Dudley Driveby: Just past the loading dock. I should try and get a photo of him.
LOTS of people riding on the mountain this morning. JB, Rick, and I passed whole bunches of them.
Wildlife Encounter: Coyote off to the left of the road up the hill a ways.
Absolutely perfect weather. Perfect temperature, wind conditions, sky condition, all perfect.
JB and Rick dropped me past the Upper Ranch and I realized that no one had passed me yet so that was some kind of small prize I guess. Then at Chainbuster I look down and a guy in a Discovery jersey is closing fast. I didn't think I could stay in front of him but I put my head down and geared up and managed to stay clear until the last half mile. He passed me and I didn't see him again so he must not have stopped at the Junction.
Rick's training for Climb to Kaiser so all he wants to do is climb. I said I could go as far as Juniper but then would have to turn around and head home. I started up thinking Rick and JB were right behind me but it took them a minute to get going so I had a head start.
Wildlife Encounter: Another coyote! He was right in the road above Livermore Lookout but two mountain bike guys were coming down and scared him away before I could get his photo.
Rick caught up to me in the Blue Oak Speedway and JB started to slow down. Then I pulled over at the Junction and took a couple more photos before turning around.
Wildlife Encounter: Two more coyotes! This time I got a couple good shots. Usually the coyotes look almost friendly, but this guy has the face of an assassin.
Also stopped at the Lower Ranch to shoot this photo of the big rock.
As I started down again, Disco guy comes around me! I thought it would be great payback to outsprint him on the Dips. I stayed about 5 -10 bike lengths back and it was not hard at all to match his pace… I could have passed him easily. Then I got close enough to get some draft after Moss Landing. Then I started to wonder… Is he just a bad descender? Does he even know about the Dips sprint? Or is he being sneaky and saving his energy for the challenge?
I smoked him!
So I get home and I've got a message from Rick... he crashed on the way down near Juniper. He said he just over cooked a turn and then when he tried to recover he hit some gravel and off the road he went. His bike went end-over-end down the slope and he got some road rash on his hip and shoulder and cracked his helmet too. JB was behind him but Rick was so far off the road that JB didn't even see him and didn't know anything had happened. A couple other guys stopped to offer assistance and Rick got a ride down in the Ranger truck. He appears to be OK except for the pain.
I'm proud to introduce, my new dog - Abbey.
We adopted her from Golden State Greyhound Adoptions
Her racing name was "C's Dixie At Last"
