Dark and Cold

I rode out into a leaden sky.  No precipitation involved, just low hanging, gray clouds and 36 degrees Fahrenheit.  I wore knee warmers anyway, and rubbed in Mad Alchemy's Medium embrocation, wiping the excess on the small of my back.  It soon got a good warm fire going in my back and legs and I rode off into Red Rock Canyon for 38.4 miles.  I'd been away camping and hiking the last couple of days and it felt good to get back on the bike again.  My couple of days off from riding (hiking about 18 miles over three days in sand dunes) must have been restful, as my pulse had dropped from an average of 52 to 48 this morning.  Good stuff.  To see some of the photographs I took there, be sure to visit Digital Existence over the past and coming few days.

Since the year is nearly over, I'll post a summary of December and 2009 in a few days. 

I'll probably do a 100K tomorrow, another 35-40 on Wednesday, 30 on Thursday, then a little more hiking, and then it's time to get serious again. 

The Heart of Darkness

The Winter Solstice is upon us and the days are as dark as they are going to be.  Another cold front is moving in and it may snow here again tomorrow, the first official day of Winter.  And if that's not enough, the wind will howl over the Mojave, leaving me to cry out against the dark and the cold.  A strange thing happens at this time of year, well, many strange things.  The sunrise continues to slide until early January, peaking out at 6:53 a.m. before receding.  The afternoon sunset has already started to recede and we've gained three minutes on the darkest afternoon so far.  The day slides sideways for nearly three weeks before both ends give up some darkness.  I'm fortunate to work for a school district at this time of year, as I have a two week off period over the Solstice.  I slept in another hour this morning and I probably won't get on my bike until nearly 9:00 a.m.  If I believed in sin, I'd feel sinful!

On Saturday I rode with the Starbuck's group again, coming in at just over 60 miles.  It had been a few weeks since my last ride with them (December 5) and my longest ride in the interim was only a little over 40 miles, as the wind was so fierce that was all I could do.  So I'm looking at my Saturday ride as the first training ride of the pre-season.  I still haven't donned the heart monitor, nor did I time the climb and descent, but that's coming soon enough.  There's less than 50 days until the Boulevard Road Race, and there may be a road race the last weekend of January.  I plan to start riding the Scenic Loop at least twice a week starting this week, and instead of finishing off the Starbuck's ride with 16 miles of rollers, I'm thinking of taking a second loop of the Scenic climb on the way back, thus doubling my climbing experience.  At this time last year, give or take, I did the climb in 23:05.  Last month I did it in 19:33, a three and a half minute improvement on what is only a 4.75 mile climb.  I figure I'm lightyears ahead of last year's fitness level coming into this year's racing season.  After a twenty year lay off from racing I had no idea of what I could do this year.  Next year I have plans.  Now, if only the road would continue to tilt up!

Happy Solstice!

-El Tejon

Embrocation! It's Not Just For Legs

Thirty five degrees.  The clouds hung low and heavy over the Spring Mountains on the western edge of Las Vegas.  As I rode up into Red Rock Canyon, the temperature dropped to freezing and snow flurries started.  I started applying Mad Alchemy embrocation to the small of my back about a week ago before taking a ride and was glad for it this morning, as it began performing its wonders on a part of me that often aches at a time when I could use it most:  in cold weather while climbing.  I stayed warm inside and out throughout the ride.  My winter kit now consists of a Rapha winter hat (with brim), an Assos 851 jacket, Rapha tights (for the coldest days) or knee warmers, and Craft lobster claw gloves with inserts.  I love cold weather, something I never thought I would say out loud.

