THE ANTI CINDERELLA SELF SUPPORTED CENTURY-2007

(Marchl 2007) The Anti-Cinderella Self Supported Century-98.55 miles, 6800' climbing. First 20 miles great Diablo Cyclist Club Ride over the Bears--the w/ Kitty & CA Mike up Tilden, along Skyline, Down into Redwood Regional Park, to Willow Park Golf Course, up Palomaras, to Sunol and back via Danville.15.0 mph, mostly bs'ing miles

First Big Mike and Joe kicking my butt on the Pigs and Bears ( I missed every move/ jump) while Big Chris instigating the attacks and then dropped off (but he did pull us to the foot of the Pig, so all is forgiven.)

Then CA Mike--eyeing his 400k brevet, wanted to put in some endurance work so we split from the group and climbed into Tilden, joined by 2005 doubles stage race winner Kitty. Great way to end a wonderful cycling month--weather sunny and almost perfect (another 10 degrees on the Berkeley side and maybe 5 more on the Contra Costa side.) Forgot how great Palomaras is to climb from the northern side--while I still go down hill slowly I remember how scared shitless I was the first time I went down the south side of Palomaras in 2003.

Kitty, who never hammers, hammered on Niles Canyon (uphill/ tailwind) as the road full of cars with very crappy shoulders freaked her out. But they do have a "share the road" sign--a planners way to spend $3 on making a route "safe" for bikes. Otherwise we just rode at the pace of the slowest person--following the old Nick Salvador rule I'd circled back downhill to redo part of a climb with the slowest rider instead of being anise at the top. A few years back a 100 self supported miles with 7,000' climbing would have been the hardest ride I'd do all year--now it was the easiest Saturday ride for the month of March.

DAVIS-MIDDLETOWN-COBB MOUNTAIN 300k BREVET-2007

In honor of my two fixed gear buddies--a Spoke Card for the special edition Anna Nicole Smith Memorial Breast-Paris-Breast..

(March 2007) 300km (190 miles) Davis Bike Club semi supported Brevet from Davis to Cobb Mountain and Back. with Don & Cal.Mike as they qualify for Breast-Paris-Breast (sic), 8,589' climbing, 18.6 mph when we hammer to 1st control @ mile 65--16.8 mph when we make it a social ride

Don and Mike at the start-why are they being stared at?

I missed the 200 km brevet with the flu--and had promised California Mike last year I'd do it with it him (it rained last year and neither of us did it.) Now Don, our best long distance rider, is also going for B-P-B (my loss, Mike's gain as with Don's help I thought we could finish top 25 in Mt Tam double after finishing 35th two years in a row..) So though the thought of riding at nite doesn't thrill me (brevet starts at 7am-late for a double), nor the need to pack food as there is minimal support, I kept hearing in my head "Museeuw is always full of surprises." After f'ing up Mines Road last week (2nd to Junction, then last behind little kind with big wheels back to Walnut Creek), and promise of good weather, and as I have an easy schedule this, oh what the hell. Don and Mike fun to ride with. So this will be one big surprise.

California Mike In the Pelaton

Lots of peculiar rules to a brevet to get ready for. Simple, Need NON blinking lights in the back. Harder, Need a REFLECTIVE vest or a reflective sash that makes one look like a school crossing guard. After making fun of the people who do doubles wearing their sash in the middle of the day, I wasn't going to get one--so I hurried up and found a place in Texas that would sell me a little reflective material (most places have 100 yards minimum, and curiously they were out of silver-they only had orange in stock)-then took my one plain cycling vest (orange) to my favorite dress shop so they could do a rush sew order. Usually a 200 mile brevet would have few people, but as a B-P-B* qualifying year-Mike told me about 200 people on the first in the series, the 200k. While we hammered up Diablo on Wednesday night, Don told me that the Davis club does support the brevet and there was food at the 200k turnaround. However, I expected the worse (Planet Ultraesque) so packed 1000g of carbs of food and sports drink powder in a cleat bag that I modified to fit onto my bike rack. Gain 5.5 lbs. Another 1.5 lb for the lights that I would have to carry. But price is right-less than half the cost of the usual double. (*yes, I know I switched the cities around.)

