Woohoo!

More to come!

Just about ready to go

My car is packed with everything I own that is even remotely biking related. But most importantly I have my bike, and my helmet, and both shoes. Though everything else I have will greatly increase my comfort during the ride, they are technically not necessary. That being said, I triple checked to make sure that I have my gloves, windbreaker, bike shorts, sunscreen, snacks, camera...etc.

I'm counting down the minutes until I can leave work, won't be long now til I'm up in Santa Barbara at our Team in Training pre-ride pasta party.

All of my stuff, packing

Getting ready for Saturday I've started pulling all of my biking gear together. I'm surprised actually at how much stuff I have accumulated over the past few months. Throw in some espresso, sunscreen and my bike and I am good to go Saturday morning!

Looking good for the weekend!

I've been checking the weather report a few times a day all week. It hasn't changed much but I can't help myself. I've been told that one year they had hail and rain during part of the ride. I'm crossing my fingers that it will be as sunny as the forecast says.

Our last practice ride, and a picnic

Last Saturday we completed our final practice ride of the season, going a measly 50 miles along the PCH in Malibu. It feels great to be able to think of 50 miles as a 'short' ride.

We met up once again at Malibu Bluffs park around 8am to go over some Solvang details, and then we headed north for about 25 miles until we reached the main highway at Las Posas. The first half of the ride was deceptively easy. It was around 65 degrees with stunning sunshine, and I felt incredibly motivated and happy to be able to attend this last practice. However the minute we turned around and started biking south we headed into the wind. It was like we were biking uphill all the way home. The wind just seemed to steal all of my momentum, meaning I couldn't stop pedaling to cruise and give my legs a little rest. It was a little challenging and frustrating, but I wasn't about to stop. For one, I knew that I had done harder rides than this one. And two, we had an honored teammate driving our SAG wagon that day. This woman had survived cancer after four years of treatment, and then she signed up for a triathlon as soon as her doctor told her she was in remission. There was absolutley no way I could call this amazing woman and tell her "I don't really feel like biking into the wind today, can you pick me up?"

And third, I knew that as soon as I got back to Malibu Bluffs there would be a basket of these-

I need someone to ride in front of me on Saturday carrying a basket like this one. The ride would be so easy if I were chasing brownies the whole way!

Back at the park we had a great picnic with the next TNT century team. They're training for 'America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride" with goes around Lake Tahoe. I refueled on cookies, beer and a variety of other carb heavy items. I also brought veggie dogs carefully packed in a cooler, as Coach Dave promised to bring his grill, though I think I may have been the only one to try them (I promise they're not that bad... when you cover them in cheese and ketchup).

Unfortunately I had to go from the picnic straight to work (well I did go home and shower first). I sure could have used a nap!

A happy hello

I've received so many wonderful words of encouragement in the past few weeks. As the big ride approaches not a day goes by that I don't hear from friends and family letting me know that they will be thinking of me this Saturday. I was especially delighted to get this card in my mailbox yesterday.

My Grandma Dixie has been making beautiful greeting cards the past few years, and I always get a thrill when I see her handwriting on an envelope in my mail box.

How sweet is that?

Thanks for the support everybody! All of your confidence and support means the world to me.

"The Wild Bunch"

There is an interesting article in this morning's New York times called "The Wild Bunch." It paints an intriguing portrait of what biking was like in New York City in the 80's, and ends with an earnest plea to bikers to follow basic traffic laws, "...because they do hate us, they being nonbikers and us being bikers."

I found the article especially relevant as one of our mentors, Gary, was in a bike meets car accident last week, putting him out of commission for this year's Solvang Century. Marylin described it as "Well, they had to put his femur back into his leg, but he seemed fine on the phone..." but I missed the rest of the story because I was stuck on the phrase"FEMUR back into leg?" He'll be on crutches for a couple of months but is planning on doing the Cool Breeze Century this August.

Careful out there everybody.