2019 SMR 43

Well that's it for year 2019, except maybe a commute or two.  Forty-three Saturday Morning Rides - I checked and last year I had 48, but I didn't have any centuries in there so that accounts for a few of the missed ones.  And I only had 16 Wednesday Night Rides last year compared to 36 this year... and a lot of those were double Junctions.  So I'm calling 2019 a great success and a springboard for an even greater 2020.  My New Year's wishes for the same to all of my readers.

JB's in San Diego to watch the Iowa Hawkeyes kick butt in the Holiday Bowl last night.  So when I left home this morning I had visions of doing something epic and different, like going down SGR and then up to Summit.  By the time I got to Junction though, the vision had faded.

Just before I got to Junction, two runners passed me.  They looked like super-elite cross-country types, and they had a vehicle leader that stopped to photograph them at several places. I checked my Strava FlyBys and they have photos with medals and trophies and stuff - so good on them for passing me... and I didn't make it easy for them; I noticed them back there with about a mile an a half to go so I picked it up a little, but by Chainbuster I knew it was futile to resist.  They took a break at Junction but continued running up to Summit.  Quite impressive.

I enjoyed my cycling-related X-mas gifts on today's ride too.  New tights, a warm beanie, and Chamois Butt'r;  I'd been kind of conserving the last of my previous tube but now I'm going to splash out and enjoy some luxurious lubrication.

At Summit I talked to a guy from San Diego who was here visiting his wife's family with his 7-week old son.

Colonel Al says there's another Eagle Scout that wants to do a Bike Repair Station at Juniper.

One guy passed me on the descent; near the ZigZag - I think he was behind me for a while and I didn't notice, but as soon as he came around he slowed down.  I stayed behind for a while but then passed him right back after Moss Landing.