BLOG JG

May 2010 - Tour of California

2010-05-24T21:41:00.001-07:00

Stage 6, Palmdale to Big Bear - the Queen Stage of this years tour. Chris and I got an early start and arrived in Big Bear around 8:45, no traffic either. At 9:30 we were on our bikes riding the race course backwards towards Lake Arrowhead.

A few phrases were said many times on this ride, and they just about sum it up - "This doesn't suck", "Not a bad seat in the house" and "Are you feeling the altitude too?" We live around 600-900 ft above sea level. All of this riding was up around 7000 ft.

32 miles later we were down in Lake Arrowhead. Time to climb 32 miles back to Big Bear before the race comes into town. On the way back we stopped at a small market and ran into cycling scientist/fitness guru Allen Lim. He was very nice, stopping for about 10 minutes to chat with us.

The party at the finish line was awesome. Lot's of people showed up. Thousands I'm sure. We watched most of the race on a jumbo-tron, and saw the leaders sprint to a finish live.

Finally, the Tour of California, in its 5th year has a stage right in our backyard. On roads and hills I ride several times a week. Matt and I rode to the top of the Rockstore climb where Herbalife offered to measure our BMI and give us access to their "oh so posh, private, best seat in the house" party. It really was the best seat in the house too - complete with wraps, fruit, sushi and healthy shakes. We watched the peleton come up to the top for 2 of the 4 laps from this awesome vantage point.

Then we got on our bikes and rode over to the decent on Decker. We lucked out here too and found a great perch to watch the riders negotiate an off camber turn. Once the riders came through we rode to the finish line and watched the riders come in. Surely, a great day of racing and a great day for fans. I know we had a great time.

Why not now?

2009-09-07T15:14:00.001-07:00

Living The Dream is what it says on the sign on the back of Ward's bike. They've spent the last 2 years riding around the world and will finish next spring (2010). Ward says, "Yeah, gotta go back to work". Ward and Jackie are a smart, warm couple that somehow, seem to have the important things in life, in focus. "Living the dream" may be their motto, but the operative word here is 'living'. They're do-ers. Interested in exploring the world and learning from other cultures.

I've been doing some homework of my own this summer. In early August we took a family trip to London and was swept up by the excitement of being in a cosmopolitan city (like NY) and all the culture it has to offer. Then we went to the countryside and I couldn't figure out why I was drawn to just sit or walk, and spend time in a small, out of the way town. I now have a better idea about why I was so effected by both.

Prior to that I've been accessing my own 'life deferment plan (LDF)'. You're familiar with LDF - we all have one. Sometimes better known as - 'I'll get to that project when..." or "if I just had some extra time I could ..." We all do it. And here I was speaking with Ward and Jackie and realizing I was seeing an honest, truthful, non-LDF right before my eyes.

Doing this ride, or any other event or milestone for that matter, is a 'part' of the dream. But living, and experiencing, every day is what I think it's all about. This became the overwhelming theme for me every day of this ride. And I hope, every day from here on. Why not now?

I need to thank our great crew for this ride. Not only were they always there with a bottle of water, but they are inspirational too. Sergio, now a runners coach, has won the San Francisco Marathon as well as other races. His PR is 2:11. World class!! Guillermo has made great strides in his running career most recently setting a personal best at the London Marathon. He aspires to times under 2:30 and a shot at the Mexican Olympic team. Sandra, Bernd's wife, not only offered feminine balance to the trip, but is an accomplished lawyer and runner as well. Her next marathon will be the 2010 Boston Marathon, which she has run before. Bernd posses just about everything you would want in a riding partner - experience, preparedness and a smart, steady pace. His friendship and support on the ride was invaluable. Lastly, thanks to my family and colleagues for giving me the confidence to be away and know that all will be well when I return.

You may have noticed a website at the bottom of my custom jersey for this ride - www.helpnedfightals.org. Ned Mann is a 20+ year friend and brilliant musician who was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrigs Disease) about 9 years ago. The courage it takes to get on the bike pales by comparison to the courage Ned musters every day. It was nice to have him along in spirit on this ride. I encourage you to visit his website. You'll hear great music, read some funny stories and see some cool pics and videos. He'd love to hear from you too.

For those of you into the technical specs of the ride:
6 days
652 miles (108 miles/day avg.)
36,000 ft. elevation gain (6,000 ft./day avg.)
According to Bernd's computer, we burned about 43,000 calories.

I lost no weight on this ride. And had no flats. I was surprised how much of the route I have memorized. We always met interesting people. I was never bored or wished for the riding to end. I laughed the hardest when Mark joined us.

I did this same 6 day ride 2 years ago. Last year, I rode cross country (North to South, 2000 miles in 19 days). I remember, very well, how I felt 2 years ago after each days ride. This was entirely different for me. I felt good & strong the entire time. Something must be working right.

Thanks so much for tuning in. I wish you all the best -

Joel
Ward and Jackie - http://fromthebenchesoftheworld.com/
Ned Mann - www.helpnedfightals.org
Bernd - http://www.tourofcalifornia.org
Joel - http://www.joelgoodman.com

Day 6 - Solvang to Malibu (Home)

2009-09-07T11:34:00.001-07:00

Bernd and I at the top of San Marcos Pass, the highest point of the six days.

Malibu (Cross Creek) just a few more miles and I'm home.

What?!?! Doping control at my house?

Day 5 - Cambria to Solvang

2009-09-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

Ballard Canyon - almost to Solvang. This route is on the Tour of California (Time Trial). Many of the roads we took are also on the tour.

Foxen Canyon

Foxen Canyon

Somewhere after lunch in Guadalupe. We had great tailwinds here and rode mostly at 30MPH.

One of the great mottos of this trip (for me) - Why Not Now. Is this a sign?

Bernd looking like a cycling star.

Day 4 - Carmel to Cambria (via Big Sur)

2009-09-04T20:47:00.000-07:00

Big Sur is an experience. I wonder how to take pictures of an experience. Certainly, this is one of the most beautiful and serene places you could ever visit. Spend a few days in Big Sur, and something about you will probably change. Last time I did this ride, I said it was the best day I ever had on a bicycle. I would only add that some of my best days, on the bike or off, are when I'm physically or mentally, at Big Sur.

Day 3 - Half Moon Bay - Carmel by the Sea

2009-09-02T22:12:00.001-07:00

Stage Road - just off and parallel to PCH.

Pescadero

Back on the coast, just north of Santa Cruz.

Endless farming... south of Santa Cruz.

The sign here read: Do not feed the vicious sea lions! They were awesome, loud and plentiful... and fun to watch.

I love Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel. We had a great ride around the area finishing with a ride on 17 mile drive passing the Pebble Beach golf course and the Lone Cypress.

Day 2 - Bodega Bay - Half Moon Bay

2009-09-02T22:07:00.000-07:00

Mark Gunther was my roommate last year on the cross country ride. Mark lives in San Francisco and guided us on a fabulous ride from Bodega Bay to Half Moon Bay via Stinson Beach, the Golden Gate Bridge and Devil's Slide.

