Hi All! How's everyone out there doing? Great I hope! Well it's happened. The mountain bike shoes finally arrived last week! I've since been able to get out on about four rides with proper shoes. What a difference! I had planned on getting out today for a good 2-3 hour epic ride in the dirt, but a cold front blew in yesterday and San Diego actually received a fair amount of rain! As it turns out, I spent Friday washing and cleaning the heck out of the mountain bike, so I had no desire to take it out in what was sure to be some muddy trails today. I know, I know, it's a mountain bike, but there's a big difference between cleaning dirt and dust off a bike as opposed to mud!
The four rides I have gotten out on have all been in Discovery Hills behind my house. What a great place to get a quick ride in! There are miles and miles of trails up there, with quite a few good single tracks. As funny as this sounds, as soon as the trails dry up, it may be awhile before I get out on my road bike again. It's a really nice change to get out away from the cars and traffic and just surround yourself with nature all while getting a heck of a good workout. Really peaceful and zen-like. I've also been checking out quite a few videos of XC mountain bike races on the internet, and I have to tell you, it looks fun as hell! The idea of a race that starts in a sprint followed by a time trial just might be right up my alley. Time will tell! Until next time...
Hi All! Just arrived back home from another great dinner at the in-laws, followed by a delicious chocolate mousse made by yours truly! The dinner capped off a great weekend on the bike, not the new mountain bike unfortunately, but the road bike. Rode 76 miles yesterday partly with the Swami's ride up Lake Wohlford, then the rest of the way with a good friend of mine back through Valley Center, then out to the coast via Del Mar, and eventually home to good ol' San Marcos. Today's little jaunt was with another couple of friends, starting in Carmel Valley and heading up in to Ramona via Highland Valley Road, then back down Scripps Poway Parkway, and returning to Carmel Valley via the 56 bike path. 56 solid miles in the books, and my legs feel like rubber! Tomorrow is spinning on a stationary bike, followed by some core work
Still no ride on the new-to-me mountain bike! My shoes were put on back order, so I wait! I'm just fortunate that I have a great road or TT bike to fall back on. Still really looking forward to hitting the dirt and changing the pace up a little. I think a break from the "road" scene is what the doctor is ordering. I've been doing some trail research on "Mountain Bike Bill's" website recently. What an awesome tool that is to find some great local, and some not-so-local trails to ride in So. Cal. I'm getting excited just thinking about it! Hope everyone else had a great weekend. Until next time...
Hi All! So I haven't been sleeping well lately. This happens when I'm unable to shut my mind down at night. And that usually is a result of a change in my life. What is it this time you ask? Mountain bike! Yes, that's right, you heard me. I decided to take the plunge and hit the dirt again.
My first adventures on two wheels came in the form of BMX bikes back in the mid-eighties. From there, my passion for being on two wheels evolved in to motorcycles. I rode motorcycles until the ripe old age of nineteen, grew bored with it, sold everything, and took a long break from the world of two wheels for quite awhile. Back in 1998, I decided to purchase a mountain bike from Target, (I know, I know!), and rode occasionally, but nothing serious, (obviously nothing serious on that bike!).
Then one day about a year after that, my cousin called and invited me to go on a mountain bike ride with him. Sure, why not! I, on my high-end Target special. He, on his $3000 Santa Cruz. Of course it wasn't long in to the ride that my curiosity took over, and I found myself navigating the trails aboard the Santa Cruz. BIG FINANCIAL MISTAKE!!! Since that day, I've sunk more money in to mountain bikes, and road bikes, that I'm sure if totaled up, would make me cry!
Well needless to say, for the last ten years it's been all about road bikes for me. And I've loved every minute of it, and still do. But...lately I've found myself getting a little burnt out so to speak. Maybe it's been the lack of racing, or maybe it was too much racing last season, but what ever the reason, I need a change.
Over the last two weeks, I've managed to travel to a couple of cyclocross races to watch some friends tear it up. This has ignited a spark in me to return to the dirt. Not cyclocross though! I have no desire to be forced off my bike to have to run and jump over barriers and any other man-made obstacles that stand in my way. I never raced mountain bikes back when I did ride them, but now that I've raced over sixty races on the pavement, I'm not as intimidated as I was back then, that, and I've discovered the unequaled joys that one can only get from racing.
So here is my latest toy. Picked it up yesterday used from a nice guy in Corona. Not the lightest rig out there, but that will give me something to work on, that and relearning how to even ride in the dirt again. I can't wait!!! Until next time...
Hi All! Hope everyone out there had a great weekend. I know I did. Got out yesterday and met up with some former teammates for the SDBC "A" ride. The pace was great for this time of year. Not too fast, not too slow, but just right. Rode some extra miles (the A+ ride) with about twelve other riders, and ended up logging 65 miles for the day.
Today, I met up with another former SDBC teammate of mine, Eric Lloyd for a great ride up to Camp Pendleton to watch some of the "Storm the Beach" cyclocross race. We watched the 4 race in the morning that included another SDBC rider, Alcino, who managed to get through his first ever cross race on a heavy mountain bike with a rear flat tire! The guy's got an engine! After that, Eric and I rode up to San Clemente for some lunch, then headed back to the race course to catch some of the Men's Pro 1/2/3 race before heading out just in time to arrive back at my place right as the sun was setting. Perfect timing!
It was nice to see some of the old teammates again, catch up on what's been going, and enjoy another perfect San Diego weekend with some of the nicest guys in cycling.
Hope all is well out there. Until next time...
