Week 17 CAF Training Ride

Well here I am finally getting to relax after a busy weekend on the bike. Yesterday was the XX1090 39 mile Poker Run and then today was 82 miles of what seemed like endless climbing as we went from Solana Beach out past Pala and up to Fallbrook and then back. They said it was not the longest of climbing days but it sure felt like it as it seemed one hill came after another after another.

Spent another day riding with Group 3 along with fellow XX1090 radio riders Danielle, Mark and Dave all which did a great job and if you ask me Danielle is BY FAR the most improved rider of the group as she is a very solid Group 3 rider no longer hiding in the back or getting dropped on big hills, she is taking after her old man "Radio Joe" and is beginning to put the hurt on the rest of the group. I also got a chance to meet some new people while out there today as I helped pull Ted back while on the 78 bike path after he got dropped back some 200 yards and I went back to help him get back with the group, that was fun pulling someone back from that far out so he could join us in the windy conditions. Also I finally got to meet co-chairmen of the MDC Scott Rhodes and Dean Roeper who are both very good riders and my guess Group 2 riders. I also spent some time talking with John after meting him on the hills of Fallbrook, a great guy who was very interested in how I was doing in the contest and also in the fundraising. Seems he is a lawyer in Carlsbad and a really nice guy and one of the few guys I can hide behind when the wind starts to pick up as he is about 6'3" and maybe 215lbs so I can actually hide from the wind while sitting on his wheel for a few minutes.

All in all a great day and I also learned something new today, it is OK to eat donuts while doing an 82 mile bike ride. During our 2nd SAG stop at a church in Fallbrook they had donuts outside the front door and a donation jar, so I took a donut and left a $1 as asked, when everyone saw me walking back to the group eating a donut it was if it was a cardinal sin to do such a thing. But as most people know I LOVE DONUTS!!! SO I am happy to report that donuts and cycling can coexist in my world.

Also it seems the XX1090 Scott & BR Cycling Team will be down to just 3 riders after this Thursday. Looks like either Wed or Thur we will be asked to go into studio and there they will announce which 2 riders will be cut from the team. FOr me that is tough and I would rather just hear it on the radio and not live on the radio with us sitting there. I really do wish there was some way to get all 5 of us down the coast, anything at all. But unless there is some individuals out there who hears a great story on the radio and is willing to sponsor a rider it seems just 3 of the team will make the trip when really all 5 of us have worked hard and deserves to go.