Update on Border Wall & Anzalduas Bridge

I've written about the border wall before, but at the time construction hadn't started. As of this week, it has started. In fact, it would have started last week, but Hurricane Dolly delayed the start of the project. And for some reason, one of the first places they started is in Granjeno, about 3 miles from my home.

Since today is Thursday, I rode loops in Granjeno with Team McAllen. I took the camera on the ride, took a one block detour, and took this shot:




They're building the wall on top of the levee, combining the theoretical security of the wall with improved levee performance. Looks fairly impressive, unless you live near the construction area. Here's the same exact section of wall, but with a wider angle:

I'm thinking that I would be quite upset if I owned this property. And there are several homeowners in the Granjeno area alone that are facing the same situation, not to mention all of the other areas along the border.

About 1 mile from this construction area is the new Anzalduas Bridge. It's an impressive project, and seems to be moving very quickly. I took this photo atop the same levee, and it will eventually have a wall there as well, so I wouldn't be able to recreate this image a few months from now.

Progress...some good, some very debatable.

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El Campeon

I've driven past El Campeon, a Reynosa bike shop, many times, but today I finally got a picture with a friend's camera phone. The shop is absolutely intriguing to me. I have so many questions, like:

• Who owns it, and what's their cycling history?
• What is their specialty? Repair? Parts? Used bikes?
• How long has the shop been in this location?

I like to think that the shop is owned by an aging cyclist, once the champion of Nuevo Leon or Tamaulipas. Maybe he is famous for his record-setting time up El Chipinque in Monterrey. Or perhaps the owner is someone I've actually met, and he rides with Team McAllen on Sundays. Maybe the only reason I don't know the story is that my Spanish is so horrible, and I've been afraid to scratch up a conversation with him as we pulled the group into the South Texas wind.

Have a look at the shop. I think you'll find yourself imagining the same kinds of stories that I do.

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Thanks for the Leadership

At the beginning of each Team McAllen Sunday ride, one or two of the officers speak to the riders about club topics: upcoming rides, SAG volunteers, safety, and similar topics. Today they hit us with big news. Effective immediately, the President, VP, and Secretary were resigning.

They asked that we respect their decision, and offered to help the new officers after we elect them. The President alluded to a recurring health issue as part of the reason. Although I'll honor their request and respect their decision, deep, deep down I think that someone (or multiple people) has said something hurtful or questioned their leadership, and that it's just not worth it anymore. I won't speculate further, especially since we were asked to respect their decision.

One thing I don't have to speculate on is their leadership. Since joining the team 2 years ago, I have been stunned by the amount of effort the leaderships pours into the team. They organized team vacations, recurring charity rides, spur-of-the-moment urgent charity rides, and the recent 2-day Hero Ride to San Antonio. Additionally, they provide leadership to riders on the Tuesday-Thursday evening rides, as well as weekend rides. Before moving to the Rio Grande Valley, I never saw team leadership like this. To the three officers -- thanks for your leadership, your time, and your expertise. You should be proud of your effort, and of the obvious results.
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Tag Sale

Bike Noob tagged me. I'm too tired to give a snarky response to every question, so some answers are serious, some are firmly tongue in cheek, but all are short. Enjoy.




If you could have any one — and only one — bike in the world, what would it be?

2008 Ibis SilkSL.


Do you already have that coveted dream bike? If so, is it everything you hoped it would be? If not, are you working toward getting it? If you’re not working toward getting it, why not?

No. I’m working toward getting it, but at this rate I have 20+ years to go.


If you had to choose one — and only one — bike route to do every day for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why?

The Alpe D’Huez climb and descent, because it’s perhaps the most famous climb in the world.


What kind of sick person would force another person to ride one and only one bike ride for the rest of her / his life?

Who knows? This is obviously a trick question.


Do you ride both road and mountain bikes? If both, which do you prefer and why? If only one or the other, why are you so narrowminded?

No, only road. I’m narrow-minded because I don’t like the crashes that happened almost every time I went mountain biking.


Have you ever ridden a recumbent? If so, why? If not, describe the circumstances under which you would ride a recumbent.

