Day 2: Wish I wore my video camera

Today I awoke at 5am. I am working 3-5pm to past midnight. I had to run down to San Diego St University to get my equipment. It is best to do it first thing in the morning. I chatted with DSP Guru fred harris about possible research projects and returned to La Jolla (that's La HOYA for us non-spaniards). I like saying it LA-JOH-LA it torques the locals.

I'm planning a nice 45 mile ride up the coast towards LA. it starts out as a climb. then you do this mad downhill for a long time (more later). i just tool out at a moderate pace. looking at the HR and keeping it steady. saw a bunch of surfers and some babes running. Lots of cyclists going the other way. i passed some olde broad on a sort of recumbent trike. i never saw a trike like that she looked like she was over 80. got to get that brand for Bruce (just kidding old man, you still can kick my @$$). i will be riding one of those someday too.

about a mile from my turnaround a large group of people are going the other way. i thought about turning, but maybe i'd catch them on the way back to chat. when i turned around, i figured i'd be about 6 minutes behind. probably not in the cards. then i see "HIM". some guy pulls onto my road full aero setup. helmet. tri-spokes. bars. I get a red light. he is now 30 seconds in front of me, so i lift the pace to above AT. We hit some climbs and I close noticeably. I am not redlined, but at 90%. i could jam it, but for what? i'm reeling him in slowly. i get into one of the towns and it is make or break. if he gets a light. i make the catch. although, i am not close enough to where if the red light changes he is gone. it is green the whole way. i connect. i make some noise, but he is oblivious. i closed about a 30 second gap on him. i was averaging 25+ for a while which is tough for my phatass now. we hit a red light. i try to get his attention. NOGO. either a snob or more likely the helmet didn't allow him to hear me (or he had on a ipod or something). just after the light, the big group is at a store chilling. I should have stopped, but I want to see what "hot shot" has. maybe he can tow me home. i didn't want to be a tool, so i backed off. yep, too much and i get stopped at a light. bye bye... i see him for a long time, but get tired of hammering. i passed a bunch of folks on the way back. one older guy from "Cycle-Vets" (i actually read about them online) is with a woman. i get past them and then they catch me back. we exchange pleasantries but don't really talk much. i am tired and not too sociable. i should have chatted more. we hit the hill i bombed down at the beginning. i decide to up the ante and put myself into a world of hurt. they are gone. i am flying like Contador. Then... this damn hill is longer than i thought. i punch up the course profile (remember, i downloaded it). crap, it is longer than i thought. now i am thrashing. all over the bike. I am ready to pull the plug. "Vet" pulls along side. his partner (i hesitate to say wife, girlfriend, friend, riding buddy) is not there. Uh-oH. HE got the green light to lay it down. Okay bucky here i go.

Do you remember "Empire Strikes Back". Han Solo goes to put the Falcon into light speed and you get a big nothing. Well... I had nothing. So i try and stay on his wheel. This dagnabit hill is long. i cannot see the top on my garmin. cripes, i'm getting gapped. i cannot find the right gear. perhaps because there isn't one. i try to power and it hurt my legs. i try to spin in his gear and i'm wheezing like a smoker. Oh the humanity of it all!!! He gaps me. I fight. I thrash. Maintain. He doesn't look back. He doesn't know my pain. I see the top on the garmin. a quarter mile to go. steepest section now...

I dig deeeeep. I close it before the top. WHEW! He slows. I pull along side and thank him for waking me up and putting me in a world of hurt. it was fun. i was about to pull the plug. He laughs and tells me good job, you can't go too hard at the bottom. it is a long climb that just gets steeper. he stops to wait for the girl. i just spin it out and they catch me shortly and we ride together for a bit. He asked where the cyclonauts are from and i explain i am from a land far away here on business. shortly, they turn off, and my route takes me in another direction.

i bomb down to the water towards the hairpin turn i did the other day. just before the turn, there are two ladies in tight t-shirts and ginormous cazoombas power walking on my side. i take a moment to admire. DID I MENTION THE @#R$@#T% HAIRPIN TURN!?!? i hit the corner a little fast, but thankfully had enough time to make it around. I did not want my gravestone to say:

Here lies Mike.
He died on his bike.
As happy as he was being fit.
He died staring at tits.

Because i am writing this dear reader, i made it okay. My life did not flash before my eyes. Just boobage. i wish i had the camera and it was on. i'd like to see that again.

I made it back safely, broiled up some salmon, had a Ruination IPA and getting ready to go to work.