Sunday was my CAT2 ride out to Lucas Valley and then Point Reyes Station.  It was a little difficult before we left the Sports Basement.  Park of training involves pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, but one of the riders is pushing himself past the point of good sense and likely his health.  I nearly called an ambulance on him on the Olema Valley ride and when he showed up on Sunday we had a contentious chat about how he was treating his body and what kind of an effect that had on other people.  Momma always taught me that people's business was their business until they made it your business in which case you were allowed to have an opinion about it and share that with them.  He seemed genuinely shocked by my reaction and I found that as troubling as his behavior in the first place.  The takeaway is that he's on notice that I'm not putting up with any more of his self destructive behavior and if he wants to continue with that nonsense he's gonna have to start riding with somebody else.  He ended up riding by himself that day and I didn't find that entirely satisfying.  I wanted him to pay more attention to his body and adjust the amount of miles that he was planning accordingly.  But I can't tell people what to do and that has to be OK with me.  Developing.

I got a bunch of pics at the Sports Basement of all the hotness:

Fosse, Fosse, Fosse!

We headed around China Camp and then made our way up Lucas Valley.  We stopped at Big Rocks for snack. 

Classy piece of ass:

Lydia showed up with some treats for the riders.  She's totally the best:

We headed into Point Reyes Station for lunch which was really good and I enjoyed it very much and then we headed up Olema Hill.   I stopped at the talk for some pics of a rider with his donors:

I headed home and made Mr. Poe a salty ass dinner of Korean spinach and rice and then we all went to bed.  It had been a very long day.

Bike Mileage:

Today 97.7 Week to date 278.3 Month to date 565.5 Year to date 3,655.0 To Goal 4,345.0 Over (Under) plan 696.1 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 879.8 Rolling Year 6,350.9 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,581.9

Saturday was the monthly Different Spokes ride out to Tiburon.  It didn't leave until 9:00 AM which allowed me to sleep way the hell in and only show up when I was glamorous, rested and ready.  My first surprise was that Wanderson had showed up for the ride.  Let's be clear about this:   there is no human I regard more highly than Wanderson and seeing him show up unexpectedly on a ride is the equivelent of finding a surprise joint in the jacket you took to Nick's wedding at Yosemite and hadn't worn since--  priceless.  James DeVinny also showed and seeing him was akin to finding a xanax in your pocket--  awesome!   Now that I've defined the riders who showed in terms of how I need an intervention, here are some pics:

Nancy bringing the realness:

There was this crazy fog on the way to Tiburon.  Evidence:

Wanderson on the bike path:  perfection:

Miss Gaus insisted on a the hardest route to the bridge possible.  No matter--  it was gorgeous:

Miss Gaus:

I headed home only to find that my fetching new trucker cap had arrived.  It makes me feel like a classy piece of ass:

I headed home for dinner with Mr. Poe.  We ate and then went to bed.  I didn't even make it until 8PM.

Bike Mileage:

Today 54.7 Week to date 180.6 Month to date 467.8 Year to date 3,557.3 To Goal 4,442.7 Over (Under) plan 620.3 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 831.8 Rolling Year 6,253.2 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,484.2

Thursday was 'bike to work day' which on one hand is a great idea that I fully support and on the other hand is a huge pain in the ass for people who always bike to work because of all of the extra bikes on the road.  I chose routes to and from work that completely avoided popular commuting routes.  I came into work Market to Laguna to Eddy to Taylor to Post to Kearny to Bush to Sansome and headed home for lunch.  It's gorgeous weather in the bay area and the dogs were happy to romp around the front porch for a while.  After work I headed off Columbus to Stockton to North Point to Van Ness to Francisco to Octavia to Chestnut to Lyon and into the Presidio at the Lombard Gate.  I took Lombard to Letterman to Presidio to Funston and stopped for some pics of the pretty homes there.  There all businesses now and they look fantastic:

I headed over to Moraga.  They've finished the work on the Inn at the Presidio and it opened in April.  Follow this link for the site.  It's very pretty:

