In the saddle... on the road... again....

After what seemed like many long weeks, I was able to climb back in the saddle and get back on the road. A pretty nice little ride has been sitting here waiting for me to take advantage of it and, unfortunately, I've been unable to climb on and really test it out. Today that all changed as I went out for a 13.5 mile ride down a very familiar road.

My new road bike. Yeah, I finally bit the bullet and purchased a bike that would make my ride so much easier. Although, I still have doubts about how easy one can make a 545 mile ride. It weighs 18 or 19 lbs - half that of the mountain bike. Has super skinny tires (less resistance when riding), good gearing differentials (much better than my 1998 model), and brakes that almost make you feel comfortable hitting them while on a downhill at 35 mph.

Today's ride wasn't about strength, endurance, distance or pace. It was about getting back on a bike after having a biopsy done on some skin issues. Biopsy came back negative. Ride came back positive. Definitely not the fastest, furthest, strongest I've ridden so far but the important thing is that I did ride.

The new bike... wow! Hills faded away like they were nothing more than speed bumps. Pace wasn't an issue at all on flats. Wind.... well, wind continued to be my nemesis. I've realized it doesn't matter if you're on a 40 lb. mountain bike or a 19 lb. road bike - headwinds can be brutal. As low as I crouch, as hard as I pedal, a headwind can slow me down to a crawl.

But, overall, it felt AMAZING to be back on the road! Thirteen miles was good. Soon I'll be back to doing great.

Gearing Up - Part IV

The preparation continues even if the training rides are on hold until I fully heal. I've mapped out rides, added a couple of items to my wish list, and done more reading about the ride and on cycling in general. But I'm getting antsy to climb back on my bike and ride again. So antsy that I have begun thinking about the lost days and how those may affect the strides I made during the first month. I've said before, and will repeat it here - with the ride so far off there is no worry that putting off training a few weeks now will affect it. That said, one thing it will affect are the small gains I've made in endurance, strength and stamina. Right now, the thought of climbing a hill on the beast of a bike I have is a little disheartening.

I've been shopping around for a new bike because everyone has recommended it - strongly recommended. With a decent road bike, I can cut my time in the saddle down significantly during long rides - experienced riders have said I could take a hundred mile ride down from 8 hours to 6.5 hours. That's some incentive, eh?

A few weeks ago, I found the bike I wanted. Well, almost found it. I found the model I wanted but my bike shop didn't have it in stock in the color I wanted. It was a Cannondale CAAD10 - the lightest aluminum bike on the market - as light, or lighter, than carbon fiber bikes costing $1,000 more. This is what they had in stock:

Definitely a nice looking bike but bright green and blue and white just don't work for me. I wanted the it the one other available color:

So I went to Cannondale's site, found all authorized dealers in Vegas, and came up empty handed. There were no matte-black CAAD10's left in town and the factory had completed production so ordering one wasn't an option. I looked in nearby cities and found one in Los Angeles. So take a five-hour drive, spend a weekend near the beach, buy a bike and drive back. Win-win.

But, like I said, I've been getting antsy so I checked out some other bike shops that don't sell Cannondale thinking maybe I would find a different brand that I really liked. There were a few in my price point and I set out to see what I could find. There were three stores I planned on visiting all in different areas of town so it was going to be a half-day adventure.

The first store I went to was sold out of the model I saw on their website. Disappointing. Even more, they didn't really have anything else I was interested in (or could afford). Time to move on to the next shop.

This shop was one of those cramped little outlets in a strip mall. They had hundreds of bikes crammed in there. I looked for the one I saw on their website then over in the furthest corner, I saw a couple of black CAAD10's! Seriously. But now I needed to know... did they have the right size? I wandered back to that corner, looked at the two they had - fully prepared to be disappointed. The first I looked at was a 58cm. Not my size. I'm a 56. Looked over at the next one and - BOOM! - there it was! My bike!

