Rainy Days

JON PON RIDE CONTINUED


So my Sweep Duties started in Petaluma, and I had to wait until the last rider came in and had lunch, by the time we got on the road, most of the heavy downpour had tapered off to a drizzle.

Marjorie, is a first time rider, 63 years old, and had not been on a bike for some time. She was a moderate cadence rider, and she used her front set of sprockets rather well. (When I sweep, I like to look at how people use their gears, and point out any helpful hints if I can to make them a faster rider). But she was not using the the complete portion of her back sprockets , so when we got to a place where we could stop, I pointed that out to her.

I told her that at this point is was better to use more of the middle ring on her front and to use more of the complete ring in the back. I had her try it out, and she said that it was much easier than before, I also pointed out that we were now going faster. She also felt more comfortable to try using more of the entire range of gears.

This is exactly what I like about Training rides, helping someone to get better and make it easier at what they have committed to do.

Rained Out

So this weekend, I went on the Jonathan Pon 2 day Ride.

I called My friend Beau who is in charge of the ride and asked if it was going to be canceled because I heard it was going to rain. He assured me that it was just going to rain a little bit, just while we were riding and maybe some during the night while we were safely in our tents. I assured him that I would be there on time, with my tent (it sleeps six), ready to go.

So off to my house to pack, did I mention that I have been moving? Well I have not moved the bike or the tent yet, so I had to go to the condo to get those, and the Internet, cable and Telephone were being installed that night as well.

"That Night" you said, in as at nighttime after dinner? Well, it was day three of Telephone Installation.

Tuesday, for which I took off from work to be there, they lost our order, no they didn't lose our order, it wasn't released to the technicians. So they reschedule us for Thursday instead, same time slot, 12-2 pm. They then showed up at 3:30, did something up the street for an hour, then cam e back to the house and said we had no signal, and then left.

Friday they came back at 4:30, and the poor man had to install all the wires, etc in the rain. he was there until 11:20, his wife brought him something to eat, and Cowboy went out and grabbed us stuff to eat from Safeway.

I was trying to pack, and pay attention to the Technician, I forgot somethings like a jacket for wearing at the campsite, and I should have packed everything in a plastic baggie.

So I popped out of bed at 4:30 ate something then left for the city, I had to go back to the condo, because I could not find my tire irons, yes there are somewhere in the house, but I had taken them off the bike, I put them in a small contain that I take on ride with me, but I forgot where I put that. and You cannot go on a ride without tire irons.

I arrived in the City, about 20 minutes late, but it was in plenty of time because we allow ourselves 45 minutes to chat, check out bikes over, do a safety meeting, eat etc.

Well, it was drizzly on the way down but it was not raining when I got to Mill Valley.

So we were off, and well to make a long story short, it rained, not that hard but constantly. The worst part was right after lunch, but thankfully I had Sweep duties from Petaluma to Vally Ford, and I was waiting under an awning for the riders to come in eat their lunch, and for us to head out again. It had calmed down to a slight drizzle, when it was time for us to ride out again.

More later

me legs are a little bit tired

I went for a 45 mile bike ride on the Mountain Bike, only 3,ooo feet of climbing, I know for you hard core bikers that ain't much at all. But I was on a mountain bike, and you were probably on your climbing road bike.

By the time I was done, I sure was wishing that I had rode it instead.

But I decided that I need to give myself a work out, so I rode the Mountain bike, it was tough and rough, and maybe I think I need to do it more often, ride the Mtn bike that is. That way I can do short little rides, and still get in the workout on my legs that I need.

Where did we go you ask? Well we rode from Sebastapol to Occidental then over Coleman Valley Rode to the Coast, then north, turning east at highway 116, to Ride into Duncan mills for lunch, boy was I hungry... What no tuna fish, well okay Turkey & cheese then.

