carpediemracing 

I ditched the clinic due to me not being able to run them while doing all the other stuff. I was flat out told not to run the clinics if it meant compromising the rest of the race (and if I was unavailable for 45 minutes at the start of race day then it inevitably affected things for a while). Although the Cat 5 turnout has been light I have second guessed this decision all the time.

I only heard of complaints of the clinic from the point of view that things weren't as organized. I interpreted that to mean the instructors focused on problematic or vocal riders (meaning those that asked questions) and left those that either didn't want to do stuff (i.e. they thought they knew better) or were quiet (scared, cold, etc) on their own. To me that just means I needed more instructors. Ratio should be maybe 5:1 students:instructors, not 10:1 or thereabouts. This way the more advanced riders and the more timid ones would get solid attention/benefit.

sarals 

So far this 2015 is a tough year.

Earlier this week, we lost 24 year old Erica Grief, a new woman Pro from the Reno area. She was killed in a car crash while driving up to Redlands Tuesday night for the Redlands Bicycle Classic, which started Wednesday morning.

From her FB page:

It is with the saddest heart to say we have lost one of our own. Erica we are all so thankful for the memories, and watching you develop from booty shorts and a steel frame, to one of the top racers this side of the country. Your smile infectious, your cornering skills horrible, your scalleycat skills impressive. Thank you for the great memories. Her family requests that everyone posts their favorite memories and tag Erica Greif.

IBOHUNT

^ Sadness

Cleave

Heard about Erica last week. Hadn't heard her name before but it sounds like she was moving up the ranks. Sad.

Cleave

So I miss a few weeks here and next thing you know @shovelhd is in the hospital again.

Dude, get completely well soon.

Not only did I miss Hermes and Velo Diva at the Velo Sports Center at the end of March, but I also missed Racer Ex. I decided to do a club ride in the Santa Monica Mountains that day.

Traveling to Everett, WA every-other-week is not fun. The work is OK, but the travel sucks. Managed to get my rain bike up there last week and went for a 16 mile ride with 1,200 ft of climbing with one gear. It was kind of too big for the uphills and way too small for the downhills. Oh well. Home this week but will be up there three weeks in a row. Only a couple of days during the middle week, but still...

Getting one house ready to put on the market this week and trying to get another house demolished. Also didn't realize that trying to make our custom house (with a 17' X 13' bicycle room) smaller than our current house would be so hard. Meeting with our architect later this week.

Obviously not getting the best preparation for the National Senior Games in July.

Racer Ex 

You missed Racer Ex Lite.

It's not like you had back surgery or anything...

sarals 

Speaking of Racer Ex (not light), I met with another of his athletes today, Heathpack, and we did a very windy, somewhat hard ride. That gal is STRONG!

Heathpack 

Nice riding with you yesterday @sarals. Carmel Valley today was the most beautiful route I've ever ridden, too bad you couldn't join me.

sarals 

I wish I could have! It is great place to ride. Gorgeous day, wasn't it?

Heathpack 

Totally gorgeous.

revchuck 

Nice!

valygrl

One of these days, I want to ride with sarals and heathpack. jealous!

And... it's snowing. WTF?

Racer Ex 

Come join us Saturday

it snowed here Tuesday as well...

Creakyknees

Sorry to pass on more sad news but if you oldsters remember Richard De Garmo, former USAC prez / promoter of the Tour of Texas / friend to many racers, he's having a tough battle with cancer and last week lost his teenage son to a sudden death. Send prayers or get in touch if you can.

valygrl

I wish.... they cancelled today's road race because the 1-mile dirt section was "unridable" due to all the rain & snow we had the last two days.

I just got my TT bike back from Excelsports, where they installed DI2 on it for me. Want to ride it today, waiting for it to not be freezing-raining.

Cleave

I know of Rich DeGarmo but I have never met him. Hope that he can overcome his cancer.

Cleave

When I decide to go electronic, I don't want any wires:

Pozzovivo wins at the Giro del Trentino using electronic SRAM gears | Cyclingnews.com

dvs cycles

Me too Cleave, but no way am I going to SRAM.

Racer Ex 

Didn't know Rich. I'll put him on the good karma list with Andy.

Racer Ex 

4 batteries on mission critical components that have to be weatherized and consumer friendly + signal interference + hacking (yes, someone will be working on this within a few days of the stuff hitting market) = skepticism.

Seen a few wire problems on early Di2 but the 2nd gen stuff seems to be extremely robust.

On another note:

Trying out some cheap 38cm bars before going (if they get the green light) to something carbon. So far I'm liking them.

globecanvas

I never participated in one of the Bethel clinics, but I did watch one because I was curious. My only feedback would be that I thought the instruction was geared a bit too much toward how to do well in a race, and not enough on how to be a safe racer.

Racer Ex 

Elev 5725 ft 39.40 °N, 119.83 °W | Updated 47 sec ago



Ice Pellets

34.5 °F
Feels Like 34 °F

Racer Ex 

So much for the 3 hour ride on the schedule.

sarals 

I know. I spun the trainer this morning rather than go out. It was recovery, so I just sat there and spun my little heart out. No complaints from me, we NEED the rain!

sarals 

I had some, well, surprising news earlier this week.

I was invited to join a study a researcher is doing on older female athletes, amateur and professional. I went up to San Francisco Tuesday night for the interview and testing, and the results I got were totally unexpected. Weight, height, BMI, a blood sample for inflammation, LTHR, and then a treadmill VO2 Max test were performed. My BMI was very low, weight was a little high (but the researcher told me "it's muscle mass, you're solid as a rock"), no inflammation, I've lost an inch of height, my LTHR is what it was a year ago, BUT my VO2 max was "superior". Apparently I have a very high oxygen uptake, something I would never have guessed. I'm in the top tier of all female athletes in my age range, per the treadmill test.

I'm much more fit than I suspected, and I thank Ex for that. Now I have to go out and make him proud!