Ok, it was a week or so late compared to you guys, but yesterday our TnT team started in Los Altos, went up Old la Honda, down (up?) Skyline to Alpine, down Alpine to Pescadero, up and over that and down to the town, then along Stage to Rt. 1 and finally Tunitas Creek. I was doing great until halfway up Tunitas - back spasms! ouch. I stopped worrying about what gear I was in, keeping a good rhythm, breathing, where my heart rate was - at that point it was all about survival. I made it, but it wasn't pretty and it wasn't fast. The descent down King's Mountain was almost as painful, but I stopped and took a couple of Advil at a SAG stop and was able to continue a little more comfortably. Thankfully, the last 15 miles were flat to rolling.

Today was another story - a friend talks me into a recovery ride - up Mt. Diablo. My back felt ok, so I gave it a shot. I was originally just going to do the junction, but felt good enough that I kept going to the lower parking lot, at which point the tough Saturday ride made me think that the last section to the summit was probably just a bad idea. Still, a good day and a good ride.

I think I need to work on my core strength if I'm going to be able to do all 5 passes in the Death Ride, though.

JB

The death ride is one of those things that sounds like a good idea as long as you're not committed to it :-D.

Tunitas can be funky, I was planning on doing that exact route today, but got busy, and I still have this nagging fear of the headwind going into Pescadero, it kills me everytime.

Glad you made it.

I think I need to work on my core strength if I'm going to be able to do all 5 passes in the Death Ride, though.

JB

You're really getting a lot of accumulated base milage. Keep it up and go for it. I had a little bit of the back problems and I started doing about 30 to 40 half crunch's with knees bent 4 times a week and side leg lifts and they've really helped. No more back pain. You might want to lower your bars a bit now that you're into the big milage. less pull on the back.
Later dude, keep rockin and rollin
Pete

Great job, Jonathan. The route you described is not the most ideal ... at least that's not the route I would have taken. I normally don't descend down Alpine. It is a very technical downhill (for a road ride). Here's a more ideal route ... Old La Honda, down W. Old La Honda, left down 84 to Pescadero, north on Hwy 1, and tackles the 3 sisters hill climbs, then go inland and tackle Tunitas Creek.

Mt. Diablo as a recovery ride??? :eek: Doesn't sound like much recovery going on there!

I've never had a problem going down Alpine Rd. It is fairly wide and well lit and not really steep, except for the last half mile or so (which is narrower and darker and flatter). That road surface is sometimes not the greatest, but it is safe as long as you are not going really fast. The main reason I prefer Alpine is that I also prefer climbing Page Mill vs. OLH. The OLH route is nice, too, though there are more crazy drivers and careless cyclists on OLH.

Alpine is a great decent.

Any descent is a great descent. *nods head*





*Siu tiptoes out*

Any descent is a great descent. *nods head*





*Siu tiptoes out*

I dunno... Try descending Tunitas. I think I would be chipping my teeth :rolleyes:

Great job, Jonathan. The route you described is not the most ideal ... at least that's not the route I would have taken. I normally don't descend down Alpine. It is a very technical downhill (for a road ride). Here's a more ideal route ... Old La Honda, down W. Old La Honda, left down 84 to Pescadero, north on Hwy 1, and tackles the 3 sisters hill climbs, then go inland and tackle Tunitas Creek.

Mt. Diablo as a recovery ride??? :eek: Doesn't sound like much recovery going on there!

Alpine didn't bother me - I took it easy, and the road surface was better than I remembered. A little more technical than most descents I do, but nothing too scary.

We did Alpine because the coaches were targetting 7,500 feet of climbing, so we needed the hill on Pescadero. I liked the route a lot - I don't get to ride down that way very often.

JB

Any descent is a great descent. *nods head*


Descents are great, they get you to the bottom of the next hill so you can go up again! :)

Welch Creek: not a great descent. Just ask Princess Zippy.

Well, I guess I better start doing those crunches - cause the mailman just dropped off my Death Ride registration packet. Not quite 3 months to get in shape....

JB