Don and Mike, early morning in the flat farmland. My bike is loaded up so might as well have a special camera holder on the front.

Nice easy check in at a park and ride north of Davis--no number or wristband--you get a card that will be marked at the 3 controls at 67 miles, 95 miles (the turnaround) and 122 miles (same place as the first) on the out and back course from Davis to Cobb Mountain. It actually is a very familiar course--almost identical to the first (better) half of the Davis Double. Easily obtained a map and route sheet from the Davis Bike Club website (compare to Planet Ultra website for Solvang "Note: Route sheets are NOT available prior to rider check- in; so please, please don't ask us to send you one.") Surprised that some free food at the start--already beating Planet Ultra non support at their Solvang Double. Spot legendary sag driver Lee Mitchell--another plus over the more expensive Solvang. I go back to the car and sleep for a half hour, when I wake up parking lot is jammed with people talking about "Paris." While setting up my GT with the 5.5 lb stuffed brevet bag (that I wouldn't need) and lights, Cal Mike and Don spot me--Mike not really surprised to see me-he thought I'd be here. Only bad thing is that it is a brisk 52 degrees (albeit sunny)--I hate the cold. Suddenly a riders meeting that, as usual, no one can hear and we're off. Two women Mike knows from Fresno ride with us but too damn cold to do much talking.

Through the farmlands of Davis a huge pelaton easily going 21--except at most of the turns and little rises a very sudden slowing. About 1/4 of the riders carrying more crap than me with huge bags spilling over sideways off of racks, like a rolled up blanket behind a horses saddle---but most riders not carrying anything at all.

Don at Moscowites Junction store-our first unofficial stop at mile 45

Accordion group goes on for 24 miles, to Winters. Guy next to me tells me he has the hub generator light which weighs 2lbs, which he'll need for all the nightime riding in B-P-B* (sic, yes I know*) We lost most of the other people with huge oversized bags, reflective sashes and glow in the dark triangles. I like my brevet bag which is streamlined--unlike the super oversized Rivendale bag flopping off the sides of some bikes. Folks have 20 hours to complete this brevet--but it will be dark in 12 1/2 and that is when I'd like to finish.

Don through the Napa Valley

I'll have to whizz and take off my two vests before the first control/ stop at mile 67 so Don and I decide we'll stop at mile 45--where a store is at the intersection Highway 128 & 121. I wish I could take off the vest now but don't want to fall behind the pelaton--though some have already stopped at a market at mile 24 or a park at mile 30. In front of the park a guy with a huge safety triangle on his back cuts in front of me and slows down--I yell that he should hold his line and that he needs a BIGGER safety triangle. Don is also getting tired of the stop-start-stop and weaving, especially when a group trying to hold on to a tandem's wheel cut him off. We are near the front of the pelaton so when the rollers start Don tries to escape and I try to help him but on the downhill rollers we are bridged back to--by the line of people who are riding the tandem's ass--including guy with triangle. .

Cardiac Climb starts-2 miles at 6%. Triangle guy shoots by. I tell Don, (who has already told me "remember, this is not a race")--" heads or tails?," do an imaginary coin flip "ITS M for MUSEEUW." I don't care if my bike weights +7 lbs, and now I'm overdressed wearing two vests. I take off and shoot by the guy who tries to get away by standing but I can stand for far longer. OK--I may, once again, pay for this later. At top I go to dig out the camera but Don is too fast--only a few seconds behind--behind him is triangle guy. It takes me a few seconds to put the camera back, and by this time both are off on downhill. Luckily Don knew where we'd regroup, and Lori, the women's Terrible Two champ came by so we shot the breeze for a while. She's riding with a guy from Mexico whose English is not that good--explains earlier when Don tried to make a break and I was neutralized as the Mexican guy was riding in middle of the road and a Davis Club guy came riding up and., (to no avail) started yelling for him to move over, and then to us that if we didn't ride single file we'd be dq'd from going to Paris. I thought "dq me, what do I care," but stayed on the far right until pelaton came back to Don. Mile 45-Moscowites Junction-18.8 mph. Unofficial stop. Unfriendly store with loads of "no bathroom unless customer," "water machine NOT for customers use," signs. Do what I need to do anyway, no Mike, so Don and I press on. The fast brevet riders who can go longer without stopping are long gone--many other ones behind us who stopped in Winters or still on Cardiac.


