Since I'm training for a century, thought I better get out and about on my road bike and do some miles. I decided to join my road club and to do the long plus (58 miles) but by the time I got there to sign out for the ride, I was just dripping wet. Plus I have a cold so I opted for the short - 40 miler to Huntington Beach and back. OK ride is very flat which means everyone went very fast.

The ride start was 8am. Just after starting, the thunder and lightning also started. Riding down to the beach we stayed just ahead of the rain and lightning. I felt really good in the beginning and allowed two friends to pace me down PCH. Our average speed was just over 22 mph. Just a mile before the coffee stop I cracked, cracked bad. I was sweating so bad, I started getting headachy and realized I was very dehydrated. Problem with moving fast you forget to drink water. I let the friends go and I mosied over to the coffee shop.

After getting an ice tea and sitting down to eat a Balance bar, the thunder and rain caught up with us. I didn't have the sense to get out of it but frankly it felt good. After the rain passed we felt it safe to start riding. My friends took off quickly and I knew, right then and there I was done and I have 20 miles to go back. One friend thankfully fell back and paced me in. It was a real struggle. I had allowed myself to get dehydrated and now felt dizzy, nauseated and headachy. Thankfully up until now it was overcast but just as we started to climb back inland the sun broke and I felt my brains being scrambled. I had only one speed at this point, very slow.

It's amazing how fast the first 20 was I rode and how slow was the last. I bet I averaged around 10 mph coming back. I was never so glad to see the finish. I could barely dismount my bike and had to just find shade, lay down and relax, trying to get rid of the headache. A friend offered up some Gatorade which helped alot.

After sitting 2 hours I finally left for home with drams of taking a shower, hitting the couch with the air ona dn watching the Tour. Not foiled again. The lightning took out a transformer and I was sans electricity. Boy was that a bummer!!!!! It didn't come back on until 5:30p. By then I started to smell like fried chicken!