Without even thinking, I pulled out my credit card (and trust me, that is something i NEVER do without thinking!). Without flinching I signed the receipt (again, trust me, I almost always flinch when I spend that much). But I didn't have my pedals or shoes so I had to make a trip home for those in order to get the bike fitted. A thirty minute drive to my house, thirty minutes back to the shop, 30 minutes for the fitting, and I was done.

What shall I name it?

I'm now the proud owner of a road bike. I can't ride it yet. And you know I really want to hop on it. Oh, maybe just a quick spin. I couldn't resist. I took it out for a quick 1.5 mile ride just to welcome it as my partner on this journey. I have a feeling I'll be spending a lot of time in that saddle in the future!

Examination

A few weeks ago my doctor found a couple skin growths he wanted a specialist to examine. He did his best to assure me this was standard procedure and there was little chance they'd find anything wrong. Honestly, I wasn't really worried. One of the benefits of dealing with a chronic medical condition and having good insurance is that I see my doctor on a regular basis (well, I guess you can call it a benefit). Most issues are discovered, diagnosed and treated quickly. And if there's one thing I've always been grateful for, it's that there have been very few of those issues.

My appointment with the specialist was on the 17th. I spent more time in the waiting room than I spent with the doctor (that's often the case, isn't it?). He walked into the examination room in his white coat with my chart attached to the clipboard in his hand. There was little conversation - it pretty much went like this:

Doc: "I've reviewed your chart. Would you show me the area your physician is concerned about?"

Me: "Ok."

He took a quick look , said he wanted biopsy, assured me it was standard procedure, there was nothing to worry about and asked if I had any questions.

Me: "What's involved in the biopsy?"

Doc: "We just remove the tissue then send it to a lab for examination."
Me: "How long will it take to receive results?"

Doc: "Seven-to-ten days."

Me: "How long will it take to heal?"

Doc: "A few weeks."

Me: "Okay."

I'm not one to get stressed out about something like this. No need spend time worrying about something that's a "possibility" when I will have a factual answer in seven-to-ten days. So I went out, made an appointment for the 24th for the in-patient procedure and went back to work.

The procedure went quickly but wasn't exactly pleasant. He provided a local anesthetic but, honestly, it didn't seem to do much. Well, it probably kept me from screaming but my jaw was clenched the entire time and I think I may have yelped once. Like I said, it was over quickly though. Thankfully. In those few minutes, I came to understand how easy it would be to tell an inquisitor anything under the duress of torture.

Fast forward another week and the results were in (I know, I know, the only reason you've read this far is to find out if they found anything, right?).

All clear. Nothing to worry about. Just need to keep an eye out for any irregular growth in moles and stuff. Hoping I don't find another though - I really don't want to experience those few minutes of pain again. Yes, it's true... I'm a wimp.

Still healing though and, to my dismay, that has kept me out of the saddle. I'm hoping to be riding again in another week. Fingers crossed.

Gearing Up - Part III (With A Little Help From My Friends)

Those who have been following me on my ALC journey know that I went into this with almost nothing... no experience, no cycling gear, no idea where to start. What I did start with was a whole lot of determination. That and an old mountain bike.

One month ago today, I walked into a bike shop for the first time and started a conversation with the pros. Purchased my first cycling outfit. And pulled my bike off its hook in the garage. The following day I went on my first ride... and completed 7.6 miles. Thirty days later, I've gone on seven rides totaling 140 miles. I've acquired more gear - shoes, pedals, tires & tools. I've learned how to ride in clipless pedals without falling over (not even once!). And I've added a passion for cycling to my determination.

Y'know, as I learn more about the ride and read blogs from last year's riders, I realize more and more that I can do this. It's an organized event with tons of support. People of all ages, from all backgrounds, and many different fitness levels successfully complete the ride. The ride is SAG'd (stands for Support and Gear). We're provided tents, meals, manned rest areas and vans to carry our personal camping gear and clothing. A SAG'd ride also provides assistance during emergencies and picks up riders who have fallen too far behind and transports them to that day's campsite. So yeah, I can do this... if I can't make it one day, a van will drive me to the end of that day's route. But my goal is to actually ride each and every mile on that 545-mile route. I will not "get SAG'd."