I'm at Pope Valley-Control 1 (in English, a rest stop) -Mile 67. Wearing Mr. Rossi-Siena jersey to give proceedings an international flair

Mike filling up with water; what no bottled water, these brevets are rough.

We ride a fast two man through Napa into Pope Valley--the only thing slowing us down are the loads of ruts, bumps on the road. Napa spent $7 fixing the road--putting white paint triangles and arrows around the potholes and ruts. I got my heart rate around 300 when a dog came out and chased but a motorcyclist luckily got between me and the dog. Very familiar with route as on Tour of Napa Valley, and Davis Double. We flew past lots of cyclists and hit Pope Valley Control Station at mile 67--average 18.6 mph.

Lee's famous Sagmobile with speakers. "Lee-Play the Doors"

Pleasant surprise at Pope Valley control. No need for me to have brought 5.5lbs of food and sports drink powder. PBJ & make your own deli sandwiches. Carb snacks (breakfast bars), cookies and fruit. HAMMERGEL packs. SUSTAINED ENERGY already premixed. Cytomax (which worked out later putting just 5% in plain water for flavor.) Also spotted the Lee Mitchel sagmobile, which had already passed up about a half dozen times on the road playing tunes. (Lee-play some Doors!) And this is a brevet????-did I mention much more support than Planet Ultra's 2x as expensive Solvang double.

Mike & Don in front of Hubap Ranch

Now getting warm, and with food provided my brevet bag now getting stuffed with knee warmers, arm warmers, sock liners. Knew rollers to Middletown and then big climb of the day, so mistake NOT also taking off wool tee-shirt. Mike rolls in and our plan is to ride together to Cobb Mountain. We start off together past Hubcap Ranch and Aetna Springs Road--where the Tour of Napa Valley has lunch. Soon rollers start and Mike falls off, so Don and I pull away--no longer at a breakneck speed but at a serious pace--and riding a two man paceline doesn't help the gap. At one point we get on a beautiful rural road, narrow and no center line--kind of reminds me of riding in Italy. In any event not much traffic. And soon into Middletown where Don takes away the (getting lost) club championship from me by getting lost TWICE



Cobb Mountain climb near the top--another steep uphill section

Now mile 86, big climb of the day is about to start up Cobb Mountain, 5 miles between 6-11%. I remembered it tree lined and Don did on a fixed gear last year (I think 42-19) so only fleeting thought to taking off wool undershirt. But as I quickly found out-not tree lined, it just was cloudy last year. Between the extra 7 lbs of food & lights, and being overdress I am miserable. It is about 75 degrees and sunny. With gears Don easily glides up--I do what I don't want to do--get off the f'n bike to take off the f'n Rivendell woolen undershirt--which makes the rest of the ascent bearable.. Adding insult to injury loads of riders now coming back from lunch and having fun shooting down the mountain--we are truly the "achtervolgers."


Don with Campy Eric at Cobb Mountain-two crazy fixed gear riders.


My insurance against getting sleepy later on.

Cobb School-Mile 95--another control and the turn around spot on the out and back course. Good--as this route is much nicer than the rest of the usual Davis Double 2nd half course with increased traffic and headwinds. Don already sitting and relaxing and talking to Campy Guy Eric. Another great spread--but I just get some Sustained Energy with Chocolate Hammergel and am going to hydrate and catch some sleep. Already told Don not to worry, I'm not exhausted, but just don't want to get sleepy later. Found a nice spot under a tree and zoned out for 30 minutes.


Took two rolls of film to get a great action photo--CA Mike and Don on Butts Canyon Road.

