Spooktacular Ride - My Handlebar Cockpit

Handlebar real estate becomes very valuable especially on a bar with a flat top. My Polar CS600 sits on an extended mount by FSA and gives me information such as heart rate, cadence, power, speed, distance, time, temperature, elevation. My Garmin Edge 705 is mounted to my stem and gives me real time navigational information such as a colored map and turn-by-turn instructions as well as altitude climbed and hill gradient. I can even race against a virtual rider. A "Bento Box" sits on my top tube and holds my cell phone, camera, gels. I wonder if I can stuff it with a Spam Musubi? On the left handlebar drop you can also see my Italian Mirror so I can see who's yelling: "On your Left!"

This picture was taken during the Kern Wheelmen Spooktacular ride which offers various lengths and elevation routes. It starts just outside of Bakersfield and goes east to the foothills of the Sequoia Nationals.

This is the profile of the Horrible Hundred-8,600 feet of climbing. If that is not enough, challenge yourself with the 10,800 feet Hidious Hundred.

But don't get left in the dust.

MC Spandex "Performance"

New Year's Day PCH Ride 2010

Long Beach Velo Allegro New Year's Day Ride has been a tradition for about the last ten years. Riders gather from all around Southern Cal for an informal 8am January 1st ride down PCH to Dana Point, up the San Juan Creek Trail, a loop through inland OC, and back to PCH via the Newport Back Bay - 96 miles!

This year over 400 riders were at the start at the Alamitos Bay parking lot on 2nd and Marina Dr. The mass start began sharply at 8, halting what little traffic there was on PCH, as the unorganized peloton went tearing down PCH at 26+ MPH occupying all the lanes. Riders were picked up along every intersection as the whirling mass of bobbing helmets grew to nearly 600 by Newport Beach.

Being wheel-to-wheel and shoulder-to-shoulder, pedaling for my life was a scary experience especially when someone yelled "slowing!!!" - brakes squealed, followed by the smell of burning rubber. All was well though as the humming of the tires resumed as riders hovered above their saddles trying to close the gaps in front of them, reshaping the monster peloton.

I wasn't sure if my 180 bpm heart rate was due to effort or terror, but I knew for sure the 250 watts of power I had been putting out for the last ten miles was real as my legs were on fire. I was stuck somewhere in the middle of the group, with no view of the front riders who were setting a torrid pace for the giant slinky to follow.

Luckily part of us caught a light somewhere past Huntington Beach and I could settle my heart rate and reach for my water bottle. I kept up with the "slower" group going 20 MPH with a Newport Beach police "escort" through Corona Del Mar warning us to ride single file and pulling over red light runners.

Since I was planning on doing a 3.5 hour ride I left the group at Newport Coast, enjoyed the 1,000 ft. climb and the view at the top, returned to PCH via Back Bay, and maybe even had a little tail wind back to Long Beach, maybe not. No matter, it was relaxing going at my own pace with no one in front of me! Happy New Year!

Baseball Hall Of Fame

One of my favorite pastimes, since growing up playing "socks ball" everyday, is baseball.
A year ago Laurel and I visited the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. A trip I always wanted to make.
This year Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice were inductees. All the great statistics in baseball (or any other sport) doesn't make you a hero, it just makes you a great baseball player. This is what makes you a hero:

Click on picture to link to story.

Gran Fondo Colnago San Diego 2009

Gran Fondo ("Big Ride" in Italy) are long distance, mass-participation cycling events, not races, that have become a cycling tradition in Italy. This was San Diego's first and was represented by one of Italy's premiere bike maker, Ernesto Colnago. The route took us through the mountainous, desert terrain of southeastern San Diego County-very challenging, but scenic.
Riders (over 1,000) gather at the break of dawn where else but in Little Italy to jockey for the best starting position, meet up with friends, or listen to the wake up music of Frank Sinatra? Team Colnago waving the Green, White, and Red of Italy to signal the start of the ride. "Arrivederci!"
The lead out was done by the local Ferrari and Ducati Clubs.