No. I would ride one if someone loaned me one. I’m not snobby about things like this.


Have you ever raced a triathlon? If so, have you also ever tried strangling yourself with dental floss?

No and no.


Suppose you were forced to either give up ice cream or bicycles for the rest of your life. Which would you give up, and why?

Ice cream, because there are lots of reasonable substitutes.


What is a question you think this questionnaire should have asked, but has not? Also, answer it.

Q: How many people do you know that have “too much bike” for their skill level?
A: Almost all of the cyclists I know, including myself.


You’re riding your bike in the wilderness (if you’re a roadie, you’re on a road, but otherwise the surroundings are quite wilderness-like) and you see a bear. The bear sees you. What do you do?

Use my East Texas “go on” yell on it, just like I do with loose dogs. If you’ve never heard it, you’re missing out.


Now, tag three biking bloggers. List them below.

I honestly don’t have 3 blogs that I read that haven’t ALREADY been tagged by this. The chain stops with me.

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Dolly's Damage

Before I delve into the substance of this post, let me express my sympathy to those that have truly been affected by Hurricane Dolly. Families have spent the night in shelters, thousands lost power, property damage has been high, and there have surely been human casualties from the storm. On the other hand, I have sustained some relatively minor property damage, my family is safe, and recovery will be rapid. This post is meant to document the situation for my readers, and not to minimize the impact felt by others. So...

Yesterday around 3pm Dolly started howling. Due to the rotation of the storm, the WEST side of my home took most of the impact of the storm. This was counterintuitive, and if you recall I boarded windows and doors on the EAST side of the house. Regardless, I don't think any amount of boarding would have helped with what happened:

As soon as the wind-driven rain started falling consistently, at a rate of maybe 1" per hour, all of the rear windows in the play room began leaking. None of the other western windows leaked, only these. But they were more than enough. I think the cause is the method by which the pergola is attached the house. It's not something I did; rather, it was a gift from the original homeowner / builder. To control the water, I used plastic sheeting taped to the top of the windows, draped down into buckets, as shown in the below photo. This worked, but not perfectly. Sometimes the water would make it's way behind the plastic, sometimes new leaks would spring in areas not covered by the plastic. And I had to stay up all night, emptying the buckets every 2 hours. At one point, one of the windows was almost filling the bucket up within 2 hours.




Once I got that problem under control, I relaxed a little. Then I remembered the cat was outside. I set him up some food and a litter box in the garage, found him hiding under a bush, and brought him into the garage. As I returned from the garage, I noticed that one of the can lights was dripping water. And I could see where the sheetrock seams were wet. Diagnosis -- roof leak. I used a razor knife to cut a small hole in the seam, thus directing water where I wanted it, and placed a bucket. Water literally poured out of the cut. It looked like this:

Then I realized the house was infested with a poltergeist, as the paint was bubbling and peeling off the adjacent wall as if it were alive. On second thought, it was water finding another way out of the ceiling. It was traveling between the paint and the sheetrock paper. I cut the latex paint, allow the water to escape, and placed a beach towel on the floor to collect the water. That little problem looked like this:

The roof leak had me very worried. What if the ceiling collapsed? I decided to go into the attic and see if I could find the leak. I had to move a bunch of stuff in the garage that was brought in because of the hurricane. I backed out my truck, opened the attic door, and climbed in with a flashlight, caulk, and a towel. The location of the leak required me to belly crawl about 10 feet through blown-in insulation. Not fun. When I reached the leak location, I realized this was no minor leak. The roof 'hips out' over the kitchen, and where it joined the west wall of the house, there appeared to be a major leak. There was water visible along a 6 foot stretch of the wall, and due to the construction, no way to even attempt caulking the leak. I crawled out, feeling quite useless, but resigned to fight the leak with buckets. I did so, throughout the night, and the ceiling did not collapse. Nor did any of the leaks damaged any property. And that's great!

That's pretty much the extent of the interior damage. It seems minimal, but I think it will require the kitchen ceiling to be replaced. Additionally, the blown-in insulation will need to be replaced. This will probably be an insurance claim. More on that later...