Bernd & Mark.

Me at the start in Bodega Bay showing off our custom cycling jerseys.

Stinson Beach as we climb over the Pacific shoulder of Mt. Tam (where Mountain Biking was born).

Still climbing ;)

Riding through Sausalito.

The Golden Gate Bridge, view from Fort Baker.

The dynamic duo.

Day 1 - Living The Dream

2009-09-02T22:00:00.000-07:00

I'll explain the title of this when I get a chance to write a bit. But in short - we met 2 people on the first day that have inspired me in several ways. More to come...

What's Happening

2009-09-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

On a self supported ride, there's much to do. I'm just not finding the time right now to write, what I want to write. So... I will post pictures of each day and then write something later. Thanks for understanding, and I hope you'll keep checking in.

JG

Day 0 - Drive to Fort Bragg

2009-08-30T21:50:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I rode my bicycle down the California coast, solo. My friend John Anderson was kind enough to drive my car, and my stuff, from hotel to hotel and join me for dinner as well. We had a great time.

It was the first long distance (650 miles), multi-day (6 days) cycling trip I ever did. Last year I was fortunate to ride my bicycle from the Canadian border, to El Paso, Texas, on the Mexican border (2000 miles/19 days). It was something I always wanted to do and I'm very proud of that accomplishment.

This year I had no set plan or goal, but thought it would be nice to repeat the Cali Coast ride with a friend. Enter, Bernd Straehle. When I was researching various California rides I came across Bernds' website and sent him an email. [Bernd has one of the best sites on long distance California cycling - www.tourofcalifornia.org.] Since then we've ridden together a few times and found that we're compatible riders. When I mentioned this ride, I was very happy to hear that Bernd was interested.

Bernds' wife, Sandra, is a runner and a cyclist, but seems to be running more. Specifically marathons, like the Boston Marathon (for instance). Sandra, graciously agreed to drive support for us and brought along 2 of her marathon friends from Mexico - Guillermo y Sergio. Guillermo just completed the London marathon (in 2:50!!!) and Sergio has won (as in First Place) the San Francisco Marathon (in 1992) amongst others.

Bernd et al, picked me up at 7am. We drove through a very smokey San Fernando valley and proceeded on to the 5 North. Passed San Francisco and stopped for lunch. We were making good time, so we decided to take the scenic route over to the coast via route 128 and the Navarro Forest of Redwoods. We had a great time horsing around in these amazingly tall trees. The ground was covered in ferns and clovers. Really beautiful.

Tomorrow is our first day on the bike. Weather is cold up here (50's and 60's) and damp, lot's of marine layer. I'll try to update this blog after each days ride. Click on the pics to see larger versions. If you want to read about my last Cali Coast trip, or my cross country ride from last summer, it's all available on this blog.

Cheers :)

Day 19 - What a Trip

2008-08-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

I'm actually writing this post at the airport on the way home. The last day of riding was yesterday. I spent most of yesterday reflecting on the trip and writing this post in my mind. Of course, I only remember bits and pieces of it - lol. There is a lot to say so I will leave most of it for a follow up email after I've had some time to reflect. But here's what the day was like.

We started late with bfast at 7:30. At 8am we did the customary group photo. It's a short day (64 miles) with lunch at the end. This is the only time we get to eat lunch and NOT get back on the bike. I left with David, Craig and Chip aka, the fast boys. These are also really great guys to ride with - lot's of fun and lot's of humor, while keeping it serious. We did the first 35 miles with a 22mph avg.

Once we crossed into Texas, we did our last pass climb that eventually took us into El Paso. There was a great rest stop at the top of the climb where you can see El Paso and Mexico just beyond it. Since I arrived so early at this stop, I stayed to hang out with other riders as they came in.

Then there was the remaining 30 miles to ride. Some of it on the interstate where Carl got a flat. Lot's of fun changing a flat on the Interstate....NOT. To top it off we had a headwind the entire time on the interstate. But once we got off, we had a glorious tailwind - a great way to cap the trip. I was part of a group of 6 that maintained 30-35mph until we reached the hotel. A fun, fast, challenging day - that's PAC Tour! :)

Once we finished lunch we packed up our bikes and then made our way to our hotel rooms to relax. There was a buffet dinner for everyone - the only time the entire group ate dinner together. Then there were the closing ceremonies.

It was really great! And I wish you were all there last night. Lon and Sue present a plaque with a picture to each rider. Then there's the hall of fame inductees for those that reached 10,000 PAC Tour miles during this trip. And for those that reached 20,000 (there were 2 last night), they get a special street sign made that goes onto the PAC Tour Hotel vehicle. Other words were said and all in all, it was the best way to end the trip.

If someone said to me this morning that I had to get on my bike today and ride 100 miles, I'd say "no problem - let's go!". It's also nice to have some time off ;). This trip was really everything I wanted it to be. I hope to elaborate more in a few days.

Las Cruces, NM to El Paso, TX

Todays Stats:
Day 19 - 65 miles
RT - 3:20
Avg - 19.5
Elevation gain - about 1700 ft.

TOTAL RIDE STATS:

19 Days
1998 Miles
114 hours 27 minutes in the saddle
about 84,000 ft. of climbing
17.7 average
3 flats (all in 2 back to back days)
endless grunts, sweat, smiles and laughs

Let's Ride!

Day 18 - Easy does it

2008-08-15T15:26:00.001-07:00

Nice easy pace today, our penultimate day of riding. We were a good solid group of 6 all the way to lunch at mile 66.

Here's a pic of Mark (my roomie) and I before today's start.

Lunch at Fort Selden - 101 degrees in the sun. Pic of Lil and Ray.

Riding through groves of pecan and walnut trees.

Once we got to town, Las Cruces, we rode a little further to the historic town of Messilla. This is a very typical looking Mexican square with a church at one end and single story shops around the perimeter. Luckily, there was an ice cream shop (The Chocolate Lady) and we had homemade ice cream on the plaza. We just booked a cab to take us back there for dinner.

Truth or Consequences, NM to Las Cruces, NM

Day 18 - 81 miles
RT - 4:07
Avg - 19.9
Elevation gain - 1200 ft.

Day 17 - Rollers!!

2008-08-15T05:50:00.000-07:00

At dinner last night Mark told a very funny story. He and another rider met a girl (local) riding her bike yesterday. She asked where we started and where we were ending. Mark replied "Kalispell, MT to El Paso, TX". Then the girl asked how long it would take to get to El Paso. Mark replied "the trip is 19 days". To which the girl replied "you must really like El Paso" :)

I set out easy today and as the fast boys came by I thought I'd jump on with them. There were 5 of us in the paceline and we were cookin'. Averaging about 23mph. Then the rollers started - 40 miles of rollers!!! Unrelenting. This would make a great training course. I stayed with the group to the 2nd SAG (about 35 miles) and then did my own pace to lunch.

While alone it was kind of cool to be out in the dessert alone. Then I realized that both of my bottles were very low. A mile later I came upon a 3-4 foot rattle snake right in the middle of the road. Several miles later Steve came by with the van from the 1st SAG. I waved him down and filled both my bottles. Thanks Steve! That water (cold) made all the difference for me. After lunch Rich and I rode the remaining 11 miles together at a very comfortable pace.

