Jessica on her Velib Bike

Siteseeing in Paris can be exhausting.  Just ask the lady sleeping on the bench.

Jacob Cycling in Paris

Jacob riding his rental bike along the Seine.  The bikes are a great way to get around.  The first 30 minutes are free and there are stations all over Paris to rent and return them from.  We rode from the Louvre to the Eiffel Tower along the river bike path.  Then next day we tried to ride in the other direction from the Louvre to the Notre Dame Cathedral but we had to ride on streets and sidewalks and it was not as much fun.

Just Another Sunset

Ok, I really don't get tired of these. I even stopped to get off the
bike, take my gloves off and take this picture. It has been a very
cold winter for us and I have recommitted myself to the bike commute
so I have been freezing on a regular basis.

Mountains and Wetlands

This stretch of wetlands is preserved because it is part of the Seal
Beach Naval Weapons Station. I never get tired of the mountains in
the background either. Nice place to ride a bike.

Emergency Brake

This picture is from my roadtrip to Austin, Texas last August.  I
stopped in Las Cruces, New Mexico, near the university and found this
brilliant bicycle setup.

I know my first instinct in an emergency is to take my hands off the
handlebars and reach between my legs.

Orangewood SART Bridge

This is the Orangewood bridge over the Santa Ana River Trail (SART).

A River of Cyclists

10 years ago, when Petja and Heather started riding the Tour of Palm
Springs, there were only 300 people. This year there were over 7,000.
Cycling sure has grown in popularity.

Sprint Finish

I took the sprint at the line, edging out Petja by just a few inches.  It might have been closer if he kept both hands on the handlebars.

SART RR Bridge with Water

Nothing compared to the flooding in Queensland but we are already well over average and still early in the rainy season.  This river bed is normally bone dry.  Flow into it is regulated by Prado dam in Corona.  The recent rains combined with the relief capacity of the dam flooded the Corona airport (located behind the dam) as they could not let water out fast enough.  This photo was taken over a week after the rain stopped, when the water would all have normally been out to sea already.

Mount San Jacinto

Petja and me on the Tour of Palm Springs. Mount San Jacinto rises
from the desert floor at 100 ft above sea level to the peak at 10,834
ft above sea level. If you are feeling energetic you can hike the
entire distance in one day on the Cactus to the Clouds trail.

Tour of Palm Springs

Petja, Heather and I rode the 55 mile version of the Tour of Palm Springs this year. Compared to the 100 mile version we did last year this was almost relaxing.

SGRT Bridge

SART Bridge

Bike Ride to the Beach

Neighborhood Bike Tour

Jacob on Two Wheels

A cycling fathers dream.  My son got rid of training wheels today.  I am so proud.  This makes us a completely (short range) self powered mobile family.  We have actually had that distinction before but I was always providing power for 2 or more.  Pardon the wind noise in the video.

Solvang Century 2010

I rode the Solvang Century this weekend (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/27026149).  Definitely the hardest of the four century rides I have done so far. I fought wind, hills, cold and rough roads and at one point thought I would quit. I persevered and finished with legs that would barely make me move. Any time the ground turned up at all I went for my bailout gear (that really easy gear you use when you need to be bailed out). Sometimes when this happened I realized I was already in that gear.

The first 25 miles seemed easy. There were some uphill spots but it was generally downhill. Even with a headwind I felt fast. The first rest stop at Lompoc is when the hills really started and I realized I was going to have a long day. Usually I am comfortable on hills but this day my legs just wouldn't respond. They felt tired and weak.

Coming out of Lompoc I got in with a fast group. They were fast, rode close together and shifted around a lot in their group. It was a lot like being in a race. Good to follow along with but if you are not comfortable and relaxed it can end badly. Some other guy came past me and cut in too early. His hip hit my hand hard enough to twist my handlebars around. I lurched around a bit before I finally regained control. The guy behind me yelled at him. I was too busy focusing on staying on two wheels.

Miles 25 to 40 were basically two big hills between Lompoc and where the 135 hit highway 1. Normally I eat up hills like these so when I found myself struggling to reach the top I realized it was going to be a long day.

