Race to REI: 23.6 miles in 1:26:44, 16.4 mph

I felt like a slug for not motivating to ride much.
Then I felt like a slug from a combination of
too much wine, some back-ache and stomach cramps.
The ride was a bit windy, but no traffic. I stopped
twice to drink and catch my breath: once at the mall
and once at REI. I can't wait to see if a time for
that route is posted from back in January.

Pain: 60 miles in 4:15 at 14.1

It was a cold and breezy day. There were clouds in the sky.
Immediately after starting, I stopped to put on my jacket.
I was wearing an athletic undershirt, a cycling jersey,
a fleece vest and my riding rain jacket. I warmed up
but still spent most of the day with the jacket on.

I road the shortest way to Cherry Creek and on to downtown.
Then I followed the Platte to Bear Creek and turned to climb
it to Bear Creek Lake Park. The cool cloudy weather combined
with seeing recent developments at the park made it seem like
a foreign place even though my parents live within 5 miles of
the park.

I climbed to the top of the dam. Mount Carbon, actually. It
rises to the tremendous height of 5,700 feet. From there I
road around park and up and over the dam again. I guessed I
was at the half-way mark at 32 miles...I probably was, but I
took a shorter way home.

I hit 50 miles along the platte before reaching downtown
and had to stop be cause the pain in my legs had increased.
After a short break I started again, but focussed on riding
an easier pace: 13mph, not 15. It was the most painful
10 miles I've ridden, but made it home.

Has the mountain climbing increased my muscles' ability to
create lactic acid faster than it has increased their ability
carry it away?

Ward and Old Stage: 40 miles, 5 hours, just less than 4000 feet

I started out a bit intimidated by a longer ride combined with a considerable climb and wasn't too happy to see my heart rate spike to 164 as we worked to keep up with a packed we had joined. It was my fault. I was too excited and cranked up hard than necessary, pushing he early parts of my ride into lactate threshold. Once on the hills, a more aerobic pace was easier to maintain as we settled into familiar territory. At the top was a little to cold to ride past "the turn of events" all the way Ward. My riding partner was threatened with a migraine. It was starting to snow...and that ride is still damn steep. We turned around and headed for some warmth. Down at Old Stage we found more better spirits and more climbing to do. It's not that we were being prisses and didn't want to ride in less than perfect conditions, but there's no need to risk a cold etc. for displays of bravado. There's tons more riding to be done.At the end of the day, after working to keep up with Ken most of the day, I gave in to a surge of energy and passed with insults flying over the Perl Street bridge...shattering whatever strength I had left. I followed him to his place.

Ward: 3 hours, 32 miles, 3300 feet

Jamestown on mapmyride

look for and click on the 3D link!

First Big Climb: Super Jamestown

I rode from 36 up Lefthand Canyon past Jamestown towards Ward.
20 miles, 2 hours.

I drove to East Boulder and met a friend whose ridden Ride the Rockies nearly a dozen times. I hoped he would assess my state of fitness and ride some punishing climbs with me. He was a little worried about keeping up me with after seeing this log. We started out with modest ambitions: just to have a ride up the hill. We didn't need to prove anything. Early on, either he was talking too much or I was riding too fast, so I let him lead. There was a little bit of me passing him slowly on flats and him passing me on the hills. We stopped in Jamestown for a break, and he introduced what was to come. The 7% grades would increase to ones that have "ruined" much stronger riders. Ken also mentioned a craving for sweet potato chips and guacamole from a local restaurant. Naive to the true meaning in what I just heard, I enthusiastically said "ride on". The climbs got very steep. I had no idea I could ride a bike at 3mph. Nor did I know how easy it can be to do a wheelie. We climbed some really steep hills. I told Ken another way to explain how steep Super Jamestown is compared to just Jamestown is that it's flat to Jamestown when the real climb starts: 14%. The point of the climb is to make it to Ward and /or the Peak to Peak highway. It turns to dirt up there somewhere, but after stopping where Ken had stopped to wait for me, a short way after starting again, I had had enough and it was time for the descent. We flew down the canyon at 35 mph. Just as I wondered if I was going too fast, Ken passed me. 1 hour 40 minutes (or so) climbing, 20 minutes down. Plans are to do this much more often this year as we're both riding the triple. Ken will ride Ride the Rockies in the last weeks of training...not me.

We drove back to his house where his awesome wife Pam, had guac and chips for him. Great ride Ken, thanks.