I got my first post-work ride of the season in last night. Oh, that felt good! Just a quick about 18 mile jaunt around East Davis. No photos, just cycling. That’s a bit of a shame, though, because it was a stunning sky last night – big poofy clouds just starting to turn sunset pink.
It’s looking like I’ll be able to get another one in tonight, too.
Today 85.5 miles. I am now at 60% of my goal of 750 miles for March Madness. I highly doubt that I will be able to ride 300 miles this week when I will be working every day, including Saturday, leaving only next Sunday 3/31. Oh, well.
Hiking the Training Hill in Auburn, CA
Saturday it was too windy in Davis for me to ride. I probably should have just driven to the Napa Valley to ride the Tour de Cure route (or part of it at least!), but I went to Auburn and hiked with a friend. I haven’t seen her in a long time and it was a nice change of pace. I do need to do more cross training.
Today I rode from Davis to Winters to Vacaville to Pena Adobe Park and back to Winters and Davis. I hate to admit, but I could not get all the way up Cantelow today, either. I rode stronger up most of it today than I did last week, but I stopped at about the same place as last week. This concerns me. The Tour de Cure is just 6 short weeks away and I had to walk up that last little bit of Cantelow. I don’t understand it. I feel like I am riding stronger on the flats and rolling hills, but why can’t I climb a hill I’ve climbed dozens of times before? Am I really losing my ability to climb, or am I just not used to the “compact” and different gearing on my new bike?
It was a beautiful day for riding, lots of sunshine and not too much of a breeze. I saw a few familiar faces out there on the road.
On my way out, stopping for a quick water break in Winters. Thank you, Steady Eddy's in Winters for having a clean restroom, some shaded tables, and nice cool water for cyclists!
Feeling completely & utterly defeated at the top of Cantelow.
43.7 miles ... a quick water and snack break at Pena Adobe.
About 57 miles ... Lake Solano Park.
I am hoping to ride evenings after work this week … that will add a few miles to my March Madness and a little more Tour de Cure training.
Beautiful day for a training ride!
I am pretty close to being on target for Davis Bike Club March Madness. As of today, day 17, I am 49% to my goal of 750 miles for the month.
Got a great training ride in today … Davis, Winters, Cantelow, Vacaville, Dixon, Davis for a total of 78+ miles. I rode pretty strong today … do I have to admit that I did have to walk up that last little bit of Cantelow? My excuse … I haven’t been doing hills and I’m not quite used to the gearing on my new bike yet. OK, lame. I know, I know.
Top of Cantelow
I’ve got a bit of work to do before the Napa Valley Tour de Cure … I have just 8 weeks left to get ready!
This is a great ride – if you’ve never done an organized ride, this is a great one to try! It is a fundraising ride – to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. To find your local tour and to register, click here. You’ll have an awesome ride, supported by amazing volunteers, and be supporting a great cause!
I am looking forward to my first of the season post-work ride tonight!
I can log a few March Madness miles and grab a little training for my Tour de Cure!
Where the heck did the time go today? Oh, yes, that’s right … we lost an hour!
I logged at least 70 miles today. Sadly, I don’t know the exact mileage because I had a Garmin malfunction … perhaps user error … but my new Garmin Edge 500 shut itself down twice while I was riding today. I have no idea why, but I’m guessing that I probably thought I started the timer and didn’t actually start it. Bah.
I rode two rides today. The first was a warm up of about 29 miles. My cycling partner was going to join me around noon, but wasn’t up for it when I came back. So, I took off on my own again. The second ride was more than 40 miles. Winds weren’t too bad today, and there was lots of sunshine!
Almond Blossoms
There are still lots of springtime blooms and I resisted stopping for most of the ride, but there was one tree I just couldn’t resist. It was along Stevenson Bridge Road, near Bear Flag Farms.
