Jan
31
Foiled.
Category: enjoy the blog | 6 Comments
In an attempt to keep the New Year's Resolution I made day before yesterday, I set out on my ride today with a camera in the pocket where I normally put my jacket (thus, no jacket on the ride - but hey it was sunny and I would totally be back before dark!).I planned my route so that I could ride along Grizzly Peak during the 5 o'clock hour and maybe get some shots of the sunset. But as I headed up Wildcat towards the ridge, I suddenly realized I had a flat front tire!I got a flat one time a couple years ago. It was during a race. I got a spare wheel. ...
Jan
30
The County Line Sprint
Category: enjoy the blog, quotables | 4 Comments
Setting: Sunday evening, Devon and I are pedaling across the Carquinez Bridge into Crockett. We are approaching the Contra Costa County Line sign. For all you non-cyclist blog readers, geographical limit signs are universal sprint lines for bike riders. Winning the county line sprint gives you license to fist-pump and woot-woot for at least 20 feet...Me: And you know what's dumb? The Golden Gate Bridge!Devon: Oh really? Why's that?Me, eying the sign: Um (shift gears)bbbbbbbecause apparently (shift again)4444444445 people a year (one last gear shift)jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjump off it? (get up to sprint)Devon: (putting his hand on my shoulder like a parent blocking ...
Jan
29
Look Ma! No Hands!
Category: enjoy the blog | 4 Comments
More accurately: look Ma, I don't look like a startled animal in the photograph!Honestly, I have gotten so used to making dumb camera smiles that when I first saw this photo I was like "whoa that chick looks kinda like me! And I have that bracelet, too! Crazy!"When I first started blogging, I pretty much had a photograph in every post. I have gotten lax in that department for many reasons (I could blame it on there being no bike races for me right now, but I think laziness is the primary reason). So, I am aiming to get back to posting images.O.K. ...
Jan
28
Delerium #2
Category: enjoy the blog | Leave a Comment
Just in case if you are wondering: I did it. I finished my 32.5 hours, my 500 miles, my countless kilojoules... That was pretty much the funnest week ever. I don't know, maybe it was escapism in its purest form, but everything that happened when I was not on my bike seemed incidental and trivial at best. I guess I gave myself license to be almost a total slacker in all areas but one!Half of the riding was spent alone, thinking about myself and my life and me me me. To be expected, since I am a bike racer and therefore self-centered by necessity and nature.The other half was spent with/drooling-and-suffering-on-the-wheel-of someone I have ...
Jan
27
Delerium
Category: enjoy the blog | 1 Comment
O.K. I don't like to use this blog as a forum for bragging. Generally I leave that to the boys.That said... I am in bed after seven and a half hours, supposedly 9ish thousand feet, 115 miles, a couple drooling intervals, and 4000 kilojoules on my lovely bicycle. In the rain. With company that was pleasant enough to make it seem like a 2 hour summertime recovery jaunt.Whoa.But wait, there's more: if tomorrow goes as planned, I will be at 31 hours and almost 500 miles for the week.AND I am getting ready to email last year's bike sponsor to tell them how much I still love my lovely Time ...
Jan
26
A Photograph
Category: enjoy the blog | 4 Comments
All these long winter rides mean that my pockets are stuffed with gels, baggies of drink mix, and extra clothes. I have no space for a camera. But I see so many amazing things on my rides.I am just going to have to stock up on little bitty canvases.
Jan
23
Surrender
Category: enjoy the blog, in my opinion | 5 Comments
Dear Peet:I give up.I have given you so many chances to be more than just another cookie-cutter coffee chain, but I can't do it any more, I can't handle the constant disappointment.So I surrender.My standards are officially,sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssadly,lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllowered.No longer yours,Courtenay
keep looking »
