Here are the various poses of Mel and Pinkie during our adventures:
Here's Mel recovering after a bad fall on to a rock in Huddart Park, Woodside. This is when the stranger with the dog put a bandage on Mel's leg. Despite the fall, we were still able to climb up to the entrance of Huddart Park and feel pretty good about it too.
Ahh...here's another typical pose of Mel and Pinkie...at a food stop in front of Robert's Market in Woodside. We have lunch, refuel with another bottle of Gatorade, and re-apply sunblock during these pit stops.
Although it may look like all we are doing is sitting and lounging around, this is actually the only time that Mel will let me take pictures while we are outside riding. Especially since I haven't mastered the skill of one-handed riding yet (both hands must still be firmly affixed to the handlebars at all times!), I'm not able to capture a lot of action photos. There have been many scenic overlooks and pretty views during our climbs, but I am usually trying to oxygenate heavily during those moments, and so, I cannot take pictures. This particular day (where we are both wearing short sleeves) came after a brutally hot day on the 4th of July, when we were just drenched completely in sweat. So, we thought we would be wise and wear short sleeves on July 7th. Although it turned out to be cold and misty, that day was a momentous day because we were able to ride 50 miles, our most ever in terms of mileage!! It was from Mountain View to Foothill, to Arastradero, to Woodside, Canada Road and back...our biggest loop ever!
Here's me at the turnaround point:
And here's Mel at the turnaround point...
After that 50 miler, the next weekend we tried to do two consecutive days of hard riding...in an effort to see what back-to-back days of being in the saddle would be like (after all, during the CCC, we'll have 8 continuous days on our bikes). The first day, July 14, we were in the East Bay at Niles Canyon in the Fremont area. We took Calaveras Road and rode all the way down to Milpitas. That was a gorgeous ride (unfortuately, no pictures), with a very decent climb. I felt rather good about it, was able to complete the climbing, and didn't feel too badly afterwards. We were able to complete 38 miles of riding, with about 2200 feet of climbing.
However, the next day, July 15, we met up with Jerry, Eileen, Greg and several other women in Tilden Park at Inspiration Point. We rode downhill Wildcat Canyon, wound up in Orinda. We went through the area surrounding Redwood Regional Park, which was really cool and beautiful...
However, after this beautiful stop, I met my Mountain of Shame on Pinehurst...I really hit a wall climbing up that hill, and felt so discouraged. I actually had to get off of the bike and walk up the rest of the climb, because I felt there was no way I could get to the summit otherwise. My legs were already tired from the ride before and I was just pooped out! I felt mentally drained as well, and as we were riding back "undulating hills" around Grizzly Peak after Pinehurst back to Inspiration Point, every single incline was a major challenge. All I was concentrating on was each stroke of the pedal that would bring me closer back to the car. In my head, I felt there was no way I could survive the CCC, given that on those two days, we had done the same amount of climbing and with fewer miles than the FIRST DAY of the CCC! That Sunday, we did 28 miles of riding with 2200 feet of climbing. (The first day of the CCC is 85 miles with 4000 feet of climbing.) I really was feeling down and at odds with my bike that afternoon after getting back to Inspiration Point...
That's Mel and me after the ride at Inspiration Point in Tilden. That was the day I named my Trek bike Tumbles, and was really quite upset at him for letting me down. In fact, he stayed over at Mel's place for the next week because we were not on speaking terms after that East Bay ride. He finally made it back home this weekend, and we are becoming better friends again, but it is still a tenuous relationship, especially after I fell into a prickly bush at Mel's place after failing to make a sharp left turn. We're going day by day at this point.
So, we have been getting in several rides (as documented in Mel's tables), and getting in some back-to-back days of climbing and some miles in. There's still, obviously, much more work to get done, and I need to get over last week's feelings of discouragement with Tumbles and my progress. Right now, I have to stop thinking about how daunting the first day of the CCC is, and just try to increase the miles and climbing. Mel and I have been working out at the gym, using the quad machines to improve our strength in our legs...I hope it helps! I weighed myself yesterday, and since February when I started my training, I have lost a grand total of ONE POUND!! After that, Mel and I went to McDonald's to celebrate my achievement (plus to get a Hello Kitty Happy Meal). We'll keep at it...
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