Stick a fork in me

Sorry for the late post, but it's been a pretty action-packed weekend. I took my bike down to the O.C. for the weekend, and finally, after so much anticipation, got to do a flat, uniteruppted ride on nicely paved roads. I went north from Newport Beach, determined that all of my recent climbing and speeding would have made me super fast on the flats. I was not dissapointed. I did 40 miles solo, whith a consistent 21-22 speed. the front twenty was pretty tame, but the back twenty I had a bit of company. These were the first unfriendly riders I have come across in So Cal, and they were straight out of the "I'm a mean bike racer" textbook. Two guys, obscure local team kits, booties, and mishmash bikes with carbone wheels. They thought they were pretty bad going down the road at 25, and one of them decides he's going to burn the other one and goes ahead at 26-7. I see a nice stretch of road in front of us and say "what the heck". I burn him and take the lead. I'm riding steady at 29 for what seems to be a while. I feel the guy behind me and push it up to 30... to 31... 31.5... no response. We hit a red light. No ackwoledgment whatsoever. The two guys decide they are going to go up on the sidewalk and go right. See ya.

Then, I meet up with another guy, and ride with him for the last 10 miles or so. Consistent 25-26. We run into another guy who looks like a running back, big guy on a bike, he starts challenging us. I burn him and the other guy on a not-so-tall bridge and the subsequent kinda painful hill up into Newport.

I finish it all off with a 10 mile recovery ride with my folks, who were both sporting the Trek 7000, from the "Bike Path" Series, basically the Dodge Pinto of bicycles. They are in sweats, I'm in full gear, going 10 mph. Got some funny looks, but you can't argue with a ride with mom. Especially when you get to push her uphill.

I think I'll be recovering this week. I'm walking slower and slower, there is a constant burn in my muscles, and I'm starting to think seriously about lobbying for naptime at work. I think it's time for a little rest and a massage. Good luck, team Z, with your rest week as well...