Then we rode back up the road from Duncan Mills to Occidental

45 miles - it took all day - well to 5pm

The last ride

The last long ride

The last long ride before we get on our bikes and head to Los Angeles…

95 miles

The Golden Gate Bridge

Camino Alto Hill

Whites Hill

Nicasio Hill

Alps de Fromage (the Petaluma Cheese Factory Hill)

Marshall Wall

Olema Hill

White’s Hill

Camino Alto

Sausalito Hill

The Golden Gate Bridge

Nine Hills, and the Golden Gate Bridge

It was actually a good ride, I wasn’t that tired at the end, I did not push myself that hard, I just had a nice ride with my friends.

Every year, for fun, we have a theme, we are all riding with an action figure cable tied to the tops of our helmets, and we are going to call ourselves

“The League of Super Heroes “.

Mine will be Green Lantern, Emily is Wonder Woman, Beau well he wants a super hero that matches his bike which is blue and orange, so maybe I will have to paint one for him, and John, says Black or Red will do fine, I have a Superman in all Black so that is easy.

I forgot my camera, (I got up at 4 am to do this ride) so no pictures. It was cold as hell, when we started, and then it got hot, cold once again when we got to the top pf Marshall Wall, and the hot again, then freezing when we got back to the bridge. So all day it was on with the arm warmers and off again.

Yes I was tired, and I am so thankful that Cowboy had made dinner and it was waiting for me when I got home.

Jonathon Pon Ride - part 3

It is early morning, and we need to get started, but the fog has not lifted so we are reluctant to start.

The climb out of the campground isn’t really a climb but it is up a gravel drive, so I walk my bike up (I’m so not interested in falling on gravel).

For some reason that I don’t remember now, I stop and the others go on, so after a bit when I finally get started, I’m alone in the early morning mist. It is quiet and magical, only the bitter cold breaks the moment.

I hurry now, knowing the faster I go the sooner I will warm up. I come to the bridge that crosses the river and soon the highway that leads to the coast. I look both ways then cross, and head towards the coast, soon I fall into a rhythm and I soon catch another rider and another. I see others who have stopped to take pictures of a patch of sunlight, like it is an alien thing. I wave and go on, I to have stopped for pictures like this, but I’m finally warm, and don’t want to stop yet.

We reach the junction of the River and the Ocean and turn south. We start our first climb of the day, it is a relatively easy climb not too long, not too steep, we are still slow, for we suspect we have many hills to climb before the day is done.

Riding along the coast it a ride of pleasure, (especially if the wind is at your back)

Rolling hills, where if you can gage the angles right, you push yourself picking up speed to coast your way up (or not slow to a crawl) most of the other side, just leaving you a little amount of hill, where if you push, you can make it to the top and you aren’t worn out.

There are many places to pull over and enjoy the scenery between Jenner & Bodega Bay, but not any “Towns” so Bodega Bay is the first rest stop, where some of the riders stop for coffee, I keep going, I heard through the grapevine that the wind will be blowing against us as the day goes by, so I want to get as many miles under my belt before it does.

So I ride & ride until I get to Valley Ford, our second official rest stop. Half of our riders are there; so I stop and socialize for a while, refill my water bottles and Camelback. Before long the sweep (yes the sweep), is coming along, so we get back on the road. Valley Ford is where the Sweep changes.

(The 1st sweep my friend Beau is done with his duties so we ride together. The 2nd shift sweeps has been lounging in chairs by the side of the road, you would think by looking at them that they are at the beach.)

We ride, like the wind (for the wind is at our backs) and soon we are in Tomales where we have coffee, and then we are off to Point Reyes Station, where lunch is being served.

Now lunch is served in a deli, so we actually get to sit down in a padded booth. Very nice and cushy on our bottoms.

Then back on the road, some of the slower riders have sagged now, so we are now getting to be the tail end of the riders (or it seems that way)

So we ride back to Samuel P Taylor Park and take the bike trail though the park, it is great ride, but don’t do it when it been muddy.

When we get to the end of the trail, we discover that one of our riders has a shoe that refuses to unclip. So we have to stop and he takes of his show while it is still clipped in, can’t get it undone, so we sag him.

We ride on, at this point we are in Lagunitas, stop for a bathroom break and then back over White’s Hill and into Fairfax. Can you say ICE CREAM, I just have a taste of Beau’s “delicious” – Maybe after the ride, after all I have to fit in my red dress.

