Tuesday, October 5th, 2021

Bike:  Bianchi Ti

Lots of climbing in the Los Gatos hills.  A couple relatively unknown routes.

Top of the Hill back to Hicks

Side trail along Pennsylvania

Dirt trail from the top of  Overlook to Canon

Monday, October 4th, 2021

Bike:  SL3

Stroll around the Saratoga backroads.  Not every ride has to have thousands of feet of climbing.

Strava:  https://www.strava.com/activities/6063874936 

Sunday, October 3rd, 2021

Bike:  SL3

Hicks up to where it starts to get really steep

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/6059207278

A easy Sunday ride up Hicks, though I did feel good and peppy.

Saturday, October 2nd, 2021

Bike:  Bianchi Ti

Shannon / Kennedy through Los Gatos

Strava:  https://www.strava.com/activities/6054385223

Back to basics ride through Los Gatos over Kennedy Road.

Friday, October 1st, 2021

Bike:  Bianchi Ti

Old Santa Cruz Highway to Hwy 17

Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/6048840510

Back to basics.  One of my favorite areas to ride.  Up Old Santa Cruz Highway all the way to where it ends at the top of Hwy 17.  During the week there are very few motorists out, so you don't have to worry about any issues with cars.

It's now 2021 and with Covid and these crazy world events it has made 2020 a year to forget.

Anyway, starting October 1st, 2021 I'm going to document my training for the 2022 season.

2019 - Back after a hiatus

After some time off I decided to scrap social media and just blog my experiences.  Like usual my entries are somewhat random, but focused on my cycling experiences and funny things I come across in my life.

Note to the Residents of Los Gatos

Dear resident,

Every time I stop off in your beautiful town for a cup of coffee I take the time to make sure my beloved bike is set in a safe place where it will not be knocked down, scratched, spilled-on or basically touched. I understand I am not a Los Gatos resident, though the border is right across the street from my house, and a $6,000 bike doesn't mean much to you, but I truely care. So please take the time to notice you are standing an inch away from my bike as you drink your latte and talk nonsense to a fellow resident with the intention to somehow impress them. Well, it doesn't impress me, but then I am not a Los Gatos resident to understand. Anyway, please back a little away so I don't have to be on edge waiting for you to say goodbye and proceed to run into my bike and watch it fall down. Then with an indifferent look on your face say sorry. That is sorry that my bike somehow fell but in no way sorry that it somehow was caused by you.

Thanks.

Phrase of the Day

"Crop Dusting"

Definition

crop dust
To flatulate as one walks through an area, or by group of people

Whoa! somebody is crop dusting.

Why White?

White looks good for about the first 2 hours of use. After that it is dirty and dull.

Here are some of my observations:

White sock bottoms. Looks good until the first time you walk on them without your bike shoes.

White bike shorts. They get wet or thin and the whole world gets to see your junk and ass crack. Thanks for the visual because you bought white shorts.

White handle bar tape. Looks good until the first time you go for a ride. Then it looks dull and dirty. After a while it is pretty much grey. All that for $20 out of your pocket.

Back to white shorts. Actually light colored shorts. Here are some examples why you stick to black.

Team Junk

George packs left

Stick to black

Only in California

Public Service Announcement

One BIG reason why you should not eat out on a regular basis.

Eat a bowl of soup and die.

THE SALTIEST FOOD IN AMERICA
P.F. Chang’s Hot and Sour Soup Bowl
6,878 mg sodium
Sodium Equivalent: 13 large orders of McDonald’s french fries or 208 saltine crackers

MISHEARD LYRICS

Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter

For years I had absolutely no idea on what Eddie Vedder was singing. Now I know. :)