It was a quick 77 miles today and with time to spare, we had our first day at an outdoor pool. It was fun to compare everyone's crazy tan lines.

Truth or Consequences, NM got it's name from the game show. Somewhat of a dare, they offered to see if a town would change it's name to the name of the show. This goes back to the 1950's sometime. Of course, we were all hoping and thinking it would be something more western, sherrif or judge-like, about how the town got it's name. The original name was Hot Springs, NM

Socorro, NM to Truth or Consequences, NM

Day 17 - 77 miles
RT - 4:28
Avg - 17.3
Elevation gain - 2200 ft.

Day 16 - Dog, Heat, Wind

2008-08-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

We rolled out this morning as a small group of 2 - Rich and I. After the first stop, I rode solo for a bit. About a mile from the rest stop I was chased by a dog. This is the 3rd time this has happened on this trip. Sometimes it can be a little scary as they can come right up next to you and might bite you on the leg. Depending on the road, and how you're feeling, you can usually out run them. I knew those sprinting drills would come in handy!

About 15 miles after my encounter with Fido, Rich and company caught up to me. This was a really good group of about 8 riders. I joined them all the way to lunch.

The morning was somewhat overcast which kept the temps cool. Leaving the lunch stop (mile 75) the temps were really going up. For the next 2 hours it was between 95-105. But it's a dry heat :), and we were going downhill for the first 20 miles. The group stayed together all the way to mile 105, when I got a flat (this time the front tire got a thorn in it). Thankfully, Matt and Ruth stayed so I wouldn't have to battle the headwinds alone. Great day riding with some great people. One to remember.

btw - the pic (last) of what's supposed to be a river, is actually the Rio Grande. Somewhat underwhelming in this area.

Moriarity, NM to Socorro, NM

Stats:
Day 16 - 120 miles
RT - 6:20
Avg - 19 mph (fast!)
Elevation gain - 2500 ft.

Day 15 - Mostly Solo

2008-08-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. Everything started off fine. Rode past Santa Fe and then through a nice little town, Madrid. In Madrid, I got my 2nd flat of the day. No complaints though, I haven't had a flat all trip. And it's quite common, for some reason, for people to have multiple flats in a day. The scenery more than made up for it though. Lot's of climbing and lot's of solitude.

Right after lunch there was a 1 mile climb that averaged 15%. I knew to eat a light lunch! I then rode mostly on my own through the middle of nowhere, New Mexico. But the skies were offering a great show. Clouds seem to form out of nowhere. You can see the rain fall, 20 miles away. Some thunder and lightning too.

We've been eating Mexican food the last 2 nights and it looks like this will continue for the rest of the trip. But hey, that's what you eat in New Mexico :)

Espanola, NM to Moriarity, NM

My Garmin has stopped working.

Todays Stats:
Day 15 - 118 miles
Elevation gain - about 6000 ft.

Day 14 - Expect the Unexpected

2008-08-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

First, thank you to all that are reading and leaving comments here (or sending emails). It's great to receive your thoughts, comments and encouragement. Thanks!

I wasn't quite sure how I was going to feel today. We had a relatively short ride today, but I was tired and starting to get a little achy. But we slept late today (6:30) and the route was very favorable. We had a tailwind most of the way and with about 2500 ft of climbing it was not going to be a hard day. What made it even better was that we would descend about 5000 ft in total. So there was more downhill than usual. Then add to that a beautiful change of terrain, the willingness to be a tourist and stop (HA!) and the commitment to ride super easy - a perfect day! All the stars were aligned.

After leaving the small town of Chama the terrain started to resemble something quite different than the lush green and tree heavy areas we've been in. It's obvious in the pics. Lon mentioned that Echo Rock was worth checking out. It looked easy to do so we took the turn and sure enough, the path was paved all the way up to the amphitheater. This place is like the perfect echo chamber. Lot's of fun.

Lunch was near some adobe ruins. And the rest of the ride took care of itself. Just great and into the hotel by 1:30!! Plenty of time to recover and gear up for the last 5 days ahead. Wow - what a tour.

Chama, NM to Espanola, NM

Todays Stats:
Day 14 - 81 miles
RT - 4:25
Avg - 18.4
Elevation gain - about 2500 ft.
Weather - Fantastic

Day 13 - Race the Rain

2008-08-11T16:20:00.001-07:00

Today's ride was great, but we're all starting to feel a little tired as the last few days have been long and mountainous. That said, this was still a good day... at least until I got to the Continental Divide sign. Then the clouds starting moving our way and it became a race to get to the hotel before the downpour started. I made it, but some others weren't so lucky.

I'm quite tired now from the last 3 days. Phew! That was a lot of riding!

Unfortunately, my bicycle computer is having some problems so I'm not getting very accurate readings. Here are the stats as far as I can tell.

Montrose, CO to Chama, NM

Todays Stats:
Day 13 - 121 miles
RT - 7:16
Avg - 16.4
Elevation gain - about 6000 ft.
Weather - Just fine :)

Day 12 - The Queen Stage

2008-08-10T04:52:00.000-07:00

Click on photo to see the full size version.

From Montrose, CO, through Ouray, Silverton and in to Durango, CO.

The mark of a great day - I would do this ride again... anytime!

Todays Stats:
Day 12 - 114 miles
RT - 7:28
Avg - 14.9
Elevation gain - about 8500 ft.
Weather - Cloudy

Day 11 - There Are No Words

2008-08-08T19:25:00.000-07:00

I will sound redundant if I continue to say spectacular. I will have to think of something better, but I'm a little tired now. Hopefully I'll have some more energy to complete this post tomorrow. All is well, and we avoided all the rain today!

Grand Juntion, CO to Montrose, CO (via the Grand Mesa)

Todays Stats:
Day 11 - 117 miles
RT - 7:19
Avg - 15.9
Elevation gain - 7892 ft.
Weather - everything but rain :)

Day 10 - Rain!

2008-08-07T20:37:00.001-07:00

Last night we stayed at the nicest hotel on the trip. it was hard to leave ;). But leave we did. 7:30 this morning with cloudy skies, we headed into the most remote parts of the entire trip...I think.

About 30 miles in we were stopped due to construction on the road. We followed a pilot car for several miles, then up the major climb of the day to 8200ft. The descent was awesome and then it started to rain. Light at first and then pretty heavy. Enough rain so that my feet we sloshing in my shoes.

The rain lasted about 30 minutes and over the next 15 minutes almost everything dried out. As we pulled in to lunch it started to rain again. All in all though, we were making great time, so we stayed at lunch a little longer (75 miles).

We only had another 15 to go, but it started to rain again. It was a fun day though and very fast. I was actually the first person in today.

The highlight of the day though was that Mark (my roommate) and I took a taxi into town for dinner to a nice Italian Restaurant. This is virtually unheard of on PacTour. There was also a nice street fair going on tonight.