We ride on, now the only hill we have left is Camino Alto, so up that hill , down the other side and we are done. We coast into Mill Valley, retrieve our bags and say good bye

Another Training ride is done

Jonathon Pon Ride - Part 2

We arrive at Camp, and we start to setup our tents. What is different from the RIDE and this ride is that on the RIDE, the tents are provided by the RIDE.

So on the RIDE you see a sea of tents all exactly the same size and color. This camp we provided our own tents. I brought our tent, which is a well… it is, a very large tent, you can stand up on the middle and it has two separate bedrooms, including privacy curtains.

Well everyone thought it was very humorous, so they started calling my tent City Hall, and asking if they could have tours.

They also gave it a nickname of Taj M’Tent. Later on, when we were told that we did not have the secured place for bikes, and that they would have to put our bikes by our tents, I just rolled our bikes into my tent, and then zipped up the privacy screen. (My friend Peter stayed in the tent with me)

Then it was time for dinner, we had Chicken marinated in artichoke hearts and cut–up baked potatoes, with some kind of pasta salad and a regular salad as well, I got drafted to help serve so that the line would go faster. Actually that was kind of fun, it allowed me to flirt with the men that I had been too shy to flirt with earlier.

After dinner, we had entertainment down by the campfire. It was provide by my friend Mark, who was going to ride, but his brand new bike broke (while riding it) and he broke his ribs, anyway he told the story while singing. He also played the accordion and banjo

Then it was off to bed, after riding 75 miles on a bike, you tend to be tired, and the next morning we were going to get up and go back.

The next morning, well my mornings always start with having to pee, so I lie in my sleeping bag until, I just have to get up, I throw some clothes on and then walk to the restroom, then it is back to bed to try to get back to sleep until it is time to really get up.

In camp I lie in bed until I think that I better get up or I will be the last one tearing their tent down, in reality, I’m about in the middle. Because the tent is so big, we have the luxury of being able to pack our bags in the dryness of the tent, with out getting in each other’s way.

The tent came down easily, and since our bikes were in the tent, our bikes did not have any early morning dew on them. After a brief breakfast, oatmeal and warm Croissants (I had three) no eggs, sometimes I just can’t stand eggs.

Then it was time for another safety speech, a review of the route, and on the road.

More later

Jonathan Pon Ride - part 1

The moon was just a sliver in the sky, barely visible through the mist of early morning.

The highway had not yet started to roar with the hum of people starting their day, a lone car here and there.

My bike was loaded along with a tent, sleeping bag, and a change of clothes

I was on my way, another ride to start in a few hours, the two day 150 mile, “JONATHAN PON” memorial ride.

The ride starts at the south end of Mill Valley (where we can park and leave our cars overnight), and goes to Duncan Mills.

I was the first one there, I parked my car, and soon the others started to arrive.

First one, then another, and then many more, we unload our cars and get our biking shoes on. Then we started giving hugs to those we know and introducing ourselves to new friends. We stretch and complain about the cold. We wait for the sun, we log in and sign insurance waivers, we chatter some more. We load up the moving truck; we check the air pressure in our tires and fix any last minute flats.

Soon it is time for the safety speech, we introduce our training ride leaders, and then we are off. I get a plum spot, sweep of the first leg. Though it means I will be behind everyone on this first leg, it also means that when my duties are done, I can ride as fast as I like.

Before we know it we are at the base of Camino Alto and doing the climb. A rider is up ahead, and we stop to help fix his flat. The rest does wonders and the rest of the hill is no problem, fastest I’ve ever been up it.

Then down the hill and into Fairfax (through Ross, San Anselmo, etc). We regroup, get some coffee, chat for a bit and then we (the sweeps) get our people on the road and up White’s Hill we go.

At the top, our duties are done and we hand over the sweep duties to the TRLs waiting at the top. They brought cowbells and have been shouting words of encouragement to all the riders riding past them (White’s Hill is a longer climb than any single hill we do on the ride).

