Of obsessions

Oh my, has spring struggled to get a foothold in VA. Here we are smack dab in the middle of June, with summer just days away and it is still cool and rainy at times. Heck, I just looked at the forecast for this week and the temperatures may not hit 70 on Wednesday. The good news is we have pretty much recovered from the past years’ drought. The rivers are running high. The flowers, the trees, the grass….everything…..is a lush green. My flowers are blooming; the blueberry bushes are loaded almost to the ground with fat berries and the “deck garden” of tomatoes and peppers is doing fine. My only concern is that roots may start rotting because of the moisture. That and the weeds; they seem to be prospering from the extra rain as well.

And then there’s Bart. Bart is our neighborhood bear. He visited again last night. He doesn’t do much damage – just enough to let us know he has been there. For instance last night he pulled down the humming bird feeder & three of the regular feeders. I know he keeps stopping by to check the blueberries. I only hope I can get them before he does.

I am lucky that I have a “do it itself” garden because while I love gardening, my focus has not been on yard work at all this year. Last fall I set a personal goal and my “test” is now less than a month away. To prepare, my sweet Michael has patiently trudged along with me on each and every bike ride. We have put lots of miles under our pedals and have done little else on weekends. January through April was a blur of grabbing the bikes, tights, arm warmers, jackets, full-finger gloves and all the other assorted gear for chilly weather, then getting out on the road whenever the weather permitted. When the weather did not permit, trusty Godiva dutifully backed herself onto the trainer and we spun away in the bike room, iPod charged and earphones in my ears to distract me from the monotony.

May began a flurry of organized rides each weekend. What fun! The first weekend Michael and I drove to the Eastern Shore of Maryland for the second annual Terry Wild Goose Chase at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge. There we gathered with good friends Jeannie Tripp, John Baynes & Kathi Brown. Rain, drizzle & chilly temperatures set in for the weekend but did not dampen our spirits as we rode on the flatter-than-flat roads of the refuge. Michael and I rode 60 miles on Saturday. The Wild Goose Chase is a women’s only ride on Sunday. Michael volunteered to drive SAG for the day while we women rode our bikes. I put in another 63 miles on Sunday. The evenings were spent eating seafood (Jimmy & Sooks – great restaurant in Cambridge – I highly recommend the crabcakes!) and laughing with our buddies.

The next weekend was the Cap2Cap Century in Richmond. This annual fund-raiser for the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation is one of our favorite rides. Not as flat as the Eastern Shore, but almost! MadCyclists support this ride well with the ’09 crew consisting of Aden, Bates, Phil, Chris, Maria, Michael, Barry & myself. Check out the photos at www.virginiacapitaltrail.org . Caution: there are 500 photos on there – look at numbers 23, 308 & 309. The first photo has (front to back on the left side) Aden, Phil & Bates. The next is Barry & the last is Michael and me. I did not see photos of Chris & Maria – but that doesn’t mean they aren’t in there somewhere! If anyone finds them, please let me know the photo numbers. The Cap2Cap has simultaneous starts in both Richmond and Jamestown, with over 1000 cyclists participating. The route was fun and fast on the southbound leg but much slower due to a beastly headwind on the way back. Still, it was a fun 103+/- miles.

The weather has been iffy during the week since the beginning of May and weekday rides have been spotty at best. Still, whenever we can, a few of us hit the beautiful back roads of Madison and adjacent counties for 20 miles or so in the evening.

The other May rides were the Tour de Madison (record number of cyclists participating once again) and the Tour de Greene. Michael and I supplemented those rides with additional long-mileage rides on the weekends in an effort to get me ready for my July event. We have ridden a self-supported century (100 miles) on the Skyline Drive and about ten days ago rode a 70 mile loop consisting of a climb up Crabtree Falls to the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Last weekend was our third MS150, the Tour de Vine in Charlottesville. It is always such a fun weekend and a great celebration for all the hard work everyone has done to raise awareness of and funds for Multiple Sclerosis. This year’s MadCyclist team consisted of veterans Chris Franklin, Guy Kovner, Jeff Dillon, Michael & me with the addition of new members Kathi Brown and Doug Eden. Fund raising is difficult this year with everyone feeling the economic pinch, yet in spite of that we still had three team members recognized as top fund raisers at the Saturday night festivities: Chris, Kathi & Guy. Additionally, for the second year in a row, MadCyclists won the Tent Decorating Contest! Woohoo!

