In an effort to continue trying to get ready for the upcoming Coast Classic, I’ve been trying to ramp up my mileage. So, yesterday before the weekly Lake Chabot Mt. bike ride, I decided to do a quick road bike ride with Roy.
Having been stuck in the office the entire day, I had no idea that summer had decided to pay us a visit until I went home to grab my stuff. As far as I knew, it was 68 degrees everywhere...um...No.
I still didn’t realize just how warm it was as I ran around the house trying to gather my stuff. It was only when I got to the starting point and we started pedaling out Cull Cyn that I looked at my bike computer and realized it was 100 freakin degrees!!!!
What are we doing out here? This is the kind of day when you’re supposed to be home, sitting in the lawn chair in your cutoff levis with a beer and the garden hose bubbling over your head. (yeah, I’m a high class guy)
Actually though, even though it was hot, the canyon is fairly shaded and we had a nice breeze the entire ride so it didn’t seem all that miserable. We took it easy, had a nice pace and made it out and back in an hour flat.
From there, I put the road bike back in the truck and headed over to Chabot for the weekly loop. We had a couple of mechanicals right off the bat...Evan’s brakes were acting up and Xing broke a spoke in the first 50 yards. So they dealt with that as the rest of us mosied on...As we got to the bottom of Brandon trail it started to dawn on me just how hot it was. Even at 7pm it had to be almost 90 degrees and, since Brandon is pretty much full sun, the suffering (and the whining) began in earnest.
At the top, it was decided that we were doing the regular loop. No extra climbing, no singletrack, just the regular loop in an effort to finish this ride and be done. I was really glad we made that decision as I really had nothing in the tank. Every hill sent me redlining from which recovery seemed to take forever and the dust was just miserable. (thank you EBRPD for your “maintenance” efforts that continue to ruin our trails)
I guess it was the nice weather, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that many people out on the trail in the evening. There were families with kids, people with dogs, joggers, hikers and even an old guy with a walker as we got back towards the marina…
Speaking of people with dogs, why do people let their dogs run along the trail, dragging their leash behind them and then act all indignant when you almost run them over? The leash laws are there for a reason lady so don’t yell at me because your little taco bell dog almost ended up in my spokes when he ran at me like I was his favorite chew toy...(little dog syndrome is alive and well)
Anyway, we eventually made it back. I actually wussed out and took the road back up to the truck instead of the steep little shortcut that everyone else took. Yep, there I said it. I’m a wuss and last night, I was totally ok with that.
Dan had gotten back early, had the grill fired up and was starting on the brats by the time I rolled up filthy, sweating like a pig and totally spent...what a great ride!
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