Post Alta Alpina F'd Up Stuff

Stoked about finishing Alta Alpina.   For about a day.  Day after Alta Alpina muscles felt better than usual--instead of attacking the climbs and trying to muscle through them, Toby's gently spin up really preserved my legs during the ride and afterwards (though when we stopped the car for shakes in Lodi there was some tightness when we got out of the car.)  Dehydration was much much more of an issue than soreness--I couldn't drink enough over the next three days and ran "hot" when we went gently up Diablo trying to recover.

Ward always makes fun of my comfortable but torn Rolls Classic saddle--especially since I had a boxed replacement. Up to the Alta Alpina I didn't want to change saddles--get the "perfect" measurement 2mm or 2 degrees off.   Before Alta Alpina I did promise that if I finished the ride the worn saddle would be retired to the garage cycling museum with the Alta Alpina Pass Stickers adorning it..  

So go to work on Monday (2 days after Alta Alpina) and after a few hours of sitting around my calf suddenly get sore, real sore--just like a week before Alta Alpina.  It feels like someone kicked me, hard, about 4" from the crease in the back of my knee.  Constant pain at a hot spot somewhere on my leg--usually the back of my left calf.  An ace bandage helps but then my foot gets tingly and pain spot goes to the crease behind my knee.

Take the ace wrap on and off the next few days and apply heat.  Cycling up Mt. Diablo my calf is hurt/ stiff when I start but feels much much better half way through the ride.  Most pain is when I first wake up and then when sitting at work--where I am limping around.

Fourth of July on top of Mt Diablo--hazy Antioch in the background 3,848' below (Ward-o-photo)

With Diablo Cyclists after coming down from the top of Diablo.  Diablo Scott tipped us off a few years ago about this place to take a photo of the steep final ramp--from this spot it even looks steeper (Ward-o-photo)

EZ ride with Diablo Cyclists up Mt Diablo on the Fourth of July.     Many cyclist out training for the Death Ride.  I start the campaign to get much of our club up for next years Alta Alpina 3 or 5 or family fun ride--NOT THE  8!!!  When going up Diablo I can put in a random dig but it hurts too much when I do it--F, my legs are usually much much more dependable than my cardio.  Why is my calf so sore when it wasn't right after Alta Alpina? and why does pain sometimes travel around?

Sometime on the 4th the answer dawned on me and I was not happy.  My calf muscles aren't sore.  I have a vascular problem.  Perhaps this became apparent when I went to rub the most tender spot on the back of my calf and a I was touching a huge vein bulging out.  Ten years ago I had a vein stripped from my left leg--not fun--I imagined this having to be done again ASAP.

Next day was a cycling rest day but calf hurt more than the beginning of the week--same on Friday where I figured I may as well get a Kaiser appointment (usually a few weeks away at the earliest) and to my surprise I got to see my doctor the same day.  Dx'd as SUPERFICIAL THROMBOPHLEBITIS.  Phlebitis, oh shit-that' a dirty word-but doctor convinced that they'll go away.  Doctor said I do some great rides--impressive "for someone my age" (shutup.) Full strength Naproxen, sleeping/ working in support socks (if I wear them with shorts I can look like I retired to Miami Beach), and elevate my legs/ apply heating pad.    Luckily I got past the Sierra Double Metric Century and Alta Alpina Double with this crap..

High in the Oakland Hills wih Ward and Christine.

As was told that I should get exercise in but not do any long rides (Doctor must mean 200 milers), on Saturday  took an easy pace 60 miler today over the Berkeley Hills for a cup of coffee.  My body hasn't coped well with the heat since Alta Alpina and it got close to 100 today, so when we returned any notion of wanting to go up Mt. Diablo for bonus miles wasn't even considered.  Napping in the backyard never felt so good.

Sunday was Donnie & my 34th 'versary (we can't be that old--ok yeah she has a bad knee and I have bad veins so between us we have two good legs--we're that old)  Long long drive to Ft Bragg, mostly on curvy 2 lane roads.  I'm sure some motorists bitched about the dozen bikes that caused cars to check their speed or sometimes stop for a moment---but we were bitching about the @ two dozen auto tourists who constanly were going- 5/-10 UNDER the speed limit for miles and miles and miles and we couldn't pass them for 15 minutes at a time.  

(above) shhhh-The building in the back really isn't Eggheads, which is across the street (below) Pt Cabrillo Lighthouse

Ate at a funky place called EGGHEADS--Donnie ate here @20 years ago and remembered how good it was.  It still is--I had the best crepe I ever had.  Best part of the day was a walking down to the Pt. Cabrillo Lighthouse.