The forecast is continued showers on and off for the foreseeable future. Even so, I'm excited about the next 2 days - Montrose & Durango.

Rangely, CO to Grand Junction, CO

Todays Stats:
Day 10 - 92 miles
RT - 4:57
Avg - 18.2
Elevation gain - about 4500 ft.
Weather - Cloudy & Rain

Day 9 - Midway

2008-08-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

Most of us were pretty wiped out from yesterday and planned on using today's short ride as a true recovery ride. I'm proud to say that I did this too :). Only once did my HR go above 110.

It was overcast and drizzling when we left Vernal and her pink dinosaur. Now we were really heading into the heart of Dinosaur country. In fact, we would go right through the town of Dinosaur, CO.

Two days ago we went through the town of Pickleville. Today, I saw the Pickle Stop. I wonder what it is with Pickles and this area. Anyway, I took this picture for Randi to acknowledge her love of pickles and all condiments. Enjoy ;)

Short and quick, not much to say about today. We all had lunch together today in Rangely. Since we were so early it was a good opportunity to clean my bike and take care of some other bike issues.

The next 4 days in Colorado are what everyone is really looking forward to. Lot's of climbing and some of it at very high elevations. We will be ending our rides in Grand Junction, Montrose & Durango.

Vernal, UT to Rangely, CO

Todays Stats:
Day 9 - 52 miles
RT - 3:10
Avg - 16.2
Elevation gain - 1800 ft.
Weather - Cloudy, some rain

TOTAL STATS:
9 days - 1,007 miles
39,139 feet of climbing
57 hours, 48 minutes on the saddle

Day 8 - The Big Day

2008-08-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

"Climbing is a very personal thing" - A. Puddy

There's so much to say about today's ride. When you ride 150 miles you go through so many different areas - it's too much to remember. We hit the road at 6:30 this morning and got onto I-80 for 28 miles. I know this sounds crazy, riding on the interstate, but it's really not that bad. Few cars or trucks are out that early, the shoulder is very wide and the road is in good shape. And, it's the ONLY road between here and there, so there aren't any other choices.

We hit the first sag stop at mile 30 where I hooked up with David and Chip. We made really great time as the road headed into some of the unique rock formations that Utah is know for.

I left the 2nd sag with Rich "The Rock" Ruge. Rich lives in upstate NY and is a 4x PacTour veteran. And expert at pacing and long distance, he is steady as a rock and very strong. I rode his wheel all the way to lunch (mile 93), which was in Flaming Gorge.

The major climb of the day began right after lunch. Steep and long with great vistas. Most of the riding today was between 7000 and 8000 ft - a little harder than doing similar climbs at 500-1000 ft like at home. Once at the top of this climb there was a long series or rollers. I saw a deer jump out on the road up ahead and there were many cows on the road in various places.

The final summit for the day was at 8428 ft. The skies were threatening rain, which was in the forecast, but it did stay dry all day. That's the last sag stop of the day - white tent. Following was a long downhill with a couple of surprise rollers before entering the town of Vernal, Utah.

Once in town we went straight to the ice cream shop and had a chocolate shake. This was the longest day so far and possibly the longest for the whole trip.

Evanston, WY to Vernal, UT

Stats:
Day 8 - 149 miles
RT - 8:52
Avg - 16.7
Elevation gain - 9,004 ft.
Weather - Excellent

Day 7 - The 94 Mile Recovery Ride

2008-08-04T16:38:00.000-07:00

You know your perspective has shifted when the 94 mile days are regarded as 'short'. Perhaps that's because we're usually above 100 and tomorrow is one of the signature days at 150 miles and 8500 feet of climbing. So for most, the idea was to go very easy today.

I rode the first leg today with Ruth and Lon. Lon and I had a chat about the work he's been doing in Peru which really sounds fascinating. Check out the PacTour site to learn more about that. We were at the head of a large group of riders, Lon was chatting, and I was trying to hang on ;). Then I decided to go the back. This is a pic from the rear.

Our first stop was at 26 miles today and this sign was there.

We started in Idaho, and then quickly crossed into Utah passing Bear Lake and towns such as Pickleville, which I'm sure would be Randi's favorite town ;). Not much to show because after a while, the pics become the same. But here's what it looks like.

I was riding with Ruth again after one of our breaks. For women on PacTour, finding a bathroom can be a real challenge. We entered the town of Randolph and there was a gas station, so we stopped. We met these fine young lads there and started to talk about cycling. They wanted to race us, so we raced them to the town limit. They won!

Lunch was at mile 80 and there was only 14 more to go. Entering Evanston, WY we were greeted by this sign. Being a corn lover, I was kind of upset by this.

We arrived at the motel before the rooms were ready, so a few of us rode back into town and found an ice cream shop (The Scoop) and ordered up a few milk shakes. Yum!!

Here's a pic of the fine establishment we'll call home tonight. Most of the hotels are nicer than this :)

And lastly, this is what I look like when I blog. I have the crew transport my special blogging sleigh wherever I go.

Montpelier, ID through Utah to Evanston, WY

Stats:
Day 7 - 94 miles (not including riding to The Scoop)
RT - 5:21
Avg - 17.5
Elevation gain - 2500 ft.
Weather - Excellent

Day 6 - Amanda's Birthday

2008-08-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

The most significant thing about today, to me at least, is that Amanda is turning 16 today :).

Everything this morning went well until I got to breakfast. I was 30 minutes late because I had read the board wrong the day before, or I just got confused. So I had a quick breakfast, scraping the bottom of the oatmeal bin :) And didn't loose too much time. I pulled out with David and Craig (who also read the board wrong).

The route this morning took us along the Snake River and was once again, very scenic. The weather was cold, but a nice change. After the first stop (36 miles) I road alone until the lunch stop at 77 miles averaging about 20.3 mph. There were only 40 miles left and Sue was concerned about us getting to the hotel before the rooms were ready. This is a HUGE no-no. In the end, she had nothing to worry about.

Our old friend, Mr. Headwind, made an appearance and decided to stay with us all the way to Montpelier. We had 2 mountain passes to climb averaging 8% and then the wind to deal with too. Not easy to pedal downhill and barely get 14mph.

After the 2nd pass the road we were on was under construction. There was a traffic light and the road ahead was all gravel. We also couldn't tell how far it went like this. Fortunately, a pick up track had just pulled up, so we asked the driver if we could put our bikes in the back. We all got lifts from various cars. It was my first time in a car in 7 days and it felt very strange. After 2 miles we were back on pavement, got our bikes and finished our trip for the day.

Jackson, WY to Montpelier, ID

Day 6 - 117 miles
RT - 6:22
Avg - 18.3
Elevation gain - 4040 ft.
Weather - Excellent

As soon as I have a little extra time (ha!) I will try to add captions for the photos. Remember to click on them to see them much bigger. It really makes a difference.

Day 5 - 3 States, 1 Day

2008-08-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

Something clicked for me this morning. After yesterday, I was feeling really down. I couldn't put my finger on it, but then I got an email that made me realize - I'm taking this a little too serious. Lighten up. You had a hard day. So what? Tomorrow is new - so go out and enjoy that. It also reminded me to keep my sense of humor at all times.

