Sunday, July 15, 2012 (and Thursday, Friday and Saturday Prior!)

I don’t know why, but I keep thinking today is Saturday and yesterday I kept thinking it was Sunday…

Let’s see, it was Thursday I do believe when I last posted.  Um, yeah, I didn’t do the DVD, the couch sucked me in, and I needed a rest day.  I was bound and determined to ride Friday morning, regardless of the amount of sleep I would have.  I had to make sure to get up early because I needed to get to work early so I could leave early for a baseball game after work. 

The alarm went off and I began to question if this was such a good idea.  The bed makes such a convincing argument, which is why I must remember that when the alarm goes off I must get up, or the bed will win as the couch did Thursday night.  They are so dang persuasive.

Up! I stumble down the hall, oh my goodness, did I drink in my sleep?  Coffee, yes, definitely need coffee.  Start the coffee brewing and put my gear on.  I drink my coffee and grab my bike.  Ok, I’m off to a later start than I planned, so I can’t do the usual ride, plus it’s better to change it up.  I guess I’ll leave my Cyclemeter on ‘new route’ and just ride.  I have a little less than an hour, I need to be home by 7:00 so I can get ready and leave by 8:00, ideally, I’d leave at 7:30, but I can tell you already, that’s not going to happen, and actually since its Sunday, so I can tell you, it didn’t happen!

I head off at 6:05.  Today I take a picture of the sunrise coming over Folsom Dam, it’s a little bright, but I am in a hurry so I can’t worry about the photo opportunity.  I ride on and decide to take a left instead of a right.  I end up on Sophia Parkway and the view of the lake is phenomenal, for a moment I am envious of the homes that are to my right and left who have this as their view, but then I can enjoy the view for free whenever I want, so I change my mind, I’m good!  I snap a couple pictures and keep going.  I’m thinking, I’m getting faster at my 20 mile rides, it’s time to start tacking on some mileage when I do the rides on the days I work at home, I get an extra hour without the commute time plus I don’t have to do my hair or makeup…   I think this route I’m on now would be a good extension, it would add about another 4 miles, I meant to do the math, actually I think I did, I’ve just forgotten. 

I decide to make a U-turn and head back up Sophia Parkway instead of taking Green Valley Road.  Nothing too exciting occurred on this ride, just a “casual” ride before work. I had a squirrel run across the street in front of me, but that was about as interesting as the ride got, which is a good thing.

I roll up to the house at 7:33, oopsie!  I open the front door and Mark confirms the time, with a loving “you’re late.”  Yes, I know, I have 27 minutes to shower and get ready for work.  That’s the problem with cycling for me, once I get on my bike, I have a hard time (most of the time) ending the ride.

I decide it’s a good day for a pony tail since we have the baseball game in the evening and a dress.  I like dresses, no thought and usually no ironing involved.  However, if I had actually thought about it, I could have ironed my Capri’s and a top and then I wouldn’t have had to change after work.  Oh well, way too late to worry about it now, maybe I will remember in the future.. Sure...

Bless Mark’s heart, he made me a breakfast burrito to take into work with me and packed some snacks for me.  Out the door he ushers me at 8:00.  Woo hoo, made it to work by 8:30.  Mission Accomplished! (20.04 miles, 1:22:29 ride time, 922 calories).

Saturday I was supposed to run a 5k with a girlfriend in Davis, it has been on our calendar for months.  I meet her at her place at 5:00 PM (it’s an evening run).  Just as we are about to head out the door her phone rings.  It’s her dad; he tells us to turn on the news because the Yolo Causeway is being shut down due to an armed man on the loose.  Great.  We see the backlog of cars on the freeway… Should we try and go or not?  If we don’t go, will they still let us get our t-shirts?  It’s all about the shirt, you know!  As we are contemplating her husband chimes in with a smart comment, “um, do you think you should go with a man on the loose with an automatic weapon?”  Gotta say, good point. 

I was secretly ok with this as I was exhausted from the lack of sleep all week and my legs were sore!  We are both disappointed yet not so disappointed in the turn of events.  Per the news no one was injured by the “shooter” but there was a manhunt going on.  We decide to take a walk around her neighborhood in lieu of the “run.” 

We have a nice visit, walking our 5k at home and then when we get back to her house, the Cyclemeter map is showing we only walked 2 miles! Oh well, we’re good!  We head in and visit for a while and I head home. 

