Davis Double Century

Davis Double Century
Originally uploaded by jenworth.

Wendy talked me into doing the Davis Double Century (yep, that's 200 miles in one day). After much wavering in the early part of the week and then deciding I wasn't going to do it, Wendy talked me back into it. Once I committed, I decided that not only was I going to do the ride, but I wanted to have FUN doing it. And I did! Yesterday was a blast!

Mark and I rode up to Davis on Friday afternoon and met Wendy, Marty and their partners and chowed down on a pasta feast. We intended to hit the sack early, since we were getting up at 3:45 am (!) for a 5am start.


I rode very conservatively for the first 50 miles, chatting with Wendy. The guys were eager to hop on a paceline, but we weren't.
I picked up the pace after rest stop #2 and from there on out, spent much of the day riding alone, but regrouped with them at various points and for lunch.

The iPod Shuffle was so key for this ride. I loaded it up with rockin' tunes and stuck a headphone in one ear. It was great to be on long stretches alone, seeing no one, and rockin' out on my bike checking out awesome scenery.

It was a warm sunny day, almost ideal. It was a great day for a ride. I set my cyclometer so that I couldn't watch mileage and that really helped. I was just riding. I do know I rode 90 miles in six hours by 12 noon.

I felt stronger in the second 100 miles than I did in the first 100. After lunch, I picked up the pace even more. I probably could have conserved energy by hopping on a few pacelines, but I wanted to ride at my own pace and check out the scenery rather than keeping an eye on someone's wheel. It was fun! After the last big hill climb, named Resurrection, it was downhill for 26 miles. Nice!

We all joined up again at the Guinda rest stop and rode the last 40 miles together. At sunset, these little bugs came out and the force with which they struck felt like being hit repeatedly with sand.

We started before sunrise and finished after sunset and it was a l-o-n-g day on the bike, but a fun one. I really enjoyed the Double. I had doubted my ability to pull it off, but now I realize I'm strong enough to do about any ride out there. But I'll still save the Death Ride for next year.

I Wish.

Clouds on Cloud's Rest
Originally uploaded by jenworth.

I wish I were moving back to Yosemite this summer. I miss the place. I miss my friends there.

My lil' bro Jimmy (Aka TwinkieHead) just called; he's moving back. The call made me nostagic.

I miss being able to go backpacking every single weekend and explore new places with the promise of solitude on each hike.

Wine Country Century

Wine Country Century
Originally uploaded by jenworth.

Another fun ride! I opted to do the 200 kilometer ride (123.5 miles according to the map). After a technical descent and riding downhill at speed over cattle grates, we rode up Highway One along the ocean for several miles. So gorgeous! Made the extra mileage totally worth it.

My friend Mark and I went up the night before and slept in his van in the parking lot of the Luther Burbank Center, where the ride started. I was excited to sleep in my sleeping bag, but not thrilled with the sound of freeway traffic. Finally got to sleep though, and we didn't have to get up too stupidly early to drive up.

The ride meandered through Occidental, Geurneville, Healdsburg and Geyserville. All pretty wine country. It's amazing where road cycling has taken me.

I ate like mad on this ride. I also ate nine bugs total. Had to get my protein somehow.

Grizzly Peak Rocked!!!

Yesterday was AWESOME. It was a great day for a ride, a great ride, and just overall really fun. People told me GPC was a fun ride, nice scenery, good food, etc. Whatever. I spent much of the week in a slight state of worry. Could I do this one? All those hills over the course of a hundred miles? On Saturday, the skies clouded up and my arms and wrists started acting up in their old carpal tunnel sorts of ways. I was pretty darn close to calling it off. I packed my stuff anyway. I took an Ativan to knock me out, and I actually got sleep. I woke up Sunday morning, prepared for rain and secretly hoping for it so I could bail without guilt.

It was a beautiful day. I got dressed, ate, and went to the start in Tilden. I met Wendy and Marty and rode with them. Wendy is my drill seargent spin instructor. In her words, she's "given me grief" in past spin classes because she didn't think my legs could be moving as fast as they were with the resistance she called for. She now knows that I'm just strong. Or, as I like to say, "Finally these thighs have a purpose".

Wendy convinced me to ride next weekend as a 200k rather than the regular 100 mile century. She's also telling me I should to do the Davis Double, a 200 mile ride in one day. She's nuts. I'm nuts, because I'm actually thinking about it.

Maybe I'll do it. All I know is that I'm still buzzin' from the endorphins of yesterday's GPC. It was a darn fun ride.