Distance - 33.31
Time - 2.45.00
Avg Speed - 12.1mph
Max Speed - 35.0mph
After the Delta Century, I ended up getting sick and missing a week of training. Not good timing! I also had a very important event at work that I was in charge of so my time and energy were both very limited.
So today I got back out on the bike. I rode from Davis to Winters and then up Highway 128 to the Junction with Hwy 121. On Putah Creek Road into Winters I got to see a Peloton of Davis Bike Club cyclists. I love the sound of so many bicycles riding past at high speed! The Davis Double Century was happening today but I don't think they were part of that ride because I think they would have been elsewhere by that time of day. The ride up Hwy 128 was pretty standard. Most people made room for me and others did not. I don't know how anyone can get used to being passed so closely by a car. Especially one towing a boat or camper. I also don't know how to get the message across that we are very vulnerable and could actually die if hit by a car/truck mirror let alone the actual car/truck. And most people's lives would be severely impacted if they killed a cyclist for no reason except they were in a hurry or felt entitled to that small space of road.
Bozo was going to follow me so that I could just go as far as possible and then stop without having to worry about riding back home. I kept thinking she would show up at certain times but apparently she left a little later than expected and I was definitely going faster than I expected. So I cruised up to Monticello Dam and then past Cardiac. Then I completed the constant but minimal climb after the Cardiac descent. I felt like I wanted to keep going up toward Napa past Hwy 121 but decided that was probably a good ride after coughing up a lung during the past week. So I hung out at the grocery store and restaurant that has closed down... much to the many people's chagrin who stop there for food and gas. Bozo and Blue eventually showed up and it was back home for a bit of rest for me!
Showing posts with label Monticello Dam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monticello Dam. Show all posts
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Cantelew - Monticello - Cardiac - Oh My! - Training Ride 8
Distance = 68.89
Time = 5.26.34
Max Speed = 36.5mph
Avg Speed = 12.6mph
We started out from Three Oaks Community Center in Vacaville again. Went the opposite direction from the first time we left from there. There was also a festival happening at the community center so it was tempting to just stay behind and hang out there. As is typical, I don't know exactly where we went but the map is below. What I do know is that we climbed Cantelew, which I've been wanting to do for awhile now. It's another one of those named climbs that make them seem so much worse than they actually are. We stopped at a bar (haha!) before turning toward the climb, which always makes it seem that much worse. Not the bar part... the stopping part. Like you have to stop to prepare yourself for what's about to happen. It ended up being not that big of a deal. As usual. Not that it wasn't difficult. It certainly was. But it was gradual at first and there was actually a slight descent right in the middle. It's the last little portion that I think freaks people out. It's definitely steeper AND it's a switchback. Not many people enjoy a switchback! Maybe my mountain biking history has helped me handle switchbacks comfortably. On this particular switchback, it was easier to stay on the outside even though the inside is the shortest distance. On the inside, once you get past the turn it became even steeper so that some people had to stop. On the outside it remains more gradual. Thankfully no cars came because I was going against traffic. Everyone stopped at the top until we all finished. That was nice and not something we often do on our training/team rides.
There are a few of the faster guys that I usually see at the start and then again at the start of the next ride! lol By the time I finish, they are long gone. But this time I got to hang with them a little more. I liked that! I rode alone much less than usual and I enjoyed that too.
We also stopped a lot! This made the day a lot longer but also more manageable. I think I prefer fewer stops though. One rider's husband was our SAG for the day. He was AWESOME! He hung back a little, then went ahead to be ready for us at the next rest stop. And their cute dog was with him so that helped!
After Cantelew we made our way to Monticello Dam and Cardiac. I've done both those before but I've never continued on past the top of Cardiac. There's a great descent and then a gradual ascent that I didn't expect. I had a moment riding with Kevin where there were no cars and it sounded strangely quiet... very nice!
I got left behind at the end because I went to the bathroom in a fancy white table cloth restaurant. Ha! I caught up to a couple of people and then just hung out with them the rest of the way. By the time we got there, nearly everyone was gone. Many of them are doing one of the Chico Wildflower rides tomorrow so they needed to get a move on.
My only complaint for the day was that it was billed as an 80-mile ride initially and then got changed to 70-miles at the last minute. That's the second time that's happened to me for one reason (my mistake) or another (they changed it). I'm trying to get up to 90-miles and a Century soon, before ALC, so I need those extra 10 or so miles.
Bozo came to pick me up afterwards and we picked up an ice cream from the Ice Cream Man! Perfect ending... with a Drumstick!!