We zoom down the hill, and Donald (my sweep partner) flies past me, But I catch him on the long straight portion, and we ride this portion as fast as we can, until we need to turn and start our climb up Nicasio Hill. Donald stays with me during the climb, and we chat while climbing.

Once we reach the top, he is off, and I behind him, he isn’t listening when I yell out “car back!” and a car comes too close to him for my comfort, but he is fine ((I tend to ride more cautiously than some others))

We get to Nicasio and take a brief break, chat with some other riders who are taking a break as well. We get on the road, and head down skirting the edge of the Nicasio Reservoir and get to the base of the “Alps de Fromage” (the road to the Petaluma Cheese Factory).

Donald soon leaves me, and I ride up the hill, staying with some other slower riders. We eventually reach the top and then we ride into the Cheese Factory, another water break.

I meet up with some friends, and make some new ones. We ride together up (yes another hill) to the top of “D-Street- Petaluma Hill” and then we ride / coast down into Petaluma for lunch.

It is a nice day and we have lunch in the park. For some reason I catch the eye of Ginger Brewlay, and next thing I know she/ he has his arms around me, and I am blushing. I get on my bike before things get too embarrassing and I ride off.

We ride out to Valley Ford, and this is against the wind, so it is slow and steady, the wind is not that bad, so we bitch to each other when we reach Valley Ford, but we are not dead tired.

After a short break, we get on the road, and we go around the bend, now the wind is at our backs and we ride a short ways to Freestone, there is a nice bakery here, we rest munch and sit in the sun, for here we are sheltered from the wind.

Now we have a ride to Occidental, one last climb, and then a nice long gradually dropping rolling curve of a road into camp.

MORE LATER

Day of the Ride

Not "the ride" but a ride to simulate a day on the ride. 465 Riders, 81 miles, it was a ride from Golden Gate Park to the Petaluma Cheese Factory and back.

We start out in a big group, with the riders being released about 20 at a time, and then we ride through the park, down Arguello through town then through the Presido where we then cross over the Golden Gate bridge, then it is our usual down through Sausalito, over Camino Alto, up White's Hill and then right to go up to Nicasio, and then another right to go up the hill to the Cheese factory.

We have Lunch there and then we turn around and ride back down the hill, go around the reservoir and then take Sir Francis Drake back to Fairfax, going over White's hill one more time

Stop for a minute then head on back over Camino Alto, and then down through Sasualito again and then up that hill to the bridge.

I only took 1 picture that wasn't of friends, this was going out through the Presidio at the top of a small hill.



Alcatraz, and the Dome of the Palace of Fine Arts...

It was a nice ride, I didn't have any cramps, however I didn't really push myself, still it was nice not to have any, gives me hope for the long ride, just 1 month away

However, after getting done with the ride, I ate something that night that gave me food poisoning and I have been sick ever since.

I'm much better now, but still trying to watch what I eat, normally I have a cast iron stomach, and can eat anything.

Terrain 4

Big Hills and lots of them this weekend, but I forgot my camera, so instead I will post pictures from my last two rides, which I don't think I posted.



















This ride was Marshall Wall, lots of hill but not as high as what we did this weekend, this was from Novato to Tomales & back

- -



This ride was the ride I called the hell ride - SF to Woodside & back - up hill and against the wind all the way





















I was dead, beat exhausted when I came back, I wanted to quit, but with the help of my friend Beau, I made all the way.

to hell and back

It was the ride from hell

Or the ride to hell.

Hell, it was one Hell of a ride.

Oh it didn’t start out that way, it was a beautiful day, the Sun was shining, not a cloud in the sky.

And the riders were all experienced riders, well people that I had been on ride before, no brand new riders.

I was asked to be a training ride leader because one of the scheduled leaders went to the wrong location. ((McClaren Lodge, which is further, down the ride))

I had my BUHC ((Butt Ugly Helmet Cover)) with me, so I said sure, and then we were off.

