Way to go melissam & dachshund!

[jobob]

A shout out to melissam & dachshund - yesterday they completed the last big TNT training ride before the Markleeville Death Ride in two weeks.

And the ride they did yesterday was a doozy!

For starters, they climbed up to the summit of Mt. Tamalpais.

Then, after that little jaunt they headed north on Highway 1, with its various and sundry lovely climbs, to the town of Marshall, where they turned inland and headed up the aptly-named Marshall Wall where yours truly and Mr LeeBob were there dispensing refreshments and encouragement, not that they needed much of the latter.

For yuks they then proceeded up and over Wilson Hill. Yours truly went over Wilson Hill on an an event ride many moons ago & recalls on the way up chatting with someone who had to walk his bike up that stinker - that's because it was so freakin' steep that with her lowest gears she was going as fast as the walker. And then, they turned around and proceeded back up and over. Freakin' showoffs.

They then headed southbound into Nicasio and up and over the climb on Nicasio Road. I remember back when that grade alone would have been considered a challenge for certain people (cough cough).

And then they headed on Sir Francis Drake up and over White's Hill (which they probably hardly even noticed ) into Fairfax and back to their start in Kentfield. Meanwhile yours truly and LeeBob, after their SAG stint, stopped at the fabulous ice cream shop in Fairfax and consumed mass quantities of calories in honor of the team. Yeah, that's it.

Oh, and lest I forget to mention, on top of all that, it was FREAKIN' HOT OUT. There was a serious heat wave going on in the Bay Area yesterday (and today). I'm told it was 95 degrees at the top of Mt. Tam in the early hours of the morning. At the top of the Marshall Wall we had the luxury of a breeze to keep things nice & pleasant (er, for those of us just hanging in the shade and doing nothing more strenuous than dumping ice in a water cooler ) but lawd-a-mercy when they got out of the ocean breeze and into the valley it was gruesome.

Despite all that, mel and dachshund looked mighty darn fine when they finished.

We are talking around 115 miles and over 11,000 feet of climbing done on a ridiculously hot day. Big-azz kudos to them!

Now, they sure as heck didn't accomplish this mean feat overnight, it came about due to about four months of pretty hard work on their parts.

Which brings us to their intrepid coach maillotpois. I didn't mention mp in the same breath as Mel and Ms. Hund, for the simple fact that's she's done many rides like this before (crazy, huh?). Not to imply that this ride was a walk in the park for her -- heck no! -- but it wasn't as huge a personal accomplishment as it was for them.

That said, a big shout out goes to maillotpois for helping Mel and dachshund get to where they got.

The Markleeville Death Ride is in two weeks. Mel, dachshund and mp get to kick back a big before then for their well-earned taper period. Booyah.

[snapdragen]

Go Team!

[maillotpois]

For starters, they climbed up to the summit of Mt. Tamalpais.

Then, after that little jaunt they headed north on Highway 1,

um... you kind of left out the part where we turned up Pantoll and went up Tam a second time....



Well done all - and thanks for the excellent SAG support Lee and jobob!!!

[jobob]

um... you kind of left out the part where we turned up Pantoll and went up Tam a second time....

Yeah and I kind of left out the fact that you're a sadistic little puppy as well.

[maillotpois]

Yeah and I kind of left out the fact that you're a sadistic little puppy as well.

That was implied.

[Zen]

I bow down to you both.
Reading this has made me ravenous and sweaty.
I need pie.

[aka_kim]

Booyah! You all will kick some butt in two weeks! The evil coach's plan has worked!

[crazycanuck]

You kids are just..cool..way cool...

Fonzie power!

[bmccasland]

Go ladies go!!!

have some ice cream yourselves!

[OakLeaf]

Yeesh! Way to go you 3, and thanks for volunteering Jobob & Leebob!

[andtckrtoo]

WOW!!! Way to go!! Man, makes my little 78 mile jaunt look like a piker. I'm majorly impressed!

Jo ane Leebob - great job with the coffee and the encouragement!

[SadieKate]

Way to beat those hills into submission!

. . . .you're a sadistic little puppy as well.

I'd have used 5 different letters in that description . . . .

[Trekhawk]

Well done!
I think I need a rest just from reading about that ride.

[channlluv]

You trained for that in four months? Sheesh.

Anyone writing a training manual by any chance?

Roxy

[jobob]

OK, closer to five. They started in mid-February.