Larkspur Loop on March 5th

This was my first visit to Alpine Dam and up Mt. Tamalpias in Marin County. What an adventure and a great way to spend my birthday. Shhh…yes, it was my actual birthday. It was a team buddy ride weekend. My gift from the team was pain, suffering and harassment but still a beautiful day and adventure.



The weather was perfection, in the 60’s with no wind or rain. I was having a good ride tackling the first climbs up to the dam. However, on the decent I discovered that I had a screw loose (insert joke here)…haha! My back water bottle & cage was coming loose, it was crooked and interfering. This caused me to slow, and ride down into Alpine Dam holding a water bottle in my hand…not fun!



Thank you to my teammates Jon& Jim for re-configuring the cage with the one screw I had left. This comprised the cage and it really couldn’t hold any weight without creating problems. So I was down to one fill-able water bottle for the remainder of the ride.



The rest of the ride up Mt. Tam was a tough one over the Seven Sisters and especially into the visitor center parking lot. There, I popped a small wheelie…not my intent! It was a very steep grade and my lighter bike and lack of proper position created the OMG moment…yikes! I don’t recommend this on a road bike:) Obviously, I still have A LOT to learn. But mission accomplished…I rode all the way to the top of Mt. Tam!!!



The view from the top of Mt. Tam was truly a breath-taking gift...so far, the best I've seen in the Bay Area. It was a spectacular day to spend with friends old & new as I tackled another great ride! Having it be on my birthday made it that much more memorable:)

Feels like winter!

After an entire week of being on weather-watch, we were blessed with good cycling weather for our Orinda team ride. Thankfully, all the sea-level snow warnings didn't come to fruition. It was still damn cold but we were prepared. Most of us were dressed like we were heading out to the slopes of the sierra's not cycling the east bay...haha!



The week before a hearty and foolish bunch of us braved almost monsoon conditions for a 60 mile buddy ride. Probably the worst combination of weather I have ridden in so far. Many on our team titled it "The Epic Ride". To me it felt more like an episode of survivor on bikes! So this week was a very welcome relief from battling multiple elements.

I continue to be amazed by what my new bike, "Willie" has carried me through in just a few short weeks. This week was similar mileage to the previous, but the climbing was pushed up to about 5000'. We were doing hill repeats on Pinehurst! I'm thrilled I've made it through 4 weeks of this training.



I'm surprised, that this many weeks in and I'm still meeting and getting to know new teammates. Obviously, I need to work on my social skills...haha! I know that seems shocking, considering how chatty I can be, but our ride groups have been somewhat speed segregated. The hurry up and go methodology of this team doesn't leave much time for socializing off of the bike. Especially for my group that has a slower pace, at times everyone is done & gone by the time we roll in. Nevertheless, we are still having fun.

Overall it was a very good ride. Discovered some new roads and areas to ride...didn't fall down or run over any wildlife and am getting to know my team. Oh, and it was a sunny day spent on my bike...so, not a bad day at all!

New Wheels & New Adventures

Last week a big change happened in my cycling...I got a new bike, "Willie"! My friends at Pegasus Bicycle Works built him for me in time to start my Death Ride training. Its a beautiful Wilier with Campy components designed to get me up those grueling climbs.

Saturday was his maiden voyage with the team. This was the bikes true test, since I had only ridden him a couple times before this ride. On the first hill climb the lower gearing and pushing 7 less pounds of bike weight was very apparent. It was amazing at the ease of which this bike glided up the hills!



However, my new toy does take some getting use to...throughout the day I found myself struggling with new clips and cleats set-up. The rhythm of my stops & starts are not as smooth as they used to be...it frustrates me a little. The lighter weight bike going downhill also feels strange.

Overall I was having a great ride with the bike until our route briefly popped us onto a bike path. This is where my day got interesting. As I was coasting along, another little pink cyclist with training wheels on took an abrupt left turn into my front wheel...yikes! My options were, abrupt left off the road and down into a rushing creek or emergency break and lay my bike down...oh, shit! Fortunately I was only at a coasting speed and took option # 2. I did everything I could to protect the bike in the process. It appeared other than a bruised ego everything was fine with me and the bike. Oh...and I didn't run over the little girl.

45 minutes later I began to feel the effects of the fall. My neck & shoulders were tightening up and my bike wouldn't shift into the lower gears. After identifying my need for Advil and SAG to adjust my bent derailleur...we headed onto the last part of our ride.