So after a long night of waking up every few hours, around 8am this morning the rain slowed to a drizzle and the wind died down. I ventured outside for a look-see. Our beautiful wild olive trees were blown down. These were planted last year, and we love them. I'm going to try to right them and stake them up, but these might be a claim as well. Here's what one of them looked like after being buffetted by wind all day and all night:

And now for the good news-bad news story. When I looked at the roof, I realized the most probable cause of the leak. An insulating / sealing foam piece had blown out during the storm. It provided a perfect entry hole for wind-driven rain. It's hard to see in the below photo, but the 2nd full channel in the roof section is missing the insulating foam that is under the flashing and on top of the corrugated roofing metal.

I'll keep an eye on things today. Hopefully, most of the rain is gone. The family will return tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll probably call my homeowner's insurance carrier and start the claim process.

Good wishes and prayers for those that were REALLY affected by this storm. I am thankful that the damaged sustained to my property is minimal, and that my family and I are safe.

One Hundred Push Ups

Prior to the double-century San Antonio ride, I was really focused on losing weight. I dropped from 193 to 177 lbs, and my informal goal was to reach 173 lbs. I'm still going after the goal, but I've decided to add to it.

As you may know, I've already been running about 4 times per week, 3 miles per run. For me, it's a great way to burn calories quickly and subsidize my cycling, as I'm usually limited to 1-2 rides per week due to time constraints. But what about upper body strength and core strength? I haven't been doing much. Coincidentally, last week I stumbled on the One Hundred Push Ups site through Digg. It's a 6 week program designed to train you to be able to do 100 consecutive push ups. Of course, it's only one exercise, but it's a goodie. It strengthens the chest, shoulders, triceps, abdominals, and back.

I've already completed my 'max' test -- 22 consecutive push ups was all I could muster. Not that bad, but definitely not that good. I'll keep the blog posted as I complete the 6 week program.
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Dolly's Coming

Hurricane Dolly is on her way to the Rio Grande Valley. She looks like this:



Our house faces to the east, which will see the full exposure of the wind. I decided to board up the upstairs windows and doors, both to prevent breakage and to protect against wind-driven rain. The upstairs doors tend to leak, so this should help. I also moved all of our chairs, swing, plants, and other loose objects. All of this makes the house look sad:

We're expecting lots of wind and rain tonight, with landfall tomorrow. If we still have electricity, I'll post an update.

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Forgot the Best Part

I forgot the absolute best part of the Hero Ride -- the support of my family. My spouse met me in SA, and shoe polished 'Go Jeff Go' on the back window of my truck. She traveled 5 hours by car with my daughter Lola, and believe me, that's no easy feat. Unfortunately, I didn't see her when she passed us on I-37, but some of the team saw the 'Go Jeff Go' message. It made them feel good to see it, and made me happy to hear about it.

Alos, my parents brought my daughter Betsy to SA, as she had been visiting both sets of grandparents the previous week. With the help of Victoria's parents, she had made a sign for me that said 'My Dad's My Hero'. If that don't make you proud, nothing will.

I love all of them, and I hope they all know what it meant to me for them to sacrifice their time and energy to meet me in San Antonio!

Hero Ride Report (McAllen to San Antonio)

I just made it home, and wanted to make a quick post-ride report. Unfortunately, I have no photos at this time, but might have some in the future. If I receive them, you'll see them. So here's the skinny on the ride:

Day 1: McAllen to Alice

• The ride started with a touching ceremony, where we heard from a bone marrow recipient and his donor. It was truly touching. We were led out from United Blood Services at 7:30a by at least 6 motorcycle police, and several cars. My Pop is a retired officer, and I can tell you from experience that we were well escorted all the way to Edinburg.
• I rode with the 'elite' group, which was about 30 riders strong. We had sections where we picked it up to 25 MPH, and it seemed like we averaged 22 MPH. It was a great pace, and I felt strong the entire ride.
• I drank 24 oz of Nuun infused water about every 30 miles, plus another 24 oz of water. I ate solid food at each stop, although not too much. I backed that up with Clif Gels every 45 miles or so. I FELT GREAT.
• We finished early afternoon, maybe 3pm. It was hot, but I stayed cool by pouring water on my head whenver necessary. No overheating at all.
• We slept at a Best Western Executive Inn in Alice. I elected to use my sleeping pad, and slept so-so. But it was 'all good'.
• Dinner was the 3-meat plate from a local BBQ joint, followed by some not very good peach cobbler. But it all went down well.
• I received the "Good Attitude" award. Anyone that knows me knows I'm a hater, so I think this was rigged!