Mike joins us and we lounge around some more. Lady gets out of car and can't believe that we started in Davis. Beautiful spot--truthfully I'd have lounged out for another two hours and then get transported back. Now shoot down Cobb Mountain--in direction of Knoxville Double (thinking back I think this is road we mistakenly went down on Pedal Round the Puddle years back.) About 35 riders now first going uphill. I'm going slower than usual as bike with topload is very sluggish around turns--and Mike and Don disappear into the distance. They'd ride slowly AFTER Middletown (I went the right way!!!) and we'd regroup at the start of Butts Canyon Road and ride most of the way together or wait for each other on the top of sudden short climbs..



Mike on Butt Canyon Road

After rollers we stay together to Pope Valley Control at mile 122, which was same spot as the 1st control of the day. Mike has a tire going flat--big hole in tire, so we spend some time there doing tire repair. We hit an uphill with a headwind but that doesn't stop Don, it slows me somewhat and slows Mike down a lot. It is also getting cool which bugs my knee. Again Don is waiting at Moscowites Junction--mile 145. I get water from unfriendly store but bathrooms are now locked. Hmmmm.



Don waiting at Aetna Springs turnoff (lunch on Tour of Napa Valley).
Tire repair at Control 3.

Mike comes in and we start putting on all the clothes we shed in the morning--and now we all laugh at everyone's reflective vest.. From here it is uphill for almost 2 miles at 6%. Don and I do the climb together--speeding by everything including nice looking young coed off to the side (in a picnic area pullout) in a bikini. We stop at bailout at top to wait for Mike, and lament that Mike needs to be faster on the climbs so he wouldn't miss the view we got. Mike gets last laugh--he pulls in and tells us that when he was passing by the piullout some "bi curious" action was going on by two bikini clad girls.. Don at Moscowites Junction--now 145 miles into the ride.
No truth to the rumor that this is photo of Mike when he came across bikini clad bi-curious action.

Funny--Don and I dawdled out of rest stops (albeit 4 instead of 5 as on Knoxville), but in September, starting 1 1/2 hours earlier, when we rode this stretch it was getting dark quickly while now we still had good light approaching the same turn. Maybe it was because we were now 160 miles into the ride and not 188, but with just 19 miles to go and riding a strong 3 man along the flats, we would probably finish just after sunset. But Mike's bike had another idea, his bad tire was flatting among the orchards--so we figured best to change it while we still had some light. All of a sudden Lee Mitchell and his sag wagon came by in opposite direction--Mike yelled "pump" and Lee pulled a "U" and helped fix the tire. Lee told us he had a tire if we needed--but being a brevet he was short some supplies, he wasn't carrying any extra wheels today.

Now like riding in a disco--as bike light really illuminating vest of rider in the front of our 3 man as we weave through dark farm roads. My Niterider (@10 watts) on bike and Princetontec (@ 1 watt) on helmet working well. We all have two back lights--as if you only have one that fails you could get dq'd. Mike's bag light isn't on, I stupidly mention it to him--so when he turns it on I can see his oversized saddle bag sway back and forth. OK--good reason to pull so I don't get hypnotized.. At mile 179, befopre freeway overpass, is secret control where we have to sign in-and can grab water and breakfast bars. Workers are gung-ho, "you are close to Paris." I tell one that this was a great ride, but I just enjoyed it and am not going to Paris. He told me that on non B-P-B year they get about 20 riders--heck, this could be a club ride next year. Get back into gear and see that one of the reasons I hate riding at night--no view--go over water crossing but can't see anything except reflective vest and bott dots. All of a sudden hit the overpass-back to quarter filled Park and Ride--turn in brevet cards. I'm not a member of RUSA--so will have to get brevet medal on Ebay. And while I'm not going to Paris, and 1 hour of night riding enough for me, this a great training ride and I hope to get back to Italy (this time do it correctly,) and also one day do the Tour of Flanders course.

GT BIKE with slick brevet bag-bungies holding it onto rack are on botton of bag through copper tubing

Mike & Don on top of Cardiac


Tire repairs also good time to put on lights


Lee comes along and helps out

Secret rest stop, control about 9mile outside Davis--they'll be out there until 2am.