Thursday's Stats:
Temperature: 30 degrees, light breeze
Pulse: 52
Weight: 150
Miles: 31

Friday's Stats:
Temperature: 35, cloudy, snow flurries
Pulse: 50
Weight: 151
Miles: 30.2

Snow in Las Vegas

That's right, buckaroos! Monday it rained just enough to slop up the streets, then quit for awhile. I declined to go out and ride in the mess, as I'd just cleaned my bikes thoroughly on Sunday, so I was doomed to ride the stationary Monday afternoon. During the day the rain started up in temperatures in the low 40s. By evening the rain had turned to snow all the way down to about 3000', meaning right down to the edge of my neighborhood. Tuesday morning broke bright, sunny, and cold (29 degrees in my driveway). The wet seemed to have dried up on my street so I headed out. Hmm. The streets were intermittently wet and dry with no rhyme or reason. The higher I rode into Red Rock Canyon, the icier the road became until finally it was more like riding on a skating rink than a road. I finally turned around and found a way to finish off the ride, coming in short a bit (23.5 miles). This morning I awoke to 25 degrees and dry streets. I'll head out into the cold shortly. More is expected over the weekend.

Sunday's Stats:
Temperature: low 40s, sunny
Miles: 37.5, steady
Pulse: 52
Weight: 149

Monday's Stats:
Rain and snow all day
Miles: 30 on the stationary bike
Pulse: 54
Weight: 149

Tuesday's Stats:
Temperature: 29 degrees, icy road conditions
Miles: 23.5, steady
Pulse: 52
Weight: 149

Wednesday's Stats:
Temperature: 25 degrees, calm, sunny
Miles: 25.6, steady
Pulse: 52
Weight: 150
Number of sunbonnets spotted: 1 (a winter model no less, complete with ear flaps tied under the chin, a huge brim, and it looked quilted...)
Number of hot air balloons suspended about ten feet off the ground: 1

Temperature Weenies

I knew as soon as I started posting early morning riding temperatures people would start ringing in. Oh, it's so much colder where we are! And they would be right, except, of course, those California riders I know! This morning was the weekly Starbuck's ride over the Scenic Loop climb and the temperature was a balmy 36 degrees under cloudy skies. There was so little enthusiasm being generated by these guys that I had a hard time understanding what was going on. They were dogging it because "it's cold outside!" (said with a really strong whine). No one even tried on the climb and I simply rode away, gaining several minutes on all but one guy who was new this morning. He came in about a minute down on me; finally jettisoning the group and taking his own pace. The descent was an equally disappointing ride and I once again rode away on my own (no, I wasn't doing the off season jam, I just rode at what was a comfortable pace for me). The next stretch made up for the slowness of the Scenic Loop, as the long gradual down grade to the Pahrump highway got cranking in a double pace line. I ended up doing the usual after a brief rest at the Blue Diamond store and came home after 60.3 miles. I think I'll start doing a second lap of the Scenic Loop as part of this ride starting in January. It had warmed up to a toasty 42 degrees by 11:30 a.m. I thought I'd get heat stroke!

Friday's Stats:
Temperature at 7:00 a.m.: 30F
Temperature at 8:45 a.m.: 36F
Miles: 30.3
Weight: 149
Pulse: 52

Saturday's Stats:
Temperature at 7:50 a.m.: 36F
Temperature at 11:30 a.m.: 42
Miles: 60.3
Number of dead coyotes seen on the road: 1
Number of whining cyclists in the group: more than 15

November Re-Cap

Already the mornings are touching the upper 30s and this week promises morning temperatures as low as 32F (0 Celsius to you Euro types... ;-) ). I'm still in knee warmers, but have already had to use full tights twice now. I know, in Minnesota it's way colder. Just remember I rode year 'round in Colorado and Wyoming. In Wyoming it would hover below Zero Fahrenheit, often as cold as -5 degrees (that's -20.5C!). I'd ride anyway, unless it was snowing, and even then I'd go out if the snow was still under an inch or two. That's what mountain bikes are for, as I understand it. I'd come in to work looking like the skinny version of the White Buffalo, much to the amusement of the Indian students (I worked at an Indian school on the Wind River Reservation in those days). So cold weather in Las Vegas. Not up to Wyoming standards, but chilly nonetheless.

November Miles: 953
Hiking miles: 24
November Weight: 149.5
Miles for the year so far: 12,054 (19,399KM)
Total Lifetime Miles: 404,084 (650,310KM)
Sixty six days until the Boulevard Road Race!