Off the Back Again.....: Ramping UPpPp.....for MDR!

Has a year passed already since the annual MDR....the Memorial Day Ride to Santa Barbara? Wow! I know time compresses as we age, but this is crazy. Seems like we just finished the last one. That's ok....this trip is one of the riding highlights of the year! So, how's the prep going?

Remember, this 4 day ride is about 360 miles if you do the whole thing. Sags are available, but we "manly men" try to avoid those like the plague! It's not THAT difficult, but you won't be having fun if you aren't fit. So I've been trying to ramp up the rides as much as possible, given work and the desire to keep this stuff fun! It's been over a month since the ride to Davis. That's a pretty good test of about 100 miles. Get to 100 miles and see how you feel. Because on the MDR, you better to be able to do this for most of 4 days in a row!

For a few weeks right after the Davis ride, I was able to ride about 60 miles or so each Saturday, along with a few more rides during the week to average about 140 miles/week. And then recently, I was able to ramp it up more over the past two weeks. Over a 10-day stretch, I rode 83 miles (most of the Grizzly Peak Century), 102 miles (up to Lake Natoma to see Caryn's crew race) and 85 miles to watch Stage 3 of the Tour of California, which included some stiff climbing. Well, yes, I did catch a decent cold after the first 83 mile ride. But I'm glad I'm recovering!

Am I ready? Is there more prep? I feel good. There will be a Saturday ride and some more miles leading up to it. So, the answer is yes!

A little about these miles....I tried to make them somewhat interesting for a change too. I rode some new or less traveled roads with point-to-point rides, added a little bit of public transit to extend my normal range, and had a mechanical (broken spoke) slowing me down for about 17 miles to add an unplanned challenge! Up in Sacramento, I sucked onto the wheel of the pro BMC team for 10 miles on the American River bike trail in Sacramento.....that was a first! And I used the crazy GoPro camera for video and that's kind of fun. But up in Sacramento for Stage 1 of the race, I got some "VIP" treatment from my friend Amy, who works in cycling TV. I got introduced to many famous folks in pro cycling world, including the guys most fans associate with any English language cycle coverage, Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen. Very cool and inspiring! So yeah, I think I'm ready!

Attached below are a few pic from recent rides, which included checking out two stages of the Tour of California this week. The MDR starts in one week (May 21). It's just about here! I've got no big rides planned...maybe it's time to taper and build up my appetite for 4 solid days of riding down to Santa Barbara? Do I want to be idle? Nah...I don't think I can sit still. Look back for a post on that trip sometime soon!

Dawn balloons rising from Winters, CA


Spotted in Davis, CA

The BMC team I latched onto for 10 miles.....and foolishly pulled out my camera to shoot!

Bikes as Art

Phil, Mike, Paul

Lead out on the Bell Lap!

Stage 1 podium (with winner Mark Cavendish)

The peloton on Stage 3 up Calaveras Road (10-14%)

Post flat "push" up Quimby Road (10-12%)

Toms Skujins - leader and later winner of Stage 3

PS My friend Lou, who crashed about 5 weeks ago, is recovering nicely. He's been back on his bike a bit, but is still skittish....can't blame him. He invited me to a "Blessing of the Bikes" a couple of weeks ago, which was a new one for me! I didn't think I needed that, but it can't hurt. Even though there were no Judeo-Christians represented (Buddhists, Hindus, etc. were well represented), there apparently is a patron saint of cycling. Here are more pics....I guess I'm well connected now!