Miles 40 through 50 went by quickly. It was downhill and I had a small group to keep me company and shelter me from the wind. However when it started back uphill they left me behind and I spent the next miles struggling alone in the wind. I can't even really call the slope a hill. It was so gradual you really couldn't tell by looking at it. When I got to mile 65 where the route crosses over Highway 101 I had to stop. I was tired and cold. My knees ached because my legs never warmed up. I couldn't stretch it out, all I could do was keep going.

The wind never let up until the last part of the ride. Even then it was still blowing, just finally from behind. It shifted from northwest to northeast during the ride so that even without a direct headwind it was enough to slow you down and push you around. Worse yet, on the gradual downhill portions it was enough to make them seem flat or even slightly uphill so there was no rest.

The road on most of the ride was rough. At times I rode on the painted stripes because it was the only smooth part. Rough roads cause fatigue, especially in the arms and shoulders. Shoulder stiffness affects the back and when the back stiffens up it takes the hamstrings with it. This wasn't Paris Roubaix cobblestones but it was more than enough on top of everything else.

65 to 70 was a long fast descent through beautiful country. Mile 70 started a gradual ascent winding through farms and vineyards. The gradual bit ended at mile 80 where it turned decidedly upward. The guy next to me asked me if this was the "Wall". I said I didn't know but I hoped so. I didn't want to see anything steeper. At least that is what I meant to say. What I actually said was a jumbled up version of the above and I remember thinking my brain must be deprived of oxygen.

We got to the top and started a long descent. I was feeling good thinking I was home free. Just a cruise back to Solvang. This illusion was shattered when I saw a woman on the side of the signalling me to turn left. She didn't look official so I slowed and asked her if the ride was supposed to turn here. "Yes," she said, "This is the Wall". My heart sank, I shifted to my bail out gear, looked at the tarmac just in front of my tire and pedaled. It was short but steep and seemed like it would never end. When it finally did we were rewarded with a spectacular view and a fast descent.

Ignoring the lesson I had just learned I let myself think it was all over. Right after highway 154 I got hit with switchbacks. Nobody makes switchbacks just for fun. The only reason is to get up a hill that is too steep to build a straight road up. Switchbacks always mean pain. Normally I don't mind this (all endurance athletes are masochistic to a degree) but today I was ready to be finished. I went right back to the bailout gear, put my head down again and kept pushing.

The heart rate graph really tells it all. Normally if I am climbing hard my heart rate will be between 175 and 185. The fact that it only once gets above 170 after mile 50 means my legs just didn't have the strength this day.

I really don't know what keeps me going during these things. I am too stupid or too stubborn to quit. There is a van that will pick you up and take you to the finish. You can get off any time and get a ride home. At any rate I kept going and finally did finish. I was exhausted and sore. I put my stuff away and changed then sat in my car for a bit just relaxing before I started the three hour drive back home.

Tour de Palm Springs 2010

Petja, Jim and I had a great time on our 103 mile ride through the desert. Rolling hill and beautiful weather made for a challenging but very enjoyable ride. Check out the details from my GPS on the Garmin website...

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/24727949

Petja had some early mechanical trouble but we enjoyed a smooth ride after that.

This guy is definitely dog's best friend.

Volunteers throwing food to the starving cyclists.

A beautiful view of the mountains around Big Bear.

The highest peak in So Cal, Mt San Jacinto.

Petja and Jim flying down the road after the first rest stop.

The three of us just before the finish.

Amtrak Century 2009

My actual ride
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/13164280

The planned ride
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3185753

I think the only difference is the way through San Clemente. I was not paying attention to the route slip and just went the way I knew. I heard someone behind me and didn't realize my error until later. It didn't really matter since both routes end up in the same place.

Route slip



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Start of the on course reports
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After an early morning snafu I got rolling just before seven. Riding through Irvine. Mile 3.4.
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Mile 17.4 Mission Viejo. Some rolling hills. Feeling strong.
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Mile 28.1

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Mile 36

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Mile 43, San Onofre

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Freeway baby, Mile 50