Today Was Fun!

This morning we woke to sunshine! Such a nice change from the depressing past few days. But the snow line was very low on the mountains...

Ann shoulder checks before veering around a flooded section of road.

Yesterday afternoon I sucked it up and went outside anyway when it looked like the rain had stopped. After one pedal stroke out of the driveway, it started to sprinkle, but I didn't care. I needed to ride! And ride I did. After a few minutes, the drizzle subsided and I rode out towards Trilogy and then to Mecca, avoiding the German Shepherds on Jackson.

Check out the snow!

Mecca was flooded - everyone's yard was underwater along with many streets. The construction zone where we got muddy last week was a bog, but I churned through it all and climbed through the lemon, pampelmousse, red pepper, and lettuce fields with my eye on Box Canyon. Before I could even enter the canyon, I was stopped by a roadblock - the road was closed due to flooding. I considered riding through anyway, but then I looked over my shoulder in the direction of home and saw a huge black bank of clouds moving towards me. Now I'm not that familiar with desert life and flash floods, but a narrow canyon that's already flooded didn't seem like the smartest place to enter, especially with another rainstorm on its way.

I reluctantly headed back. Cruising down towards Mecca, I heard this odd noise that I almost ignored. It was kind of a grunting/heavy breathing. I glanced over my left shoulder at where the noise originated and saw a pitbull givin'er - he was running so hard, he couldn't even bark! Holy crap! I stood up on the pedals and sprinted away. When I sprinted for what I thought was sufficient time to tire him out or bore him, I looked back again, but he was still there and GAINING on me. So I sprinted some more, longer this time. Finally I lost him, but man was I bagged. Riding back through the mud in Mecca I was treated to some catcalls and then it was a slow death march into the headwind that was bringing the storm towards me. It was only a matter of time before the clouds let loose and I was pelted with rain. I hammered all the way home and was very glad to take a hot shower. It felt really good to get out, so I'm glad I went when I did!

That evening, Ann, Leah, and I discovered a new Feat of Strength: shooting apple cider vinegar out of the Coyote Ugly shot glass we bought Leah for her various potions that she's been taking to heal her tummy. She read that drinking apple cider vinegar is good for digestion, so she tried to drink it mixed with hot water, which naturally tasted disgusting and there was no way she
was finishing off the big mug of it one sip at a time. We told her: "Just shoot it." And she said: "I'll do it if you do it." So I said: "Okay." Leah proceeded to pour me a big ol' shot of vinegar, which I then threw down my gullet. My tummy still burns, but it only drew one tear (as illustrated). Leah and Ann both tried it, but I won the feat of strength, because I took the whole thing in one gulp and didn't wince or gag. Must be all those tequila shots I do....

We prepped for our ride today in our own specific ways (see Leah's smorgasbord vs. mine below) with the intention of doing 5+ hours, including White Water Canyon, which I've never seen. On our way from La Quinta (southeast Coachella Valley) to Palm Springs (west) Leah flatted twice because of a worn-out tire. We were running out of tubes and we hadn't even gotten out of Palm Springs yet! We decided to stop at Palm Springs Cyclery in order to stock up on tubes and get Leah a new rear tire (after Ann and I patched the old one with a Clif Blocks wrapper and electrical tape - I never thought I'd be thanking Mike for covering up all of my Felt logos on my stem, bar, and seatpost, but here I am). "Just put it on my tab," said Leah, regarding the tire and tubes.

Leah's various pills, potions, and unctions... yum!

My smorgasbord - perfect fuel for an epic ride! *Note gel is for emergencies only.

Back on the road, we parted ways with Ann and headed on Highway 111 towards White Water straight into a killer strong headwind interspersed with wicked gusts that buffeted us all over the shoulder and threatened to topple us into the cacti and sand - at least it was blowing us away from traffic. I saw the rock and was totally avoiding it, right as a gust swept me into its path and my rear wheel hit it hard. I prayed for a few seconds, but it didn't help, because I quickly heard the telltale hissing noise. Flat number three. I started to fix it, but suddenly a few grains of sand that had found their way under my glasses while riding became incredibly uncomfortable when they started rubbing against my eyeball. Oh joy. Nothing like the feeling on sandpaper on the cornea. It became so painful that I was basically incapacitated. Couldn't even open my eye. I was ready to call it quits, but Leah didn't want to turn back. While cars careened by us on the highway, Leah pried my eye open and squirted water into it from her bottle. She's such a slave driver, but she saved the day. Not only did she fix my tire for me, she also got me my sight back. I owe you, buddy!

Leah fixing one of three flats.

Back on the bikes and back into the headwind, we soldiered on, taking the White Water exit and crossing the I-10. I had no idea how much longer it was to White Water Canyon, so I felt a bit apprehensive, but good ol' Leah assured me it would be okay. We turned up White Water Canyon road and still had the wind in our faces on the climb. There was lots of sand on the road from all the flooding and we had to ride through streams as well, which Leah wasn't happy about, because it was cold.