First thing my speedometer wasn’t working, so I kept stopping to fiddle with it, so next thing I knew the sweep ((a training ride leader rides last)) had caught up with me. So I rode with him for while, next thing I know we are riding up this hill, a gentle hill and the two riders in front of us are riding really slow, so slow that I’m thinking “okay at this speed its going to takes us 10 hours to do this ride”

Beau says to me, “If they don’t speed up I will say something to them”

Well finally they get into the rhythm and there’ off, and we would catch up with the others, but while we are riding on the Great Highway heading south, we manage to hit every red light. (Its windy and we are on the coast, but we are headed south, so it’s blowing our direction)

We finally get off the coast and we get on Skyline Blvd Highway 35, and at the top of this little hill one of our riders has a flat (I had left Beau behind) so I stop and help him fix his flat, we have problems so finally I give him one of my tires, his new tires won’t take any air for some reason.

Beau catches up with us. Meanwhile at the top of this hill it is so darn cold and windy that I’m doing pushups to keep warm. Okay the tire is fixed and we are off again.

I ride up the hill and catch up with Peter (who is waiting along the route at place that is easy to miss) He rides ahead and I wait for the rest to catch up with me.

We are now riding on a bike path, one I hadn’t been on before, and it was beautiful. Nice winding paths with just perfect curves. Along side the northern part of Crystal Springs Reservoir I had never seen this before. It was a great ride, and I never noticed that we were going downhill and the wind was behind us all the way.
All the way to Woodside, not even thinking someday we are going to go back against the wind

Woodside is where we had lunch. Nice sunny place for lunch, but the market was so busy I didn’t wait to have my usual Tuna Salad sandwich; I just got a pre-made one off the shelf. Some Club sandwich thing, it was all right.

Then it was time to get back on the bike and ride back home. And what a ride it was, against the wind, slow up hill. One never even noticed that you were going down hill when we going down hill, it was just a slow gradual down-slope, one that against the wind, sure tired me out.

Oh I did fine until we got about 10 miles out, I started getting cramps, not enough electrolytes, not enough water, too many days limping around after I dropped that Propane tank on my foot.

I wanted to quit, and Beau even volunteered to go back and get his car and come get me, but I stayed the course and made back with Beau with me all the way.

When we got back and signed in, Beau was discouraged because 75 % of the riders had left comments that this ride “was a ride from hell” that they hated it and would never do it again.

I told Beau, “Yes it was a ride from hell, But we all made it and we will all be stronger for it.” ((I was so tired yesterday I didn’t even turn on my computer))

Yeah, I know long time - no post

I’ve been busy – no, every thing is just fine.

March 15th, I went on another training ride, lots of hills, not big ones, just little rollers, the kind I like. They are just short enough, that you can say to yourself;

“If I push myself I can make it up without slowing down”

And then you roll down the other side and see another short one, so you say to yourself;

“Well if I get up enough speed going down, I can coast up most of the way”

So you end up giving yourself a nice workout, but you don’t notice it until you get home and you are all worn out.

Large Hills, you tend to say, “Well I just have to get to the top”

So that was a nice ride, lots of fun. Last week’s ride was a San Francisco Ride, We start out at the Sports Basement at the Presidio, and ride out around the Nicasio reservoir and back again, that was 68 miles, nice ride, and I could tell that the Stairmaster is helping out on those hills. Though it was nice, I didn’t take many pictures. Sometimes, even though I’m enjoying the scenery, and I might say to myself, that this would be a great pic, I just don’t want to stop and get the camera out.

Last Thursday, March 20th, Cowboy and I celebrated six years together. It has been an amazing, fulfilling relationship. He is unselfish, supportive, accepting and encourages me to do what is best for me.


Pictures from March 15th

2nd Sonoma County Ride

Last Weekends ride was awesome, it was only 41 miles, but lots of hills, I still hate them, don’t like them, but I’m getting better and faster.

I was the third one back in, back a complete hour faster than Cowboy thought I’d be, so that was nice.

I didn’t take many pictures this time, just three of us in the parking lot, so I won’t bore you with those.

I did ride behind this guy, well I will just say he was an inspiration to keep up with, and I am talking scenery here.

It sure took my mind off the hills.

He was riding with a slower group, so after lunch, I left him behind. Or I should say he stayed behind with them.