Day 2: Alice to San Antonio

• We got an early start, and departed at 6am. We saw a beautiful sunrise that some said looked like a cross, but to me looked like a mushroom cloud over Port Aransas. Why argue?
• We hit the gentle rollers that lead in to George West and Three Rivers, and you would think we were in the Alps. Everyone was stressing. I was a big talker, saying how they were nothing but rollers. Then on the steepest one, I shifted poorly and crossed up my chain, completely locking up the drive train. I had to stop to get it out of the bind. I felt like a goof...maybe that's not just a feeling?
• We rode on I-37. Yes, the interstate. I will strongly encourage the team that we take a different route next year. We had 5 flats from radial tire wire. We had a lot of close calls. We even saw one motorist run off the road into the median, all four tires in the grass. It was scary. But we made it.
• Around 1:30p, we stopped on the outskirts of San Antonio at Loop 1604. We had put in another 115 miles or so, and made great time. A bus picked us up and took us to the Methodist Children's Hospital in San Antonio for another touching ceremony.
• I honestly felt like I I had at least 50 more miles in my legs, maybe more. I felt great. No overheating, no nausea, no nothing. It was a very nice feeling.

All things considered, it was an absolutely great double century (plus). As with any major undertaking with 50+ participants (riders, SAG, families), it was a logistical nightmare. There were lessons learned, both good and bad. My thanks to the team officers and organizers, as I really had a great ride thanks to their efforts to support the riders. I'm looking forward to next year's ride, hopefully without any interstate miles!

It's the Final Countdown

The departure is less than 48 hours away. We start pedaling at 7:30a on Friday, which is a little late, but designed to support a kick-off ceremony with United Blood Services and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center. As always, I’ve still got a few things left to do before the ride. Here’s my list of prep activity, both completed and not.

COMPLETED PREP WORK

• Purchased (2) Vredestein Fortezza Tricomp tires, to be used in case of blowouts. I meant to buy Michelin Pro3, but couldn’t find them at the LBS.
• Purchased earplugs to be used in hotel room Friday night. I will be sharing a room with 3 other guys. All I can think about is this movie:

• Purchased (3) tubes, so that I will have a total of 4 for the ride. This follows Kopcha's Rule: there is always one more SOB than you counted on.
• Had bike checked out, tuned up, and deep cleaned.
• On the advice of an anonymous commenter, purchased some Nuun electrolyte tablets.
• Purchased Clif Shot energy gels, as supplement to the team-provided SAG snacks. ½ Mocha for the caffeine, ½ Razz because it’s the only other flavor HEB carries.
• Sent itinerary to spouse.
• Completed 30K mile service on my truck, so that the family can safely and reliably use it to come pick me up in San Antonio.
• Created a ‘mix tape’, now known as an iPod playlist, for my spouse so that she’s not so bored on the 4 hour drive to San Antonio.
  

YET TO BE COMPLETED PREP WORK

• Find and pack my Therma-a-Rest backpacking sleeping bad, to be used in case hotel bed situation just doesn’t work out.
• Clean bike drive train, and execute a quick clean on the rest; i.e. don’t clean down between each spoke and in every hard-to-reach area of the cassette (that was done last week).
• Yesterday, during my last ride before the Friday ride, I noticed the front derailleur didn’t want to go to the big ring, so I need to check and adjust derailleur action.
• Shave the legs. Actually, use the clippers on them, as shaving is a total nightmare for my legs. I will scratch my skin off on Friday night if I actually shave my legs.
• Pack bag with all the stuff I’ve bought, plus clothes for the weekend.
• Get a haircut. I had the perfect window for this, but I totally forgot. Now I’ll have to squeeze it in, which is tough with my schedule. Makes me want to use the clippers on the noggin, but I don’t think I’ve got the guts for it.

