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Posted May 3rd 2007, 10:27pm
Atascadero - Santa ynez
In the morning we realized that lots of wine and margaritas are not the best way to re hydrate, but i think deep down we all knew this. Its a strange aspect of human nature, we know the healthy thing to do, we say we want to be healthy, and yet we chose the route of most pain. So needles to say it was a slow start. Finally round 9.30 am we set off for the coast again towards Morro Bay. Thankfully the temperature was a cooler 80 degrees as we set off for the 28 miles of the first leg. We had to climb back over the coastal hills again, but the climb was far less arduous than the previous day but was very scenic. Once again as we crested the hill there was a dramatic temperature change, it got so cool I stopped to put on my gilet. From Morro Bay (pictured) we went down to Pismo beach and had the mother of all tail winds, although the part was reasonably flat we were easily reaching speeds above 30 miles an hour. From there we went onto Santa Ynez which has a large wine industry and where the movie Sideways was based, thankfully the people were not quite as weired. It was very pretty going through the small towns of the region that have also developed a tourist business on the back of the local Wineries. I was told Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch is somewhere in the area but figured we would give that tourist spot a miss. Day 4 was just over 110 miles and was cooler, but the legs and body are getting tired. We had a great dinner, but for this night we drank a lot more water than wine.
Posted May 1st 2007, 2:01am
Big Sur - Nacimiento Lake
Holy cow, the first 40 miles of the ride today was just spectacular and betters even yesterdays ride. We started off at the Redwood grill at 7.00 am and it was a a very cool 55 degrees. We set off down Route 1 and the scenery at that time in the morning with no cars was breathtaking, a tail wind adding to the enjoyment. After 28 miles we turned inland onto the Nacimiento Lake road which would take us over the costal mountain range (Ed...do you know what the range is called?) The road to the top was 6 miles and was about 3000 feet in elevation, so it was a serious climb. On the other side we descended through forest. However the temperature change was significant, without the Pacific and its cooling currents from Alaska, the inland was 95 degrees, and we still had 78 miles to go. We had to go thru some military area, as we went thru you show ID and as i was low on water i asked one of the 6 guards if they had any, "Move a long sir" was his friendly reply, and i didn't really think it worth arguing. This is where the ride stopped being pleasant the land was flat and the heat just radianted of the black top, the old polar HRM said it was 100 degrees. The land was just brown and featureless and as far as i could tell not many people lived here. Finally found a deli to replenish the liquids and at 12.30 made the rendezvous at Lake Nacimiento for lunch, we had done 78 miles and 2000 meters vertical. The heat was really taking a toll, but after about an hour we were on our way again, but at least now the route took us along more tree lined and shaded roads, we soon started to go through some of the wine country and finally arrived at our hotel. By then we had done 118 miles and 3000 meters vertical, not quite a stage of the tour de france but not far off it. Off course the best way to recovery was to go out to dinner and drink way too much wine and beer.
Comments
Posted Apr 30th 2007, 1:31am
Big Sur - Day 2
Just an unbelieveable ride, its gotta rate in my top 5. We left carmel at 9.00 am set off along US route 1 for a 55 mile ride. The highway was built in the early 30's as part of the "New Deal" to help America out of the Depression. It has since become an iconic part of California and offers just fabulous veiws of the Pacific.
The day was clear blue skies and about 60 degrees and a light breeze north to south. Total vertical climbed was 1100 meters. We crossed the Bixby Bridge, which we were told was the most photographed bridge in the world, which was news to me and consequently i didn't take a picture of it. We stopped off half way for lunch at the Redwood grill which was a little inland nestled among the huge redwoods. Its amazing just how remote the whole area feels. The road itself is quite hilly and definitely gets your heart rate up
Comments
Hey Bill these are great pictures and blogations. what great country to be riding. But 'a little detour to the Sierra Nevada' is a bit rich. looking forward to hearing more. meanwhile i am still in china for a couple more days, hong kong right now. done about 7 runs or so, some great, some gritty. left the tour group yesterday and slept for 11 hours today. tells you something....cheers. ed.
Posted by Ed McKinley, Apr 30th 2007, 3:58am
Posted Apr 27th 2007, 4:30pm
California Livin'
What the heck are we doing living and cycling in London, I'm as Mad as m' Dad and he's pretty mad. Why doesn't every cyclist just live on the west coast - just incredible! We're cycling from Monterrey down to Santa Barbara with a detour into the Sierra Nevadas there are 4 of us and hoping to do something like 70-100 miles a day.
We arrived yesterday in Carmel, where Clint Eastwwod was once Mayor, the weather is blue skies and 60 degrees. We put the bikes together and just went out on a short 30 mile spin down the coast by Pebble beach and Monterrey itself, just beautiful. The surf is crashing on the beach on one side and the tall pines rising up on the other, at one point we just pulled over to enjoy the scene. Once we got back to our hotel, we went for a walk round Carmel and realized the sleepy hippy town Carmel was on my last visit 25 years ago has definitely moved up market
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OK OK I'm jealous - let's see the pics though!
im also worried about your cycling stndard of fitness - I better get a bike!
im also worried about your cycling stndard of fitness - I better get a bike!
Posted by Chris Ward, Apr 27th 2007, 10:48pm
Posted Apr 14th 2007, 7:25pm
New Jersey
Despite the fact that it was 70 degrees in London last week we decided to visit relatives in NJ, USA where it was 35-40 degrees so training was not the anticipated pleasure I would have imagined.