After the unscheduled stop, I was riding with only two people (a friend and a coach) to catch up with the rest of our group. As we were heading up the last climb of the day, I encounter another unexpected visitor...a squirrel! Without warning he jumped off a rock at my front tire! I braced for impact...we all did! Somehow, his massive squirrel body made it pass my front tire (barely) and I ran over his tail...we were all screaming including the squirrel! Holy crap...I ran over a live squirrel!



Somehow, we all survived the encounter without hitting the pavement. OMG...my heart was pounding out of my chest as we didn't break stride in our cadence. I was not about to hit the pavement twice in one day! Since there was no bike lane we had to continue riding to the top of the hill before we could take a second to catch our breath and check our shorts...seriously!

Having this be my first team ride with "Willie", I thought nature and children had it out for me and/or my bike...haha! It was quite the story to tell when we reached the rest of the team. Two first's...going down with my bike and running over a live animal. Trust me...I don't want seconds on either of those activities!

It was an eventful day and one I will not soon forget.

Ride safely and beware of training wheels and squirrels!

Here we go...ride #1

The first ride of the season always goes through Pinole. Its a fast-paced day of clinics and a timed sorting ride to determine the ride groups for the season.

For newbie participants it is an overwhelming deluge of information. It becomes home-coming week for the staff and alumni. The spring season has two cycle teams, Death Ride and Tahoe/STP and they are combined for the clinics, so the socializing was times two.

After 2 hours of clinics...ugh, we were split up into ride group based on our self-professed abilities. I quickly stepped up to be in the turtle group. It was obvious I was in the minority of the team...we were only 4 people.



This was unlike my previous team sorting rides of a rolling 12 mile out & back...we had the challenge of a 30 mile climbing loop! We headed out in groups and everyone quickly spread out. It was very apparent with this team that I was riding out of my league.

I would best describe the bulk of my teammates as gazelle/mountain goat hybrids. Its amazing to watch them effortlessly ascend the hills and speed away from me on the flats. I aspire to be half that good by the end of this season.

In spite of riding at the end of the pack all day, I had a great ride. Well, the flat tire wasn't too fun...haha! However, the weather was gorgeous, my ride company was entertaining and my ride average (with all that hill climbing) was a personal best of 12 mph.

I'm just taking one week at a time and my goal isn't speed but finishing each time. My hope is I will improve each week, as will the rest of the team. Therefore, I will likely retain my turtle status throughout this season...hopefully, smiling all the way there.

A HUGE change in my plans...

Well...its official, I think I finally lost my damn mind!

As of last week I'm now a member of the 2011 Death Ride team. Did I just say that out loud...yikes!?! They say, admitting to it is the first step...haha! This truly came out of left field for me since I didn't sign up for it.

When it was found out that I was passed over for a staff position on the TNT AMBR/STP team, I suddenly became fresh meat...and the vultures of the TNT Death Ride (DR) team came a callin':-o I was unaware at the time, but there was some amazingly sweet and supportive calls and emails made on my behalf from former teammates, that prompted the cycle manager (with the support of the head coach) to contact me. I expressed my known concerns and they were fully willing to work with me.

I weighed my options for several days with input from friends, pro/con lists and a talk with my horse (yes, she needed to know & yes, I talk to my horse). In the end, the support and encouragement from my personal cycling network of friends, my Sports Injury (SI)Doc and bike shop brought me to the conclusion to agree to join the team. This was an opportunity that may never come along again...so, "why not"

My initial concerns was first, my body's ability...and my cycling SI doc gave me the green light & committed to keep my body healthy through the season & has already set me up on a nutritional plan. The one change she prescribed, as a "must"...better bike and gearing.


That brings me to my second concern...proper equipment. I love my bike but "B" has taken me as far as he can go and this task is bigger than he was built for. I started researching newer bikes online. During a conversation, while I was processing my decision whether or not to join the DR team, the owner of the bike shop offered me an amazing opportunity...to build me a custom bike for this event! A new bike was not on my radar or in my budget. He purposed a P/T work trade (to administer/manage his bike team) in exchange for me getting much more bike than I could have ever afforded. Its very exciting but I think I sold my soul on this one...haha!

As you can see, its definitely going to take a village to get me through this training and the event! And having everyone stepping up, has been amazing. Some of my dearest villagers have also been offering up their time (to ride together) & emotional support...which may be called upon as I move further into the training season.