And I think that just about does it.

La Familia Part II

A few weeks ago, I promised more posts about the family. The first post in the series was about Betsy, our first-born daughter. Naturally, the 2nd post is about Lola, 2nd in birth order, but tied for 1st in the favorite daughter contest. As I did in the 1st post, I'll keep this simple by giving you ten facts about Lola:

1. Lola is 14 months old.


2. She knows how to say Daddy, Mama, and Betsy, although it doesn't always sound quite right.


3. She's not walking yet, but she's close.


4. Lola is a light sleeper. If I walk in her room at night to look at her and feel like a proud papa, I have to be careful, because the sound of the door opening will wake her.


5. She really likes to watch Yo Gabba Gabba. And so do all of us, as it's good, in a strange way.


6. Lola was born here in the Rio Grande Valley. I'll just say....hmmmm....it was a little different than our experience with Betsy's birth in Austin.


7. Lola has a giggly laugh, and Betsy brings it out better than anyone. She can make her belly laugh just by looking at her.


8. Lola is a good eater. She regularly eats a whole banana, a dozen Cheerios, and a strawberry or two for breakfast. And she acts like she would eat more.


9. We don't know who Lola looks like. It's too hard to tell. Most people we know agree with us on this.


10. Lola is not short for Dolores, as you Spanish speakers might be thinking. I'll keep her real name a secret for now.

Here's a collage of some photos of little Lola. She's growing so fast, that even when looking at recent photos there are major differences in her appearance. Also, thanks to Aunt K for 2 of these.

She's a great kid. For those of you that didn't already know her, I hope you enjoyed meeting her as much as I enjoyed writing about her.

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The Sour Science of Anti-Cycling Advertising

AutoZone has been spending beaucoup cash running this commercial on Versus during the Tour de France. Weird thing is, it's as close to anti-cycling as it gets. Some kid on a bike spends all of his money that he earned hauling hay and watching the neighbors' pets to fix up a '78 Gran Torino (or some such junker) . He rides his bike to get the parts, and once the car is running, well...watch and find out.

I really don't understand what marketing genius decided this would play well during the biggest cycling event of the year. But then again, I don't have a Bachelor of Science in Advertising. Since when is advertising a science? Is it a kind of like the sweet science? They should have tested their hypothesis again before coming to the conclusion that this commerical was good for the TDF.

A New Thursday Night Ride

I enjoy variety, at least in regard to cycling routes. On Saturdays, the Team McAllen ride is almost always the ride to Progreso. Boring. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we do the Granjeno Loop. Even more boring. It’s good to be with people you know, and it’s always good to be on the bike, but I like to ride different routes.

So when I heard that there were some renegades doing a different loop on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I enlisted immediately. At a very high level, it was a typical RGV ride – flat, farmland, semi-urban, windy. Wherever you live and ride, you live with the terrain and weather. On the other hand, if you analyze it comparatively and list pros and cons, then the subtle differences in local rides are much clearer. So here is what I liked and disliked about the ride.

LIKES

• Wasn’t a 6 mile loop like the normal ride, so I didn’t experience constant déjà vu.
• Included the Mission, Texas version of the Alpe D’Huez, which is the Bryan Road overpass at Expressway 83. It gains at least 30 feet over 30 yards. What a breathtaking climb, with stunning views. I didn’t even get out of the saddle!
• Includes some nice tree-lined sections of Bryan Road, mainly between Business 83 and Pecan. It really felt good to not have to constantly smell the fertilizer they use on the farmland that surrounds the Granjeno Loop.
• Once we turned on Ware Road, there are about a dozen fast food joints. So if I had been hungry, I had the opportunity to eat a Quarter Pounder with Cheese instead of a Clif Gel.
• Ride started at Granjeno Community Center with other Team McAllen riders, so I was able to chit-chat about the San Antonio Ride.

