the ride of the mad march hairs

[mimitabby]

Yes, that's right, hairs, not hare. I didn't name this ride.

For those who are unacquainted, my DH aka Raleighdon and a good friend Pansy Palmetto; both of whom are rather notorious on bikejournal.com put this ride together for the second year in a row. It's actually a series of rides, one being climbing to the top of Mt Diablo, (which I missed) and another exciting ride to old Sacramento and back on the gorgeous American River Trail, but the ride I'll tell you about is the ride yesterday, which started out in Fairfield, California and did a loop in the Napa hills and a little bit into the Napa valley.

We started out at a restaurant for breakfast and got reacquainted with a bunch of nice people, including my cousin's husband who is part gazelle we later discovered.
The ride started out with 3 tandems and 4 or 5 singles. the tandems being SalsaMTB and Mr Salsa, Raleighdon and I and the indomitable Pansy and Mr Pansy. Almost immediately we were rolling up and down hills, and they got increasingly difficult in grade. The Salsas and my DH & I quickly left the Pansys behind, and after doing some really fun up and downs on some snake like roads, we lost them. We sent back some speedy single speedy cyclists to
see if they were all right, and discovered that they got a double flat on a pot hole. it took them almost an hour to fix it. So some of us waited, some of us, on speedy single bikes went back and forth giving progress reports. And some of us ventured into the bushes to go to the bathroom.
We climbed a little more and the pansies (or the palmettos) decided enough was enough; and they turned around and went home. So we continued over the pass, and skirted a dam, and finally found ourselves on the flats with a tiny bit of a tailwind. We rode as fast as we could on our tandem, with our previously speedy single bike companions holding on for dear life. (in our draft) it was incredibly awesome. For the first time I discovered that I could do more good by focusing on the stroke between 4pm and 10am because DH's regular stroke was so strong I could barely push any more there. It was a very exhilarating ride, particularly considering that I haven't been riding very much this year. We ended up with 62.5 miles, a metric century, and over 4000 feet of climb.

Then there was today. Today was to be a shorter, friendlier ride. (Photos must wait until tomorrow, unless you go to bkejournal where Pansy will be posting) we just did a 28 mile loop on the American river trail; but Raleighdon had a little chevas regal crown on his helmet with his tuxedo jersey and Pansy wore a wedding veil. People thought they were just married, and me on the back of the tandem. we got laughs, smirks and giggles for 28 miles I never had a laughinger ride in my life. it was hilarious.
and we ended with VERY GOOD ice cream.

[HillSlugger]

Are you back as Mimitabby?!?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Hey thanks for the ride report, Mimi! Glad to know it went well. :p

[salsabike]

I'm almost positive, though, that it wasn't SalsaMTB on that other tandem. :)

[Biciclista]

OH DRAT
i'm sorry; i havent been on this laptop in ages and it had the mimitabby cookie.
i fixed it and will not make that mistake again on THIS computer. That's the trouble with logging in from 6 different computers.

And SalsaBIKE, i'm sorry it was YOU and only YOU not that other pretender Salsa who was on the other tandem.


SalsaBIKE and Mr Salsa, as I was saying were great tandem buddies, I would recommend them to anyone. While we had two fast single bike dudes drafting off us, they had 1 drafting off them too.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

OH DRAT
i'm sorry; i havent been on this laptop in ages and it had the mimitabby cookie.
i fixed it and will not make that mistake again on THIS computer. That's the trouble with logging in from 6 different computers.


Ha ha, now everyone sees your real post count! :eek: :D

[salsabike]

Seas of lupines...incredible. And the second picture is Lake Berryessa (and me and Chris). This ride was really fabulous--we had a blast.

9021

9022

[NbyNW]

Beautiful pictures Salsa! Those flowers are unreal!

Mimi- loved the ride report!

[maillotpois]

wow - great pics Salsa!! I love lupine season.

Sorry I was not able to join this ride. We had a training ride for TNT. I did do the Diablo ride and met Mr. Salsa and RD (whom I'd met before at Tucson). Did not get to spend enough time socializing with those guys though, as I had to get back to work. :mad:

[Biciclista]

great photos, Salsa, I am looking forward to seeing our photos too; but you caught the best of the scenery in those two photos.

[Biciclista]

http://mimitabby.com/calif/breakfast.jpg
Here's some of the March Hair gang, Twain (from left), Pansy, me, Mr Salsa,
Salsabike, and the mother of Twain's child's sweetheart, Rick(sorry, I forget his screen name

http://mimitabby.com/calif/poppies.jpg
Here's Poppies we saw up by the dam


http://mimitabby.com/calif/folsom.jpg
and here's our last Icecream with Pansy.

[Geonz]

It's all about the hair.

Great report :)

[shootingstar]

Enjoyed the photos! yes, yesterday was a fabulous day...though not quite as warm in Vancouver, based on your cycling gear.

We were still wearing long cycling tights and jackets yesterday. Maybe we're thin-blooded. :)

[Biciclista]

no, Dear Shootingstar, it was close to 80 degrees in Sacramento. We're sitting in the shade for a reason!

My kneesocks were a bit too warm.

[Trekhawk]

Love the pics!!
Sounds like you all had a ball.:)

[jesvetmed]

Those photos are gorgeous. What a wonderful ride. Thanks for sharing!

[NbyNW]

It makes me happy to know you all had such a wonderful time. Thanks for sharing!

[shootingstar]

off-topic, mimi:

Methinks Raleighdon looks abit like a Canadian comedian, Ron James.

http://www.ronjames.ca/ Raleighdon should send a photo of himself to Ron...