Waking up early Saturday I nipped down to the local Stop 'n Shop to buy a map, the car thermometer said it was 32 degrees, and the skies were filled with clouds.
30 mins later and dressed for the Antarctic I set off. After crossing State Highway 10, I’m sure the locals have a far more affectionate name for it, I started off on my chosen route; starting in Morris County and then onto Somerset County. The map had shown “Jockey Hollow National Park” close to my starting point, which apparently General George Washington had used for his Head Quarters during the War of Independence, so I figured I would pass through to take a look. After the Park I was quickly climbing and descending through heavily wooded hills with lots of streams and lakes, it really was a very beautiful ride, the snow flurries along the way also added a nice touch. What a great way to see the local area? You arrive overseas, buy a map, plot a route and before you know it you’re seeing and experiencing the local history and scenery. Another thing I didn’t realize is how hilly this part of NJ is. I went out for 3 hours and did the same vertical as the Chiltern 53 (about 1400 meters); it was tough going. The NJ motorists were nice too, of the occasional ones I did see they seem to treat me like a horse by driving slowly and well away as they passed, and none of them threw anything at me, despite my “Bush Sucks” shirt. It would seem that people who live in this part of Somerset County must have all their relatives living with them, as I could find no other explanation for why they needed houses that are big enough for forty people, just incredible, either that or they are just trying to compensate for something. I ended up going for 3 rides in the area, all just as great as the next one; but it was a cold, training in January must be hell.
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Posted Apr 2nd 2007, 2:44pm
Schadenfreude...not
Had every intention of doing the Dynamo 8.00 o'clock drop ride on Sunday, firstly to test my fitness level and secondly i wanted to push the amps to 11. As it turned out a friend was in town and wanted to go out for a ride - "...so he can show me what an old fart i am". While there was now going to be a competitive edge to the ride, it was still possible he was full of s**t and you still always want to make sure that your potential cycling partner will be able to do the ride: Age - 26, Fitness level - v.good, bike experience - good, but he did reveal that its been a couple of months since being on a bike. I figured it was best to give the dynamo ride amiss and just ride with my buddy....just in case he did kick my ass.
We set off at 7.30 am heading to Surrey Hills for an 85-95 mile ride, and for the first hour we're setting a cracking pace, as we hit the hills the going was getting a little tougher for my buddy. After 2 hours my buddy reveals he didn't bring food, additionally i notice he has only one water bottle and its now empty. I give him half my food and one of my water bottles and keep going. After 2.5 hours he bonks big time, we stop and he’s shaking like a Polaroid picture. Now while we're all a competitive bunch on the bike and the fact that any 2 cyclists going up the slightest incline will naturally view the crest as the finish line, your heart goes out to anyone who bonks. We’ve all been there and its one of the worst feelings in the world and when you see someone else in that predicament you just help them any way you can. The look on his face when i told him we are only at the turnaround point was sheer horror; it was going to be a long ride home. He even contemplated the train home option, but i explained that would definitely give me lifetime ball-busting rights and i told him i would refuse to give him the money (he forgot to bring that too). In the end we rode slowly back to London making sure he had enough to eat and drink and stopping frequently “…so he could just feel normal”. Its one of those things, a long ride of pain with a friend, and no matter what, finishing what you start, it’s a weird sport.
Comments
bill, loved the friend-who-bonks blog. i could feel his pain. i know the words you used to get him home. he probably felt like a smuck but he should have. most of the riders i know would have dropped him and let him figure it out for himself. i hope he sends you some flowers. or buys you some beer.
Posted by Ed McKinley, Apr 3rd 2007, 6:43pm
Posted Mar 21st 2007, 3:19pm
Kids and Turbo
I knew it was going to be tough getting out for a ride last weekend. The kids had a chock-a-block sports schedule that fully booked the Bill's taxi service, and the BBC had predicted snow for sunday which meant no-go. But with training going better i didn't want to take time off, so that meant doing a couple of Turbo sessions. Basically i've been doing the same session for 10 years: 40 mins, gradient 2pct, wind resistance ON and going the fastest i can. By doing the same session it makes it easy to compare fitness levels and strength, basically I look at distance travelled and average HR. Its the only time i use the ipod on a bike as every mental distraction is welcome since the thought of stopping short of the 40 mins hits me every few minutes. My max HR, i think, is 184 and within the first 5 mins of the session my HR is up to 150 and then it slowly climbed to some painful level. On Saturday it reached 175 with 5 mins left, I’m in trouble at this point, because 5 mins at 95% is not going to be pleasant and the golden rule of the Turbo is never slow down, never ease off, I’m paying for my hubris at 30 mins. I manage to finish, HR hits a peak of 177 as I slump over the handle bars to the gentle sounds of Steely Dan telling me Losers want to be called Deacon Blues. It’s may be 40 mins of pure pain - but it feels great when i stop!
Sessions details
Distance travelled 17.21 miles
Average HR 164
Comments
Ride on! Fantastic commentary. I FELT YOUR PAIN.
Inspired me to go out and run 11 miles, slothfully.
Inspired me to go out and run 11 miles, slothfully.
Posted by Ed McKinley, Mar 21st 2007, 5:01pm
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Chris Ward
Ed McKinley