Today I rode with a group of friends.  We were aiming for a 40 mile ride and ended up with 45 miles, not too shabby!  I’m happy to say that there wasn’t too much excitement, overall a smooth ride, however, one of the gal’s got a flat tire on a hill, no fun, but she got that tired changed in no time flat.  She said it was her 3^rd this year which was me last year.  The only good thing about flat after flat after flat is that you get really good at changing them, but then you forget if you don’t have to do it. I’d rather forget and not have flats!

I couldn’t believe it, we were riding, and the friend ahead of me made the light, I had to stop, I get rolling again and there is a little traffic backup from the signal and the cars are getting moving, and a motorcycle rider must have decided that the cars were moving too slow for him because next thing I know he is passing the cars on the right in the bike lane!  I was thinking, oh my gosh, I hope my friend is farther up ahead or else he’s going to be right in the line of fire.   The motorcycle pulled out from behind a SUV, so he wouldn’t have seen the cyclist in the bike lane.  I wished there had been a cop around, but no.  Fortunately my friend was up ahead and out of danger.  It still baffles me the stupid stuff drivers do.  I think it would be beneficial if you had to ride a bike on the streets prior to obtaining your driver’s license so that you can see what your actions can do.  I know riding makes me a much more conscientious driver.
Other than the motorcycle and the flat tire, it all went smoothly.  We swung into the shopping center at mile 40 and a couple of us got a frozen yogurt or coffee.  I have to say, the non-dairy watermelon yogurt was really, really good!  Refreshed, we headed back home to finish the ride. (Cyclemeter: 44.94 miles, 3:23:41 ride time, 1,991 calories)

My plans are thwarted.  I had big plans to ride every morning this week; however my body or mind or the One who knows the plan better than me is overriding my plan.

I got a ride in Sunday after I met a girlfriend for coffee. We had a great visit.  We were chatting and laughing and I could tell the man sitting behind us was getting a kick out of our conversation.  He was wearing a jersey so I assumed he had just either completed or was getting ready to ride. 

I mentioned to my girlfriend that I was planning to see Magic Mike after work on Tuesday with a couple of friends from work; she would be out of town.  I couldn’t remember Channing Tatum’s name, I confuse his first and last name… We were laughing saying basically, it doesn’t matter what his name was so long as we could enjoy him dancing….  I was watching the guy behind my friend smiling and laughing at us being so obnoxious about the movie.  He chimed into our conversation saying that some gals he runs with saw it and said there is too much story and not enough skin!  We laughed and chatted with him for a couple of minutes.

He asked if we ran or rode, my girlfriend told him that I rode and ran.  He is prepping for the Death Ride, I told him I just read about that and a guy I work with had talked about it. I’d love to do it someday, but I have a feeling I will not be recruiting any of my friends to do it with me.  I’m working on a couple of ‘em to do Centuries with me, I have one taker for a 100 mile Lake Tahoe ride next year, now I just have to get her on her bike.

I digress; anyway, he asks my girlfriend why she doesn’t ride.  She jokes an excuse about her knees, he rebuts.  He tells us how his one friend started riding a year or so ago and he has lost 80 pounds and another friend started running and has seen the same types of results.  I help him encourage my girlfriend (because the more friends I have to ride with the merrier) and then we head out the door.

She looks at me laughing, and states what was he trying to tell me?  We hug and part ways.

The only problem was it was HOT Sunday afternoon, an 11:30 start was a bad plan, but I didn’t want to flake on my coffee date.  I ate a little something before heading to Starbucks.  My girlfriend treated me to a latte and a pumpkin scone, however the scone was rich and I didn’t want to eat the whole thing prior to my ride, plus I was still full from my breakfast.  When I arrived home I had about 15 to 20 minutes to prepare to get ready before my friend arrived to ride.  I started feeling hungry, so I grabbed some bread and almond butter, two bites in my phone rings, my friend is almost here but is getting a little hungry and was checking to see if maybe I had a banana to spare, unfortunately, nope, but I offered her a peanut butter and honey sandwich.  So we ate and then got ready.  It was hot, why are we doing this again, a pool would be the smarter choice.  Mmmm a margarita and a pool.  Ok, we’re here to ride, let’s roll…

We’re off to a hilly start, we get down a hill and just as we are about to ascend the first baby hill my partner realizes she only has one glove, it worked for Michael Jackson, but not so well for a ride, we turned back around heading back up the hill to my house, gee it’s much easier at the beginning of a ride!

