Interesting Tidbits

[Veronica]

At least to me anyway...

Things I learned on my ride today with MP, MB and Staci.

There are some great bakeries in Marin. However, on an 85 mile ride, one does need to actually eat some of the funny food one brought with them.

The mud in mud baths is used! And it gets into all crevices. I can handle the crevice thing (makes sense) But that means the mud touches other people's crevices... EWWWWW!!!!

And there is a thing called a compost wrap, or maybe bath. No thank you!

When you see a field with a lot of sheep and an adjacent field with a lot of hay bales and a few sheep, your eye thinks they are all sheep. Thom wondered if maybe I was low on water.

Not all of MP's shorts have unexpected holes in them.

Cows sometimes block the roads in Marin.

I can ride longer than I thought with my HR in the 170s. (173 - 179 is my tested anaerobic threshhold)

I really do like climbing and descending. Rollers... not so much.

I want to move to Marin (Thom may stop speaking to you MP ) so much amazing riding!

I'm sure I'll wake up in the middle of the night with more.

(More!) Why is it I can eat 2/3 of a Cibatta burger, some fries and a shake, feel full and then feel starving 30 minutes later?

Cooked raisins in a cinnamon roll the size of your helmet aren't so bad.

Sunscreen does not stay put on my shoulder blades.

A ride with no hot foot and no lower back muscles screaming at me is SWEEEEET!


V.

[Lise]

(More!) Why is it I can eat 2/3 of a Cibatta burger, some fries and a shake, feel full and then feel starving 30 minutes later?

V.

Is that like Chinese food?

Have a great time, you guys! L.

[BikeMomma]

Ha! Too funny V. Nice post. I liked the bit about MP's shorts, since I remember she had on a pair of those "holy" shorts on for our Mines Rd. ride. Glad to know she has a pair that are more intact.

[maillotpois]

Hey!

Glad you had fun. We covered a lot of my fun riding ground yesterday - now you can see why I only leave home to ride in the Sierras! Just wait til we tackle the southern half of the course - roller heaven!!!

I became vegan again (I am SO on and off vegan - but this may last a couple of days) after riding through all those cows - moms and babies. I have never seen so many cows on Chileno Valley Road. It was like being in the middle of Cow Manhattan. I will say that riding through the heard of small friendly cows, who parted to reveal huge, ugly pink-eyed bull (with no fence between us and some of them on the road) on Coleman was a first for me!!!

I will say this was a good and challenging ride for me on many levels - I am really working on this breathing/asthma thing - it is just crazy how it affects me. I tried to go my normal pace up the first climb and the loudness of my breathing was so startling, I pulled it back the rest of the day on the climbs. And I was having crazy pain in my chest and back - not muscle "back pain" but stabbing pain when I would take a deep breath (this had woken me up the night before - I didn't whine about it to anyone except Kelly because I at least wanted her to know what was going on if I keeled over!)

If I really am thinking of doing the 508, I have to get this under control - oh and lose the last 15 pounds!! Oh well!

And thanks for the supportive comments about the shorts, all.... If only you guys could convince Mike I need even more pairs of shorts!!

[Kalidurga]

Wow, am I envious. I ended a cross-country (driving, not biking) road trip in Marin county last year and was blown away by how beautiful it is. I may get back out there again next year. If so, I might have to ask you guys for suggestions of places to ride (though I'll also have to find a place to rent a ride).

maillotpois: Are you on any sort of medication for your asthma? I've been amazed at how well mine's controlled by Advair. After a year of twice daily use, I've gotten to the point that I only use it on mornings when I've planned outdoor activity. I forgot to use it one morning before a recent ride and felt mild chest constriction, but had no labored breathing at all. Has your dr. recommended it?

[maillotpois]

maillotpois: Are you on any sort of medication for your asthma? I've been amazed at how well mine's controlled by Advair. After a year of twice daily use, I've gotten to the point that I only use it on mornings when I've planned outdoor activity. I forgot to use it one morning before a recent ride and felt mild chest constriction, but had no labored breathing at all. Has your dr. recommended it?

I am on 2x a day advair for the last couple of months, and have albuterol, which I think I may need to use more regularly. It seems to make a difference if I use it before a climb. It sounds like that advair will make a difference over the long haul - I am encouraged by what you said. Thanks!

[Kalidurga]

That's exactly how I started out. Advair twice a day, and an albuterol inhaler in my saddle bag. I found that stopping to use the albuterol 2-3 miles into my ride was more effective in opening up my airways than using it before I started out, though I have no idea why. At this point, I can't remember the last time I used the albuterol and I took it out of my saddle bag months ago. I hope you have similar results!

(Sorry for the OT digression!)

[Duck on Wheels]

First time my youngest did a cross-country skiing race, his coach heard him wheezing as he went by a check point and nabbed him out of the race. Exertion asthma. For a while there he used an inhaler, but after a few years his lung capacity had expanded to where we've never heard him wheeze any more. And yes, the doctor confirmed, exercize can cure some kinds of asthma. But then _more_ exercize can bring it back. Some of the really elite x-country skiers have it bad, not so much from exertion as from pulling serious masses of seriously cold air into their lungs.

[Ciao]

I want to move to Marin (Thom may stop speaking to you MP ) so much amazing riding!

Ahhhh, you're making me homesick... almost .

Glad to hear that you're getting to explore the best of Marin! If you're doing any MTB'ing, I'd recommend checking out all the trails around Mt. Tam, Deer park and BonTempe and the other lakes. If it's all road, there's some fabulously scenic roads heading up the coast and through Napa.

Keep us posted!

[wavedancer]

I became vegan again (I am SO on and off vegan - but this may last a couple of days) after riding through all those cows - moms and babies. I have never seen so many cows on Chileno Valley Road. It was like being in the middle of Cow Manhattan. I will say that riding through the heard of small friendly cows, who parted to reveal huge, ugly pink-eyed bull (with no fence between us and some of them on the road) on Coleman was a first for me!!!

A revolution is at hand! (click to play the movie)

Cows with Guns