FOOTHILL CENTURY & MINES ROAD MARCH MADNESS-2007

Three long distance training rides planned for March. Two days before Foothill I was thinking how nonplussed I was about it (just 100 miles), when in 2004 I was scared shitless when faced by the string of century rides I had to solo. Each week the ride promised to get better. The first one, the Foothill Century, is a long (loong) way, in Merced--heart of the agriculture belt. They also have the McLane Pacific crit race that day--ironically my last race ever was the McLane Pacific Road Race in 2004. The area features long windswept roads occasionally punctuated by a steep roller. Foothill was not high on my list of century rides to do but as the weather broke by midweek seemed like a good training ride.



(March 2007) Foothill Century w/ Don (on fixed,, of course), Jack, Doug and Ward--94 miles, 18.1 average (18.6 mid ride), 2880' climbing

Start to 1st Rest stop-20.6 miles, 271' climbing, 18.8 mph avg

1st to 2nd Rest Stop-14.6 miles, 400' climbing, 19.9 mph avg

2nd to 3rd Rest Stop-23.2 miles, 1306' climbing, 16.9 mph avg

3rd to 4th Rest Stop-18.9 miles, 608' climbing, 18.6 mph avg

4th Rest Stop to Finish-16.8 miles, 294' climbing, 17.1 mph avg

From one of Ward's GPS toys.

The morning was cool, 47, but sunny--by mid day it was warm. Jack knew what he was doing, it was freezing in the morning and he was still putting on sun tan lotion. I scoffed and I wound up with a red nose.

(Segment 1) For first 5 miles we took it easy and watched Jack take a wrong turn (trying to take away my getting lost club championship), then a bit of subdivison hell, where everyone managed to get lost. But soon in farmland, on flat but pot hole strewn roads with standing water, and distinctive farm animal smells. Nice tailwind and we organized, with everyone trading pulls-- we were flying, passing scores of riders all day who left much earlier while we dawdled until 7:50, and later at rest stops. Dumpy rest stop in the middle of nowhere with only one outhouse and a long line.

Why the f am I smiling--it is 47 degrees, when we are leaving town. I can't remember my time, it's too fn early and my brain is frozen. Ward O Crazy Photo

(Segment 2) Continuation of farmland but changed from flat to smaller rollers. Still had the tailwind--still kept together. Familiar rest stop at Turlock Lake, same as Riverbank. I enjoyed ham (and banana/poppy seed muffins) to the horror of carbo loving Doug. At least he agreed that Virginia Ham with the glaze may not be so bad--as the glaze is like Hammergel.

(Segment 3) Rollers now were getting a little bigger. After Doug worried if Don could keep up with us on his fixed gear on the climbs, Don and I jumped out on some rollers, a Valley Spokesman racer jumped on and we were off and stayed away. We had to slack off a little on the downhills but got to the Riverbank familiar Don Pedro Market about 3 minutes before the rest of the group.

Jack and I chasing back on beautiful Merced Falls Road. Ward-o-crazy photo.



(Segment 4) While Riverbank continues East we were now going to circle back Southwest and I feared a tailwind the whole way back. That was unfounded. Now nice and sunny. We stayed at lunch for a pretty long time--more ham, poppy muffins, bananas and macadamia cookies--unfortunately I didn't take extra HEED and Jack had forgotten his bag of Perpetuem, so we had to drink (yuck) Gatorade. . Funny moment--at lunch stop on porta-potty line when some Luna Bar clad woman (group on the ride) looked at my bike and pointed it out to friends--"look at that orange bike with orange tires." I loudly exclaimed "who would ride such a thing." We saw out "sister city" (Benecia) bike club, who left the lunch stop @10 minutes before us--they said they rode hard the rest of the day so we wouldn't pass them. Don and Doug left lunch like a rocket while Ward-Jack and I were too stiff and left easily. We were now on the best segment of the ride, a nice 12 mile back road section--on Merced Falls Road with steep short uphills and long downhills. With the wind being a nonfactor. Jack-Ward-I got our dander up and started riding hard to get back to Don-Doug, one of the "Luna Bar" women was well ahead of her friends, and joined our paceline. After we caught Don-Doug we all eased it up a bit--so never caught the Benecia cyclists.


