A bit short of 50 but after the 53 yesterday and then coming home and cleaning and cooking and then entertaining at our Halloween Party for several hours, I was whipped and Sheila is still sick. So we took it a bit easy, did 30 and will try to ride to work a few times this week.
Skipped the official buddy ride today. Instead I joined Sheila's team and did a long ride - 53 miles. The idea was 50 miles Saturday and 50 miles Sunday.
The route was Caņada down to 92 and back, then into Woodside and over whiskey hill to Sand Hill road to Foothill. Down Foothill all the way until it turns into Stevens Canyon and down into the park all the way to Mount Eden. Turn around and go all the way back to Woodside road and up and over to Caņada and back to the car. Whew!
Rode to work twice this week. 28 miles each way and 2 hours a day of time in the saddle. Good stuff.
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over hill, over dale.
through rain and wind.
up and down highway 1 we rode from Santa Cruz Natural Bridges to San Gregorio and back.
A slight detour off one side road - we climbed a mountain and back down to 1.
Slightly before we got to the turnaround point, it started raining. It was sprinkling for a little bit and then it turned into full blown cold and windy rain.
Yuk!
But we pressed on and I completed the full 76 miles! Yippee.
Today Sheila and I rode 70 miles!
yes. 70 miles! (actually 70.68 - but who's counting - me!)
We did the buddy ride today, except we got there late so we picked up directions that the coach left and made our way on our own. Sheila was great and rode a little slower than normal so I wouldn't have to ride by myself. We rode through Newark and over to Niles and to Niles Canyon road. We turned and climbed Palomares (same route as 2 weeks ago from this point). The first part of the climb was as hard as last time. The rest of the climb seemed shorter than last time. Perhaps because we had done it before.
The ride down was fun. Still scary because it was so steep. I rode a lot of it in the largest ring and hardest gear - pedalling at 27 mph. Cool!
Then down along the road next to 580 - long, slightly graded and evil - and finally to Foothill and along to the park. A brief eating break and on we went. Passed by a lot of fast men on large bicycles.
Then through Sunol and under 680 to Calaveras. Then we headed up the Calaveras climb. Seemed easier than last time. Sheila broke another spoke and tried to fix it at the summit. From the summit to the real section that goes downhill was long and needed to be over faster. This section fools you. You think you are descending and go downhill, and then next thing you know you are climbing hills again. At this point I am thinking, I am tired, I want to be done and out of this place - one road in, one road out.
The descent was awesome and at one point I was going albout 35 miles an hour.
The last 17 miles were hard and boring - basically working our way back from Milpitas to Newark and the Don Edwards preserve. On the way I struck up a conversation with another cyclist and ended up misreading the directions. I put an extra mile on the bike and I had to turn around and go back and get back on track. Finally made it back to the car and off the bike. My fingers went numb and for an hour afterwards i still felt like I was moving - but I rode 70 miles!
Only 39 more and we have the distance of the Tour de Tuscon. Yikes!