Friday John and I joined the Tri Club for the Mt Baldy Ride....it was part of Stage 7 of the Tour of CA. The ride was set to leave from Mt Baldy school, which skipped the first 6 miles of climbing and this being a mid season training break, was okay by me. We did the 67 mile ride as planned! A few did the final 10 miles which was 5 miles up with over 2000 ft of elevation to the ski area and then back down. The excuse we had was we had to get on the road and wanted to miss Friday traffic, which was valid....but what was not said was after nearly 70 miles with 7500+ ft of climbing I was tanked.
So much for the epic 100+ milers with 10,000 ft we were knocking out last summer...1- no IM on the schedule until October and 2- trying to not overdo it now so I can kill in come July/Aug in prep for Vegas and Kona. The ride was sensational....sweeping valleys, beautiful mountains, very little traffic and nice roads. The ride starts with rollers and then a rolling 14 mile descent with the final 5 screaming fast and moderately technical- quite fun actually! Then rolling across flats and back up- 7 miles of a serious climb and then 14 miles of what we came down. John and I rode together and while he is incredibly fit I am not!
We were on the road by 2 and missed most of the traffic....
So back to apple....so that was my Friday and come Monday Riley was doing the annual Westview High School Triathlon. How cool is that? All Freshman do the Tri. Pool swim - 300 yards, 3 mile bike and 1 mile run. So here is where the analogy comes in...Riley does not ride her bike, in fact she recently sold her bike. Why....ask a 14yo girl. In any case bike check in was Sunday and she realized she did not have bike and was going to borrow JD's- I recommend she ride around, practice with the gears, which slip and get familiar with the bike. She did - she rode around the park and home. Check the tires? No. I suggest she ride the family, dog walking, mountain bike- she says its too bike, well really the saddle needs to be lowered and she can ride it- no thanks!
Okay so I agreed to ride the bike up to the school to drop it off and run home. The seat is so low on this bike...picture the Shriner's Clowns- that was how I felt. I must have seen 10 people I know as I am on this ridiculous bike- how JD can ride it I don't know. The gears are slipping and I make a few adjustments and tighten up the brakes.
Monday AM I am very excited for her and she is dreading this...eyes rolling, seriously "this is going to be lame" I lobbed the idea of watching and that was meet with "No, you CANNOT come. I will kill you if you come." If you have spent any time around a teenage girl....you will take pause at a comment like that. Committing social suicide is grounds for murder- I am pretty sure of that.
So off she goes.... I see her running shoes and she says my Converse are fine. Right- no support, heavy shoes- mum is the word. I reminder her she needs to ride the bike home- the horror- what , seriously??? um yes.
She arrives later than I suspect and she is pushing the bike....really that embarrassing to be seen riding the bike? "No Mom it is broken. It broke on the 1st lap of the tri and I had to walk it back." Broken....okay not really the chain fell off. She stares at me blankly- I explain she could have put it back on. Blank stare....really, I show here - she is amazed. I make her try it. She worried about the bike grease and that she has to put down her snack. "Really I don't need to learn I wont be riding a bike again....."
So much for the epic 100+ milers with 10,000 ft we were knocking out last summer...1- no IM on the schedule until October and 2- trying to not overdo it now so I can kill in come July/Aug in prep for Vegas and Kona. The ride was sensational....sweeping valleys, beautiful mountains, very little traffic and nice roads. The ride starts with rollers and then a rolling 14 mile descent with the final 5 screaming fast and moderately technical- quite fun actually! Then rolling across flats and back up- 7 miles of a serious climb and then 14 miles of what we came down. John and I rode together and while he is incredibly fit I am not!
We were on the road by 2 and missed most of the traffic....
So back to apple....so that was my Friday and come Monday Riley was doing the annual Westview High School Triathlon. How cool is that? All Freshman do the Tri. Pool swim - 300 yards, 3 mile bike and 1 mile run. So here is where the analogy comes in...Riley does not ride her bike, in fact she recently sold her bike. Why....ask a 14yo girl. In any case bike check in was Sunday and she realized she did not have bike and was going to borrow JD's- I recommend she ride around, practice with the gears, which slip and get familiar with the bike. She did - she rode around the park and home. Check the tires? No. I suggest she ride the family, dog walking, mountain bike- she says its too bike, well really the saddle needs to be lowered and she can ride it- no thanks!
Okay so I agreed to ride the bike up to the school to drop it off and run home. The seat is so low on this bike...picture the Shriner's Clowns- that was how I felt. I must have seen 10 people I know as I am on this ridiculous bike- how JD can ride it I don't know. The gears are slipping and I make a few adjustments and tighten up the brakes.
Monday AM I am very excited for her and she is dreading this...eyes rolling, seriously "this is going to be lame" I lobbed the idea of watching and that was meet with "No, you CANNOT come. I will kill you if you come." If you have spent any time around a teenage girl....you will take pause at a comment like that. Committing social suicide is grounds for murder- I am pretty sure of that.
So off she goes.... I see her running shoes and she says my Converse are fine. Right- no support, heavy shoes- mum is the word. I reminder her she needs to ride the bike home- the horror- what , seriously??? um yes.
She arrives later than I suspect and she is pushing the bike....really that embarrassing to be seen riding the bike? "No Mom it is broken. It broke on the 1st lap of the tri and I had to walk it back." Broken....okay not really the chain fell off. She stares at me blankly- I explain she could have put it back on. Blank stare....really, I show here - she is amazed. I make her try it. She worried about the bike grease and that she has to put down her snack. "Really I don't need to learn I wont be riding a bike again....."
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