Training on the Mountain Bike

Took a rest day, hit the gym then back on the 29r for a two hour training ride this morning. Went from the house up to Tilden Park, able to get in the dirt on the sunny side, but the bottoms are still just too muddy. That gray clay is like cement and no fun. Sunny skies and temps in the 60's. Nice clear views of SanFrancisco and the Golden Gate bridge. Need to get back in the gym, been staying on the bike and neglecting weight training. Felt sore a bit after just a basic 90 minute workout. Hope to actually ride some single track this weekend for the first time in a while. Won't be long until June 15th. 

Rain, back into the gym...

Bit the bullet and will switch out my regular cranks for a compact on my giant road bike. Upping the centuries and long rides and all the climbing are taking a toll on my knees. Not really damaged, but sore and I can't limp into the the Great Divide Bike Race with bum knees at the start. Found a Sram red compact on Ebay, slightly used with a bottom bracket for a decent price. Yesterdays short road ride helped loosen the legs and work out the stiffness from Sunday's century ride. Going to hit the gym today and then do a moderate ride Thursday weather permitting. I have been neglecting the gym work and don't want to get weak in the upper body as the Tour Divide will require stamina from the upper body not just ready legs. Plus stretching and working muscles helps shake out handlebar hands and stiff muscles. The forecast say's sunny skies on the weekend, hope to get on some singletrack.

Post Century Recovery Monday

Felt "played out" last night and this morning, Greg really pushed the tempo, but we had to or we would have been solo working against hard crosswinds. So, it was worth struggling to avoid a bigger struggle alone by keeping tempo too high. Interesting how this Century wore me out more than the Las Vegas adventure where I clocked 120 miles, ran out of water and got lost. Plus the Vegas Gran Fondo featured 3300 more feet of climbing. They are all different depending on temperature, how elevation is dispersed, and how you feel that day. Noticing that I can "feel bad" at certain sections of the ride, or feel ragged out, but can recover. Back in the day I would bonk or struggle for the rest of the ride or race. I guess I'm learning to adjust, suffer and pull out of it. My eating has increased and that has helped. I burn a lot of calories and by stuffing my pie hole constantly and substantively I perform better. you really never stop learning about that machine that is your body. and mine is turning 50 this year, it has some miles....I gotta' get a compact....

Primavera Century ride by zencowboy2 at Garmin Connect - Details

Primavera Century ride by zencowboy2 at Garmin Connect - Details

Great century, excellent rest stops and food! Route was marked very clearly, hot sunny day, my sunburned face was glad to stop rolling at mile 104...good training ride, 3rd century this year, Grizzly Peak Century in two weeks. 6 weeks until the grand depart to ride the Divide from Roosville, Montana to Antelope Wells New Mexico! I can't wait! Greg and I plan to do a long mt bike ride in Marin next week, finally dry enough.

Mountain Bike night ride up to Tilden Park

Rode from the house and watched the sunset over the Marin Headlands and SanFrancisco, then hit some dirt in Tilden Park still some big mudholes up there despite a week of sunshine. Love riding at night, heard coyotes, owls and other critters. good mellow ride, no cars, no people. solitude.

Sunny skies to train in at last!

Finally spring has come to Berkeley, temps today in upper 60's 70-80's coming. Not dry enough to get on the trails here in east bay, but getting there. Did three days consecutive riding my mountain bike on the road for 2 hours each evening  after work. Wearing down my pricy Maxxis tires. Good workout commuting home from work via Tunnel road and Skyline. Road bike is still in the shop having the new drivetrain installed and various malfunctioning parts replaced. I placed a classified on the Adventure Cycling website today to see if anyone else is leaving Roosville, Montana to "ride the divide" this June 15th. Worried about Greg's injured shoulder, hate to start it alone. Primavera Road Century 100 miler coming up Sunday. It leaves from Fremont, should be hot one. Going to bite the bullet and start training with the carrying bags on my 29r next week, stuffed with my tent, sleeping bag, pad etc. Fun......

Maine beer industry pioneer's long ride is brewing | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Maine beer industry pioneer's long ride is brewing | The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram

Amazing! 67 and taking on the Tour Divide from Canada to Mexico.

Mountain bike ride on the road by zencowboy2 at Garmin Connect - Details

Mountain bike ride on the road by zencowboy2 at Garmin Connect - Details

Todays 2 hour training ride, hopefully it will be dry enough to back on the dirt this weekend.