So it's apparent I won't be doing this alone. It's a community effort. A team of Roadies will ensure all riders are safe and provided for. We reach our fundraising goals through the support of the greater community... our sponsors... you. All we have to do is train, gear up, and ride.

This week I also found there's another unsung hero in this community that will help us riders achieve our goals. Gear sponsors. Recently, a few friends asked if they could help by supplying some of the gear for my ride. As difficult as it is for me to ask for assistance, I've realized as I've gotten older that we all get support and assistance throughout our lives in many, many ways. After some internal wrestling, I allowed myself to accept their offer and sent them to my "Wish List" on Amazon. The support was definitely welcome and having a friend spend $15 on a pedal wrench or $50 on cycling shorts would ease the personal financial commitment I've made to the ride. I had to keep in mind that I started with pretty much nothing and the packing list for the ride includes these items and more:

General Packing List
Sleeping Bag (mandatory) - Sleeping pad or air mattress (sleeping surfaces are hard) - Ear plugs (highly recommended) - Small camping pillow - Plastic tarps or painter sheets (rain protection; place underneath your tent/over your tent) - Flashlight or headlamp - Alarm clock (non electric) - Clothespins or binder clips (to dry wet clothes or to hold your tarp to your tent) - Cold-water detergent (to wash clothes) - Solar Charger for electronics (event does not supply electricity for charging equipment)

Cyclist Specific Gear

Helmet (mandatory) - Bike (mandatory) - Jerseys (2-3) - Bike shorts (2-3 pair) - Cycling Socks - Knee and arm warmers - Tights or leg warmers - Cycling gloves - Sunglasses (cycling-specific) - Windbreaker or Windvest - Rain jacket/pants - Shoe or toe covers - Bike Shoes - Pump (required) - Patch kit, tire irons (required) - Water bottles/Hydration Pack (required) - Spare tubes - Seat bag - Bike tools - Bike computer - Spare cleats - Spare bike tires - Shower cap (cover your bike seat at night)

Experienced cyclists had also told me that much of the clothing I purchase today will be worn out by the time I ride next year. So instead of 2-3 pairs of shorts, I'll need 5 or 6. Same for jerseys. Socks. You get the picture.

I found when buying shoes and pedals that Amazon was the way to go when it came to cost. So I created an Amazon Wish List to help me keep track of the things I needed to purchase over the next ten months. Little did I know that it would allow others to help sponsor my ride. The packages began arriving this week. Lots of packages. Oh wow... I mean, it's almost enough to bring tears to your eyes.

Some of the gear my "sponsors" have supplied.

Words can't express the gratitude I'm feeling for shows of support like this. While I'm spending those seven days on the ride, I will not only be with 2,000 Riders and 1,000 Roadies - I'll be with each of you every day. I now realize, I'm not only riding to help those living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.... I'll be riding to say, "Thank you for believing in me." 

(You can check out my Wish List here)

Work/Life Balance

We all work. Even if you're a housewife or currently unemployed, you work... and probably damn hard. Manage a home. Take care of pets and kids. Shop for groceries. Change the oil, clean the garage, fix that squeaky hinge. Work work work work work.

And then we find time for life. Time to hang out in the pool. Read a book. Get to the gym. Go on vacation. Enjoy 30 minutes alone. Call our parents. Watch Real Housewives.  Go to the pub.  Have dinner with friends. Get out on a training ride. Life life life life life.

Which one usually wins?

I'm one of those who struggles to find work/life balance on a regular basis. I chose a career that often requires long hours and bringing work home. Living in an era of constant connectivity through email and cell phones means a client request can come through at any time - and sometimes that means 6 a.m. on a Sunday. I have no problem with any of these things because I enjoy what I do and I knew these were a part of my chosen field. Really just making a point that it often takes priority.

And then there are the responsibilities at home. Again, they take priority over leisurely pursuits. Unfortunately, I've also placed them secondary to work responsibilities. This means that I'm often playing catch up when I find the time. Sometimes it seems like my to-do list rarely gets shorter and at times even gets longer. But, in the end, I get the things done that I need to get done. Some of those other things really do need to "wait 'til tomorrow."