I was lucky to also not have to fund-raise this season but the irony is they appointed me to be the "Fundraising Captain" for the team! A cruel joke indeed, since now my worry will go way beyond myself and onto my entire team's success with their fundraising goals...cue the Pepcid!


At this moment I haven't convinced myself I will complete the final event. All I can do now is trust the system and the coaches. I'm committed (or I should be) to put my best effort into this and see how it plays out. I definitely have more will and tenacity than I have athletic ability.

My life in general has been about pushing through challenges, fears and naysayers to reach goals. This event will be an extreme version of pushing my limits and cutting through the doubts...its another unexpected step in my journey.

Riding through 2010

This was the year that I went from riding a bike to becoming a cyclist. My little idea of trying something new, quickly became a challenge to train & participate in endurance events and now has become my sanity and new passion. I'm so thankful for my little partner in this adventure, my bike "B". This old retired bike that I was able to dust off and give a second chance to (had been stored in many pieces in a shed for years) has been an amazing gift to help me on my journey. This bike had seen better days and took a lot of work to become my constant and reliable (most of the time) companion this last year.


With the limited abilities of this bike (est. 1998 Bianchi) and my body, I was amazed of what we have been able to accomplish together! I believe tenacity is our main ingredient for success. I have ridden well over 2000 miles this last year between events and training. Having had the opportunity to ride all around the bay area and see the most amazing places has been wonderful! This year I traveled to Solvang, Moab Utah, and Lakeport California to ride in their endurance events as part of Team in Training (TNT). Each event was amazing and special to me for different reasons.

Outside of TNT I entered and rode The Cinderella Classic, Diablo Century and The Tour de Asti with friends. All beautiful and fun rides that I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing with my cycling buddies. It was a great year and I felt very accomplished with my cycling goals. I definitively exceeded my personal expectations for year one of riding.




So now what...tomorrow is 2011 and the start of a new year and cycling season? Well, I continue to ride at least once a week and more if weather and my schedule allows. I've also begun to formulate my goals and rides for 2011. Part of my criteria involves riding with friends. So far, I have not actually entered any rides but plan on riding The Cinderella Classic, Tahoe/AMBR, The Konocti Challenge and The Tour de Asti. I'm positive that the list will grow as the weather and my motivation improves. I want to ride in some different events and expand on my current ride list...I'm sure new opportunities will present themselves.


Happy New Year and ride safe in 2011~

Kick-off #1 of 2

It's that time already?!? I can't believe that we had our Moab kickoff last Saturday...where did this summer go? It was a beautiful day in Novato for our send-off ride and a fun celebration. However, now the real work begins as I'm standing ankle deep in luggage, clothes, equipment, cycling gear, supplements, lots of sunscreen and instructions for this trip!

I've never had to ship my bike anywhere before...its a bit overwhelming at the moment. What to take off the bike, where to pack things, how much to bring...its making my head spin! This is a process that begins tomorrow with shipping my bike and sending my ride gear with my coach (who's driving to the event).



I plan on an early morning last ride before I need to send "B" and my gear onto Moab. Then I need to organize and pack everything else to leave on Thursday morning...it will be here quickly! I'm also in process of pre-hydrating for riding in the altitude. Actually I should have just bought a camel pack, not for riding with but to walk around with all week to continue to drink enough...haha!


This ride is more intimidating than my past century, due to not only the altitude but the heat and more intensive climbing! We have a succession of climbs with names like "The Launch Pad", "The Big Nasty", "Stairway to Heaven" and many other nasty friends! I've been told we will climb for 20 miles!!! Of course, everyone who's done the ride, tries to soften the blow with talking about how wonderful the descent will be...that is if I make it up there without passing out from lack of oxygen or dehydration...haha!

It just another obstacle for me to overcome, I just need to trust my coaches and the process at this point. I also need to remember how good I felt after our 75 mile last week and control my breathing by not talking...which my coach will appreciate:) I truly am looking forward to sharing this adventure and experience with my teammates!




I understand the scenery will be spectacular as we ride through the canyon lands and archways of southern Utah. I will do my best to document the event, as much as possible! I was hoping to get a helmet-cam in time for the ride to take some video and scenery shots but unfortunately it looks like I ran out of time on making that happen. Hopefully I can get one before our second team event in Konocti in two weeks...stay tuned!




I added in this last photo of the hotel where our team will be staying at and the location of the start of the ride.

We will be nestled in paradise!