I continued on Moraga and noted that a big parking lot is now a gorgeous lawn.  Lawns like this are almost unheard of in Northern California and it looks so extravagant.  So decadent:

I headed over to Lincoln and got a pic of the National Cemetery:

Here's a view of all the construction they've been doing on Presidio Parkway:

I continued on Lincoln and stopped a little west of the Golden Gate Bridge for pics:

Me:

I continued on Lincoln into Camino Del Mar to 25th to Lake to Arguello to Clay to Baker to Jackson and stopped at Alta Plaza for some pics of the 1895 Willis Polk designed Gibbs house and it's lovely gardens.  You can read more about it here:

I continued on Jackson.  This is the 1912 Spreckels Mansion which is now the residence of Danielle Steele.  You can read more about it here:

I continued on Jackson to Gough and I got a couple of pics as I headed south:

I continued on Gough to Sutter to Laguna to Market.  I noted the remnants of 'bike to work day' festivities at Duboce.  I didn't stop to get any booty:

I continued on Market to 17th to Ord and home for dinner.  Mr. Poe is particularly enamored of the Romesco Sauce that I found at Mollie Stone's on Tuesday night and he's been eating it in large quantities.  I'm gonna have to learn how to make it for him.  Because that's how we roll at my house.

Bike Mileage:

Today 24.7 Week to date 111.3 Month to date 398.5 Year to date 3,488.0 To Goal 4,512.0 Over (Under) plan 594.8 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 787.8 Rolling Year 6,236.0 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,414.9

I was pleasantly surprised on Wednesday when I heard the news that President Obama has finally come it support of gay marriage but I'm a little puzzled about the timing.  I don't for a second think that anybody in Washington ever does anything because of their conscience nor do I believe that Joe Biden has suddenly decided that he can go off message when he feels like it.  If Obama's strategists thought that gay marriage would be a position that could lose him the election than he would have held off until after November so that fact that he's talking about it now makes me think he's expecting to get a benefit from it.  The Republican primary was a complete disaster in terms of wooing moderate voters and it's absolutely in Obama's best interest to keep the Republicans as far to the right as he can.  We're going to be hearing a lot from the Michele Bachmanns, the Rush Limbaughs and the Rick Santorums of the Republican party about gay marriage.  I think that Obama's strategy is that the uncomfortable feeling that many Americans get from their hate speech is going to taint Romney and get Obama more votes than he's gonna lose from his opinion on gay marriage.  It's not that I'm not pleased with Obama's statements, it's just that I don't think for a second that the Democrats have stopped treating the gays like yet another card in their hand.  But anything that's gonna get us more "Suddenly Swiss" Michele Bachmann is A-OK in my book.  I love her!  She's the Theresa Guidice of Washington.

Wednesday afternoon was my Lifecycle training ride out to Marin Headlands and then Tib Loop in reverse.  We had much better weather than last week which was much appreciated and I thin we had a good ride.  I only had two riders show up and I was super proud of Zai who had ridden in the morning and really pushed herself farther than she thought she could.  Well done!

Zai at the top of Marin Headlands:

The view from the top of the Headlands:

Rodeo Beach looked super fantastic as always:

There's a bunch of wild turkeys who have taken up residence on Camino Alto this year.  They're so cute!:

I headed home and Mr. Poe had dinner waiting.  Then I got cleaned up and we went to bed.

Bike Mileage:

Today 54.9 Week to date 86.6 Month to date 373.8 Year to date 3,463.3 To Goal 4,536.7 Over (Under) plan 592.1 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 789.9 Rolling Year 6,260.4 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,390.2

Tuesday my body was having none of the bike riding so I worked from home in the morning and then came into work on the train in the afternoon.  After work I took BART into the Mission to retrieve the truck.  It failed its smog test and here's hoping that the new oxygen sensor will take care of that.  The weather's been really nice this week.  Neither too hot nor too cold--  it's been just perfect.  This is the kind of weather in which Ashley Jr. likes to spend lounging on the front porch which has given rise to the name 'poodle weather'.  I took some pics of the dogs yesterday and today.  Rufus can barely stay awake:

Mimi:

Poor little Ashley Jr finally had to take a break from the fast paced living on the front porch and retired to the study for a nap:

I'm looking forward to my CAT2 ride this afternoon.

