Northern California - Quick Pictorial Report

Went for a quick ride today with Michael. We met at 7am at Gunn and went up PageMill, OLH and Kings for a nice 70 miles 7k climbing ride. It was a good taste for me after the double last weekend.

At the top of PageMill at 8am, it's foggy. Always, it seems.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ65eWJwrI/AAAAAAAABg8/WVgXcTvleQc/s400/IMG_1834.JPG

Really foggy...
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ66JRxdnI/AAAAAAAABhA/xDG5U3fm_4E/s400/IMG_1835.JPG

The first descent down 84 was going well. I was chasing this Xterra for a bit, and then suddenly caught up when they caught up to a FIRETRUCK. Boo. Like 20mph from this point down, with no possibility to pass.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ66w67zLI/AAAAAAAABhE/jN6OnFgjkuE/s800/IMG_1839.JPG

So I got a little bored and starting mucking with the camera more.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ6862eBCI/AAAAAAAABhI/BPSIpwXbh9k/s400/IMG_1840.JPG

While I was probably examing the previous pick on the viewer, I got WAY to close to the Xterra. So, I hit my front brake, which through my weight forward on the bike. Now, this would have been fine, I expected it to happen, except that my right hand was still off the bar. So weight forward, all on the left handlebar caused me to veer wildly right. I think Michael will agree that this is as close to going down as one can go without actually kissing the road. Dumb mistake, and I hope I learned my lesson!

Anyway, this is my panic oh-@#$3 pic that I took when every muscle in my body clenched up in that moment. Can't see much, but you'll have to trust me that this is the most exciting photo I got today. Even funnier, is on the HR trace during that downhill there is a spike from 110 to 160bpm, just from the adrenaline.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ7BZDGqRI/AAAAAAAABhQ/bqIGHEjjJ8w/s400/IMG_1841.JPG

So, no more pics until the top of OLH. We were trying to go easy today, but there was an old guy making me self conscious, so at the 3mile mark I "dialed it up to 400watts" and sprinted for the finish. I was satisfied to see Michael looking tired at the top.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ7FHpF1jI/AAAAAAAABhU/VGlVbqb1Eq0/s400/IMG_1845.JPG

Next we went over to Kings, which was great today. Lots of bikes (actually got passed by some girls on wicked-looking TT Cervelos with the aero 3-spoke wheels and a squeaky chain) but not too many cars.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ7LivaZRI/AAAAAAAABhY/OH5L-ggOxGo/s400/IMG_1855.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ7SFIoRoI/AAAAAAAABhg/jsl8RpVB7wc/s400/IMG_1859.JPG

And here's the trace for me. There was some weird blip at the bottom of OLH that marked it as being below sea level. Whole ride was probably a bit short of 7k, but I'm not splitting hairs.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_6DQj7sK5vY8/SjQ7Sv0FKEI/AAAAAAAABhk/4LKKHk6kd4g/s800/Picture%207.png


Bonus video of me trying to think of things to say, to share with my girlfriend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt5MK8HqR28

Nice ride, boys. I'm going to try for something similar tomorrow. No pictures for me, though: wiping out due to pic-taking will have my riding privileges revoked faster than you can say, "what are you, in the circus?"

Wow, starting a ride at 7 am. Reminds me of my days riding in SoCal. Far cry from those 10 am start times.

Nice report Chris, crashing for your art would have indeed been an act of surpeme sacrifice.

Wow, I feel lazy. I only watched bikes today.

Nice video. Next time, you should have a commentary for your GF while descending Hamilton or Diablo. :)

Wow, I feel lazy. I only watched bikes today.

Nice video. Next time, you should have a commentary for your GF while descending Hamilton or Diablo. :)

Better than me ... I just sat in front of a computer screen all day today, yapping on the phone.

For some reason I think that's awesome that your near wipeout showed up on the heartrate trace :) Glad to hear you didn't go down.

For some reason I think that's awesome that your near wipeout showed up on the heartrate trace :) Glad to hear you didn't go down.

I knew it would. First thing I felt after recovering was my heart POUNDING out of my chest.

I had the same thing happen while moto'ing to work today on the freeway. A minivan changed lanes into me (without signaling of course) and the only out I had was to accelerate (concrete barrier to my left) .. That got the heart a-thumping although I don't have any nifty digitally recorded evidence of it. Makes me wish I had my gopro camera recording at the time.