Pro crit race in real nice looking downtown Merced--which we got to watch while eating the post meal-ribs from Big Bubba's Bad to the Bone Belgium BBQ & Beer and Brats and other "B" words. (OK red words added by me) Later I found out that Henk Vogels was in the front of the pack and if I was a little quicker I could have gotten his photo.



(Segment 5) Looked like we were in Knights Ferry but way way south in LaGrange, right next to Snelling where I had raced years before. Unfortunately late in the ride we took a 10 mile shortcut detour--so we'll never know if we would have caught back to Benecia Cyclists or not. I was a little peeved--we probably missed the BEST part of the course. All the remaining impetus went out after I was leading fast moving paceline and came across two women riding in front of us. I called "out on your left." The women in the back jumped up startled and said "you scared me." Then the women in the front turn LEFT, right into my path. Jack yelled (unlike Jack), and I help out my hand and gently stiff armed her away. Think Ward was miffed he didn't get to hug the women--or maybe it was because his knee had gone to hell. After we left the Cinderella trainees we were soon back into subdivisons and into town where the crit races were still going strong. After doing Foothill no need to do Riverbank--and while Riverbank supposedly has a "wine and cheese" festival on the other side of a sterile town--this ride actually starts in a beautiful town next to a bike race,, where you can eat the end o ride bbq meal in the middle of a crit course with a small bike fest underway. This is one to do again if weather isn't crappy. Only negative-only saw one sag car.



Inner thigh hurting a little-acute at times. No way could have gone another 100 miles today. But first Century over 18mph since the Foxy 10/15/05.



FLU TIME--NO DAVIS 200Km BREVET--Don't wish for things, you might get it. Last year I was kinda shoddy about my daily exercise training and letting my weight creep up, and every ride too f'n hard. Since turning 50 last fall I have hit the stretching/ situp/ curl circuit each morning and night, and over the winter I shed the 8-10 lbs I couldn't last year so down to 143 lbs. The lowest I have been since I raced at the beginning of 2004, when fear (and later depression) was a great motivator. Then news from spring training that many of the Giants have the flu bug and losing weight. Gee I briefly thought, that would be a way to lose..... Nah, stupid idea. So after last week's Foothill Century looking forward to another 100+ mile ride. My great bosses let me work at home on Tuesday, which means instead of a commute I start at 6:30 and will eventually taking a 3 hour lunch to go train. So what happens on Tuesday mornings--FLUSH-FLUSH-FLUSH-FLUSH-FLUSH... Few days later have to bail out of the brevet. Damn. But now down to 141-lowest weight since I was probably 12.

(March 2007) Diablo Cyclist Self Supported Double Metric, Heather Farms, Walnut Creek to Mines Road Junction w/ Don, Steve B. & Big Mike, Joined Enroute By Jack, Joe & June Doing their Own Climbing Century over Hamilton & Sierra Road, and Rest of Diablo Cyclists and Donna w/ Delta Pedalers Both Doing Metric Out and Back on Mines Road-121 Miles-17.2 Avg



Second annual early spring ride up Mines Road to the Junction--a 60 mile out and back that involves 3000 feet of climbing--mostly on the "out" portion. Once again we have the option of starting from our home base in Walnut Creek instead of Livermore--which is 30 miles away. Once again, my old club, The Delta Pedalers doing their ONE big ride of the year on the same day so another chance to surprise my wife when I see her en route. Of course I'll be surprised to see which con artist-Jo Jo or Whiny Mike, I'll see on the ride.



During the week some of our long distance members decide that they rather NOT have to start a 7:00 in Walnut Creek-sunrise, and rather start with the rest of the group and add climbing to the ride--meaning up Mt. Hamilton the hard way. As not planning any climbing rides until Climb to Kaiser (not that thrilled with Devil Mountain Double to do it each year, daughter graduates on Terrible Two Day, and burnt out on the good but overrated Death Rides so doing Climb to Kaiser instead), rather just put in the flat-rolling miles. Of course the flat-rollers between Walnut Creek and Livermore wouldn't be easy with Doubles potential Hall of Fame members Don and Steve B., and the powerhouse Big Mike. I later joked that we had the spring classics gang while our Stage riders on the climbing ride.