There was a number of times where members of our group, went off, taking a wrong turn, so a couple of times you have to chase them down and yell for them to stop and come back.

That made the ride more exciting, that was it, another training ride under my belt.

a glorious day

Of contrasting moods and changes which in the end, resulted in a most glorious day.

First the dog, that little alarm clock of ours, went off early, so I opened one eye and pointed to her bed, snapped my fingers and said “get back in bed, you have forty five minutes until it is time to get up”, so she went back to bed.

Later when she got me up, it wasn’t until I was already out of bed that I noticed it was only fifteen minutes later. So I laughed and said, “Okay, you little pest, you owe me one. But I’m coming back to bed after I feed you”

So downstairs to feed her, and she does this little dance, which just makes me laugh every time I see it.

After her breakfast, its back to bed for me, and I get to sleep late. Yes, it’s a ride day, but it is a Sonoma County ride, and the start is just a few minutes from here. So, no rush, no one-hour drive to the city.

Later, I roll out of bed, and I go and sit at the computer, I play SimCity for a little while and then Cowboy says, “Shouldn’t you be on your way?”

“Oh Shit” I say, I still have to decide what to wear, quick throw something on, hmm, do I ride the mountain bike or the road bike, “Its not a long ride? Yet I never ridden these roads, or ridden with this group” so I wonder, what I should ride, “ah hell I’ll ride the road bike” I say to myself”

So I throw in some clothes, and ride like hell to the meet spot. I’m on time and the ride leader is all flustered because she lost her keys to her truck. She finds her keys in a bit. We do the stretches, the safety speech and then we ride out.

We ride back the way I came, and I say to another rider, “there is my house”, we then ride through beautiful Spring Lake, up this little hill, down that hill, around the curved paths the follow the outline of the lake, nodding and saying hi to all the walkers and strollers as we ride by, “Look someone is getting married “ Tuxes and brides maid dresses, and look there is the bride.

Then we are on the other side of the lake, and out on the road, we ride through Oakmont, much nice than I thought, and I think I could live here.

We then ride out on Highway 12 for a bit turn, right and head up a hill ((I LOVE hills, yeah right)), but I realize that I can be the first to the top, I have never been the first one to the top before, so I go for it, I almost die, but I made it I was the first one to the top YEA! I do a little dance, I am so glad I clipped out first.

I take some pictures of the group, while I’m waiting for them to catch up. Then its down through the woods to grandmother’s house we go.



More beauty that is nature and not a wolf in sight.



I stop and take more pictures; ah it’s a lovely day.





We then ride down a road to get to Glen Ellen, and then we ride over this other small hill, a country road, over hill and dale, it is an easy ride at this point, only needing to stay alert for potholes and flying bugs. I’m glad I wear a Buff, because I hear in the background someone gagging and making retching sounds. I turn around, she’s okay, she just swallowed a bug, now everyone wants one, and no one is making any jokes about me being a bandit.

Soon we are in town and it is time for lunch. My friend Virgil of Team Bear has shown up to watch our bikes and refill our water bottles, what a thoughtful guy, what a joy it is to have some you know watching your bike while you are ordering food.


Soon, lunch is over and it is time to get back on the road, Virgil has long gone, back to his birthday celebrations at the Russian River, yes he came during his weekend away to start a roadie revolution roadies connecting with riders during the training season.

It just takes one person to change the world.

Back on the road, we ride against the wind now, and we laugh because we realize why it was so easy before. But it is all good, for we are in training, the sun is shining, and to tell you the truth usually on rides, the wind is somehow against you both ways.

We ride slower now and yet there are moments when we ride faster, I am pleased with the strength in my legs the stair-master though I curse it, is helping me with my cycling.



I stop and take photos and let the others catch up I ride with them a bit and then I sprint to the front of the pack.

I slow down again and then sprint again, Finally we arrive back where we started and the day’s ride is done. A short bike ride home and I’m there, no one-hour drive back from the city, no wishing, “well as long as I’m here” I should go somewhere. I’m back at home with Cowboy, and I tell him what a great day I had.

We have dinner and then...

well,

it was a great end of the day…