Misery Hates Company

I was up late last night as the Hawaii game went down to the wire, the good way (I would have been a bit bummed having stayed up past midnight if the Warriors lost). So I had a hard time dragging myself out of bed, because I'm not a late night person. I couldn't get going until 9 am (gast!). The weather didn't look pleasant but the weather reports said some light rain but nothing substantial. So I only bring (in addition to my normal kit), a pair of arm warmers, and a wind breaker. Fine if it's sprinkling and between 50 - 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

My plan was to set out to here...

Loma Prieta...epicenter of a certain geological event 23 years ago that postponed a baseball game.  God can be a bitch sometimes.

I wasn't going to the top, I was actually trying to generate a new strava climb segment for the rode up to the end of the pavement near 3000 feet elevation.  It's waaaayyy out in the boonies (for this area anyway), as there are lots of shutins, and crotchety old people who insist people suck enough to live as far away as possible without having to farm...  The bad news for them is dudes in tight pants and fluorescent shades love riding on these desolate low trafficked roads.

It took me about 1.5 hours to get to Old Soquel-San Jose road to the start of the climbing up to Loma Prieta (I already was up to 1528 ft elevation having climbing from Lexington Reservoir via Old Santa Cruz Highway...cyclists also like road called Old [road name here]).

About now the roads were damp and the drizzle was starting, but I was going uphill for the next 5 or so miles, no problem.  Up and up I went, there were a few locals and hikers in their cars (wimps), but I stay to the right  and ignore them.  It's not so bad until the end of Mt Bache, where I was regretting not having my 27 cog, then the last 3/4 of a mile of Loma Prieta was just a grind.  The rain was now falling, the roads were damp and I couldn't stand without spinning out my cheap tire mounted wheel.  I did make it, then realized, damn, I have to go back, and it's now raining, AND the clouds are in every direction.  I put my extra clothes on set out.  Descended a wet road for the first time in months, taking it relatively easy.  But I'm getting wetter and wetter. By the time I get back to Old SCruz highway I'm getting worried and COLD.  I tell myself to suck it up, thinking of yesterdays Giro d'Lombardia the whole time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpRNg8bIzIE

By the reservoir I was feeling awful and cross eyed.  Luckily all the fair weather walkers decided the weather was too unpleasant today to walk for a little while then reward themselves with a massive meal.  So it was clear sailing down the dirt path to Los Gatos as I hardly able to hold a straight line anymore.  Once I got onto the paved streets I got into angry "I'm sick of this" mode, and put the hammer down.  A light tailwind and tons of motivation led me to go into TT mode, even though I was feeling dreadful frozen and hypothermic (my jaw hurt as I clenched it to keep it from chattering).  I get home, put the wet bike on the balcony, tear my clothes off and take one blissfully grand 20 minute hot shower.

http://www.strava.com/rides/205022

Watching Man vs. Food I wonder how constipated Adam Richmond must be all the time.