Friday night some of us gathered to set up the team tent on the grounds of Miller School. Dodging raindrops, we got the job done and then headed to Crozet for dinner. Michael and I snagged free digs just down the road from Miller School (thank you Craig!!) and avoided the long drive each way. It is a good thing we were so close considering we forgot something BOTH MORNINGS and had to go back to retrieve it. The cap on the whole forget-your-head weekend was leaving our pillows behind when we left for home on Sunday. Showing yet again what a wonderful friend she is, Kathi graciously delivered them to Lowe’s in Ruckersville yesterday in time for Michael to bring them home.

We rode 77 miles on Saturday over some challenging terrain and also over some of our favorite roads in the Albemarle/Greene area. Some notes on the ride:

>Kathi hit a personal best with the mileage!
>The weather was cloudy and very humid but as Chris noted, it was 30 degrees cooler than last year.
>The traffic in Earlysville and on Garth road is not very cycling friendly
>Two miles @ 17 mph of the strangest paceline ever, in this order: cyclist, huge John Deere tractor, truck with blinking lights, car, car, Chris, Michael & I. Too funny!
>The “warm-up” hill on Tillman Rd. was not that bad
>Peacock Hill at mile 70 was an ass kicker
>Climbing back up the road to Miller School is not all that bad – after climbing Peacock Hill!
>I felt bad for anyone left out on the road when the downpour hit.

Sunday we rode 75 miles over even more challenging roads in Albemarle & Nelson Counties. Michael and I were on our own because Kathi opted to ride 25 miles and Guy and Doug had taken off at 6:30. Jeff had gone to Richmond and Chris was down for the count with a bad knee.

The day dawned sunny and bright with much less humidity. It was a perfect day to be out on the bike. We left later on Sunday – closer to 8 a.m. – and headed to Crozet, just as the day before. This time we turned onto Jarman’s Gap Rd. and began an uphill trek. Just as we got to the hairpin turn where the road goes up, up, up, one of the support motorcycles came up behind us with his CD player turned up loud, playing “Calling Baton Rouge” by Newgrass Revival. Great climbing music! I stood and pedaled to the beat and made it up that hill in no time. We made our way out to Rt. 250 at Greenwood and turned right. “Oh dear,” I thought, “We are really close to Afton Mountain. We must be turning onto Rt. 151.” Nope. We passed 151. We passed Rockfish Outfitters on the right…and then turned left onto Rt. 750, Old Turnpike Rd. I had never been on this road before. We were clearly going up, but fairly gradually for probably the first mile. At first I thought this road might loop back to Rt. 151 but we kept turning toward the right instead of the left….which meant that we were heading higher on Afton Mountain. Soon the road turned to short, very steep switchbacks. After several (I can’t remember how many – 3? 4?), we topped out onto Rt. 6 just uphill (upmountain?) from the town of Afton, home of the Cookie Lady http://www.vabike.org/afton-cookie-lady-receives-gift-from-raba/ . We turned left onto Afton Mtn. Rd. (Rt. 6) and began the fun, if scary-on-the-switchbacks, hurtle back down the mountain. Michael & I were in a group of about six and all of us were having such a good time that we all missed the turn to the right off Rt. 6. Not to worry, the route continued just a bit down Rt. 151 so we went that way instead of climbing back up Rt. 6 to the turn. We rejoined the route & continued to have a fun day.

There were many, many other hills to conquer. The entire route seemed to either be up or down (mostly up :). Fortunately the scenery was some of the most beautiful I have ever seen which took a bit of the pain away. Finally we arrived back in Batesville (our second trip through) and turned right onto Miller School Rd. We climbed that hill, zoomed down the other side and under the banner at the gate to the school. Michael, Guy and I finished at the same time. It was a perfect finish to another fun MS150.

