bereathless agony 2006

ok tracy! here ya go!

another breathless agony in the history books! i didn't get started as early as i wanted... i planned to be at sylvan park at 5:30 so i could leave as soon as they let me.... well... thanx to the dumb waitress at denny's (only thing open for food that early in the morning)... we waited over 1/2 hour to get our food.. cutting into my schedule! didn't even leave denny's til 5:30!

i literally ran to the registration table... then back to the car.... hubby concentrated on getting me and my stuff ready so i could leave since i knew i needed all the time i could get to meet the cut offs.. didn't do so bad.. left at 6:07....

even that morning, i was still undecided as to what to do about my clothes... and brought a couple of different jerseys with me.. (i did wear my breathless agony sock from last year though!) made a last minute decision for the warmer jersey.... i promptly regretted that choice when i got to the climb on redlands blvd/rd! i started getting passed up by a lot of people.... (that's the norm for me... i'm endurance not speed).... i was very happy that jack rabbit trail didn't have a muddy lake for us this year! although the road at the lake was the worst part! it was some point on JRT that hubby caught and passed me.. and the meanie didn't even give me a push! just said "on your right".... when i realized it was him... i made him slow long enough to snap a picture! then he said bye! see ya later!

speaking of pictures.... i got a new camera friday to replace the one that broke... but i only had a little bit of time that evening to play around with it.. didn't realize i had the focus on "macro".... so the majority of my pictures came out blurry... including the one of hubby *pout*

oak glen never gets easier.. no matter how many times you do it... it's still steep and not an easy ride! it took off my jersey (had another racer back on underneath just in case i got hot!) and changed to my fingerless gloves.... put my jersey back on for the descent.. but forgot to change back my gloves... my poor fingers were cold!!!!!!!

i made it to the 2nd rest stop in plenty of time (for the cut offs.. the ONLY thing i race at these rides is the cut-off clock!) then it was time for damnation alley.... by then it was warming up.. the sun was coming out... so off came the jersey again..... and up up up into the clouds! had a nice tail wind going.... i took some more pics... some are good... some are blurry (i need to get them on a site so i can post them...)

got to angeles oaks and saw a CUTE little doggie that i was feeding goldfish to! pigged out on oranges... then headed on the way again.... just as i headed out i saw a friend (not on this forum... BC68... it was richard!) so rode with him a bit... then i had to stop to put my jersey back on cuz i was getting cold again... probably a good thing.. cuz just ahead (my friend actually saw it) there was an accident between a motorcycle and car).... continued.... up.... up.... up..... did the jersey on and off a couple more times.... finally... even though i was hot.. knew the air was cool... and left it on!

saw hubby coming down the mountain while i was still heading up (i had secretly hoped he would wait at the top for me since time stopped there.. but considering he got there... i think 1.5 hours before me... i guess i don't blame him!

finally saw the top.... and almost started crying (what IS it with me and finishing these rides in tears??????) got my medal and had my picture taken with "death"... unfortunately.... that, too, came out blurry which really stinx.. cuz other than that.. it was a cute picture! she took one with her camera too... so maybe that one is clear!

i think my total overall time is actually a teeny bit faster than last year (i mean by minutes.....) however.. checking my stats from last year and this year... my ride time this year is slower than last year.... of course... i didn't have to wade through a mud hole this year! (and i weigh 6 pounds more than last year.. AND i don't have the ride time nor the climb time in that i had in last year!)

i loaded up on more oranges! grabbed some choco chip cookies... talked to my friend for a few.. then headed down the hill (bundled up with jersey back on and zipped.. wind breaker and full finger gloves! oh... and ear covers back over the ear! had lifted them at some point on the way up)

enjoyed the first part of the descent... but what i want to know is WHERE did all the climbing come from on the descent? i distinctly remember TWO climbs last year and during ride around the bear.. this year i swear there was at least 5 climbs!!!!!????? whatupwiththat?

got to angeles oaks and finally got phone signal back... called hubby... he was not only already back.. but changed and on his way to the bike store to see if they had a part he needed! (next time i swear i WILL attach a tow rope! personal sags aren't allowed.. but NO WHERE do i EVER read i can't use a tow rope and still get credit! just kidding... well.. maybe!)

finally got to the end..... bought our jerseys... i LOVE them this year!! very bright and colorful (last years were kinda dull.. uhm... red and green?) i'm going to try to figure a way to either embroider or somehow get the year put on mine.... something that won't ruin the jersey! we skipped the post ride meal... instead went to bj's for pizza (and yes... a beer for him and margarita for me!) he even got a free pizookie since it was his birthday! awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww (yes... great way to spend a birthday, eh? riding breathless agony!!!!!)

i think the SAG support was even better this year than last! i constantly saw SAG vehicles on the way up! some were leap frogging.... going ahead... stopped on the side... going ahead again... some stationed themselves at the side with water and supplies.... nice to see so many vehicles ready and willing to help!

i know they learned from last year on the food... even though we didn't eat this year... i noticed there was TONS of food left and available... when i came in last year.. they were almost out and were rationing it....

this is one of those ride.. for me.. that while i'm doing it i think... "that's it.. NOT doing it next year"... but now.. just a few days past... i know i'll be signing up as soon as it becomes available!

one more ride til i'm king... errrrrr queen of the mountain

Great Job CG!!!!!

I went to BJ's for the first time w/BC68 and I am all over the pizzas and pizookies!!! YUMMMMMMY!!!

It sounds like you had no trouble at all - I don't care what you say, you are a studette!!! :D How'ya feeling about the last ride? Easier or harder than BA? I can't wait to see your "Queen of the Mtn" jersey! Oh ya, I've seen in the malls some monogram/personalized embroidery places; maybe you can get them to put the year on your jersey????

More later, my little one is harrassing the window guy!! :p

Tracy

ps. Thanks for the great report!

oh... bj's is AWESOME! i remember bc68 setting up there as a meet point for a ride... can't remember which one.. alpine last year????????????

anyways... kept seeing the one in moreno and san bernardino... but never got around to going in... well.... last week on the way home from alpine... stopped at the one in moreno... THAT'S IT! i'm SO hooked! i LOVE LOVE LOVE the barBQ chicken pizza!!! OMG! and pizookies... well... what can i say?????????????

the rest of the menu looks FANTABULOUS, too! we even got a large pizza just so we could have some leftovers to bring home!

geez... now my mouth is watering again!

and what's up withe their waitresses... ALL so perky! hubby says they hired the cheerleading squad!

heartbreak vs mulholland and BA? well... everyone says it's easier (or i should say... they say it's easier than mulholland... so that would make it easier than both mulholland and BA....

this year it seems that i suffered more on mulholland than BA... but that is cuz there is climbing til the very end of mulholland (inclding that gawd awful climb on stunt road around 90ish miles!) my knees bothered me on muholland... but didn't on BA (although my shoulders/neck were on fire for the majority of the ride!)

from what i've read and what people have said... i do think heartbreak will be "easier" so to speak.... BUT it sounds like hearbreak hill, itself is a doozy (i'm thinking maybe like some of the hills during redlands or maybe even along the lines of decker?) we'll see!?!

i'm totally off climbing this week... well.. ok... i say that now... but will most likely get out there and do the climb to the park entrance tomorrow! especially if i ditch riding tonight for a movie (i want to see the sentinal and it's $4.50 movie night for non-new releases!)