Monday after work I headed off Sutter to Fillmore to Clay to Spruce to Washington.  I stopped for a pic of my favorite view of the north bay:

I continued on Washington to Cherry to Arguello to Lake to 23rd to Cabrillo to 47th to Fulton to the Great Highway.  I stopped for a few pics of a rare gorgeous day at Ocean Beach:

Me:

I headed south on the Great Highway to Taravel to Merced to Hernandez.  I stopped for a pic of Laguna Honda with the fabulous Sutro Tower in the background:

I took Hernandez to Laguna Honda to Portola.  I stopped before Corbett for a few pics of the city:

I took Corbett to Ord and home for dinner.   I was in bed by 8:30.  I was beat.

Bike Mileage:

Today 31.7 Week to date 31.7 Month to date 318.9 Year to date 3,408.4 To Goal 4,591.6 Over (Under) plan 581.0 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 811.1 Rolling Year 6,331.7 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,335.3

My back felt better this morning than it had in a couple of weeks.  Thank you, hot tub!  Monday I managed to make it out of the house early enough to get a little ride in before work.  I headed off Corbett to Portola to Fowler to Teresita to Isola to Rockdale to Omar to Sequoia to Bella Vista to Burlwood to Los Palmos to Hazelwood to Brentwood where I stopped for some pics.  City College:

Me:

I took Brentwood to Valdez.  This is the view looking down pretty Valdez St:

I continued on Valdez to Monterey  to San Jose to Duncan to Valencia to 22nd.  I stopped and got a pic looking down Mission:

I continued on 22nd to Folsom where I enjoyed the fabulous new bike lane on Folsom that goes all the way to 20th now.  I like!  I took Folsom to 2nd to Market to Sansome and into work.  Where I found out that I'd accidentally gotten somebody's cable stuck in my lock when I left on Thursday and they cut it off with a bolt cutter on Friday morning.  Ugh.  That totally sucks first because it was an expensive lock but mostly because I feel really badly that somebody had to go to so much work to get their bike because of me.  Sorry! 

I headed home for lunch and I noticed a distinct marijuana smell at about 5th St where these two people--  late forties early fifties--  were smoking this ENORMOUS JOINT as they drove their way up Market in their minivan.  Bike and car traffic tends to go at about the same pace on Market because of all the buses and lights so I watched them smoke it and smoke it and smoke it some more-- they must have finished at about Van Ness.  When I caught up to them at Gough they were ROCKING OUT to whatever music they were listening to.  It was all highly amusing to watch.

After lunch I stopped by the tax guy to sign something so they can argue with the state about how I don't owe them more money and then I dropped off the truck at the garage.  It failed the smog test and needs a little work before it passes.  I headed back to work Folsom to 2nd to Market to Sansome.

Sunday was my CAT2 ride out to Olema Valley.  I had to get up mighty early for it.  I was out of the house at about 5:50 because I had to go a new way to the Sports Basement.  Halleck is closed forever since Presidio Parkway came along so I took Arguello to Washington to Park to Lincoln to McDowell to Old Mason instead.  I don't even think it takes longer.  This is the view of the sun rising from Crissy Field:

I also needed to be a little early because the pospeds were off on a retreat so we were kind of on our own.  Riders trickled in and we ended up with a nice group of maybe 50.  Buz led the stretching.  Now let me tell you, here is one bitch who knows how to turn it the fuck out:

Buz's favorite stretch is entitled "Anything less than two carats makes your fingers look fat!" 

