Monday, August 11, 2008

My Phredly appearance on the Spectrum ride

So Saturday I got up super-early to meet a good friend who needed to chat for a hike. I decided that rather than driving to the preserve and then hiking and then coming home and changing into bike clothes for a bike ride, I would combine the two. It is about a 45 minute-1 hour ride to the preserve depending which route is taken. Perfect - a 1.5 hour ride and a 1 hour hike. That will be a good day.

So, I put the hiking shoes in my saddle bag (on the retro-Mondonico) and a lock. And, since I didn't want to look like an idiot hiking around the preserve in pink and black kit, I decided to wear a wool base layer and baggies with my tri shorts underneath. And, I wore my Keen cycling sandals that I use for commuting since those can be locked up to the bike with the helmet. I looked pretty much like the picture above.

So, fast forward a couple hours. It's now about 9:10 and I'm plummeting downhill from the preserve toward Foothill Blvd. I see the Spectrum ride pouring out from Homestead on to Foothill. I decide to close the gap (never a bad time for some race practice, right?). I drill it up to 27 mph in the little ring at some ridiculous RPM (not sure what since I don't measure much on that bike), wind whistling through my saddle bag and the little laces on my sandals going clippity clap at double my RPM. I surge past a few guys who are dangling off the back already and park myself on the inside next to an SJBC guy in the last 2/3 of the pack. Fortunately, my turn was only a couple miles up the road - otherwise I would have completely blown. I'm sure the guys were a little amused with the chica on steel bike with saddle bag, sandals and a wool t-shirt sitting in. They were also probably worried I'd take them all out!

5 comments:

Kimberly (aka. DrKim) said...

that is so awesome. I love that story. And I'm sure your old bike enjoyed it, too!

Itinerant Rick said...

What, no name of the SJBC guy? Then I could ask what at least one person thought about your phred-liness.

So why were you spinning in the small ring? You have a 52-11 combo on that bike.

Chris said...

That looks like a cool place. I will add it to the list for next time.

chatterbox said...

kim - yes, the bike likes to be pushed every now and then!

c-rick - I just got so caught up in trying to catch on I didn't bother to shift...good cadence practice for the masher anyway.

chris - you'll have to fly the other way to get to that exact spot - the Notre Dame de Cyclistes in France. The pic was just to give an idea of how I looked. However, there is a lovely stone monastery up at Rancho San Antonio where I went to hike with my friend.

~ lauren said...

ha! i love the image in my head of seeing you spinning super fast in your outfit on that bike.

that's awesome!

and i love that pic of you!