One of the rest stops was at the USA Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. I got to do a bike lift on the podium.
There were timing chips issued to all riders to compete for "King of the Mountain" (KOM) over the Honey Springs Pass, 35 miles into the ride. It took me 1 hour:1 minute, 30 minutes behind the fastest climber. My average speed was 6.6 MPH. I watched my heart rate carefully, trying to keep it around 150 bpm because of the heat and also because I knew there were 60 more miles to go with more hills to come.
The Honey Springs climb was 1840 feet over 6.8 miles with an average grade of 5%. Google Earth view as we snake through Jamul.
Secret to climbing hills: Granny Gear, keep the heart rate manageable, BREATHE-inhaling through your nose, avoid the death grip on your handlebar, keep fueled up, patience, enjoy the scenery. Pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal - get the picture? I've never seen so many riders walking up the hill climbs or just sitting on the roadside under a shady tree trying to recover. Some just decided to turn around, head back downhill, and abandon the ride. A very tempting alternative at the time.

See the "top", well that's really not the top, there's more.
No, I didn't fall, just lying on the ground hyperventilating so I got the camera out and snapped a picture. Yes, I survived, and at the end of the Gran Fondo Ernesto Colnago, founder of Colnago Bicycles, gave out Prosecco to the faster riders-no, not me. I think he's not smiling because he knows I ride a Trek. This was a very exhausting ride because of the long Honey Springs Climb in 108 degree heat. Total ascent was 5,280 feet which meant there were some great descents, maximum speed over 44 MPH. It took me 8 hours at an average speed of 13 MPH, burning 7,000 Calories.
Here is my Polar readout with Heart Rate, Cadence, Speed, Elevation, and Power.

Tour de Palm Springs 2009

The Tour de Palm Springs is a century ride around the Coachella Valley. The ride starts off with a gradual climb to about 1,700 feet, a few rollers along Dillon Road, and a very nice descent into the city of Coachella. From there the ride is relatively flat, but there's always a headwind heading back to the finish in Palm Springs. Total ascent just over 3,200 feet. The pace line forms on Garnet Avenue up towards Windy Ridge. It was a tough early start with a Northwesterly blowing about 10 knots. It was so windy that trucks seemed to float in mid air along the I-10. Brand new paved road on the way up to Indian Avenue and Desert Hot Springs. The city of Coachella should take note. Dillon Road rest stop with the snow capped San Jacinto Mountains as a backdrop. This was a first. Cheerleaders at a bike ride. "Go bikers, go bikers, go bikers!" There was also music at every stop, courtesy of the local schools. "We will, we will rock you!" At mile 88, Steve and Matthew Schmidt were kind enough to feed me with a baked potato and chili from Wendy's. Took a nice 45 min break, recharged the legs and cruised into the finish.6 hours: 11 minutes, average speed 16.1 MPH, average power 148 watts, energy used 5561 kcal.

Stage 6 - The Solvang Time Trial

The Solvang time trial is a 15 mile course over slightly hilly terrain. Riders go out individually at one minute intervals and ride the route in the fastest time possible. They usually average 25-30 MPH. Carlos Sastre, 2008 Tour de France winner, better known for his climbing skills, placed 82nd - 3'30'' behind the winning time. Tyler Farrar in his Garmin skin suit. In indivudual time trials it's about being aerodynamic, maintaining the highest power output throughout the entire course, and getting to the finish line in the quickest time. All while trying not to get a heart attack! Yaroslov Popovych takes a neck break or maybe his helmet slipped. Michael Rogers taking the "high road" above his support car, placed 4th-22 seconds off the pace. Phillip Gaimon experiencing a major sugar rush - visions of jelly beans dancing in his head. Pedro Horillo about to make use of his snot pad on his cycling glove. Lance Armstrong had his own personal photographer during the Tour of California, and his own personal driver. Jason McCarty, foaming at the mouth, will not win the neatness award, but did come in 8th - 41 seconds behind the winner. Are those chocolate stains on his left sleeve? Big Tom Boonen struggles to get aero. "Paco" Mancebo could be in a Cadillac comercial here. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit. Chris Horner (32' 19" for 24th) being cheered on by the Mavic wheelmen. Christian Vande Velde (12th position) and his support argyle BMW. Chris Baldwin sports the golf ball time trial helmet. Floyd Landis 54th overall grips at the aerobars as he heads downhill. Winner Levi Leipheimer (30 min:40 sec) shows his "praying mantis" style, making himself small and cutting through the wind like an arrow. L3VI!