[salsabike]

wow - great pics Salsa!! I love lupine season.

Sorry I was not able to join this ride. We had a training ride for TNT. I did do the Diablo ride and met Mr. Salsa and RD (whom I'd met before at Tucson). Did not get to spend enough time socializing with those guys though, as I had to get back to work. :mad:

I heard that both you and V. found my spouse, which is great! Another time we'll meet, kiddo. Nice riding country you have down there.

More pictures and trash talking here: http://www.bikejournal.com/thread.asp?ThreadID={AFB3777B-7E3D-4FEC-BE76-AB4C499A60DE}&numPost=421

[jobob]

I'm still laughing. Great posts & photos, gang!

Sorry I missed y'all. Some other time, either here or in the great NW. :)

- Jo.

[Biciclista]

I'm still laughing. Great posts & photos, gang!

Sorry I missed y'all. Some other time, either here or in the great NW. :)

- Jo.
we're definitely sorry you missed us too! :(

[Veronica]

I heard that both you and V. found my spouse, which is great! Another time we'll meet, kiddo. Nice riding country you have down there.

More pictures and trash talking here: http://www.bikejournal.com/thread.asp?ThreadID={AFB3777B-7E3D-4FEC-BE76-AB4C499A60DE}&numPost=421

Did you get any of my cookies?

Veronica

[Biciclista]

I did!
thank you Veronica, it came in handy when I woke up starving

[TxDoc]

Great photos!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful ride with all of us!

[salsabike]

Did you get any of my cookies?

Veronica

I didn't even know they existed. SOMEONE WAS HOARDING.

[Veronica]

Bummer! I thought it was a particularly good batch too, made fresh, Thursday morning.

Veronica

[jobob]

Ruh-roh. This could get ug-leeee. :cool:

(pulls up chair :D )

[Biciclista]

Salsabike,
You'd better ask Mr Salsa what happened to YOUR cookie. I only got one.

[Veronica]

I left TWO cookies in a baggie with RD, one for each of you. I also left one cookie in the plastic container in the back of RD's truck. So that's three cookies to account for. Mimi got one. Where did the other two go? :D

Veronica

[Bike Goddess]

I took the container home so I could get it back to you. Inside, I found 1 cookie (guess what happened to that one :p:p:p). They were fabulous. I say that genuinely as I also make cookies too. Thanks V for your thoughtfulness. You are the best (in many ways).:D:D:D

The other two probably got scarfed down by one of those MMH guys!:(:(:(

Maybe next year we can have more folks come to the Berryessa ride. It is one of my favs especially since it is almost out my back door.

[Biciclista]

from Raleighdon:


I found the second cookie, which I had placed very carefully in the cooler for safekeeping, on my way home on Monday. I had intended to give it to Deena, but wasn't sure when I'd see her again, so figured I might as well eat it with the bad cup of coffee I got in Yreka. It was either that or a donut.

[Veronica]

Well, all the cookies are now accounted for. :D

No worries on the plastic container BG. It's one of those buy 3 for 5 bucks from the grocery store containers. They are good for giving baked goods away in. That was one of my leftover containers from my Christmas cookie gift giving.

Veronica

[Biciclista]

Ok, some silly photos for you guys.
http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/26794/2026092870054236199S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/17628/2164705140054236199S500x500Q85.jpg


http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/1397/2901204220054236199S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/43091/2785702070054236199S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/25889/2053448560054236199S500x500Q85.jpg

This is a view from the side of Mount Diablo

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/42667/2273312230054236199S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/43060/2636053840054236199S500x500Q85.jpg


http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/41561/2960113400054236199S500x500Q85.jpg

[Jones]

The pictures are great. I really like the one of Mt. Diablo.

[sgtiger]

Sounds like you all had a fun time. Pics are great.

[salsabike]

I left TWO cookies in a baggie with RD, one for each of you. I also left one cookie in the plastic container in the back of RD's truck. So that's three cookies to account for. Mimi got one. Where did the other two go? :D

Veronica

I was about to wax rhapsodically grateful about the incredible thoughtfulness of Veronica in actually setting aside a couple of her cookies for us. I mean, how kind can you get? Until I saw....the below statement. GRATUITOUS torture. :D:D:D


Bummer! I thought it was a particularly good batch too, made fresh, Thursday morning.

Veronica

And THEN. I saw these two posts below. WELL I MEAN REALLY.


I took the container home so I could get it back to you. Inside, I found 1 cookie (guess what happened to that one :p:p:p). They were fabulous. I say that genuinely as I also make cookies too. Thanks V for your thoughtfulness. You are the best (in many ways).:D:D:D

The other two probably got scarfed down by one of those MMH guys!:(:(:(

Maybe next year we can have more folks come to the Berryessa ride. It is one of my favs especially since it is almost out my back door.


from Raleighdon:


I found the second cookie, which I had placed very carefully in the cooler for safekeeping, on my way home on Monday. I had intended to give it to Deena, but wasn't sure when I'd see her again, so figured I might as well eat it with the bad cup of coffee I got in Yreka. It was either that or a donut.

THERE'S JUST NO HONOR. NO MORALS ANYWHERE. :D:cool::p

Next time, I'll bring a little lockbox with our names on it. Humph.

Thanks, V.

Hey, you NorCal folks, I have a question. There's a flowering tree that has the most gorgeous blossom color, a sort of purpley-pink. I'll dig up a pic in a little while and post it here. I would love to know what it is. It was everywhere and really beautiful.

[salsabike]

9073

[Veronica]

New Zealand Tea Tree maybe. It looks beautiful when it's flowering - not so much when it's not. At least they didn't look great in our yard. :D

Veronica