I mentioned my personal goal a couple times. Here it is: http://www.teamevergreen.org/node/2 .

Completing a bike ride of 120 miles (in one day) over three mountain passes in the Rockies is going to be a huge undertaking for me. Physically, I feel like I am ready – at least my legs, back, arms, etc. are ready. The bike is ready. My lungs are not and there is no way (available and affordable to me) to get them ready. That will be the big test. I am at the point now where I wish I could get out there and get it done! I am ready, doggonnit, so let’s get going! Michael has been a hero through this because he has not complained a bit. Well, maybe just a little bit. He is entitled. All our other cycling buddies have been patient as well. I have been focused, some probably say obsessed, but through it all they have ridden with me and continue to give me the emotional support I know I will need. Not to worry, gang, it’ll all be over in 25 days.

Bates's New Great Adventure or...

...Why Do All His Rides Involve Getting Wet??

(Bates sent this post through the MadCyclists' group but I thought it worthy of publishing here, so I copied & pasted. Great story - now I want a CX bike! Enjoy! -jane)

I finally assembled my cyclocross bike, and took it out for a shake down late this morning.
The nearly smooth tires I chose are both fat and light, 700-32s, and don't be fooled, they roll real easy. I had previously tried normal cyclocross tires, read MudGrips... mudgrips do not roll on pavement worth a hoot.

Anyway, off I went, I rolled up Hebron Valley to Haywood, took a right on Hoover Rd, then a left onto Duet road. The bike was feeling great, all new to me especially with these easy rolling 'fattys'. Duet road is paved for about a mile and a half, and has a rather steep downhill. Bike was feeling good, tracks great, I let'er go on the hill. No spedo as yet, but I'd say I rounded the corner at the bottom around 35... Solid as a rock, downright confidence inspiring. I turned right onto Whipporwill Road, and went over the mountain to Etlan, refilled my H2O botttles, and fed my pie hole a Snickers and off I went, back up the hill I had come from from Etlan, but took a left onto Hughs River Rd, took that down to Pophams Ford Rd. You have probably never been on Pophams Ford rd... It is an old county rd, and it is cobblestone, well actually smooth river rocks, and they don't call it a 'ford' for nothing, actually there are two fords. I approached the first ford, a little one about 10 feet across, I didn't even stop, plunged in, crossed without even getting my shoes damp.... Nothing to it...The second ford goes over (through) the Hughes River, about 25 feet across, as I said, Nothing to it.... Until I hit the bolder mid stream, and then dearly wished I wasn't clipped in. OK so now I have very wet feet, but I remained upright. Oh well 'In for a pound' forge ahead.

At the end of Pophams Ford I met a locked gate with a paved road on the other side, locked?? Oh well, throw the bike over, climb over and on my way. Cool little stretch of road, old farm houses, well restored, I am obviously in Rappahannock!

Up the hill to Slate Mills RD.. I made it to my goal, now how the hell do I get home.
Hang a right onto Slate Mills rd. and go until I see some road on the right that looks like it goes to our Novum Loop and comes out up on Arrington Mtn.
I passed Major brown Rd, and took the next right on Green Rd which turned to dirt, and then intersected with Major Green Rd.. Oh well. Dirt road, up, up ,up... Then down down down, in the woods, repeat.

I was wondering whether I was on the right road, in the woods I couldn't see the mountains for bearing. So top of a hill (mountain) I whip out the rider's helper (cell phone) and call Aden. It seems Phones don't work wherever I am. Oh well, it's a pretty day, pedal on....
Up the road maybe 1 mile, the phone rings, it's Aden's friendly voice, just about as I see a sign saying I'm back in Madison, Aden consulted GoogleMaps, and verified if I go straight, I was in fact on 604, the road to Arrington Mtn. Thank goodness I wouldn't die of starvation out in the woods.

Rest of the ride went as if I planned it. Back home before the wind got whipping.
Test Ride was a huge success, CX bike with its long wheelbase, and slick geometry, coupled with fat smooth tires is an absolute Hoot, way better than I expected. Dirt roads are a whole new world... I saw 3 cars on the dirt sections, two of the cars were the same mailman who I passed twice.