During my normal day-to-day, I still do my best to find time for me. Whether it's reading a couple chapters before bed or taking a trip to the dog park (yes, that's a leisurely pursuit), we all need to find time for ourselves. With my commitment to the ride, some of that time for the next ten months has been dedicated to training and gearing up.

Every once in awhile, a little something extra comes up as a third priority and knocks the "me time" down a notch. For me, the most recent example of that has been my hunt for a new job. Searching online, sending out resumes, networking, interviews... they've taken up a chunk of that free time the past couple weeks. All for a good cause but there's been a small price to pay...

I haven't been on my bike in two weeks.

The ride's not until next summer so there is no worry that a couple weeks off right now is going to affect it. But just as I was getting into a groove and really loving my rides, I fell out of my routine. Happens to all of us, doesn't it? We start a diet, join a gym, get immersed in a TV series... and one little thing gets added to our plate that knocks us off balance. The most important thing to remember when that happens is that it's just temporary and we always manage to find the balance again.

Many times, we also find a major benefit from shifting priorities for short periods. In this instance the benefit has been a successful job hunt! I received and accepted an offer this week and will be transitioning jobs at the end of the month. Now I can get back to that balance.

I Think I Can....

Each day I ride, I feel more and more like a cyclist. I'm still not there yet but today I thought, for the first time, "I think I can."

I haven't been on many rides yet. There are still eleven months to train and no need to rush it since I'm not exactly the most athletic guy on the planet. I have time to build up my stamina and endurance. Those who know me also know I'm not into cardio at all. Usually that's a blessing because I don't really need to do cardio. But when one sets an insane goal of riding a bicycle an average of 78 miles per day for seven consecutive days, cardio becomes a necessity. Today, that lesson hit home hard.

It's the Fourth of July. A holiday. I took advantage of the day off work by committing to ride more than I've ridden so far. Thirty miles was my goal (not much more than my last ride - like I said, I'm in no rush). Instead of leaving from my house today, I chose to drive to the office and ride from one end of Red Rock Canyon to the other... and then ride back. Actually, let me be honest -  I decided to ride as far as I could, turn around, and head back.

Funny thing about cycling is once you're out there, you're committed. If I rode 10 miles into the canyon and wore myself out, I'd have no other choice but to ride another ten to get back to my car. I know I can do 25 miles though because I've already done it so I kept that in mind. Plus, I came extra prepared today... I brought two water bottles (one filled with an electrolyte drink), plenty of trail mix, and my iPod. I believed in myself. I had faith. I was motivated.

What I didn't realize was that today was going to be one of the most humid days we ever experience in Las Vegas. The humidity was about 55% (those of you in Miami & Baton Rouge will say, "Pshaw!"). But seriously, when you've spent six years in this "dry heat" and the temps get well past 110F during the summer, the humidity hits you like a steam press.

I arrived at the office parking lot around 6:30 a.m., got out of the car and spent ten minutes stretching. Pulled out my bike, loaded it up, put on my shoes, harnessed the water bottles, and set off with a smile (and some Depeche Mode playing on the iPod).

Mile One: No problem.
Mile Two: No problem.

Mile Three: While waiting at a stoplight, I had to move over onto the sidewalk as about thirty riders in a group came up on me and passed.
Mile Four: I pushed myself to stay with that group.
Mile Five: I pushed harder.
Mile Six: I wanted to turn around and go home.

I did nothing different today. Had my breakfast and coffee before I left. Made sure I had plenty of sleep last night. Brought extra provisions. But here I was at the six mile mark wanting to quit. Honestly, I'm going to blame it on the humidity. You see, the thing about that dry heat everyone talks about is that you don't sweat as much. But here I was at 7 a.m. and already drenched. I don't know why but it really sucks a lot out of you. Of course, I had also just tried to keep up with a pack of experienced riders. In the end, I tried to keep in mind that each day is different... our energy levels, our motivation, our drive... and maybe today was one of my low days in all areas. So I started to turn around.