I decided to stay with the PacTour route instead of going with a few others through Yellowstone Park and the Tetons. In the end, both routes resulted in great days for all the riders.

We left West Yellowstone at 6:40. After a short warmup we climbed Targhee Pass to an elevation of 7072. This is also our 2nd crossing of the continental divide and the boarder to Idaho. We came down a great decent and formed a good size group of about 6 or 7. At the rest stop, Andrew Puddy said that he had planned to take it easy during this day and to try and help 2 other riders have a great day. It seems that Janet and Tom, both from Butte, had a couple of rough days and since we were going to take it easy, we could be a good 4-some and help through the majority of the day. In the end, this worked out great.

We took back roads through the eastern part of Idaho. On one scenic byway the road was newly paved and felt great. Also no cars at all. We had a stop at Mesa Falls, a stunning waterfall on the Snake River. Idaho was beautiful. We passed many farms and rolling countryside. I kept hearing voices though - "if you build it, they will come' ;)

After a short while we could see the Tetons off in the distance. They would stay with us all day until we got to the town of Driggs when we were closest to them. After Victor, I began to climb the second mountain pass of the day, Teton Pass. Wow!! This is an amazing place and climb. It's about 12 miles long, but doesn't really start to kick up until the last 3 miles, where it runs from 11%-15%. This was really hard, especially considering we were at mile 122 when the steep started. Got to the top and took a breather and stood in awe as I looked down on the town of Jackson from 8670 feet.

The decent was at 10% and you could really pick up some speed. I hit 51 mph here. A little scary ;). The ride continued and it was interesting to be in an area where there were so many people. I met with my Aunt Chris and her friend Willy for dinner. A very special treat.

Stats:
West Yellowstone, MT to Jackson, WY

Day 5 - 136 miles
RT - 7:51
Avg - 17.1
Elevation gain - 5604 ft.
Weather - Excellent

A word about this last pic. I was standing in the town square in Jackson with Craig and David under the arch of antlers. There's a webcam on the corner. I called Dan and he saw us on the cam and made this screen shot. David is standing on the right waving. I have the phone next to my head (speaking with Dan) and Craig is next to me. Once I hung up the phone, I got the webcam on my iPhone. Crazy :)

Day 4 - WIND!

2008-08-02T04:33:00.000-07:00

Most of us thought today would have been an easier day at only 90 miles and not a lot of elevation on the route slip. But mother nature had something else in mind. Strong headwinds for the entire day. We were also climbing all day, but at a very easy pace - maybe 2% on average. But with the headwinds it felt like almost 6 hours of non-stop up hill.

The scenery did help to make up for some of it. We mostly rode along the Gallatin River - which is just beautiful. Also passing some fields of wildflowers. But the wind was always there and it was work just to stay at 12 mph.

The day started of fine and then John Morgen flatted, so I stopped to lend a hand. That put us considerably behind our regular group. But that was fine with me, as I wanted to take it easy today and make several stops just to enjoy the area. I did ride the last 40 miles with Jim and Will Slauson and that was a huge help - thanks guys!

I have never been to this area before. Southern Montana skirting the north east section of Yellowstone Park. It seems to be very quiet in this area and just beautiful. A real gem. We saw a few people fly fishing too.

All in all though, a tough day. Toughest so far. Tomorrow we may take the optional (and unsupported) route through Yellowstone and the Tetons ending in Jackson. The PacTour route is on the other side of the Tetons. I'm actually undecided at the moment.

Stats:
Day 4 - 90 miles
RT - 5:47
Avg - 15.5
Elevation gain - 3445 ft.
Weather - Outstanding/Hot

Day 3 - Floating Down the Madison

2008-08-01T18:59:00.000-07:00

This was truly a spectacular day. We pulled out of Butte and immediately started a climb, probably about 3 miles to the summit which was our first crossing of the Continental Divide. Unfortunately, there was no sign so we didn't stop for a picture.

I spent most of the day riding with Lil and Ray (mom & son). Lil holds the UK Masters record for distance in 1 hour and Ray will be starting school at Notre Dame shortly. He is strong!! I hope he'll ride on the college team.

We rode through some breathtaking areas eventually coming into a canyon that led to the Madison River. This is Lewis and Clark territory. We finally had the wind at are back and I took a long lead out from the group. Once I started to slow down, Lon and company came roaring by. I grabbed a wheel and stayed with them till the lunch stop. That was a lot of fun.

Grilled chicken lunch on the Madison River watching tubers float by. Also being serenaded by my roommate - Mark Gunther. It just doesn't get any better. I left the lunch with the group but then suddenly it was just Craig and I and we rode together all the way into Bozeman. btw - Craig is the California State Time Trial champion on tandem! We had BBQ at Famous Dave's - not too bad actually. All in all - a great day.

Stats:
Day 3 - 101 miles
RT - 5:40
Avg - 17.8
Elevation gain - 3987 ft.
Weather - Excellent

Intermediate Entry - Bozeman, MT

2008-07-31T20:17:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day - best so far. I will post info and pics of today, tomorrow. So look forward to a double posting. In the meantime....

Thanks to all of you who leave comments here on the blog. I did get one question that I will try to answer here. I was asked about the rate of 'attrition' on this ride and I will try to answer it and tell you a bit about some of the folks on this ride.

First off, there are 45 riders and 12 support. Of the 45, only about 7 are first time PacTour riders (that's me). So the vast majority has done this before and knows what to expect. There are also some extremely successful cyclists here. 2 of the women on the ride have WON RAAM (recently). RAAM is Race Across America. Google it and see how remarkable a feat this is. It's like riding the Tour de France in 9 or 10 days with almost no sleep. Another of the women riders holds the 1 hour record for Masters in the UK and has ridden the Tour of Hope with Lance in 2003. There are about 7 Elite Riders as well. These are guys that also do RAAM. Some have logged more than 20,000 miles with PacTour and some have done races like Paris-Brest-Paris (such as my roommate Mark). These riders are completely inspiring to me. They came from all over the country and from Europe and Australia too. And most are older than me and still kicking butt.

We just finished day 3 and as for attrition, it may be too soon to say. But I don't think anyone has SAG'ed yet. Today was relatively light at 101 miles and tomorrow is 90. But day 5 is going to be a tough one at 150 and lot's of climbing. Let's see what happens after that.

Anticipating the next question - where do I fit into this group? That's also too soon to say. One of the great things about this ride is that it's not a race. Today we rode through a beautiful part of Montana and I just stopped to enjoy the scenery and absolute quiet. It was time to smell the roses. That said, there are 2 guys who always finish first. They're very strong indeed. The last 2 days our group was first in behind them. The first day I took it a lot easier. As we come to some of the more serious climbing that could all change. But I feel good and I would say I'm holding my own quite nicely.

The following video is from Chip Keyes, who is tearing up the field. Check out who's leading on this one :)

Keeping it light in the wind... from chip keyes on Vimeo.