Ok, all gear is accounted for now and we’re off.  We stop at 7-11 for a forgotten needed item, they don’t have it, and we go across the street to the 76 Station, nope. Really?  We climb Folsom Lake Crossing like snails across a salt track. My gosh it’s hot.  We roll into the Raley’s parking lot; they will have what we need.

Ok, now we’re good, back on the road.  We’re about 8 miles into the ride, she’s drinking water like I’ve never seen before (she’s like a camel, hardly drinks while I joke I’m adding two more bottle racks to my bike, just to horrify any self respecting roadie!).  She’s thirsty, I’m getting hungry again, what the heck? We decide to cut across the downhill part of the Costco hill and stop at Coffee Republic; they will have a smoothie/slushy type drink and some food or I can eat my peanut butter pretzel bites.

We roll up, secure our bikes so they don’t fall over go to open the door, it’s locked, the place is empty, there’s a notice on the door, location closed.  Oh, how come we didn’t notice the lack of light and activity before getting off our bikes?  Because, it’s hot!  Ok, there has got to be a smoothie place around here. I can’t think, I put Smoothie on my iPhone map, it finds a place a ways away, not on our planed route.  There has got to be someplace else.  I think Pink Berry, so I call, yep, score!   Ok, they make ‘em. We start to roll again, I forget we’re at the wrong intersection, so I say, no problem, we can go left at the next intersection, but look, right there just ahead on our right, a Jamba Juice, we turn in.

We order our smoothies, they kindly refill our water bottles and we sit down and enjoy the frozen slushy's and I scarf down my peanut butter pretzels and some almonds.   Now, we need to get going as we are rounding in to the hottest park of the day.  We plan our way home, not the mileage of the ride we envisioned, but a decent ride and we won’t succumb to the heat. 

We roll in just after 3, we made our goal of getting in by 3 (sort of). We agree, no more afternoon rides in the summer, they need to be planned for morning or late evening before dark.   We check the odometer, not bad for a completely unplanned route, 20 miles, I’ll take it, but in the cool morning air, next time! Per my Cyclemeter iPhone application: 21.64 miles, 1:49:10 ride time, 967 calories.

Monday, I wake up at 5; hit the road by 5:50. The sunrise over Folsom Lake is incredible. I stop to snap a photo with my phone.  I notice my shadow on the hill across the street, I snap a self portrait.  Man, this is the life I think to myself.  How blessed I am feeling.  I do my Costco hill route, I am pushing myself. I don’t work from home today and I need to be back no later than 7:30 to get ready to go to work.  I am trying to do some interval sprints on the flats and power up hills.  I keep my MPH at 30 and then 25 on Empire Ranch heading down.  Usually I keep it around 25 then 18. Feeling good! 

I get home and my ride time was under an hour and 30 minutes, wow! I busted it out!  I get ready for work.  An uneventful ride, a great morning! Per my Cyclemeter iPhone application: 21.84 miles, 1:29:16 ride time, 980 calories.

Tuesday, alarm goes off at 5 AM, I DON’T want to get up, I had a hard time falling asleep last night, but I’m going to get up and ride, dang it!  I get suited up, and head out the door.  I’m tired, I’m sore; I need to find my happy place.  I get rolling; I get to the same hill as Sunday and realize I forgot my gloves, oh well, not going back because if I have to go into the house, I will crawl back into bed!

I head for the Costco hill, pedal legs, pedal!  I take a picture of the sunrise over the lake but moving this time, the sun was up higher so the pics are just really bright, I should have stopped, but I’m afraid to stop moving. I ride on. I see another gal lapping a hill off Empire Ranch, yeah, I’ve wondered about that one, mental note to check it out … another day.

I try to bust out the ride to compare my time to yesterday, I’m tired and I’m hungry again.  I pop in a peanut butter pretzel bite.  I make it down to the entrance to Costco, turn around, eat another pretzel bite because that 20 calories will give me all the energy I need to power up the hill, yep, keep telling yourself that girlie! 

