boneheaded move of the day

[jobob]

So, I'm cycling up Mt. Diablo today with V. and our spouses.

It always seems to happen ("always" being a data set of 3 at this point) that when I'm about 3/4 of the way up the mountain I experience a bit of chaffing - even though I apply the Chamois Butt'r liberally to the inside of my shorts beforehand, maybe that's just how long it takes to wear off of.

But no worries, I carry a little travel-size plastic bottle (the kind you get at the drugstore or sporting goods store) filled with Chamois Butt'r for just these occasions, and there's a little potty shed precisely where I need it, at the valley overlook near Juniper.

So I pull up to the shed, pull out the little bottle, run into the shed, squeeze out a liberal amt of the contents and smear it over the areas inside my shorts that need it the most.

Then I happen to look at the label of the bottle. I had drawn a big S on it.

I had pulled out the travel size bottle of sunscreen (SPF 50 thenkewverymuch) instead of the travel size bottle of Chamois Butt'r, which, you guessed it, had a big C on the label.

I'm glad to report that the chafing on the rest of the ride was minimal - I'm not sure if that means that sunscreen works as well as Chamois Butt'r, or if a lot of gloopy lotion of any kind would work. It did no harm, though.

But it does give new meaning to the phrase "put it where the sun don't shine"

[SadieKate]

I guess that's better than brushing your teeth with it.

[Veronica]

Ahh.. but Jo did the WHOLE mountain today! Yeah for her. That 18% at the end is tough!

V.

[aka_kim]

Why is that boneheaded? I've intentionally used sun screen for that problem on several occasions, because I don't carry chamois cream (which is boneheaded of me).

My boneheaded move of the day must have been not meeting you guys at 10 am. But I'm glad we passed on your descent. Sorry I didn't recognize you at first Jo, but I was too focused on the 6 feet of pavement directly in front of my bike to notice 2 people in yellow slickers.

I'm humbled by you and V and hubbies. I truly do not feel fit enough to ride past the junction right now. Only cure for that is more riding!

[Veronica]

I wasn't ready for it. I thought I was going to puke at Devil's Elbow. My heart rate was 187! My max is 195. Going up the Wall it got to 191.

V.

[jobob]

The advantage of not having a heart rate monitor - I think I would have freaked if I saw what my heart was doing on that last steep stretch to the summit.

But I had an extra little bit of motivation - I was riding up that section with a woman who was carrying front and rear panniers packed to the gills with stuff. I'm thinking, how pathetic am I if someone lugging all that stuff can make it up that driveway and I cannot ?

Talking with her up at the summit (after I caught my breath - it took me at least 5 minutes to stop wheezing and string two sentences together) we find out that she's a hard-core touring cyclist on a training ride, which is why she was carrying all that stuff in her panniers - probably just as well I didn't know that when I challenged myself to try to keep up with her on that last steep bit! She then pulled out of a pannier a tupperware container with home baked brownies that she passed around ... yum. (That'll teach you guys for blowing us off, heh)

V, was she pulling our leg, or was she really carrying bricks in those panniers??

[Veronica]

They looked full - bricks - maybe. She had GREAT legs though. How old do you think she was?

V.

[shewhobikes]

It must have been the phase of the moon or something. Yesterday at a cosmetics counter I started rubbing what I thought was lotion on my arms. Duh, it was shower gel.

Sounds like y'all had a good day. Where you live is so pretty. I hope to visit again soon.

[jobob]

Originally posted by shewhobikes
Where you live is so pretty. I hope to visit again soon.

It's funny, my husband and I had it in our heads that we wanted to move up to the Portland or Seattle area. I used to routinely check online employment ads and the websites for companies in the Northwest in my line of work.

Then we really got into biking a bit over a year ago.

A few months ago, I came across a posting at a Seattle company for a job that had my name written all over it.

And it suddenly hit me that I didn't want to leave the Bay Area (or, at least, Northern California) after all - the biking here is great and we can cycle year-round. I've really grown to appreciate this area in a way I hadn't before I started cycling.

We'll eventually move away from the Bay Area proper, the congestion and the prices being the way they are (hey SadieKate, maybe we'll be neighbors someday!), but it looks like we'll remain the butt of those California jokes for the duration

- Jo.

[aka_kim]

Was the woman with both front and rear panniers mostly/all in pink? If so, I think I've seen her up there nearly every time I've ridden Diablo. I saw her descending the North Gate side yesterday; and often see her climbing the South Gate side. If she's not the same one you saw, then there must be at least two super-strong touring female cyclists up there!

[Veronica]

Yep, that was her. Talk to her sometime, she makes good brownies!

V.

[SadieKate]

Originally posted by jobob
(hey SadieKate, maybe we'll be neighbors someday!), but it looks like we'll remain the butt of those California jokes for the duration

Well, hurry up so you don't miss out on the fun. Hubby's 55 and looking to retire about age 60 and our offer on a rental house in Bend was just accepted Friday. Whoopee! We're getting closer! Soon, my triathlon days will be here - ride, fish and sleep. Davis has great road riding, but the fishing and mtbiking are the pits.

When we retire to Oregon, we're going to make sure that everyone knows that we're not native Californians -- Idaho and New Mexico -- so they can't make snide remarks about us. Get those license plates changed fast!

[jobob]

Soon, my triathlon days will be here - ride, fish and sleep

what, you're not going to eat? (leave it to jobob to ask that question).

Sounds like a wonderful plan to me. I hear Bend is a great place to live.

Yep, Kim, that was the remarkably strong touring cyclist with the pink panniers (my guess, they were originally red, and either sun-bleached or deliberately bleached to pink). In fact, she was totally decked out in pink yesterday, complete with pink ribbons streaming off her pink helmet - quite the statement ! And a little stuffed moose mascot peeking out from behind her saddle. Her IF (Independent Fabrications) touring bike was not pink, though, it was a dark blue or black (she said a pink frame would be a bit more difficult to change if she ever tired of pink). In retrospect I wish I spoke to her some more when I had the chance, I'd love to know her story.

[Trek420]

ok, speaking of bonehead move of the day...I think I've got the sunscreen beat....i just got back from a ride on the peninsula and did the classic bike on the roofrack into the carport move.

Do I hear a collective gasp?

...don't worry, the Mondonico she is fine, I just took her for a test drive, everything is fine, alignment checks out ok, g** I love steel. The only place you can tell is a slight scratch on the levers on the "e" in the record. Sob, my first scratch 8-(

I think I was just a little off because one of my buddies took a fall today, I didn't see it happen but when I caught up saw the result, she'll be ok, just a few scrapes on her hand.

Safety lesson for the day...don't try to tighten your quick release WHILE riding, stop and do it.

[aka_kim]

Trek, double EEK! First for you and the roof rack, second for your friend tightening a QR en route. I won't be trying either of those anytime soon (I KNOW what would happen to my bike if I got a roof rack).

I hear Bend is a great place to live.

And good skiing too! Unfortunately as a native Californian I wouldn't be welcome I guess. I may have to remain here until the end of my days since I'll probably never be able to hide my California-ness..