Tidal Rhythms...

Yes, it's been very quiet of late. Winter is a season of slumber and introspection (unless you're a skier). But without the serene beauty of snow-covered hills (accompanied by a crackling fire, a hot toddy and a warm heart--two, if you're lucky...), we wouldn't even notice the arrival of springtime. Can you tell I grew up in California?

It's all about balance--the ebb and flow of life.

It's been a wicked wild winter for Yours Truly (I love alliteration!). I am a seeker, a spirit in motion, and I learned several Life Lessons during this, my first "off season." I piloted a heavily-laden U-Haul truck over the Rockies in late December ("Kidz, don't try this at home..."), cast the demons out of my beloved titanium road warrior (under the tutelage of Bates McLain, brother Celt and Master Velo Exorcist), and lived to tell about it. We unraveled the mystery that had the Campy "experts" stumped, and somewhere Tulio Campagnolo is nodding and smiling benignly. If you want to hear "the rest of the story" (and as all my friends can attest, I am nothing if not a storyteller), you'll have to buy me a pint. Money well spent, I can assure you: "There I was ..."

Warmer days are just around the corner and we'll all be out there eatin' up the tarmac and getting fitter by the day. And we'll all have plenty to blog about soon enough. So many potential crashes, so little time! (I'm just yankin' yer chain.)

See you on the road...

humph!

****SIGH**** I wish someone else would post to this blog....or tell me they are not interested. Pish!

Love/Hate Relationships

I love my bike. The feeling of the pedals eating up the ground under me as I tootle along country roads, the sounds of nature, the air in my lungs as I gasp whenever I climb a hill - it's all good.

I hate winter. The more I love my bike the more I hate winter. It's cold. It's brown. This winter has been especially hard for me because it has been just a bit too chilly to really enjoy cycling outside.

I love my trainer. Sort of. I can at least get on the bike and pretend I am out riding.

I hate intervals. They really hurt. But I can tell I am getting stronger - if only by teeny tiny increments.

I love my ipod. It is at least a little distraction to the monotony of said trainer.

I hate mean people. The ones who rob us of everything from possessions to happiness to security.

I love longer days. They give me hope.

I hate it that winter still has two months to go.

I love Arizona in the winter. Uh oh. That sounds way too much like a snowbird. But the high plateau of southeastern AZ in winter is warm-ish during the day and cold at night. Perfect. BTW, it's not all that hot in the summer either - at least, not Phoenix-hot. (And....well...it's a dry heat:)

I hate laziness - that disease that infects folks who won't get up off their chairs and DO SOMETHING to make themselves healthier; those who continually complain about aches & pains and not feeling good. You know who I am talking about - people who consider a Super Bowl party or watching NASCAR on TV a workout.

I love running. Never thought I'd say that. I have never been a runner. Not that I am much of one now, but a good 3 - 4 miles at a time is wonderful. Ditto all the positives I said about cycling, without the pedals.

I hate trash on the side of the road. Why can't people leave it in the car until they get home, then put it in a trash can?

I love a day off - even if it has to snow to get one.

I hate getting behind when I have a day off.

I love the way I feel right now - I have worked hard to get here and I intend to stay here for a very, very long time. Losing 25 lb. is not easy, but it sure is rewarding. I'm much stronger and I feel so much better - and I get to throw all my "fat clothes" away!

I have a little sign in my car that says "play everyday". I intend to. What about you?

Winter.

As a cyclist I'm not a big fan of winter. As a skiier, I love snow. But there's nothing good about snow in denver, or cold weather for that matter. No road rides since sometime in December, and tons of trainer time. That doesn't make for very good ride reports, but I figured I would post something and at least remind everyone: Spring will come!

Hiking Anyone?

It's too cold to ride! Is anyone interested in doing some wintertime hiking? I am starting my new job (yeah!) on January 5th, but like to do longs hikes on the weekends. I'm also recruiting for trail workers. Anyone interested in getting involved in volunteering in Shenandoah National Park? I have trails awaiting adoption! I'm off now to stay at Jones Mountain Cabin with Kurt for two nights. If you're in the area drop by to see us ;-)