Dawn at Heather Farms



Unseasonable warm all week and beautiful dawn at Heather Farms. Kept a brisk pace down Danville Blvd, past Blackhawk, and then suddenly out of suburbia and on farm roads with light traffic but the few pickups that passed belching smoke. Sometimes we'd bs for a few minutes but Steve never puts up with that for long, and if we slacked he'd pick up the pace. At one point I'm pulling at 24 and he gets impatient and whizzes by at 26 so I have to get on his wheel and chase him to the traditional sprint point. Don comes along and tries to calm us down-- "remember, we still have to go awhile..," at this point we are probably 40 miles and 3000' feet short of the Mines Road Junction.



Roll into Livermore downtown past the traditional St Patty's day "green" fountain. It is 9:00. Get to library a few minutes later--Donna hasn't left yet so I call out and surprise her "you said you were leaving early today to go up Mt. Diablo." Our group isn't close to ready either, but I don't know this as I hastily shed clothes for someone who drove over to put in their car. No tee shirt-knee or arm warmers needed now. Donna rides over to say hi before her group leaves--but doesn't look like Delta Pedalers leaving together--seemingly every 5 minutes another 2-3 leave. Donna surprise that the Diablo Cyclists have a much larger turnout, as this is the the Delta Pedalers seminal ride of the year --but this should be no surprise at all. Just our usual turnout of a few dozen folks.



Jack, of all people (countries should set their train schedule by him), is very late and we finally roll out at 9:20. First 5 miles flat and we just stay in a huge bsing pelaton where I find out about Cal Mike's Brevet adventure last week. Recall last year I was bugging Don to show me exactly where the DMD rest stop was going to be. Then mile 6-11, not only does the climb start but it is the steepest section of Mines Road until the end. Here I wanted to pick up the pace, and also wanted to see Donna en route as she started 15 minutes ahead of us, and she was going to be riding alone. Joe came with me and off we went--sometimes my pausing to slow to say hello to someone I knew. Soon came upon Donna and rode with her briefly but then it was back to business. Now @mile 12 where the climb becomes gentle and Joe quickly spinning off while I was chasing--losing ground on the downhills, gaining some on the steep uphills, and remaining about 200' back and unable to close at all other times. Joe then waited for me--and if we rode together we'd kind of ensure that we'd stay away from everyone else, and no use really racing Joe on this course as two steep twisty downhills at the end which he'd take very very well and I take piss poorly. We started taking turns pulling but not really going hard as seemingly no one in front or in back of us--when suddenly we spot, closing fast a trio--as they get closer we see guy in yellow jersey I don't know, and of course Steve B. and Big Mike going balls out. Also joined by Professor Dave and a guy in a red jersey we had passed. Joe and I accept the inevitable--no escaping Steve and Mike when road is gently uphill, but why did our "teammates" help a stranger get back to us (turns out Steve knew the guy.) Soon in a fast paceline with "yellow jersey" guy often jumping out like a semi--attack and I'd jump on his wheel so he couldn't go off the front. I'd rotate back quickly--figuring as we got closer to the ending steep hills I'd try to leap out of the group after the guy took a pull, and while getting cooked with everyone chasing me I'd set something up for Joe.



Another plan down the toilet. Guy in red came forward after unknown nemesis in yellow rotated out--meanwhile Professor Dave, Steve and Mike dropped out--Mike yelling something about the insane pace. Then when I went to the front I stayed at the front to long trying to figure who was with us and where. So next time yellow jersey guy surged I wasn't ready-Joe went with him--and little did we know that he wasn't going to the Junction but stopping 5 miles closer--down the road at the County Line--before the steep climbs and twisting descents started. Now I wasn't going to do anything on the descents but I was pissed that I had been inattentive--Joe now off and no chance to catch up with him--guy in red with me--who did all the work before the climbs I wasn't going to help him back to Joe.) I figured when the road got steep I'd then jump.