The weather report for the week looks promising! I am looking forward to starting my post-work rides again this week. I have to log lots more miles for Davis Bike Club’s March Madness, as well as get some training in for my Napa Valley Tour de Cure. It’s 9 weeks from TODAY!
If you can’t ride, but want to be a part of this AWESOME ride, you can volunteer. Do you have non-riding family members, friends, and/or colleagues who would like to accompany you? They can help in a variety of roles, whether it’s on site at the Veterans’ Home (in Yountville, where the ride starts and ends), or at one of the rest stops. For more information, or to sign up, please click here.
This year I have pledged to raise $1,000 and I am a long way off right now. If you would like to donate to my ride, please click here.
For more information on the symptoms of diabetes, visit http://bit.ly/12zLh2M.
Please join me in the fight against diabetes!
I will be riding in my 5th Napa Valley Tour de Cure on May 5, 2013. The American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure is more than just a great ride. It’s a series of fundraising cycling events held nationwide. The Tour is a ride, not a race, with routes designed for all levels of riders. To learn more about the Tour de Cure, see: http://tour.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TC_homepage
To register, see: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/A6SNF-SanFranciscoArea?pg=entry&fr_id=8674
To donate to my ride, see: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/A6SNF-SanFranciscoArea?px=4725188&pg=personal&fr_id=8674
My poor little Colnago has a frayed cable.
I started out Day 3 with a minor bike malfunction …
My ride today ...
But, it’s March Madness and I have another bike I can use, so no excuses except for work!
I logged 51.8 miles, Davis to Winters via Road 29, then back Putah Creek Road to Road 95 to Road 27, to Road 103, to Mace and home. Probably a few other roads in there, too, but the names escape me for now.
It’s a little cool out and there was a slight chance of rain (depending on which weather site you refer to), but I saw lots of folks out there looking like they’re dressed for summer! OK, so I was overdressed a bit today. My friends tell me I usually am. That and the glowing sunscreen have sort of become my trademark look.
I didn’t take my camera today, so these are just with my camera phone, but I got a few nice photos of some springtime blossoms.
Just off Putah Creek Road.
Busy as a bee ...
So sweet and fragrant!
It was a pleasant ride. Not too hot, not too cool. Not too sunny, not too cloudy. Just enough breeze to make me feel like I had to work a bit to get home. Some good training miles for my Tour de Cure. Next weekend … hills!
I'm pretty sure these are almond blossoms.
Have a beautiful day!
I think this is a good day to make some vegetable barley soup, but that will have to be another post.
30.9 miles, just around the outskirts of Davis on country roads. It was pleasantly cool, overcast, and calm. Tomorrow’s forecast looks about the same. I’m looking forward to a nice ride!
The Napa Valley Tour de Cure is 9 weeks from tomorrow! If you would like to sponsor my ride, please visit my page: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/A6SNF-SanFranciscoArea?px=4725188&pg=personal&fr_id=8674
I am enjoying having a week off work before I start an exciting new job! I was a little concerned about being able to get some good riding in this week when it was super windy on both Saturday and Sunday last weekend, but day by day the wind has eased up. I logged 50+ miles on Monday, 70+ on Wednesday, and 30+ yesterday.
Greetings from Winters, CA!
And now, March Madness is off to a good start – 71.0 miles today! Here’s where I ventured today … Davis, Winters, Lake Beryessa, Pleasants Valley Road, Lake Solano, Winters, and back to Davis. First I made just a quick stop in Winters before heading out towards Lake Berryessa. I didn’t ride all the way up, just to the base of the dam. Yikes. I have got some climbing work to do & soon! The Napa Valley Tour de Cure is just over two months away and there are some hills I have got to prepare for.
Then I headed out Pleasants Valley Road past Putah Creek Road a few miles, & back for a quick stop at Lake Solano Park.
Near Lake Solano, I just couldn't resist any more of these beautiful blossoms!
Incredible visibility today ... too bad my little Nikon Coolpix barely picks up the Sierras in the background.
A quick stop to stretch on Road 29.
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