My first ride in 2006... my first ride in almost four months!!...

Eased the MTB out the door, tried to clip into the pedals, wrong shoes ( my street shoes). Changed into running shoes. Freewheeled out of the old city.. picked up my running route out past the light house.

Felt pretty good... an odd feeling in my lumber region... was careful to avoid bumps and lift my weight off the saddle. Gorgeous day... spinning at least 80 rpm in a lower gear on the big chain ring. Rode out past the lighthouse... past the sea urchin vendors, past two chinese women dressed in black were doing tai chi... I passed a big crowd of old and unemployed hanging out on the lungmare drinking peroni and playing cards. There was a massive fat guy with his shirt off and a hairy back. A three wheel "Ape" piled high with cases of beer. Even on the roof. Business looked brisk at 11:00am.

I turned at the 6k mark.. there was an old man on heavy black bike carrying groceries... he was spinning a good cadence but I was sure I could take him... I upped my tempo... I was gaining.. 100m...50m... upshifted... he turned right... scared I guess.

Only one car cut me off, and she did it slowly, almost like she was sorry.
12k total... no data, no pain, in fact it felt pretty good.
sud

Sure i remember our ride last year... slogging up in 39x25... being battered by the wind on the way down. Good thing that I had two good legs and the Yellow Derny to draft all the way home. We made pretty good time if I remember correctly.

Recovery now will be slow but Blockhouse is a primary training objective for fall 2006, spring 2007.

sud