Time = 5.26.34
Max Speed = 36.5mph
Avg Speed = 12.6mph
We started out from Three Oaks Community Center in Vacaville again. Went the opposite direction from the first time we left from there. There was also a festival happening at the community center so it was tempting to just stay behind and hang out there. As is typical, I don't know exactly where we went but the map is below. What I do know is that we climbed Cantelew, which I've been wanting to do for awhile now. It's another one of those named climbs that make them seem so much worse than they actually are. We stopped at a bar (haha!) before turning toward the climb, which always makes it seem that much worse. Not the bar part... the stopping part. Like you have to stop to prepare yourself for what's about to happen. It ended up being not that big of a deal. As usual. Not that it wasn't difficult. It certainly was. But it was gradual at first and there was actually a slight descent right in the middle. It's the last little portion that I think freaks people out. It's definitely steeper AND it's a switchback. Not many people enjoy a switchback! Maybe my mountain biking history has helped me handle switchbacks comfortably. On this particular switchback, it was easier to stay on the outside even though the inside is the shortest distance. On the inside, once you get past the turn it became even steeper so that some people had to stop. On the outside it remains more gradual. Thankfully no cars came because I was going against traffic. Everyone stopped at the top until we all finished. That was nice and not something we often do on our training/team rides.
There are a few of the faster guys that I usually see at the start and then again at the start of the next ride! lol By the time I finish, they are long gone. But this time I got to hang with them a little more. I liked that! I rode alone much less than usual and I enjoyed that too.
We also stopped a lot! This made the day a lot longer but also more manageable. I think I prefer fewer stops though. One rider's husband was our SAG for the day. He was AWESOME! He hung back a little, then went ahead to be ready for us at the next rest stop. And their cute dog was with him so that helped!
After Cantelew we made our way to Monticello Dam and Cardiac. I've done both those before but I've never continued on past the top of Cardiac. There's a great descent and then a gradual ascent that I didn't expect. I had a moment riding with Kevin where there were no cars and it sounded strangely quiet... very nice!
I got left behind at the end because I went to the bathroom in a fancy white table cloth restaurant. Ha! I caught up to a couple of people and then just hung out with them the rest of the way. By the time we got there, nearly everyone was gone. Many of them are doing one of the Chico Wildflower rides tomorrow so they needed to get a move on.
My only complaint for the day was that it was billed as an 80-mile ride initially and then got changed to 70-miles at the last minute. That's the second time that's happened to me for one reason (my mistake) or another (they changed it). I'm trying to get up to 90-miles and a Century soon, before ALC, so I need those extra 10 or so miles.
Bozo came to pick me up afterwards and we picked up an ice cream from the Ice Cream Man! Perfect ending... with a Drumstick!!
Sunday, March 04, 2012
Winter to Dam Cardiac - Training Ride 4
Distance - 26.88
Time - 2.19.05
Average Speed - 11.5mph
Max Speed - 33.5mph
I just needed to get a ride in and wanted to climb. I didn't trust my mind to be totally present for too long because of my thoughts of Tori. So I got a ride to Winters then took the short way out to Hwy 128 where I climbed up to Monticello Dam and then Cardiac. It was a little later in the day than I prefer so there were more cars out than I usually experience. Most were fine. Though a few were very fast and I imagine them being surprised by seeing me there.... even though this is a very popular cycling route. But the rudest person was a motorcyclist. That surprised me the most. He had the big wide handlebars that felt WAY too close when they passed. Which is funny because what did he think would happen to himself if he caught with me with those handlebars?? I know! I know! Front wheel flips to the right and his unhelmeted unretrained large body flies at about 60mph into the falling rock wall next to us. Sounds fun... and well worth the risk! Whatever. I'm definitely grumpy!
Here's some information about the route. Though it looks like my gps didn't catch the end of the ride for some reason. Basically just an out and back.
Time - 2.19.05
Average Speed - 11.5mph
Max Speed - 33.5mph
I just needed to get a ride in and wanted to climb. I didn't trust my mind to be totally present for too long because of my thoughts of Tori. So I got a ride to Winters then took the short way out to Hwy 128 where I climbed up to Monticello Dam and then Cardiac. It was a little later in the day than I prefer so there were more cars out than I usually experience. Most were fine. Though a few were very fast and I imagine them being surprised by seeing me there.... even though this is a very popular cycling route. But the rudest person was a motorcyclist. That surprised me the most. He had the big wide handlebars that felt WAY too close when they passed. Which is funny because what did he think would happen to himself if he caught with me with those handlebars?? I know! I know! Front wheel flips to the right and his unhelmeted unretrained large body flies at about 60mph into the falling rock wall next to us. Sounds fun... and well worth the risk! Whatever. I'm definitely grumpy!
Here's some information about the route. Though it looks like my gps didn't catch the end of the ride for some reason. Basically just an out and back.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
First Cali Hill - Training Ride 1
So I've started training for the AIDS/Life Cycle Charity Ride. And because there is a lot of climbing during that week, I thought it might be a good idea to ride a hill or two before I start the ride in June. So off I went to Monticello Dam and a little beyond to the Marina. It was a great day! Seemed much colder when I started out than it actually was so I quickly took off my jacket. The hill was also a little more manageable than I expected. So a good entre into some climbing for the season. And by season, I'm not sure what I mean since it's still winter in Minnesota and I wouldn't be able to think about cycling at this time usually.
Distance: 26.82
Time: 2.12.07
Max: 32mph
Avg: 12.1mph
Distance: 26.82
Time: 2.12.07
Max: 32mph
Avg: 12.1mph
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