"Canada House" on the way up White Water Canyon.

Suddenly we were treated to an amazing view of stunning white mountains and soon after we stopped because of a very large river across the road. Cars were driving through slowly, but we definitely would have gotten our feet wet - maybe even our knees....

Flooding!

Taking a dive off the deep end.

The way back was super fun with the tailwind, but we almost got blown off the road because of crosswinds. On Highway 111, Leah and I pacelined at over 50kph. Wheeeee! I was itching to get home, so when I got pulls at the front while riding through Palm Springs, Leah claimed I was going hard. I was just going with the flow. Maybe to get me back for hammering, Leah took me on a (de)tour of Palm Springs, heading north when we were supposed to head south, taking me in circles. Suddenly it was 4:30 pm with only half an hour of daylight left and at least one hour of riding to go.... That's when we pulled into Starbucks and called Ann to get us. Thanks Mom!

Aww... epic adventure buddies.

Now I'm in my jammies (and I've been in them since 6:00 pm) all showered, fed, and warm, and looking for a hot tub before bed. Yawn. Tomorrow we're planning a double day. Nighty night!

Leah riding into the sunset.

A Turn for the Wet in California

Things have gotten damp in Palm Springs, and I don’t mean like going for a dip in the hot tub! There’s this huge storm front boiling off the coast, which is wreaking havoc as far inland as New Mexico. We’ve ridden everyday despite the precipitation, but today we’re just not gonna do it. It rained all night and it is still coming down. Now you may be wondering: how is it so different from riding in the rain at home? I should be used to it, right? Well, here’s the thing: I’m not prepared for riding in cold, rainy weather. I came south specifically to get away from the winter and to log some long, dry training miles. I didn’t bring warm riding clothes - no leg warmers, booties, or winter gloves! Maybe poor planning on my part, but this is really not typical of the area. The funny thing is, the current conditions are calling this “heavy rain mist.” Now in my experience, “rain” and “mist” are quite different and can’t really be used in the same phrase, especially not related to one another with the word “heavy.” And let me tell you folks, right now, it is anything but misting out. In Vancouver, we would call this “Rain at times heavy.” The pool level is honestly rising and I’m afraid it may overflow!

Okay, enough griping about the weather. We’ve still managed to fit in some good, dry rides, including intervals up Highway 74 on Monday. This is a super long, switchbacking climb that goes on forever. I’ve ridden up it for 1.5 hours in previous years and not reached the top (and it wasn't because I was leaning back, drinking peppermint tea and eating crumpets either). Cool huh? This time, I only did a couple of 20-minute intervals and met up with Ann and Leah at the first viewpoint.

Feeling Zen at the Highway 74 viewpoint.

Great views from the Highway 74 lookout.

We’ve been pretty good at balancing our lives between riding, working, napping, strength training, eating healthfully, and having fun.

Multi-tasking...


Eating well!

Yesterday we went for a three-hour ride, and the entire time we could just watch a grey wall of cloud and rain advancing from the west. Funny thing was, the wind was blowing quite prominently from the east. Leah and I did a team TT interval up Thousand Palms, which was pretty fun, but Leah was killin’ it! Ann stuck to whoever was back wheel the entire time, but I’m convinced she was working harder than the two of us, because every time I saw her, she was just a bit off the back out of the draft. Jean Ann, there may be a new Annimal in town! (I’d like to see that showdown.) We turned back and got smacked in the face with a brutal and relentless headwind all the way home. Boy is that mentally fatiguing, having to battle the wind constantly. Leah and I treated ourselves afterward with hot beverages (a very tasty Americano - 12oz cup, 2 shots, 2/3 full - just the way I like it!) and a banana walnut muffin at Just Java.

Yogi Ann displays proper posture for working at the computer. (She is working on her PhD - seriously.)

After the requisite nap, Leah led me through a very challenging strength/core/stability routine and I discovered I’ve been cheating with the plank. Apparently holding your hands in front of you is easier than not. Darn! We were still feeling pretty antsy afterward, so we headed out into the dark and rain to… Target! Cruised the clothing, shoes, DVD’s, chocolate (found a new flavour of Lindor truffles - dark chocolate raspberry - just finished the bag off), snacks, and vitamins. Back home, we made a big salad for dinner and then watched “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” on DVD, which we had bought for $5 at Target. Score!

My personal trainer, Leah, showing us how it's done.

WEATHER ALERT - It looks brighter out, but still raining. The forecast is better for tomorrow - only 50% chance of precipitation, and by Saturday it should be dry again. I sure hope so! We still have big hopes of doing some epic rides like Idyllwild and Joshua Tree. And most importantly, I still need to get a tan! I don't have a midriff swatch update for y'all, because there is no change due to inclement weather.