Up the hill, back down, I can’t get that 30 MPH pace on the straight away I had yesterday, but I push for 25 MPH, my speedometer must be broken, why can’t I get the speed up. Ugh…  My ride is over half over, so I try and bust out my speed, I do well for awhile and then slow down, speed up, slow down, interval training is good I tell myself!

I get to the intersection of Natomas and Blue Ravine, my lane is ending with a sign that says “share the road,” yeah, that’s just what the morning commuters want to do, be held up on their normally 50 MPH road with construction and a cyclist.  I don’t see how I’m going to do this… I make a left into the Fresh and Easy and hit the walking trail, it’s hillier than the road, come on legs, you can do it!  I get to the light and it’s green so I cross back over to the other side, there go two guys who are not only sharing the road but are riding side by side and look like they are just gliding up the hill.  Grrrr, I mean wow, they’re strong.

Next thing I know they have vanished, must be ghost riders, yeah that’s it.  I’m still tired, but I feel good, blessed to be out and doing what I love, can’t start the morning better, well, I could have gotten enough sleep first, but it is what it is.

I roll up to the house ready to hit stop on my Cyclemeter to compare my time for yesterday.  It’s stuck on a graph screen I can’t get it to the stopwatch.  Mind you, it stops tracking ride time when I stop, so really my ride time is calculated, it’s just my stopped time that will get messed up if I can’t stop the clock and it will drain my phone battery.  I want my exact times; I can’t get the screen to switch. Remember, I’m tired; I go into full meltdown over this.   My phone was almost a casualty of this; luckily some reason was able to interrupt the tantrum. After some choice words and some two year old tantrum moves, I head to the shower to cool off, have one more mini tantrum and then reason starts to take over me, thank goodness!  Hello, it’s not the end of the world, all you need is ride time and it will be there, once I can get to the screen!  Wow, tired and competitive with a bad application, not a good thing for me.

Finally an hour and a half later I turn on my phone and the stopwatch screen appears.  I get my stats: 1:32:18 ride time, 22.08 miles and 952 calories.  I’m good, only 3 minutes slower than yesterday, not sure where the extra 1/4 mile came in, but now it’s time for coffee, coffee and coffee.

Yeah the coffee, coffee, coffee was a bad move. I was so tired; I went to bed at 10 but yet didn’t fall asleep until 2 AM, no Wednesday morning ride for me.  I hate when I’m so tired I can’t sleep.  So my everyday riding schedule for this week is kaput.  I fell asleep even later last night, so no ride today either.  I might ride the 3 miles to my Grandma’s tonight if it’s not to blazing hot, then the 3 miles home. It would be something.  I did a another pseudo Crossfit workout last night (4 laps around the track, 150 jumping jacks, 50 burpies, 2 laps, 100 jumping jacks, 35 burpies, 1 lap, 50 jumping jacks and 20 burpies) good workout (even with the teenage girls lapping me around the track), I do need to cross train.  Looks like a DVD tonight… Here’s hoping for sleep tonight and a ride tomorrow, but super early as I have to be to work super early… Have a blessed day, because all in all, life is good! Hugs!

Here are two pictures I took on my Monday Morning ride.

The 4th of July!

I woke up later than I wanted to this morning, out late with some friends at a fireworks display.  The ride I was envisioning in my head was shot (because I really would have tried to tackle the 54 mile ride through Auburn and back otherwise, really).  I wanted to leave early in the morning around 5:30 or 6:00 so I wouldn’t have to deal with traffic and I would be in the nice cool morning air and make it home early enough to do my chores and then head over to my parents to spend the afternoon with the family.

Since I didn’t get to bed until around 1:30 AM, forget getting up at 5 AM, plus my legs were stiffening up. I am blaming it on my pseudo at-home Crossfit workout Monday night (3 rounds: 21 front squats with a 45 pound barbell, 21 burpies then 70 counts with the jump rope, repeat but now 15-15-70 and then 9-9-70, talk about making yourself drip with sweat in less than 15 minutes of activity, ugh!) or was I stiffening up due to my Tuesday morning ride, I busted out my “normal” Costco hill route in the morning before work. (21.98 miles 1:34:54 ride time, my best time yet!) I don’t know which it was or both, but oh my gosh was it hard to straighten my leg to shave!

