Last Official Training Ride

A small wrench was thrown into my well-oiled training schedule early last week when Karin, my PI, decided to ship me to Albany, NY for work for 10 days. Unfortunately, these 10 days include the last 2 weekends before the ALC! I've recently started running, so I suppose I will just run my ass around Albany. The good news is I'll able to see my family while there, and attend a surprise graduation party for Mike (my youngest bro). It will cease to be a surprise if he reads this, but I'm confident that he will not.

Thanks to Karin Petersen and Mike Rowbotham I'm now VERY close to my goal. Put me over the edge if you have the urge to donate! http://aidslifecycle.org/5423

This past Saturday was my last ALC training ride, I realized today. Incidentally, it was the first training ride I finally connected with Kristina Ohlsen. Kristina is the surprisingly similar sister of Mark Ohlsen, a Top Cat Alum. Kristina and I call SF home now, but we are both Vermonters--she originally, me adopted after Maine spat me out.

The route was a variation of the Nicasio Reservoir ride I've done about 3 times previously. The variation was a small dip into Point Reyes Station, a small town near the state park with the same name.

It was a taxing ride to be sure. The wind, sustained at 15mph, was in our faces for the majority of the ride. You can't appreciate how a small headwind increases the energy you expend on a ride until you ride 50 miles, uphills, fighting it all the way. Needless to say it was excellent strength training. The day's ride was about 90 miles. That night, I slept like a drugged baby.

On Sunday I did one of my final solo rides before the ride; another 70 miles. That's 160 miles total last weekend, and I went on a 4 mile run on Monday. I'm in solid condition for this ride.

The weather for my solo ride was much more agreeable, still the wind occasionally made itself known. I did an impromptu route, visiting the Marin towns of Sausalito, Mill Valley, Larkspur, San Anselmo, Fairfax, Corte Madera and Tiburon. I dubbed it the "money ride", for in all these places the god or fate-favored and nice smelling people of our earth stroll in the sunshine in perpetuity.

I love to ride alone, especially with my headphones pumping music. I know, I know--it is dangerous. I'm very careful.

All the pictures I'm posting today are from the Sunday ride.

So that's it! No more training on my bike until I return to California on the 28th, and even from then to the 2nd of June I will do only light rides.

Thanks to those you've donated. You don't know how excited I am for this. 545 miles to LA.

Talia Baruth
Al Bello
Marlene Berro
Emily Berry
Rachel Broyles
Kirsten Cremer
Marisa Debowsky
Alina Dini
Megan Estey
Mark Farina
Samantha Glenn
Etty Glenn
Stanislav Golubenko (Stas!)
Dawn Kilmer
Samantha klein
Deb Kost
Robert Lecomte
Nathan Lewit
Arlene MacLean
Rick Maclean
Sarah Nelson
Melinda Nelson
Karin Peterson
Gary Prevost
Annette Riggs
Julie Rwan
Bonnie St. Clair
Jeffrey Steinhorn
Esther Szalay
Jordann Talbot
Stephen Twarosch
Natalie Wade
Jonathan West
Tim and Charst

AND... my SF friends who donated in person

Bryce Burke
Brick Thornton
James Caran
Steph Cramer