Day 2 - On the Puddy Train

2008-07-30T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today was another beautiful day and a great day of riding. I rode out this morning with the guys I finished with yesterday and they're a great group. Andrew Puddy is an Aussie who did the Elite Tour last year - the one I was thinking of doing (which I'm glad I didn't ;) Andrew likes to be at the front and keeps a strong steady pace. The rest of our group is David, Craig, John and Chip. I stayed with these folks all day.

We were given all the route slips at the orientation meeting. None of us know this area so it's always an adventure to figure out where we're going. Today we had a great 'mis'-adventure. After taking a dead end street about a half mile, we realized we were in the wrong place and needed to be on the interstate (I-90) that ran parallel to our dead end street. So we figured, no problem, we'll cross this small field, cross the train tracks and just hop on the Interstate. First - a mile long train came by just at that time - ok, we waited a few minutes. We cross the tracks and then encounter a barbed wire fence. Fortunately, we found a place that was missing a row. So we pulled it apart so that we could all get through. We're keeping it interesting :)

The riding was great, and the scenery was beautiful. Lunch just outside of Phillipsburg, MT where we saw some puppies. We had headwinds for a time and then hit our first 8% climb at 86 miles. Once over this there was 20 miles of flat and downhill and tailwind through the town of Anaconda, MT. A great reward for the day (and yesterdays winds). Majestic scenery at 35mph. Sweet.

The tailwinds stayed for the most part all the way into Butte. Overall I'm feeling good. Sleep helps a lot and I'm eating and drinking like mad. Tomorrow is an easier day at 101 miles.

Stats:
Day 2 - 137 miles
RT - 7:23
Avg - 18.2
Elevation Gain - 5400 ft.
Weather - Perfect!... again.

Day 1 - Riding with Lon

2008-07-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Up at 5:30. Breakfast at 6. On the road at 6:30. A lot of stuff happens in that hour :)

It was a cool 51 degrees as we left Kalispell this morning. Quiet country roads until lunch at mile 80, and then more country roads ;). I rode with a lot of different people today. Mostly moving along at a very good pace, averaging almost 19 mph. The last 30 miles was especially difficult as we ran into enormous headwinds.

Lon Haldeman and Susan Notorangelo are the husband and wife owners of PacTour. They are there every step of the way. They are also a real inspiration as cyclists themselves. I had the good fortune to ride about 40 miles today with Lon. Check out this link to see his amazing accomplishments - http://www.ultracycling.com/about/hof_haldeman.html

There's probably more to say but to be honest, I'm tired ;). I had a nice steak dinner tonight at a good restaurant here in Missoula. Enjoy the pics and I'll try to write more tomorrow.

Stats:
Day 1 - 148 miles
RT - 8:02
Avg - 18.4
Elevation Gain - 3991ft
Weather - Perfect!

Day 0

2008-07-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Kalispell yesterday afternoon. Flights were mostly uneventful, though slightly delayed. The scenery on the flight up was nothing short of beautiful. I suppose we'll have to come north now - it looks too good :).

I was hoping to go to Glacier Natl Park today, but there were major obstacles in finding a rental car. So I stayed around here and got to know the crew and other riders. I worked on my bike too. Not much really. There was a group dinner tonight at The Saloon. Pizza and Salad, followed by desert at the Dairy Queen :). I managed to find a Borders and bought a book, tea and cookie.

Some friends of mine are making a film about the Garmin/Slipstream team and they just finished with the Tour de France. I received this post today and I want to re-post it here. It's from Nigel and you can check out his very cool site at - www.nigeldick.com. I thought it was great and well worth the read. So enjoy it, and tomorrow I hope to have some news and pics from the road for you.

And remember - if you click on the pictures in this blog, you can see the full size pic.

After 3 weeks of sun, rain, crosswinds, storms, flat stages, sprint
finishes, brutal climbs and mountain-top finishes the peloton moves
out of Etampes on a hot Sunday morning with much fanfare and very
little energy.

There's joy, exuberance and champagne coming from the CSC cars, they
have a man in yellow, and nervousness and fear from the Gerolsteiner
cars, they've had a great Tour but have no sponsor for next year.
Along the roadside I see Cadel Evans, the great Aussie hope, taking
a pee alone, stone-faced as always. He's on the podium for sure but
once again has come away with nothing - the Nearly man of Antipodean
cycling.

Jens Voigt, locomotive of CSC and my personal hero, comes by to chat
with Whitey.

"Jensie! Are you retiring?"
"My kids want a swimming pool and my wife wants a new car so I guess
I'm signing up for 2 more years of this crazy shit!"

Everyone laughs and he pushes himself away from the car and pedals
away up the road.

Why doesn't everyone race on the final day on the way into Paris?
That's what people want to know. Partly it's tradition, partly its
respect for the race and partly, as David Millar told me the other
night, its pure pragmatism: anyone who attacks the yellow jersey
will get shut down awful fast.

After the soft breezes of the past days Paris is hot and humid. The
domestiques shuttle back to their Team cars for the last time and
stuff their shirts with bidons for their fellow riders. There are no
longer empty hedgerows where the riders can pee - instead they're
lined up along walls letting it all hang out as they get ready for
the final explosive kilometres of the Tour.

The Champs Elysees is crowded and cheering and very bumpy. In a car
those bumps are part of the romance of Paris, after 3 weeks on a
bike it must be hell . After one circuit they kick me out of the
Team car - there are a line of sponsors wanting rides and bottom
feeders like me need to make space for the heavy-hitters.

The lead-out trains form up and the sprinters make a final effort -
a victory in Paris on these cobbled Elysian Fields could be a career-
defining moment.

After 85 hours of pedalling the Tour is over - the wives are kissed
and the babies hugged - and the riders form up with their Directeur
Sportifs who are riding spare bikes and looking out of place in
their civvy clothes and 40-something bodies. Each team sets out on a
lap of honor pedalling slowly towards l'Arc de Triomphe (pic
enclosed).

Garmin DS Jonathan Vaughters is trying to stand on his pedals and
keep stationery, the way cyclists do at the lights. He's having some
trouble with the cobbles. He was a previous lieutenant of Lance
Armstrong, held the TT record up Ventoux and rode 4 or 5 Tours but
famously never made it to Paris. He's visibly excited - it's the
first time he's ridden a victory lap on The Champ.

Garmin's number 5 GC man, Christian Vandevelde, has snagged a stars
and stripes from a bystander and wears it proudly over his
shoulders. Ryder Hesjedal snags a Canadian one and does the same.
Tiny Trent Lowe borrows an Aussie flag on a little stick and Julian
Dean finds some Kiwis in the crowd to have his picture taken with.

Christian Prudhomme, CEO of all things TdF shakes everyone's hands
and smiles.

I shout across to one of the ladies from the Slipstream office in
other team car: she's a single Mom of a certain age, has never been
to France, and here she is riding a Team Car down the Champs Elysees
as the crowds cheer her on.

"Can you believe this? Will anyone ever believe you if you tell them
this was your first drive into Paris?" She's visibly moved as we all
are.