Anyway, we got a late start to the fireworks extravaganza last night and had to park a little over a mile away.  At least we were able to view the fireworks walking to the center; we arrived just in time for the final hurrah.  Just slightly irritated (me), we found our friends and then turned around and hiked the 25 minutes uphill back to the car. I was SO happy to get some extra exercise in with my legs that would barely move! I kept thinking, ok this will loosen them up for tomorrow.  It was only 10:30 PM; I was still envisioning tackling my impossible ride in the morning.  We beat our friends back to their house since we were parked a million miles away from the center.  I played Words with Friends with my mom, texted back and forth and then our friends arrived home and after a good visit we headed home well after midnight. 


So, it’s just before 8:00 AM, Wednesday, July 4, 2012, I lie in bed, I should get up, I should ride, dang my legs are sore! I creak out of bed and go to check the temperature on the computer and drink my cup of coffee. I need to be awake if I’m going to ride!


The computer sucks me in… No!  Shoot.  I start trying to figure out this blog; my mom told me she couldn’t post a comment, so I figured out how to allow comments.  I then looked around the house; to say it’s a mess is almost an understatement.  I really should clean, but I want to ride.  I see the pile of zucchini, squash and cucumbers on the counter and know that there are more in the garden…

I start to rationalize… my legs are sore, the house is a mess, and I can’t do the ride I want to do… I stall some more and call my mom to see what the plan for the day is, what time is she expecting us?  She encourages me to get out there but to hurry, it’s getting hot.

I decide to accomplish two things at once, I decide to pack my backpack full of the garden loot and I will deliver it to the two friends I have been promising it to via bicycle!   Just Do It!! Nike sure did nail it with their slogan! I put my sun screen on, fix an almond butter and banana sandwich and grab some peanut butter filled pretzel bites to take for fuel, it’s important to be prepared you know.


So now I’ve squandered almost 2 hours debating what to do.  Hello!! It’s about 10:00 AM and I’m finally out the door.  More indecision… Which way should I go? Why so many decisions on my day off!  Road or bike trail, road=cars, bike trail = defying hubby as he said don’t ride it alone.  I decide on the bike trail (sorry Honey). It’s a holiday morning and should be safe.

 I’m enjoying my ride in spite of my quad muscles swearing at me.  A guy passes me (those dang guys are ALWAYS flying by like I’m standing still!), I try to keep up, we hit a hill, I’m right behind him, feeling good, he gets out of the saddle and cranks it up, I stay in the saddle and keep up pretty well (thinking ha, ha, I can make it up almost as fast as you but sitting, he he), but I fall back when we get to the top.  Ok, I’m in my happy place, glad I’m out, enjoying my ride and the river.

I love where I live, it’s just so beautiful.  I pull off the trail near the street to my girlfriend’s house.  I am thinking of how I will write about today’s ride, trying to come up with a catchy title, how to tell the story of the ride as not to bore the reader and remember the details that I want to put in.  I turn the corner, oh crap, she had warned me about this hill!  I snap out of my fantasy world and drop my gears down for the hill.  Nothing like climbing a hill with 20 pounds of squash on your back!  Oh, and who the heck threw a bottle into the bike lane?  I swear there was broken unavoidable glass everywhere.  Shesh, just what I need 20 pounds of squash on my back and a flat tire!  I made it up without a flat, thank goodness!


 I survived the hill, my riding amnesia sets in and I’m back to thinking about writing about my ride.  What’s a catchy title? “The Road to a Friend’s House is Long and Uphill with zucchini on Your Back!” Eh, maybe.  I am almost to my girlfriends and my phone rings.  It’s Mark, my hubby, he was asleep when I left, he wants to know where I am.  I told him my plan and arrive at my girlfriends.  Yes, I was riding and talking on the phone, it’s a no, no, I know. Please don’t text and drive! J


I arrived at my friend’s house, she wasn’t home and the neighbor kindly advised me they had gone to the dog park.  Her father-in-law was out front and I had a nice visit with him.  I left the bag of zucchini, squash and cucumbers on the porch and left her a voicemail to warn her of the package on her porch.  As I was leaving I passed them and they invited me back for some ice water.  I turned around and we had a great visit.  Time with friends and/or family, that’s the best!

