boogerdave

ride report, monday september 3

got out this morning for a quick spin with dave, my death ride partner this year. there's no slacking off when you're riding with that boy. from voss avenue over mt. eden and pierce and up route 9 to saratoga gap. it's a total mindfuck doing a big climb with him on my wheel: i can ride as hard as i want and he'll still be there, usually not even breathing hard. sticks like a booger you just can't shake off... it might help if he weighed more than a gerbil or rode a bike heavier than my socks, but that's just smoke. the guy's an erg monster, the strongest cyclist i've ever ridden with. good coach, too. once on route 9, i warmed up and ramped up the effort, getting faster on the way up. stood up with probably four-tenths of a mile to the gap, grabbed higher gears three or four times on the way, and redlined at the stop sign. wrung about a quart of sweat out of my bandanna before taking that loong sweet descent to saratoga for breakfast at the blue rock shoot. life is good, ya think?

twenty-six miles, close to 3000' vertical, finished in an hour fifty. less than two hours at fourteen miles an hour kicked me silly. i can't see riding that hard out in the desert.

less than five weeks...