All Business in Palm Springs

The Local Ride Racing Training Camp last week was awesome!

Happy New Year! Momentum is building towards the 2010 season and plans are shaping up. We’re pounding out the endurance miles and we’ve been lucky enough to have a mild and snow-free winter so far in the Lower Mainland that has allowed us to stay on our bikes. Last weekend, Local Ride Racing held a fantastic training camp in Maple Ridge, complete with long, epic rides, feats of strength, and great team dynamics. I am now being royally spoiled (in more ways than one), as I am in Palm Springs staying and training with my girls Leah and Ann. We’ve done three fabulous road rides in jerseys and shorts - without fenders and on our fast bikes. Ah, the luxury!

Our days have been taken up by training (which often involves staying on the lookout for rabid dogs and erratic motorists, and riding faster at the sound of gunshots - this was in Box Canyon, where it seemed people were in the desert doing some target practice). After riding, there’s the quick shower and refuel, followed by sunbathing and hot tubbing. Often we add a nap and a coffee/grocery run and then it’s already time to cook up a healthy dinner, like burritos, salads, or Thai curry. I absolutely love being in a warm locale for a training camp, where I feel comfortable and at home. Thanks so much Leah and, of course, Nels and Dawna!

Paradise!

On our arrival, Leah (who has a new blog: www.lguloien.blogspot.com) picked us up at the airport, out-maneuving (eventually) a North Dakotan to park curbside at our feet. Then, at our request, she took us to Chipotle, where I had a very tasty barbacoa beef burrito. Mmm. Then, when I informed her that I only had my too-big Sugoi one-piece swimsuit with me, she beelined it in the silver Odyssey to Target (pretentiously pronounced “tar-jjay”). With the help of my fashionable sidekicks, I soon had a whole whack of bikinis to try on and was talked into buying two of them. Sigh. The things I do…. We then hit up Ralph’s for groceries, and retired to the hot tub and chaise lounges at Chateau Guloien.

The three of us hangin' in the California sunshine.

Friday was the Box Canyon jaunt, scenic as always. The flat roads through the palm, dill, cabbage, carrot, etc. plantations seemed greener than I remembered, the German Shepherds that chased us aggressively last year didn’t appear (they’re still afraid of me and my yelling), and there was a new roadside taco stand in the middle of nowhere! I am determined to do a recovery “taco” ride one day, as taco stands are often the best sources of good Mexican food. Maybe I’ll risk it at the end of the camp, so if I hit a bad one, it won’t ruin my training!

Ann and Leah riding up through Box Canyon.

Mecca is the gateway to Box Canyon, but it is nothing like its sparkling South Asian counterpart. This is a one-horse farm town with a high Hispanic population. Luckily for us, the main drag was torn up for construction and we got there just as a water truck drove through, I suppose to keep the dust down. For us, it meant muddy bikes and behinds, but also fulfilled the “mandatory off-road” portion of the ride.

Ann and I cruising through the Canyon.

Riding up out of Mecca towards the canyon, we cruised through lemon plantations, which gave off a refreshing natural Mr. Clean scent! Looking to the south, we got a good view of the Salton Sea. When in the Canyon, we definitely knew we were in the desert - hot, dry, and the only colours are different shades of sand. Super cool though.

Early Saturday morning we partook in the group ride, which is notorious for its fast paced ‘A’ Group and often hot headed moves. This time, the three of us did not attempt to contest the first attack of Thousand Palms, but opted for a saner pace, which bode well for me on the Trailhead Climb near the end of the ride. I still had strong legs and made a crafty tactical move (i.e. got a gap in traffic to make the left-hander ahead of a lot of others) that allowed me to be the first woman to the top. Not that it was a race…. All in all, it was fun to ride with a big group of people and socialize a little.

Enjoying a post-ride coffee at Just Java.

Today we cruised around town for a recovery ride in the sunshine, spinning out heavy legs after some days of solid miles. The weather forecast for the upcoming week is not great, because of a big storm front off of the Pacific Coast. With the threat of the impending clouds, Ann and I donned the suits and booked it outside to catch some rays. I must get a tan! Don’t get my wrong, I do have some tan. To my surprise, I noticed I still have leftover tan lines on my pipes and quads from the last time I rode in short sleeves (when was that again?)! But things like my chest, stomach and thighs are white as white can be. So sad. After a serious session in the sun, Yogi Ann (my personal yoga instructor) led me through a very beneficial and painful yoga session. Oooh my shoulders, back and pecs are toit!


This is a "swatch" of a photo of my midriff. Now that is WHITE. Actually, does it look a little blue to you too? Not healthy.


Now it’s time to prep dinner. Steak, yams, and salad yum!