I head back out, now with just a big squash for my other girlfriend.  Ah, lighter weight, back to the trail.  I’m pedaling along a pretty good lick.  The speed limit on the trail is 15 MPH, I used to think, who could ride 15 miles per hour?  Why on earth would there need to be a speed limit posted on the bike trail, just crazy.  I looked down and I was doing 17 MPH, oops, I guess the “real riders” would be going that fast and faster and would mow down folks, ok, its good someone put up a speed limit for public safety.  Not everyone follows it though, some blow past everyone. Wouldn’t that be funny, instead of Highway Patrol there was a Bike Trail Patrol?

Ok, best way to get to the next stop, I just ride, not too much traffic, so once I get to Folsom I take surface streets.  I make it to my destination and am invited in for some more water and a quick visit as I told Mark I would be home in 2 hours; it’s getting close to 3 hours.  We have a nice visit and I head home. I’m in my neck of the woods and I’m thinking, hum, how’s the best way home from here?  My friend suggests a route and I looked at her perplexed, she tells me again.  Ah, great plan!  She points out she doesn’t have “riding brain.”  I thank her and head home.

So my squash delivery and visit with friends took me on an 18.88 mile trek with a ride time of 1:18:52 and stop time of about an hour and a half.  My procrastination left my house messy, but my heart full.  I had a great day, I got to ride my bike, spread our garden wealth, have long overdue visits with great friends and spend the rest of the day with my family.  We still have cucumbers, zucchini and squash coming out our ears, so if a visit is due and I can plan a safe route to you, call me and I’ll ride some goodies to you!

Yes, life is good! 

Happy Independence Day!

Saturday, June 30, 2012

I tackled Beatty Drive twice already this week, now for the third time and then to continue up Green Valley Rd and climb up Serrano Parkway.... I didn't get the early morning start I wanted to, but I got myself out the door by 9:05.

I pedaled my usual route, up Folsom Lake Crossing and as I came to Empire Ranch I saw two other cyclists heading down Sophia Parkway. The thought crossed my mind, are they heading to Beatty Drive too? Yep. I kept them in my sights climbing up the hill. It doesn't look that steep, but at 3 mph it must be. Pedal, pedal, almost to the plateau. The two cyclists ahead of me were taking a water break at the plateau. 'Good Morning.'

I kept going enjoying the almost conquering of the hill talking myself up the hill, almost there. Then I hear "Good Job!" as another cyclist cruises past me then turns off on a street to head home. Wow, I think to myself, I thought the hill to get to my house was bad!

I keep pedaling, then another cyclist approaches, he tells me his daughter went to Arizona for the weekend and that it's 112 degrees there and he'll take this weather. I agree. He turns off a side road after another cyclist who is looking at a map asks him directions.

I proceed to the top, take in the gorgeous view of Folsom Lake and wonder where those other riders headed, there must be a route I don't know about, but that's not surprising as I'm just out exploring looking for hills.

It's getting warmer (it's actually very nice out). Something you should know about me, I like to climb the hills, I'm not much of a fan of going down them, and I’m afraid to go fast. Going over my handlebars at 15 was enough for me. I hit 35 mph and begin to panic and put the brakes on. As I get to the bottom the "suffering" of climbing the hill and the speed of downhill has subsided and I decide to head up to Serrano Parkway.

I climb Serrano Parkway; it's not as tough as I remembered it last year. Sure, it’s easy to say now sitting behind the computer. I refilled my water and headed back down. I noticed a sign on the landscaping stating not to drink the water, it's recycled. I hope the water I just got wasn't part of that!

I head back to Green Valley Parkway and decide it's not too hot or too late for one last hill I've wanted to try, I go down it heading to Green Valley Rd, so now I make a left onto Sophia Parkway and do the climb. Again, it does not seem as hard as I thought it would be.

I turn down Natomas ready for my regular route home. When I returned home I had completed 41.12 miles in 3:13:59, which for me I thought was great for my first big ride and with hills for this year! I was stopped a total of just under 28 minutes, had to refuel with my almond butter banana sandwich before Serrano Parkway and then I had to call my hubby from the top, who advised me lunch would be ready when I arrived home!

I love fresh fruit after a ride and my sweetheart of a hubby had a bowl of melons and pineapple all ready for me.

Life is Good!

View of Folsom Lake from the top of Beatty

 At the "plateau"

What goes up, must come down.