Enterprise Biking Team?

With the growth of the enterprise team, we get a few people that are really into biking. I count six so far, and then there are more in the midst of other properties. Are we going to organize a team? Racing as we did in the old days around Woodside at the crack of dawn? Those were the days…

Weather is still bad, so the only newsworthy item is that the Polar interface really works well. Not getting into geek-talk, but I may come up with a better interface than what there is right now. And who knows, maybe I can integrate elevation data into klimb.

What a Glorious Day!

For a change, and not for long, sunday was actually a sunny day. It was still a little chilly, but I managed to do my ride in the early morning. Of course this means I had wonderful competition for Old La Honda, and there was even someone that passed me and zipped up, never to be seen again. Lucky I was eating a Starbucks scone, or it would have been the first time I actually got passed!

What a Weird Ride

The weather still feels more like february than like april, and it shows. My bike is sluggish, average speed down to barely above 19.4, and I didn’t even add any mountain.

I rode from home to the end of Canada and back. I wanted to go up 92 and return on Skyline, but it looked as if it would be even colder up there, and I would be even lonelier. So I just turned around and traced my way back, thinking of nothing but the rain and the chill in the air.

Finally, Good Weather

I have been waiting three weeks, but now the weather is finally calming down and I get a chance to get rid of the excess fat that has been a real problem! I don’t fit anything any more – not even my biking gear!

Actually, frustrated by the protracted El Nino weather, I decided to join the local Y, whose spinning classes are famous. Of course it is a bit off season, now, since the nice and warm weather is about to start.

Rain Again

It has been an unseasonably wet april, the cruellest month for bikers. It’s been so bad that I gained 5 pounds of weight (3 of them PURE FAT!).

Easter Sunday

It was an odd day – cool and hazy, with a cover of high clouds that were thin enough to let the sun shimmer through, but not enough to burn off. Some smaller storm from the Aleutians, I would venture to guess.

I took Ti on a spin, heading first to Woodside. I wasn’t sure whether I was in the mood, but then I decided it was time to smell the forest and headed up Old La Honda. It went very well: after you know the road, it’s not difficult to pace yourself and make sure you have enough energy when you get to the top. For the first time, I used the stopwatch and clocked in at less than 23 minutes bottom to top. And since I felt like the king of the hill (and in dire need to lose some weight), I took the turn to the right and zapped first to La Honda, then again up to King’s Mountain Road. All in all about 3000 ft ascent – still only one third of what I’ll have to do to get to the top of Haleakala, but I am proud, nonetheless.

After a Long Hiatus

There has been a lot going on, in the last few monts… On the biking front, two main events:

1. Three major accidents. One was on my way home, on Foothill just past El Monte. A branch was sticking out into the bike lane, and I hit it while I was checking out my speed (28mph). The second one was a stupid slipping while riding in to work (and oddly enough, although I merely slipped on a railroad track, this one is the one that hurt the most). The third one was on Grant Road, while riding in to work. A nice nurse thought it would be wise to get a coffee before getting to work, and she cut right in front of me. As almost accidents go, this one was really ok. The lady came out of her slightly oversized Tahoe and was shaking all over. I ended up hugging her and telling her everything was alright.

Car Broke Down

Well, it’s the rainy season, so I have been driving in to work lately. Not good for my body, of course, if one excepts the dangers of riding. Did I tell you about the one lady that thought is was a smart idea to wedge her car into a jammed intersection with an illegal right turn, and almost got me?

Besides the point. The main news is that my car’s power steering left me. So now I don’t have any choice but to ride in to work. Luckily the rain has subsided (will come back on Monday, they say), and it has been fun. I don’t know, this Christmas period with the short days and the cold never quite made me happy; having a reason to jump on the bike and don the spandex is really good, or otherwise I would just commiserate the love handles and myself, and gorge another pound of chocolate to make me forget. So what’s been going on? The weather turned mild (so much so that I felt comfortable going in to work in shorts instead of long bibs) – another sign of an El Nino year that is somehow working out just right. Today is such a beautiful day that I’m likely to hop and join the Saturday group of Alto Velo – for now just from afar, and I’ll just leave around 9:15 to make sure I get there in time to follow them. After all, it’s the social ride.

Los Gatos Cyclist

Ok, I am not a member, and yet I subscribe to the Los Gatos Bicycle Racing Club email list. I am undecided whether to join the monstrous Alto Velo or the smaller and nicer LGBRC, so I thought I’d listen in and see how they treat people from the outside.

Short comment: so far, LGBRC beats Alto Velo hands down. The Velistas are obnoxious on the Expressway, behaving as if they own the place. They won’t let you pass, but their average speed (on the Expressway) is more warmup than real biking. And if you dare crossing their path, they’ll holler at you some arcane gibberish that is supposed to make you feel guilty for not being (a) slower than them and (b) member of their club.

Spring in January

Zipping around on this wonderfully balmy Sunday, I discover the incredible: the mimosa trees are already in full bloom. Their smell hit me twice, on Foothill (coming back) and on Alpine, and interestingly enough our little enclave of Los Altos Highlands has several trees that erupted in a shower of yellow.

It was warm enough to wear just the skinsuit, the first time in a month or so. Unseasonably warm, as the weather forecast says. The bike lanes were accordingly crowded, with several large groups greeting each other. It is indeed a paradise for the biker.
The weather was quite unstable, hence no major ride. I just went up Foothill and then left on Alpine, admittedly following a zippy-fast biker that had been eluding me ever since I crossed over the Loyola Corners bridge. Turns out he (a) must have cheated at all intersections and red lights and (b) didn’t like drafters. In any case, he couldn’t get rid of me (despite an attempt to flight on Alpine) and finally let me pass. Amusing how these guys in Specialized top-to-toe think they own the path.