Really exciting prologue today. Cancellara was on fire, but if Martin hadn’t flatted he certainly would have crushed his time. Wiggins was also very impressive.
It’s been rather foggy the past few days, however it won’t stop me from riding. I did a nice 30 mile loop around the Headlands, passing quite a few riders along the way. Ran into my riding buddies on my way back. They were headed out to the East Peak of Mt. Tam. My legs have been feeling pretty descent given that I’ve been riding a lot of back to back miles in the mountains. Just making sure I get a nice block of hard riding before my Leadville qualifier in Tahoe later in July. (more…)
The 2012 Tour de France starts tomorrow, and I can’t wait for the action to start. I signed up for live streaming with NBC Sports, so hopefully that’ll work out. Being on the west coast means having to get up at 5 am to catch anything live. I have to remind myself to stay off the internet for fear of spoilers.
Spent my Thursday evening battling the wind and fog on my way up San Bruno Mountain just south of San Francisco. The summit sits at just over 1,200′, making it the highest point on the peninsula. Hardly a soul in sight. Towards the top the wind was whipping the fog through my layers, making it feel like I was back in New York, toughing it out in the winter. (more…)
Decided to take my road bike out for a spin around the Headlands this morning. The climb up Hawk Hill was grueling, but it paid off in the downhill immediately after. The 18% grade down a narrow one-way road made for a fun descent. I really had to check my speed on a lot of corners because it was so easy to accelerate and lose control. It also felt good to put in some miles on my road bike. I love being able to cover more ground in less time.
What a great morning for riding. I went out with a few friends early in the morning. We meet at the bridge at 6:15am on the dot on Tuesday and sometimes Thursdays for a loop around the Headlands. We all felt like cruising rather than hammering, which was perfect for me. I ended up puncturing my rear tire on something, but thankfully Stan’s sealant and a borrowed pump saved the day. I’m learning more and more how to roost all the gravel turns on the descents, setting a personal record down the backside. (more…)
It’s Monday, meaning I shouldn’t be on a bike at all, however one must get to work somehow. I’ve been going really hard the past few weeks, still recovering from hard efforts and multiple injuries. Nothing too serious, just a bit of road rash that needs to scab over (gross, I know). I also need to catch up on my sleep, which is just as important as the amount of hours I put in on the saddle.
I’m still on track for a good Leadville race. I’m teetering on feeling confident about finishing under nine hours. Since I missed the qualifier out in New York I’m doing the one in Lake Tahoe instead. It’s a month away, and it’ll be a perfect event to test my altitude lungs.
Wow. On our last day in Napa I rode the Oat Hill trail in Calistoga. Quite simply the burliest trail I’ve ridden on in a long long time. The photo above is so deceiving. This is just the halfway point up a 3,000′ climb. The rocky insanity looms just ahead. (more…)
Found some trails up in St. Helena near the airport. I rode up a nice big hill via the Old Howell Mountain Road. The trails were good enough for a nice stroll through Napa wine country.
Headed up to Napa to help our family set up a Summer Solstice party. If I’m not too exhausted I hear there are some great trails around the area. Mountain bike is in tow.