Plan worked nicely up the first hill--but on the descent guy in red caught up with me. Then we got into the second steep hill--same thing happened. He got on my wheel on the 1-2 mile straight run into the junction, pulled past with 1/4 mile to go but then the last short but really steep uphill. I was already fuming re my jumbling tactics before so I had one of those out of body (good) experience where I stood over the bars and was able to go balls out the length of the uphill. I, of course thought the guy was right behind me--later he told me that I had flown by him. Turns out that he is a real nice guy who was on this ride as Jo-Jo's ex's neighbor--and later he would ride back with us and help me out when I was falling apart.



I spend a long time focusing on the race up to the Junction as this was the high point of the day. The reward of getting to the Junction 2nd is that there is not a long-long line for food (last year Big Mike and I rode past the Junction for some bonus miles, by the time we came back it too me 20 minutes to get water and Big Mikes Peanut Butter sandwich was ready 40 minutes later.) Got some water and found a bench under an Oak. Not real hungry--finished bottle of Perpetuem and could only eat a small Rice Krispie (2 vegetables-rice and marshmellows)

Now some Diablo Cyclists coming in and then a few Delta Pedalers. Donna looked real happy when she came in--ride not hard for her and CA Mike rode with her for awhile where they got to talk about my accidents.. Soon the 3 J's-Joe-June and Jack set out to do Mt. Hamilton which turned out to be beautiful. But little did Joe know that when one gets Jack to do bonus miles, you really do bonus miles--instead of returning the easy way down Mines, Jack had them return by climbing Sierra Road. Which in retrospect sounded good--returning on the mostly Mines downhill is nice if you aren't hammering, and Steve-Don and Mike were, and we were joined by Rusty, Stephen, Dave and the guy in red. I probably have the worse downhill skills of this group and definitely not among the fastest.



To get out of the junction you have to do the two steep climbs and the the downhill starts--last year I went off by myself and hooked up with with club members going a nice but easy pace on the downhill; this year I went back down the hill while we waited to regroup, and then usually rode last wheel trying to follow while the paceline was going balls out. Kind of disappointed that it was so hard--I expected to get dropped on the last 6 mile steep downhill (remember Mines in the other direction is the steepest climb of the day), but surprised about how hard it was for me until then. And I had downed both water bottles, not a good sign (shitl maybe like Central Coast I hadn't eaten enought??)

Things got worse--we stopped at a gas station on the edge of Livermore--I sat in teh sun and didn't want to leave. Jeannie pull in, driving back, and I was tempted to get a lift. We started back on the country roads--windless in the morning--now a crosswind and I'm a shitty crosswind rider. Harder and harder to keep up with the paceline and I dropped off--soon Big Mike drops off-I tell him don't wait for me, I have a map and know how to get back. But he isn't waiting for me-he is cooked to. Shit--earlier today doing 20mph on an uphill, now barely hitting 14mph. I can't figure out what is wrong--legs OK, breathing good--just no energy. Soon pick up the pace--though keep tasting the Pumpkin Cliff Bar (usually just have them for coffee--two sweet for during a ride.) We go past fire station outside Blackhalk and I'm so committed to try to keep up a reasonable speed that I don't notice ourt Diablo Cyclist gruppo waiting for Big Mike and I. From Blackhawk it is mostly downhill which Stephen and Steve are driving--with (for once) NO red lights for a needed rest. Glad to get to Danville, which is an easy roll through town, and then a more moderate speed on Danville Boulevard, Suddenly the ride is over. (When he stops laughing the next week Rusty asks me rhetorically what do I expect riding so hard when I just got over the flu)



But my heart doesn't realize the ride is over--heart is still racing, I'm cramping, thirsty and nauseous. Get a health shake and move car into shade. Lay back, plan is to rest for 15 minutes-1:15 later I wake up and wonder how a great ride fell apart so quickly. Lesson to be learned like on last years DMD and Central Coast--got to respect the rides and do a much better job pacing myself during the first half of rides. Maybe getting over the flu did me in--checked my carb count and was taking in over 50 per hour except for the last. Disappointing ending to a promising ride. Next day rode easily on my fixed gear as part of the achtervolgers (Donna's first Diablo Cyclist ride.)