Twenty minutes later the big blue whale of a team bus has gone and
the riders have ridden off to their hotel. After all these tough
weeks on the bike they can't get seem to get off. Half the team were
rookies and they've all made it to Paris - their bodies have changed
while I've watched the ride and they've all suffered horribly.

For me there is a quick meal and 2 hours packing in a smelly RV
parked on the edge of the Place de la Concorde. It's been an
extraordinary journey but right now all I want to do is go home and
hug my girl who I love so much ...and ride my bike.

ILL PIRATA
CDG airport, Paris, Gate A51

Ridge of the Rockies

2008-07-24T19:21:00.000-07:00

Just as the Tour de France ends, I'll be starting the PacTour Ridge of the Rockies 2008.

This will be my first full tour. 19 days of riding with about 45 other riders and 12 support. I have wanted to ride cross country for a couple of years now, so here's my chance.

We start in Kalispell, MT, near the Canadian border. Riding south over the Rockies, we finish 19 days later in El Paso, Texas, on the Mexican border. The ride totals 1950 miles and 88,000 ft. of climbing. The longest day is 148 miles (the 1st day!) and the shortest is 52. Climbing ranges from 2600 ft to 9200 ft. per day. On average it's 102 miles per day with 4600 ft of climbing. No days off!

If I was riding this solo I would start around 6:30/7am each day, eat & drink constantly, and hopefully get to the hotel by around 2 or 3. But I'll have to see how they run things and what others riders do.

Above is the itinerary. If any of you will be on the route, please let me know. It will be great to see you.

I will try to update this blog regularly, every day if I can. So please stay tuned and drop me a line here.

Click on the pictures to see larger maps and the route we'll be taking.

Spring Update

2008-07-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

As part of a 3 day block (331 miles) I rode with a Matt, Pete, Paul & David to Santa Barbara. We had a great time and rode mostly the route of the Tour of California.

The last day of March I did my first double century. I was nervous going in and went solo. I started at 6:40am and about 30 minutes into the ride started to meet some other riders. After the first rest stop, I joined a very strong group. We got to the lunch break in just over 5 hours of riding ... 114 miles!! My best century time ever, I was averaging 20.3 to this point. I took a little more time at lunch and the train pulled out without me, which was fine as I wanted some solo time anyway. I was on roads I knew since I rode here during my coastal ride last September.

I finished the day at 6pm and truly outdid myself. 192 miles, 11:40 TOTAL Time, 10 hours ride time with an average of 19.2 MPH. Wow.

The next "event" was the Mulholland Challenge. A 112 mile route with about 12,000 feet of climbing through the Santa Monica Mountains. This is where I live and I thought, no problem. Well.... It was the hottest day in April with temps over 100 and I did not prepare for this or eat/drink enough. With 100 miles and over 10K of climbing done, I had to abandon due to muscle cramps. A huge lesson learned.

My concern now was recovering in time for the next mountainous century - Breathless Agony. I did the ride, it was great, and I had a very respectable time. The first 75 miles of this ride has 12,000 feet of climbing which I did it in 7 hours. I was not 100% as I was not receovered from Mulholland. But this was important to do to prove to myself I would be good for the tour in the Rockies this summer. It's a great ride and I look forward to doing this one again!

After Breathless I did 5 solid weeks of 250-400 miles per week. This was great training. Within this period I did an 8 day block of 665 miles and 45,500 ft of climbing.

Now I'm just riding to keep this conditioning and rest before leaving for PacTour's Ridge of the Rockies on July 29th.

Winter Update

2008-07-24T18:58:00.000-07:00

After completing my California coast ride, I took some time off the bike and at the end of October, started a winter training program. My coach, David Brinton, has a great winter program that starts with weight training. Then at the end of October, we start climbing in the Angeles Crest area. This is a large scale mountain range similar to the Rockies or European climbs you see in the Tour de France. Very different than the canyon mountains we have here. Here's a picture of me at the top of Mount Disappointment getting some extra cycling radioactive waves. This is right next to Mount Wilson, but slightly higher.

All this training is in preparation to start the Simi Ride in December. The Simi Ride is a famous race training ride that many racers ride as .... well, a race. It's a great measure to see how you stack up against some category riders and a few pros. Aaron Olsen (T Mobile) did the ride regularly as well as cycling legends Thurlo Rogers and Ron Skarin. The typical size of the peloton is around 80 riders.

January and February were mostly spent doing base milage training averaging about 200 miles per week. On occassion I would do a couple of back to back 100 mile days.

I also went to 2 stages of the Tour of California, including the Time Trial stage. This was totally awesome. If you ever have the opportunty to see a professional race in person - go!

The Day After

2007-09-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

If you are coming upon this blog for the first time, the story starts at the bottom. Then work your way up the page.

The ride was spectacular. A true adventure. It was a challenge to ride so many miles alone, no drafting, no one to talk to (except myself) and no one to show me the way. I am grateful to have a friend like John to help shlep my stuff from place to place and be, in his words, my 'pit crew'. John also impressed me with how much work he was able to accomplish. Aside from getting a start on a novel, he filed at least 1 article each day. Here are some links to his work -

http://www.newsday.com/features/printedition/ny-etledew5388638sep26,0,4602662.story
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/ny-ffmov5391180sep30,0,1129259.story
http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/ny-etmovie5391288sep28,0,78448.story

Would I do it again? Absolutely. I just need some time now to recover. Give me a few days ;) Here are the final stats for those of you into numbers.

Days Riding - 6
Total Miles - 643
Average Speed - 16.0 mph
Total Elevation Gained - 34,110 ft.
Total Ride Time (on the bike) - 40:17
Flat Tires - 0

I look forward to seeing you out there soon.

JG

Day 6 - Run Forrest Run

2007-09-27T20:00:00.000-07:00

Solvang to Malibu

Or is it more like the Energizer bunny? You wake up in the morning, get on your bike and start pedaling. After about 30-45 minutes you've loosened up and start enjoying the ride. But wait! Today's the last day. Say it isn't so!

Rolled out at 7:30 going through Santa Ynez and then into San Marcos Pass. This is another beautiful area with a bunch of rollers. Then I started up a long 4 mile climb peaking at an elevation of 2100ft (the start of the climb was around 400). For those that don't know, this is a hard steady grade (8-10%) with no breaks. For those that do know, it's more elevation than Piuma in a shorter distance. And yes, I can't wait to do it again someday ;)

Once over the top the decent is long and intense. Think Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. I then proceeded into Santa Barbara, past the Mission, and down to the coast (that always seems cool in Santa Barbara). Through Montecito (hi Leonard), Summerland, Carpenteria and into Ventura where I met John and had a great burrito.

It was surprising to me, that in this entire ride, I'd only met 2 cyclists riding in my direction. While riding through Oxnard I met another cyclist. Jim started in Daly City and was riding to Thousand Oaks. He was keeping a very strong pace on his bike. He did 60-70 mile days and camped along the way. I guess this is how the real men do it. Let's just sat I was impressed. Here's a pic of his bike and gear (note the Brooks saddle).