John and Linsey:

We headed over the Golden Gate Bridge.  I stopped midway across for a few pics:

These riders had the hardest time with some technical issues all day.  We ended up seeing a lot of them.  They weren't slow but they got a very, very late start:

We headed to Fairfax and then Olema and then we headed south.  I saw a coyote.  In Marin, even the coyotes are cute.  Evidence:

We headed south and made our way to Bolinas Lagoon where I stopped for some more pics:

Then I headed into Stinson for another snack.  Most of the riders had left but there were a couple still milling around plus the sweeps:

Then we started climbing out of Stinson.  It was hot and very, very sunny but the view was spectacular and I wasn't complaining:

Emily rode the whole damn thing.  I was super proud of her:

Sutro tower in the distance:

Me:

I was stuck on the climb out of Stinson for quite a while.  We had a rider who'd overestimated their energy levels and they needed to get picked up and it took Jenn and Alvin a very long time to figure out where we were.  But they did.  And then I headed down to Muir Beach and then started climbing for Mill Valley where Ben and a hot ass friend of his whizzed past me at about a zillion miles an hour.  I headed into Mill Valley and then stopped at Cafe Del Soul for lunch.  All of the remaining riders were long gone by the time I finished so I said goodbye to the sweeps and headed for Mike's where I ran into the last of the pospeds back from their retreat.  I hung out with them for a half an hour or so and then headed home.  I made it home about 6.  Very long day.

Bike Mileage:

Today 77.0 Week to date 313.2 Month to date 287.2 Year to date 3,376.7 To Goal 4,623.3 Over (Under) plan 571.2 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 878.6 Rolling Year 6,300.0 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,303.6

Thursday we had a little rain in the city.  I came in in the morning on my bike Market to Laguna to Grove to Polk to O'Farrell to Market to Sansome.  It poured down rain all morning and I headed home late in the afternoon up Market.  Friday I worked from home.  We had the hot tub repairman in and it looks like he's gotten it running again.  Thank god.  I got Mr. Poe Chinese food from Big Lantern for dinner and he enjoyed it very much.

Saturday I led a Different Spokes ride out to the Point Reyes Lighthouse.  It's a big day with a whole lot of mileage.  It's incredibly beautiful.  The pavement was terrible from Inverness all the way to the lighthouse and it made riding very difficult, particularly on the descents.  I don't know that I'm gonna ride out there again until they work on the roads because it seemed kind of dangerous to me in places. 

David in Samuel P Taylor Park:

Gordon showing off the pastry he got in Inverness:

Schooner Bay:

Drake's Estero:

Me:

The Lighthouse:

The beautiful coast:

We headed back to Point Reyes Station for lunch and then we limped home.  I probably limped a lot more than David or Gordon.  I made it home and had a snack and then got cleaned up and soaked in the hot tub with the jets pointed directly at the part of my back that's been bothering me.  I could feel the muscles in my back rearranging themselves.  Bliss.

Bike Mileage:

Today 120.4 Week to date 236.2 Month to date 210.2 Year to date 3,299.7 To Goal 4,700.3 Over (Under) plan 516.1 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 801.6 Rolling Year 6,223.0 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,226.6

Wednesday I worked from home in the morning and then left mid day for my CAT2 ride.  For the month of May we're riding Marin Headands and then Tiburon loop in reverse.  I had four riders show up but I spent most of the ride with one rider that was a little slower than the rest.  That and the other riders totally bailed on the top part of the climb up the headlands because of horrible winds.  Joanne totally wanted to do that also but I convinced her otherwise.  Here she is giving glamour realness at the top of the headlands:

The lovely view:

Then we headed down to Rodeo Beach.  It was crazy windy but still very pretty:

Me:

From there we headed through the tunnel and then into Sausalito before heading to Tiburon for snack.  We stopped for pics of the view as we were heading for Paradise Drive:

Joanne:

I was afraid we wouldn't be done before dark but I was totally wrong and there was tons of sun when we crossed the bridge at about 7:30.  I headed into the Presidio to consider my options for getting to the Sports Basement on Saturday now that Halleck is closed forever.  Then I headed home where Mr. Poe had dinner waiting.  I got cleaned up and went to bed.  Long ass day.

Bike Mileage:

Today 58.6 Week to date 108.2 Month to date 82.2 Year to date 3,171.7 To Goal 4,828.3 Over (Under) plan 453.9 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 722.2 Rolling Year 6,194.8 Since Inception 10/1/07 37,098.6