Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Recovery

It's taken two days to feel back up to snuf after back-to-back 22 mile rides on Saturday in Sunday in the intense heat and dry conditions here in Southern California.

My car needed servicing, my carpool partner was unavailable so I just "had" to work from home. I took the opportunity for the 14 miler. I felt stronger. My power wattage average over the 3.8 mile course of GMR was good.

The air was moister and the temperature cooler. The road is still closed. I realized without the cycling traffic of the weekends I was out there nearly by myself.

Gotta get the pictures from today. The view isn't as pretty as the clouds have cooled us down.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Nirvana

The sign stated road closed. The gate locked.



Mountain Road. No motorized vehicles. Nirvana.

The lure of road with out cars, without motorcycles pushed the guilty pleasure into the to-do column.


The temperature was closer to hades than heaven, at 105-108F. The heat and the winds have pushed the smog layer out to Pomona or beyond.



Starting early was a must. With the relative humidity at 20%, the moment your body sweated, it evaporated into air. I ended up a "quart and half" low after each ride in spite of consuming a full water bottle. For the first time I brought Gatorade mix on Sunday. This is the view from mile marker 5.



I optimized every moment and went the "full" distance to the top of Monroe Truck Trail or mile marker 5.00 for a round trip of 21.8 miles. A goal I haven't reached since January. Two back to back days of 22 miles of riding. Exhilaration and exhaustion. I feel back from the plantar fasciitis of February, but still mindful of heels and stretching.




Enjoy the beauty of nature while its still a bit green. This is Morris Dam in Azusa Canyon with Highway 39.



I did see a rider in a Phonak jersey Saturday. The CAS decision on another Phonak rider is still pending, but due out soon.