DISLIKES

• 3 Mile Road was covered in debris. Like a 50 gallon plant container. And all sorts of automotive cables and tire debris. All I could think about was getting a flat, or getting something thrown up into me and the bike.
• There is no bike lane on Ware Road south of Business 83. So the 3 of us took up the right lane. Not my favorite thing to do, although my fight-or-flight response kicked in and I was moving pretty fast.
• Unlike the back stretch of the Granjeno Loop, there was no isolated area with tailwind where I could easily surge up to 30mph and feel just for a moment like I was in the Tour De France.
• The route was too square. That just crimps my style, man. Actually, I meant that literally. Just check out the map. It’s like a tangram.

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Challenges of the San Antonio Ride

Next Friday, July 18, I will be participating in a charity ride with some fellow Team McAllen cyclists. It will be a two day ride from McAllen to San Antonio. Frankly, I’ve missed a couple of team meetings, and don’t have all the details, but that’s not what I want to write about anyway. What I want to write about are the challenges of the ride, and my thoughts on how I will face them.


CHALLENGE #1: 120 miles per day

RESPONSE: I can do this. I’ve been training. I run 3 miles per day 4 times per week, at a good calorie-burning pace. I cycle once, sometimes twice, for 30 miles of interval training during the week. On weekends, I cycle at least one ride of 50 miles, usually more, at 18-20 mph pace. I’ve recently completed 106 miles in the heat, with only minor problems, and no physical issues the next day. Based on how I've trained for previous centuries, long rides, and 10K runs, I think I've trained the right way. Plus I still have this weekend to put in another long ride!


CHALLENGE #2: It will be very hot.

RESPONSE: Yes, it will be hot, probably near 100F (38C), at least after 12pm. I ride in the heat often, and will use all of the tricks that I know: frequent hydration, cooling down by spraying water on my head and body, and unzipping my jersey to let the chilly wind cool my torso. Ehhh….that last one doesn’t work so well. The hidden key to success is to start early, and keep a good pace so that I can finish earlier. It’s REALLY hot between 3-6p.


CHALLENGE #3: The total ride will be back-to-back centuries + 20 miles.

RESPONSE: See Challenge #1. After previous centuries, I’ve felt like I could ride another one the next day. Now I’ll get a chance to do it. My seat time has been good, my sit bones are tough, and as long as I stay hydrated and get good rest, I think the 2nd day will be fine.


CHALLENGE #4: With that many miles, what about mechanical problems?

RESPONSE: Bike has been examined by Speedo, with minor repairs completed. Spare tubes and tires will be stocked in SAG wagon. Tools will be available. This one probably scares me more than the physical element. I would hate to have a major mechanical failure, and have to ride in the SAG wagon. It might jinx me to say it, but I've been maintaining the bike more or less the same way for the last several years, and have never had a major mechanical problem on a long ride.


CHALLENGE #5: Why would you do something like this? Seems torturous.

RESPONSE: You must not be a cyclist, triathlete, runner, or other endurance athlete. It's all about the challenge. And to add to that, a very deserving charity will benefit. Also, my family is planning on meeting me at the finish. That, if nothing else does, will keep me spinning. Of course, they want to see me finish...and then see Sea World!


I'll have more information as the ride gets closer, and obviously will have a post-ride summary.

A History of Heart Problems

As a person with a family history of coronary artery disease and heart attacks, the article headline of ‘Not a Moment Too Soon, I Thought of Tim Russert’ was enough to make me click through to the article. When the author mentions cycling in the first sentence, that ensured I read every word of his narrative detailing having a heart attack while cycling.

I try to take care of myself and visit the doctor when necessary. I’m currently on the ‘3 physicals in your 30s’ plan, and so far so good. As a result of a misdiagnosis, I have even had a fancy 3D image of my heart and arteries, and was told that I had no plaque or even calcium build up. I was told that physically I could do what I want.

I watch what I eat, but probably still eat a little too much red meat. As I age, I’m sure I’ll need to be even more vigilant of both my diet and any possible symptoms. But how can I tell if it’s the steep hill or pace that is causing the nausea, and not a heart attack? Maybe I’ll know it when I feel it? That part of the puzzle bothers me a little.