Mountain Bike ride ( on the road) Berkeley-Orinda

Second day of pounding a ride out on the GT Zaskar 29r. Trails are still way to wet for riding after this week of rain. Sunny skies and 60's today, perfect. lot's of riders out Wildcat Canyon was like a bike freeway up and down. Even saw a cop writing speeding tickets in downhill curve to speeding cyclist. What bullshit. They buzz us, hit us, speed, threaten cyclist, and actually hit us and rarely get a ticket, thanks boys in blue.. Felt good to be on the Mountain bike after weeks of strictly road riding even if was on the pavement. Tried to activate my SPOT GPS tracker and get it set up and dialed in, but can't test it out, o I do not know how to properly operate it. Will need to call customer support Monday. In town all next week with no rain in site and aCentury scheduled for next Saturday, gotta' keep ridin'... Leave for Roosville, Montana to kick off the Great Divide Race on June 13th, Race starts high noon June 15th.

New cranks or keep the XT's?

Before riding the Great Divide Race I have been toying with the idea of a complete new drive-train for my GT Zaskar 9r Pro. I have owned it for almost a year and a half. Raced it 4-5 times, wrecked it 2-3 times. The route from Roosville, Montana to Antelope Wells, New Mexico is 2500 hundred miles, I figure it might be good to have everything new to avoid wear problems. A very costly endeavor, cranks bottom bracket an cassette, if I go XTR will be around 800 bucks. But hey, breaking down on a desolate trail on the continental divide might be costly as well. Performance bike has a 20 percent off or "double bonus" points special the next few days. Maybe I will snag it, then go up to Missing Link and have a reliable mechanic install it. Heavy cold spring rain is screwing with my training man! Sunshine already! Just received my final carrying bag and stuffed my sleeping bag, tent, and therma- rest in them and put them on the bike, oh boy, 75-100 miles per day with 25-30 pounds on the bike....man..fun!

Continuing to train on the Road as the constant spring rain in Northern Cali is keeping most mountain bike trails pretty muddy. Might try Tamarancho/Boy Scout camp in Marin this week, getting sick of road riding. Just received my handlebar storage bag from Phantom pack systems in the mail, time to load up the GT 29er with the carrying bags and gear, get in some rides with the weight I will have to carry on the Great Divide/Tour Divide ride in June. Debating replacing my entire drive train soon just before I go or just the Cassette and bottom bracket, plan to seek out some inspection and advice at the bike shop next week. I have my 3rd 100 miler scheduled for April 22nd near Fremont, Ca, the Primavera Century ride. Then my local club, Grizzly Peak Cyclist century in the East Bay, the Grizzly Peak Century, May, 6th. My goal was to get 5 centuries under my belt before setting out on the Great Divide June 15th, but might have to live with 4. I only did 5 all year in 2011. Greg and I plan to do full two ride with all gear loaded on our bikes in May to do test run and gear shakedown. Rain rain go away, I need to train!

Las Vegas Gran Fondo ride

I decided I felt well enough to do the Vegas Century sponsored by Planet Ultra yesterday. Tough one. Less than 100 riders entered so there were long stretches of alone time or only a few of us. Cross winds, heat, and over 8,000 feet of climbing on the day. The race was very minimally supported, markings were poor, sag was spotty, and food, snacks acceptable. I got lost twice with some other guys and tacked on extra miles and extra climbing. I actually rode 120 miles on the day and was in the saddle over 8.5 hours. Riding through Red Rock Canyon was nice, but aid stations were too spread out, ran out of water with no options several times, making the suffering worse. Passed a shooting range and watched yahoo's firing automatic weapons for fun felt like I was in a desert scene from " The good, the bad, and the ugly" at times. Great training ride overall and hopefully the conditions and visits to the pain cave will be good prep for "Riding the Divide"

Zion National Park Ride

Great ride yesterday from Zion National Park almost to Hurricane, Utah. Fierce winds, stunning views and my cough is almost gone, feeling better everyday. Utah sure has it's share of bad motorist behavior towards cyclists. I got flipped off twice on the ride, buzzed with horn blowing twice, and various cars taunted and yelled. Guess these fella's simply do not have much to do... The backdrop of stunning mesa's and canyons overcame it. Stopped at a local store advertising gatorade in Virgin Utah, they were out, apple juice had to do. Riding after days of tent camping hopefully is good prep for the adventure this summer riding the divide, many nights will be spent in the campground then getting on the bike early to ride. Saturday morning I am riding in the Las Vegas Grand Fondo, 8,000 feet of climbing in the desert. Was feeling like bailing on it, but now that my cold is completely gone I'm going for it. Alarm is set for 5am....

Ride the Divide on a mountain bike

Follow me as I record here my diary of riding the "Great Divide" on June15, 2012 from Roosville, Montana to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, border to border, 2500 miles on a mountain bike, self supported.