Alc 2009

[uk elephant]

Both mom (Duck on Wheels) and I are signed up already and getting excited (and possibly a little nervous). Anyone else signed up?

Both of us live rather far away from any organized training rides. So I thought I'd start this thread as a place to keep eachother up to date, motivated and encouraged and to post ideas for fund raising or times for virtual training rides....Anyone else up for it?

[Trek420]

Go UK, Go DOW And you have at least two other current or future potential ALC'ers here.

Where's the signature?

[uk elephant]

is there a signature now? should be....yup, it's there

On my list for this week when I have time:
personalize donation web-page
make up some cards to give to people in case anyone asks
make a donation letter to e-mail around to anyone and everyone
make some little tags/cards to attach to the socks and mittens I'm knitting for the local craft sale

next week I'll start cookie-sales at work again.

[Duck on Wheels]

Ah yes. Signature. Check. Getting too cold to ride with bare arms anyway for a while.

[Trek420]

You'll need arm skins. It's cold in the morning. Not what you consider cold but then you get warmed up, sometimes you're stopped in the shade ... it's a good way to vary and cope with changing temps.

I learned that from our mutual cousin; vest and a pair of arm skins are the best jacket around.

Want to borrow mine?

[Duck on Wheels]

You'll need arm skins. It's cold in the morning. Not what you consider cold but then you get warmed up, sometimes you're stopped in the shade ... it's a good way to vary and cope with changing temps.

I learned that from our mutual cousin; vest and a pair of arm skins are the best jacket around.

Want to borrow mine?

I've got 2 pair of arm skins -- black ones and the Amici Veloci red ones with matching jersey (mebbe a red skort could go with those for red dress day?). Also light-weight bright yellow jacket with removable arms. Also 1 pair of leg warmers, plain black. Probably enough jerseys (four of my own and three of your old ones). Will need more shorts, but they're s'posed to be new for the ride, right? Cd mebbe use a warmer vest underneath the jacket, but will have to try out what works and can be stuffed into the Camelbak backpack as I shed layers. Will need more sports bras. Plenty of time left to get all that. Meanwhile, bike is in shop getting an mtb crank (the better to climb hills with, my dear). I'll also be looking for a better saddle and handlebars. Working out at the gym enough for now (or so it feels today), and will bike as much as weather permits. Next week, when I'm back from another busy trip, I'll get my presentation letter and so on done and ask if I can put up a display at the gym, at my ostomy supply store, and here at work. Will contact the local paper, the national cycling magazine, the ostomy patient org magazine, and get back to the gym's publicity manager with my promotion proposal. Download my address book to my ALC personal page and get letters sent out. Oh, and make a donation to UK's account. Anything else ...?

[ClockworkOrange]

Hi Eli

Have just been reading all through your website etc. I so enjoyed that, all about your family and travel and some lovely photos.

I think it's brilliant doing the ride again but as you said, all in a very good cause. I will definitely make a small donation but not until 25th, when I get paid.

BTW many thanks for your Christmas card and enclosure.

I am really in awe of anybody riding over 500 miles!

Clock

[uk elephant]

Thanks Clock!
Loved seeing your holiday card too with the pictures from your bike adventures. Your ride in London was such a great accomplishment! Hope you are staying warm with the big freeze we are having this week-end. Warmer weather for riding must be just around the corner (or so I hope).

[Trek420]

I am really in awe of anybody riding over 500 miles!

Clock

Clockwork, yes it's quite the ride. The thing about ALC (or any multi day tour) is not so much the distance and climbing although there is that but what I call the back to back to backness.

Do a century, sleep in a tent, get up and do another, try to find the porta potty in the night, do another, pitch a tent and take it down, do another ...

We have us some hills here and the climbing is significant. I don't know for sure but have heard figures of about 27-28,000 feet of climbing. And since they'll start and end at sea level there's equal amount of descending

Yet as California rides go it's not the hardest. There are doubles that V and others here do that have almost as much climbing in one day. don't even think about the Death Ride

But on most doubles or rides like T.D. R. one can take a rest day the next day This one you can't and that makes it tough but also rewarding

[ClockworkOrange]

Cheers Trek for explaining.

I am now in even more 'aweness' than I was before, in fact I must increase the amount I was going to sponsor her for.

Like so many others, I wish I had discovered riding many, many years ago.

Thanks again Trek.

Clock

[Trek420]

Is "aweness" a word? Well it is now

Everything I know that let me to do this ride before I learned right here on TE Yeah, there were club rides and official ALC training rides and I even led training rides one year ...

But the stuff that really made it work ... right here on TE. This is still the best place in cyberspace for women (and some men) cyclists.

Long live TE. Other than UK & Dr. Duck is there anyone else on the board doing the ride this year and are we gonna have a TE tent section?

[ClockworkOrange]

Is "aweness" a word? Well it is now ...............

Awê-ness noun. The name of an annual charitable awareness-campaign of which the highlight is a youth-rock festival


And I thought I had introduced the word into the English language.............

Clock

[ClockworkOrange]

Hi Eli

Have just been reading all through your website etc. I so enjoyed that, all about your family and travel and some lovely photos.

I think it's brilliant doing the ride again but as you said, all in a very good cause. I will definitely make a small donation but not until 25th, when I get paid.

BTW many thanks for your Christmas card and enclosure.

I am really in awe of anybody riding over 500 miles!

Clock

Hi Eli

I didn't forget and a couple of days early!

Not much but better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

Keep the training up, especially around wet Wales.

Hugs

Clock

[uk elephant]

Thank you, Clock!!! And a donation is far better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!

Edited to add: I can now make it up the hill to work at least. Still a lot of training left to do, but I am slowly getting started....

[uk elephant]

Finally gotten out on a couple of decent training rides. Today, I did a ride in the morning on my way to work. 15 miles in beautiful wintery landscape. Had to take it a bit slow on the back roads which were not cleared or gritted yet. I am definitely getting my climbing training in around here. Just downloaded my garmin data from the two rides. Each was just under 20 miles, with over 1700ft of climbing! Puh!!. I must admit, I had to walk a few of those feet, but I am definitely getting stronger. Need to decide what to do about my bike, though. It needs a full overhaul after two winters of riding through salt, grit, mud and flowing rivers whenever the bike path flooded. It needs new wheels, new chain, new cassette, new cog and new rear deraileaur apparently. Not cheap. But I need the bike in good condition, not just for alc, so I suppose it's worth it.