet Shawn who enjoys fresh vine ripened produce. We talked tomatos, brussel sprouts and pumpkins.

Matt on vacation was motivated to train his bicep.

Cheers!

Monday Night

Left at 6:09 pm. I rode to catch the waning rays while the dark encroached upon the day. Not many evenings left. Even with the new night light.

Double Double

It was a glorious weekend of riding. Friday the three of us Steve, Bill and I had a leisurely ride to the shed. Quiet road. Very few folks coming or going. Warm weather with sun and blue sky. A very even tempo to activate the muscles without over exerting Steve before his Sunday LA Triathlon. Rock on Steve.

Saturday was diametrically opposite to Friday. Overcast, cool. Plenty of folks coming and going. Faster pace. Marty of Riverside Bicycle Club caught me about two miles into the mountain and then kept me challenged to shed. Awesome ride, chatting, catching up on life and the challenges that the Fall season brings. Excellent time to shed. It's great to have camaraderie that keeps you up beat, up tempo and concentrating on conversation and not the muscles.

Thinking of fall, those of you who like the comfort of indoors may heed the lure of the track at the Velodrome. RBC is looking for folks who would like to take the certification class. The more the merrier, and the price of the instructor goes down as well. Just drop Marty an email.

Thinking it was a perfect ride, all you have to do is sail home, you meet a legend. A survivor of unbelievable odds. John who flirted with destiny on 04/25/2010 at mile marker 10.20 where he collided with a car travelling 45 miles per hour while he was doing 25 miles per hour. Amazing recovery, I see John ride every Saturday morning. John - Peter - Melissa - Tammy.

More coming.