JB bruised his ribs last week but mostly healed now.
We met at The Gate at 2PM, I'd forgotten how much school traffic there would be at that time of day.
Wildlife Encounter: lots of deer on The Approach. We made a mental note to be careful on the way back.
I pulled ahead on The Bump and got a good gap on JB - I faded after Chainbuster but managed to keep my lead.
JB injured himself and texted to say he wudn't cum'n. I took the opportunity to rub some extra liniments into my knee... seemed to work. Lots of people trying to pedal off the Thanksgiving poundage... I passed them ALL!
Roadkill Report: a snake between the Ranger House and the Junction - belly up and picked clean by scavengers... not much except skin.
At Junction a rider was telling a story about snow skiing when she was a kid - she sliced her head open with a ski but the blood froze into a clot. Then when she went in the lodge for cocoa, the blood cube melted and the wound opened up and liquid blood started pouring out of her and the whole place freaked out... she was an accomplished story teller - filled in with details and reactions.
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| Dr. Bamboo |
10C at 0900, 20C at 1400... Charlie's out sick, JB chose the afternoon. It was even warmer than I was expecting... rolled my arm warmers down and took off my gloves.
Diablo Shoutout to Mark, who was riding his cyclocross bike on Burma and stopped to wave hello to us.
JB and I talked about rats in the attic, flat tires, sewer snakes, and last week's college football.
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| Yeah, the eBikes are looking a little more normal, but they're not fooling anybody. Also - BLIND CURVE! Stay in your lane. |
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| Wildlife Encounter: Bug on the Bump |
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| Motojerk buzzed JB for no reason. |
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| The shadows this time of year are always fun. |
Woot - close call with a BIG deer!
Big Game Day! The sky was blue and the trees were gold and I had on my Cal jersey.
I was really slow, but a little faster than Wednesday, so that's something. JB was faster though.
Part of the contract we have with Nature here in Diablo Land, is we have to take advantage of the good weather while hoping it rains sometime when we don't have anything important to do. Today felt like winter but a nice sunny winter day - so Nature; I owe you one.
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| JB recognized his collar bone surgeon... the surgeon maybe not. |
Charlie's sick, JB's tied up... just me today. I waited until the frost lost to the sun... good riding weather.
There were two guys ahead of me at the start - I figured they were 55 minute guys and I could maybe keep up with them but I was a 65 minute guy. Today's excuse: first ride since second cataract surgery. When I can't ride my bike, the fitness leaves my body faster than Russian conscripts fleeing the draft board. On the bright side - best vision in decades.
Wildlife Encounter: a HAWK... presumably a sign that IOWA will be going to the World Cup and winning a Hugo Award.
On the way down I see a guy stopped at Dumpster Gate and he gave me the thumbs up so I knew he didn't need help and then when I passed I realized it was Lance Oldstrong - so I U-turned and went back to wag chins. Today was his first Diablo Day since his knee replacement 7 weeks ago and he accomplished his goal of making it to the Boundary sign. We talked about knees and bike gear and slowing down and the good old days.
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| GO HAWK |
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| 55-Minute Men |