Before I did that, I decided to stop for a few minutes and replenish. I drank some water, ate some trail mix, and rested. While I was there, I took these pics:

After just a couple minutes rest, I realized I could probably make it a little further so I continued onward. Like my ride a couple days ago, I was riding UP into the canyon even if the incline wasn't terribly bad. My pace was slow, my clothes were wet, my faith was failing. Fortunately, during this climb, there were slight downhill sections. These rejuvenated me. Probably allowed me to breathe a little easier too. Plus I could see that in the not too distant distance, the incline was ending and the route was flattening out. So I persevered.

And persevered.

And persevered.

I stopped again around the 12 or 14 mile mark to hydrate and fuel. And to take a photo of the burro crossing sign (trust me, I was using any excuse at all to stop for a few minutes!):

What I was beginning to feel at this point was a renewed love of Las Vegas and the desert. Yes, we have all that neon craziness on The Strip... but we also have some amazing natural beauty that's, literally, right up the road. The mountains, the big sky, the open spaces... we can change our view in a matter of minutes here. And this ride was proving how wonderful that experience could be.

And on I go. I came to a little town called Blue Diamond and realized I'd made it 80% of the way to the end of the canyon. Suddenly, I laughed. I smiled. I think I may have whooped & hollered. My energy, drive & faith in myself had returned.

I continued on to the "T" in the road. I was familiar with this area since I was here on my last ride (it's where I saw the burro). At the intersection, I turned around and headed back to a driveway I had seen for another break. This was a real rest stop... I think I stayed there for ten minutes. I parked my bike, sat on the ground, drank & ate, and watched this group pass me by:

One day. One day I'll ride like them. One day I'll ride with them!

But not today. Many of them waved as they passed by. This is a little bit of community. Riding alone, I've never really talked with the other riders but most of us wave, nod and say hello when we cross paths. Even from the other side of the road. It definitely brings a sense of belonging.

At this point, I knew I was going to exceed my goal because I had looked at the route the night before. And, as I said, I knew I had no other choice but to ride back to my car. This knowledge, combined with the rest stop, gave me what I needed to finish my trek - even if it was again an uphill climb.

As prepared as I thought I was, I really had no idea what I'd gotten into. My iPod ran out around mile 22. My water ran out around mile 30. I knew there was a viewpoint with facilities not too far ahead so I didn't worry much... until I got there and realized they had restrooms but no water fountain. Ugh. Although I didn't get any water while I was there, I did get these pics:

Once again rested, I set off on the final leg of my journey. There was one other short stop after a tough hill, then the rest was all downhill. About 2 hours and 20 minutes after I left, I arrived back at my car feeling proud that I not only met my goal, but far exceeded it. Thirty-five miles. I'm more than a third of my way to my first century. I no longer think I can. I know I can.

Mileage goal: 30
Miles completed: 35

Time: 2:23
Avg Speed: 14 mph

Climb: (not sure)
Notable sights: Burro crossing signs, 3 or 4 packs of experienced riders, the clouds hanging over the mountains, my car at the end of the ride.

Lessons: this cycling app has some issues so always confirm route distance after returning home; for rides longer than 30 miles, I'll need a Camelbak or a place to refill on water.

(Not quite accurate route map from Strava)

Distance!

First time i can say this but I got some DISTANCE today!

26.4 miles to be exact.

Not too shabby. Although I have to admit, the ride up to the canyon was anything but easy. It's a slight climb (2-4 degrees) but seemed like a nightmare in some parts. When you're just climbing up and up and up and up, it doesn't matter how steep the incline... it just matters that you don't get to experience "down" for a long, long time.


But I made it and, in addition to my route image today, I'm also going to share some pics taken during my ride!

Mileage goal: 20
Miles completed: 26.4
Time: about 1:57
Avg. speed: 14.4 mph
Climb: 884 ft.
Notable sights: the donkey
Lessons: The downhill is much easier (and faster!). Donkeys aren't very photogenic.