I was now in very familiar territory as I ride often through the vegetable and fruit fields of Camarillo and down the coast and mountains of Malibu. While I was riding this part I was struck by the fact that I am so lucky to be able to live and ride in this area. After riding over 600 miles of California coast, this area really does have it all. Here are some pics I've taken over the last couple of years while riding around here.

I met John at Malibu bluffs and called it a day at 110 miles and 5000 ft of elevation.

'nuff said :)

Day 5 - Getting The Hang of This

2007-09-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Cambria to Solvang

The rhythm of the ride is now established. Thinking of doing 100 miles or more is now not even a thought. It feels odd to me to think this way, but that's what it has become. Hills don't matter. Flats don't matter. But wind - THAT matters!! And there was plenty of headwinds this morning. But once I entered Pismo Beach, they were gone and now became tailwinds.

I passed through Morro Bay, Pismo Beach, Oceano, Guadalupe and then stopped in Orcutt, just south of Santa Maria for a sandwich. That was about 80 miles into the day.

Going east, I was now in wine country. More specifically, this is the area where they shot the film Sideways. They also grow a lot of flowers in this area. [btw - if you click on any of these pictures, they will enlarge to the actual size.] I rode through Foxen Canyon, up Ballard Canyon and down into Solvang finishing the day with 116 miles and 4800 feet. Also had my best time/average today. Looking forward to heading home tomorrow.

Day 4 - Big, Big Sur

2007-09-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Carmel - Cambria

Yesterday was a huge ride and it was nice to have the extra time to ride around Monterey, Pacific Grove and Carmel. This morning was hard to leave, but it's time to ride. You quickly get out of civilization in this area and before you know it, it's just you, your bike, the road and the ocean.

Eventually, the road leads away from the shore and into a heavily forested area to Big Sur State Park. Marked by tall trees and beautiful mountains the road climbs to 1000 ft. where there are 2 resorts - Ventana and The Post Ranch Inn. After this it's all up and down. Thrilling riding. Passing a few towns, though they're more like outposts - Lucia, Gorda & Ragged Point.

Once through the mountainous coast, it's about 15 miles of flat and rolling roads to Cambria. Again, the terrain changes entirely. After passing the Hearst Castle and San Simeon, I pulled into Cambria finishing the day with 99 miles and 6760 ft. of climbing.

This was a spectacular day of riding, and possibly the best time I've ever had cycling.

Day 3 - The Sun Shines

2007-09-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

Half Moon Bay to Carmel

Finally! No legwarmers and I needed my sunglasses. By the end of the day the arm warmers and the vest was off too. How normal :). Anyway, got a late start today but it was smooth sailing, er... riding out of Half Moon Bay. About 28 miles in to the ride I met another rider, George, and he kept me company until we hit Santa Cruz - about 45 miles from HMB. Here are some pics from that stretch.

John met me in Santa Cruz where I refueled and took a break (since George was keeping a quick pace). Not so by the way, John (Pit Crew) Anderson, has been great! I could not have asked for better. Here's a shot of John about to make that important call to his editor.

After the passing through Santa Cruz I went through several other farming town until reaching Monterey. I took a bit of a leisurely ride through Monterey, Pacific Grove and 17 mile Drive (Pebble Beach). Then down into Carmel to our friends home where we're spending the night. All in all - 113 miles & 4600 ft of climbing. And if you believe my computer, I burned 6900 calories!! And how about that sign......

Day 2 - Golden Gate

2007-09-23T22:05:00.000-07:00

Bodega Bay to Half Moon Bay

I was exhausted after yesterdays ride. But it felt good to get back on the bike this morning, at 7am. Today was completely different terrain. First, leaving Bodega Bay, Route 1 heads inland traveling through farmlands. Again, many rollers. But it was a peaceful and quiet Sunday morning.

As Route 1 heads back towards the coast, you pass through several small towns. They reminded me a little of New England. Riding through the Tomales Bay area was really beautiful and the first time I found roads that were almost flat.

Eventually I made my way to Point Reyes where, for the first time, I saw groups of other cyclists. Most were headed out of, and back to Petaluma. However I did find one person that was headed my way and we rode together for about 8 miles or so through Samuel P. Taylor State Park.

From the park, I began to enter several, very nice suburban/countryish towns of Marin County - Fairfax, San Anselmo, Ross, Larkspur and Corte Madera. Now instead of riding on country roads by myself, I was riding with traffic. Eventually I made my way through Sausalito (where the mist felt like rain) and up to the entrance of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Once over the bridge, I rode through a very nice SF neighborhood and then over to the ocean. Coming down along the coast was interesting, and at times, a real challenge. I was going up a long hill, and it was so foggy, I couldn't see the top. Wondering all the time - where is it? I took several streets though residential areas to avoid the freeway that Route 1 became. I rejoined Route 1 near Pacifica where I started another long climb to the top of what was going to be Devil's Slide. This is a tiny strip of road that is etched into the cliff. Pictures I've seen make it look harrowing. Let's just say I'm glad it was too foggy to look over the side. Since they were doing construction on this road it made it even more difficult.

But once down from Devil's Slide it was smooth sailing into Half Moon Bay. I finished the day with a paltry 94 miles and 5700 ft. of climbing, in 6 hours of ride time. After checking in to the hotel the sun came out and the forecast for the rest of the week is good.

Day 1 - Battling the Elements

2007-09-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

Fort Bragg to Bodega Bay (where Hitchcock shot The Birds)

6am. Woke up to Ted Haggard on TV. Then this guy came on. He was talking about the pain that Jesus endured for us all. Was this a foreshadowing of the pain I was going to endure on my ride??

Sun up here is 7am. I was on the bike at 7:15. A short 15 miles down the road is the picturesque town of Mendocino. This is a picture looking north from Mendocino highlands.

As you can see, overcast. But I was glad. The rain that was forcasted seemed to be holding off...for now.

About 50 miles in to the ride it started to rain. And then there was wind. Though the rain would be on and off, the wind would remain for the rest of the ride. And unfortunately, it was a headwind. That combined with endless rollers (no flat sections at all) made for a hard 110 miles. By the end I had climbed over 7200 ft. as well.

The landscape is beautiful. Rugged and dramatic. At times completely barren and then densely wooded. The road is never straight, often turning inland and downhill to a cove/beach and then immediately turning back out to sea and up again. Some wildlife and few people. This is certainly a remote area. Sweet scents of the trees, sea and brush.

The Drive

2007-09-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

11 hours!! That's what it took to drive from home to Fort Bragg, Califoria. FB is a small logging town on the northern coast of Mendocino County, 170 miles north of San Francisco. I would say it was lovely, but we arrived as the sun was setting and I left early the next morning, so I don't know ;). John and I enjoyed a nice italian dinner while there. Tomorrow's the big day.

The Day Before

2007-09-20T19:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my 2007 Tour of California. I hope you enjoy it from the comfort of your easy chair while I ride 600+ miles over hill and dale, and more hills in 6 days. Tomorrow (Friday) we drive to Fort Bragg and I start riding on Saturday. Here's a pic of the entire route.