After yesterday’s ride, I really should recover today and rest up. I’ve been running errands, cleaning, organizing, and finally rewarded myself with a quick little jaunt on this sunny, hot, breezy day. One hour. Low resistance, high cadence.
Seven days from now, I will have completed my fourth Tour de Cure and my second century ride. Not that I’m counting down, or anything …
2011 Tour de Cure
Seven days from RIGHT NOW . . .
I will be about 2 hours 30 minutes
into my fourth Tour de Cure ride!!!
http://tour.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TC_homepage
I ride the beautiful Napa Valley Tour de Cure:
http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/SanFranciscoArea?pg=entry&fr_id=8064
There are a variety of rides for every level cyclist – http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/SanFranciscoArea?pg=informational&fr_id=8064&type=fr_informational&sid=8510
This year I will take on the 100-mile ride again: http://main.diabetes.org/site/DocServer/2011_100_ROUTE-color.pdf?docID=94668
Last night my training partner asked me where I planned to ride today. I told him either Cantelow or Cardiac, because I needed to get some hills in this weekend. He told me, “One of them is not enough.” So, I took his advice and rode both Cardiac Hill and Cantelow Road today.
I started out in Davis, rode to Winters, and then out Hwy 128 to Lake Berryessa and up Cardiac Hill.
Lake Berryessa Dam
Top of Cardiac Hill
Top of Cardiac, headed out towards Napa
Hmm ... back to Winters?
Hmm ... head towards Napa?
I rested a few moments and contemplated heading out towards Napa, but decided to head back towards Winters. I’m not ready to take on the other side of Cardiac Hill solo yet. It’s a long climb with false summits, or so I hear. I’ve ridden down that way, but I’ve only driven up it.
Perhaps by the end of summer I’ll be ready to take it on solo. If not, that’s OK, too.
Lake Solano
I headed back down the hill and stopped for water at Lake Solano Park. They’ve got the water turned way down, so it’s kind of hard to fill a water bottle, but it’s better than nothing. There were a few families there barbecuing, oh it smelled so good!
From here I headed Pleasants Valley Road to Putah Creek Road, then to Winters Road, and Allendale, and Timm (?) Roads, to English Hills & Cantelow Road.
I plodded steadily up the hill; each time seems to get a little easier. I’m relearning how to gear for this hill. A few years ago I was riding it about once a week, and usually up the steep side. I’ll get back to that, but today wasn’t the day to take on the steep side. Soon.
I stopped at the top to take a photo, a drink, and a snack, and shortly thereafter another cyclist arrived. I love how encouraging cyclists are. He told me I did some great climbing up that hill. Wow! We chatted a few minutes, then headed down the hill. He was heading off to climb Mix Canyon, then back over Cantelow. Mix Canyon is another climb I need to try this summer.
View from the top of Cantelow Road
Then it was homeward bound.
My total ride today was 82.4 miles. Hills, wind, and not quite enough food or water. I’m feeling it a bit; tomorrow’s ride will definitely be an easy, flat ride for me. My training partner says that today was the perfect day for me to get that last big ride in before the Tour de Cure. The rest of the week it will be pretty easy rides and resting up.
Then, on Sunday, May 6th I ride my 4th Napa Valley Tour de Cure and my second century ride! This is an awesome ride – beautiful scenery, very well supported (AMAZING volunteers, so encouraging and inspiring!). If you’ve never done a ride like this, you really should check it out: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/SanFranciscoArea?fr_id=8064&pg=entry
“Training is everything. The peach was once a bitter almond; cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education.” ~ Mark Twain
Hmm … where to ride, where to ride? Must be some hills involved and MUST be SOON!
Only 8 more days to train for the Tour de Cure … better be sure to eat right!
The beginnings of salad ... heirloom cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumbers
With artisan lettuce and homemade basil-balsamic vinaigrette
Ready to steam ... asparagus, brussel sprouts, and broccolette
Roasted pork tenderloin, marinated in extra virgin olive oil, fresh rosemary, and garlic
Did you know that pork tenderloin is a good source of B-vitamins, such as Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine (B6)? It’s also a good source of protein, and is pretty low in calories. A 3-ounce serving of pork tenderloin has 120 calories (30 from fat) and 22 grams of protein (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Pork_Lamb_Nutrition_Facts.pdf).
We also had brown rice and a baked yam, but I didn’t get photos of those.
Festive candles ...
Whole wheat banana bread, with dark chocolate and walnuts
Mmm ... the chocolate is still melty ...
It’s not too late to make a donation to help find a cure for diabetes!! If you can, please help to support me in raising money for this great cause.
Check out my Tour Page: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/SanFranciscoArea?px=4725188&pg=personal&fr_id=8064
Artisan Lettuce with Heirloom Tomatoes, Fresh Mozzarella, Basil-Balsamic Vinaigrette with Grilled Bread.
To make the Basil-Balsamic Vinaigrette, simply put a few basil leaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, a couple of small cherry tomatoes, salt & pepper in a blender (I used a Magic Bullet!) and blend. Taste it.
Like it? Use it.
Not? Adjust to your liking, then use it.
Wow! Gorgeous morning for a ride! There’s a storm blowing in, rains should be here by tomorrow and run through Thursday. At least that’s what the weather forecasters are saying today …
This silly little camera can’t possibly capture how beautiful it was out there, but here are a couple of views …
Russell Bike path, heading back to Davis.
Looking back towards Winters ... wishing I could head back in that direction, but that will have to wait for another day.
Must head off to work!
The beautiful thing about riding into the wind on the way out, is that you get to ride with the wind on the way back!
Happy Monday! It’s a beautiful morning out there for a ride. I’m glad I got to get out there to enjoy it a bit before the rain starts again. Forecast is rain for Tuesday and Wednesday.
I started the day with an awesome cup of coffee, made with Insight Coffee Roaster beans (http://insightcoffee.com/). Wow! I just discovered that roasting company yesterday on an impromptu trip to Sacramento.
I grabbed some toast with almond butter and honey, and headed out on a ride, hoping to beat the heat and wind. I rode from Davis to Winters, then up over Cantelow Road, back to Winters, then Davis – just over 55 miles. I had planned to ride up Cardiac Hill, also, but it just got too darn hot. I know; I wimped out. But, I rode pretty strong and each time I take on Cantelow it seems to be a little less challenging. Next thing you know, I’ll be riding my second Tour de Cure Century – just 2 weeks from TODAY!
Tonight I cooked dinner for my friend. We had a salad with heirloom cherry tomatoes, avocado, fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and extra virgin olive oil, served with grilled bread. It was simultaneously rich and delicious, light and refreshing.
Brown rice and vegetables ... Steamed brussel sprouts, asparagus, broccolette, tomato, and short grain brown rice
Grilled Bread
To make the grilled bread, I sliced a Trader Joe’s mini Pain Pascal, spread a small amount of extra virgin olive oil on each side, and placed on my George Foreman grill. I started the grill on high, then turned it down to medium-low. You really only need a small amount of olive oil to give it a little flavor, so be careful to not soak the bread too much (although it can taste good that way, too, if that’s what you want!)
Chicken Breasts, ready to grill!
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