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!