It's Been a Wild Ride

I will never forget the day. Sunday, February 8, 2009. I went to sleep and I heard an annoying ringing in my ears. Annoying but no big deal so I complained but eventually went so sleep without too much thought of what was about to happen. Anyway, it turned out that the ringing wasn't a temporary thing. At least a couple hour or day temporary. It had Tinnitus and it almost destroyed my life. What's Tinnitus? Well that was my first question. It is basically continuous ringing in the ears, or at least perceived ringing int he ears. I have never heard of this nor that someone can get continuous ringing in the ears. Anyway, I had it and the next two months where the worst two months of my life. Hard, emotional, stressful, agony can only start to describe the ordeal. Panic, anger, scared, frustration can only start to describe the emotional roller coaster. I was going crazy and having thoughts that I couldn't comprehend only a couple days before. It was a continuous, high pitched noise like a dental drill in my head and I couldn't ever get away from it.

I just want to say that I would have never made it without the empathy of friends and family, my two daughters, doctors that were able to provide prescriptions, the employee assistance program and talking to people that have gone through this ordeal. I am not joking when I say I would have not made it. I also understand a lot more about people suffering, but what I learned the most is that you cannot suffer alone. If I didn't seek help I wouldn't be here today.

Enough said. The ringing isn't gone but it is to the point where I only hear it when I go to sleep at night. I'm back on my bike and back to a somewhat normal life.

Why I'm not a sprinter

Watch the right hand side of the screen. Enough said.

Lyrics of the Day

"He who laughts last is just a hand in the bush"

(Ozzy Osborne, "No More Tears")

RIP - My Faithful Cosmos Wheelset

After 7 years and just about every kind of riding situation my Mavic Cosmos wheelset finally died. Actually they are being euthenized because the price to do a full overhaul would probably be the same as purchaing a new wheelset. Thanks for all the memories.

Natalie Merchant

A rare talent

My Season Saved by a Pumpkin Scone

Yesterday it all came to a head while riding home from work.

I was tired of being cold.
I was tired of feeling like crap.
I was tired of dieting and training.
I was tired of power workouts.
I was tired of riding with a backpack.
I was tired of my tired legs.
I was tired of constantly stretching.
I was tired of my routine.
I decided to hang up my bike and dust off my golf clubs.

The only problem was that I had to make it home to start my retirement and this wasn't as easy as you think because I had completely cracked. I was feeling so bad that I found myself riding along San Tomas Expressway at a whopping 13 mph and hurting.

I said to myself, "What in hell am I doing?" Right then I pulled into a Starbucks and decided to get some coffee and food. I was in such a daze that it took me about 10 seconds to notice that the girl behind the counter was talking to me. She gave me a weird look when I snapped out of my daze and replied. It turns out that she is a triathlete and was excited about the biker guy coming into Starbucks. Anyway, I hope she didn't get a bad impression of bike racers.

To get back to my story I relaxed, ate my "pumpkin scone" and drank my "tall drip with room for cream." I mounted my bike and dreaded the remaining ride home. To my amazement everything completely changed in about 5 minutes. I found myself feeling great and riding home at 22 mph with relative ease. Anyway, my retirement lasted about 10 minutes and I never dusted off my golf clubs. Thanks to a pumpkin scone and a cup of coffee.

Skunk!

I was riding down the Tomas Aquino Creek Trail/Saratoga Creek Trail when going under Great America Parkway I come across a skunk moseying along the other way along the wall. I was going at a good pace so if I stopped I would have stopped right next to the skunk. I decided that wasn't a very good idea so I keept rolling and hoped we each pass and go our merry way. Anyway, I guess I scared the hell out of the skunk because he stopped and looked for an excape route. When it was obvious he was screwed he backed up and up comes his tail. I say to myself, "Oh $hit!", and proceed to close my eyes and hold my breath for the possible shower of skunk spray. I rolled passed and was planning to access the damage when I was in the clear. There is always some kind of skunk smell so I wasn't sure if I was a smelly bike rider or not. Before I stopped I was thinking that there was not way I can go to work smelling like a skunk and I would have to really argue justification to taking the day off. I would have gone home and my wife would have kicked me out of the house too. Basically I was screwed. Anyway, to my amazement I was free from any skunk smell.