The NorCal Ride -- Climbing Redwood Gulch

If you've been following my postings, you know that this week was my trip to the Bay Area. The smoke from the fires cleared, my customer (let's call him Skip) confirmed, so I picked up the Look 585 rental from Silicon Valley Cycling Center and met him at 8am on Wednesday, July 2.

When Skip rolled up, he said he had a route in mind -- a loop route with some climbing and great views. I said "I'll follow you, Skip", and we headed south on Foothills Expressway and followed this route:

This is a great route. You leave urban Cupertino very quickly, and enter the redwood forests. But as soon as we entered the forest, I knew I was in trouble. I was on a rental bike without my computer, but I knew my heart rate was pegged. I couldnt' stay up with Skip. He waited on me at the first flat area, and I told him I needed a rest. He knew I was a flatlander, but I thought that since I'd been riding so many miles in the RGV winds, and had been dropping pounds, I would be ready. I was...but I wasn't. I didn't die, but I just couldn't attack the climbs and last very long. I had to stop twice more, and even walked one extremely steep section. The walking actually hurt me worse than riding, but it let my heart rate slow a little. I felt like a total noob, but Skip was understanding.

Here's a photo of one of the steep sections. Of course, it doesn't really convey how it looked, and it definitely doesn't convey how it felt to ride it.

Here's a shot I took at one of my heart rate breaks. It's looking back towards the valley from whence we'd climbed.

After we made the initial tough climbs, we turned onto a larger road (Congress Springs Road). It had less grade, but it was still a constant climb with infrequent flats. I was out of gears, just turning the cranks and pushing between 5-8mph. As we reached Skyline Boulevard, I was nearly out of water. We pulled into a parking area, but no water. The forestry service employee that was there didn't know where to get water. Not a good sign...

The good news is that the ride from there was basically flat or with major descents. Skyline runs the ridgeline, with the Pacific on the West and Silicon Valley on the East. We pedaled North on Skyline, with magnificent views in both directions. Unfortunately, the haze and fog kept the Pacific from view. And Skip just wouldn't slow down, so I didn't stop to take any photos until we turned East on Page Mill Road.

Here's a photo taken towards Silicon Valley, followed by one looking north at Mount Diablo.

As we headed down Page Mill Road, we lost elevation rapidly. I knew from riding in Austin not to ride the brakes, but what I didn't know was how to wind out the curves. I know the technique, I'm just not practiced. I didn't have a feel for the bike, nor for how it would handle in the curves. As a result, Skip was never in sight until he stopped to wait at the next turn.

Here's a photo of the descending road. Notice the skid marks from the car that entered too quickly.

Once we got back to the starting point, I asked a mechanic at the gas station to take a photo of me and the rental. He captured me in one of the absolutely worst poses ever. I know I still need to drop some spare tire fat, but this photo makes it look 10x worse. I bought a bottle of water, thankful that the 2nd half of the ride was almost all downhill, which kept me from getting to dehydrated.

With the ride over, I took the bike back to the shop. The owner asked me about the route. I said "we went up Redwood Gulch to Skyline". His jaw dropped, and he explained that he would have never recommended that route for me. "It's got 20% grade in several sections", he said. I knew it was steep when I was riding it, but I never thought it was that steep. When I made it back to the hotel, I looked up the climb details:

Max Grade: 21%

Avg Grade: 9.3%

Length: 1.43 miles

Climb: 690 feet

It's not an Alpen climb, but it's a toughie. I was suddenly proud of myself, even though I thought I could have done better. In a strange way, I was glad that I didn't pick the route, because I would have picked an easier route. By letting Skip pick it, I was inadvertently challenged, but was rewarded by the experience.

I can't wait to come back and try it again.

How Do I Look?

Check this out, then continue reading: Jennifer Love Hewitt rides a bicycle - Bicycle Blog
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If that's what she looks like when riding, then I must look like a dog turd on wheels when I'm riding!
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