I did the Three Bears!!

[aka_kim]

Perhaps someday us TE gals can take my pickup and do a trash pickup for all the other little crap that lines the route....particularly Alhambra Valley Road (for some reason).....

If you want to organize this, count me in. I don't understand the mentality behind dumping one's garbage in beautiful, natural areas .

[bikerz]

A neighbor of mine just gave me another good route "out the door":

Tunnel rd to skyline, north on skyline to grizzly peak, down wildcat canyon, left on SP Dam rd, castro ranch etc, for the 3 bears, left on SP dam rd, back through Orinda, along canyon and UP pinehurst. Whew!

Now if I could just steady my hand enough to get an accurate route drawn on my topo! program, I could get actual mileage and elevations! (The routes I try to draw on the TOPO screen with my mouse would have me rolling down canyons and crawling back up - the lines are all over the place!)


And I'd love to ride anytime with you guys, but (ahem) did you notice my uphill speed? We'd start out together, and then you all would have time to take in a movie, have a couple of lattes, or something before I got back to the starting point!

[SadieKate]

Don't underestimate yourself. Uphill speed doesn't really translate well to other terrain. A slow hill climber can be a powerhouse on the flats or rollies where momentum becomes a factor. If a hill is significant enough to be named, everyone is going to slow down on it.

I'm a conservative downhiller, so everyone catches me. You couldn't tell that I can do decently pointed upward if you saw how slow I go downward.

[Veronica]

Your downhill is getting faster too Sarah. With all the climbing you've done this year, you've had a lot more downhill exposure.

Ain't it grand to have friends to push you?

V.

[SadieKate]

Oh, I just thought you saw me as a target! Look, girls! Potential roadkill!

[CorsairMac]

Your downhill is getting faster too Sarah. With all the climbing you've done this year, you've had a lot more downhill exposure.

Ain't it grand to have friends to push you?

V.

ahhhhh so she's going faster coz you're pushing her Down hill!!! and all this time I thought ppl were being pushed Up hill!!

[Trek420]

CorsairMac "ahhhhh so she's going faster coz you're pushing her Down hill!!!"

SK deserves the downhill, she pulls us uphill ;-)

[SadieKate]

Naw, you have me confused with Kim. She's the skinny blond.

[bikerz]

Rats - here I was so jazzed about all these hills, and now it looks like I'll be off the bike for a little while...

Last night my SO and I were in a car accident - our car and the other car are both probably totalled - thank goodness everyone involved is fine - me included, except I am "hecka"-briused (as the kids say...) I got a big 'ol seatbelt-shaped bruise from the right shoulder to the left hip, a very sore sternum, and a humongo bruise on one of the "gals". I tried bending over in cycling position and it wasn't a very pleasant sensation...

These 4 kids in someone's grandma's car decided to gun it and try to make a left turn in front of us as we came through an intersection and they just slammed right into us. Police say they were at fault (which they totally were!) so hopefully there won't be any insurance hassles. We'd only had our used Volvo wagon a couple of months, and had just put $1800 into it for new tires, various mechanical things, sunroof repair, etc. Grrrr.

So this is my first injury since taking up cycling this year - I really want to be back riding in less than a week.

[Trekhawk]

Rats - here I was so jazzed about all these hills, and now it looks like I'll be off the bike for a little while...
Last night my SO and I were in a car accident - our car and the other car are both probably totalled - thank goodness everyone involved is fine - me included, except I am "hecka"-briused (as the kids say...) I got a big 'ol seatbelt-shaped bruise from the right shoulder to the left hip, a very sore sternum, and a humongo bruise on one of the "gals". I tried bending over in cycling position and it wasn't a very pleasant sensation...
:

Hey Bikerz - thats no good. Glad that you, your SO and the others were ok.
Make sure you rest plenty and take the time your body needs to get over the accident.

Get well soon mate, Im hoping we can catch up for a ride together in the New Year.

[SadieKate]

Oh no!!! Say it ain't so!! At least the pretty Audi was safe at home.

Those air bags pack a punch, huh?

Ouch, ouch, ouch.

[aka_kim]

Glad you're both OK. Take it easy and recuperate for a bit, the hills will still be there once you're better.

[Veronica]

Yep - the hills never go away. Get better soon.

V.

[Trek420]

((hugs))) oops, bet that hurts. OK, virtual hugs then ;-)

you needed a rest week anyway. You'll come back stronger than ever.

rest up, take care, get some arnica, nice hot baths.

glad you're both ok.

Are you seeing a doctor? Some damage takes time to show up.

[bikerz]

Thanks all -- sneezing is the worst! (sounds like "ahhh ahhh ahh CHOOO -OW!")

Good to know the hills don't go away! (But don't they erode just a little bit once the rains start?? )

You know - the airbags never exploded - that was a little worrisome... They're going to look into at the body shop.

And yes - thank goodness the little Audi was safely parked at home! We decided at the last minute to take the Volvo - the whole thing may not have happened if we had delayed and gone back into the house to get the other set of keys... or taken the other route we debated ... or... (but you can go crazy thinking these things, and really, compared to the terrible things that happen all the time, this is definitely on the "inconvenience" side of the the scale!)

Arnica - I'll check into that!

I appreciate the get well wishes! I hope I don't lose any uphill "momentum"!