West side of Cantelow!

So this was supposed to be the weekend of the Ill Fated Tour....(edited) : and I learn that I can do hills!

ANYWAY, I rode this morning. Did Solano Lake hill once, and

then rode down the beautiful Pleasants Valley Rd and hit the west side of
Cantelow. Just as the race team was coming down! I smiled off to the side (it really looks pretty cool ala peloton) as they came down (narrow road, and some swung wide on the turn. They were at ~35 mph, not something to get in the way of!) and got some smilesand nods back. So fun to watch. Diane went down towards the gathering group.
I waited for her, then decided to head up on my own. And up and up!! The road was loose with gravel, but I went up and thought for a while '...this isn't so bad' and then it got steeper! I saw a mature roadie up by a rail (who left as I headed up, embarrassed for having stopped??) and somehow I thought I was at the top, and I was already laboring for air and my legs were hurting , and I finally realized for the first time during a climb that I was going to have to go DOWN this up, so I pulled over too...it obviously wasn't the top. IT was the turn before the REALLY steep part! I looked up, and remembered that the last time I went down it, I seriously thought I was
going to vault over the handlebars!! My heart was still pounding, and I thought, 'Okay, I'm good. I'm heading down' and even then, I couldn't make myself mount my bike and ride down. It was scary steep!! So I *walked* my bike down that section before it sloped a bit less and seemed acceptable to get back on and coast down. lol. Down a ways, I found Diane waiting in the shade. She had gone as far as she could and was waiting for me.

It was pretty awesome, though. After yesterday climbing up to the dam at Berryessa and today, I'm getting more confident with hills. I think I can keep going on grades that aren't as steep as Cantelow, and I think I could eventually get up Cantelow with practice, as long as I didn't have to go DOWN it! That was what seriously made up my mind to not continue UP
was the upcoming DOWN if I did...

I think I'm ready for Shasta next weekend.

nicknames

We've been playing tennis together for over 3 years. I decided they needed nicknames. So James is 'Pong' because he always gets the ball back. Kwo Wei is 'Hot Wheels' because he can get to any ball! Impossibly fast, and heck, he just has a nice body. Dennis is 'Stretch' because he has a huge reach at net. And sweet and mild Steven I nicknamed 'Killer' . Because once in a while, he'll have a great put away shot.

James was kidding about me putting 'Hot Sauce' on my shots; I can hit the hardest and fastest of all of us. So that may end up being my nickname, although I think 'Little Mac' fits better, because I have a huge temper and cuss when I miss a shot. :P

I miss Kerry, 'cause she's small and petite too, and she yells more than I do. lol.

Bugs and bikes

Hmmmm...the top I was knitting, I was knitting in WOOL!!! How long have I been doing this? ack.

Sewing, cycling, and playing tennis. That's about it.

Trying to talk Nathanie into riding Cantelow and Mix with me. The Vacaville roadie went weird on me, so I ended it. Cops are important. We need cops. I know that. I just don't want to date one. Must be the vocabulary. Who wants to be 'conned' into going for an evening ride? Or facts for discussion be considered as 'ammunition'???

I'll state here and now that Cheese Its are my downfall.

I got pissy in tennis at one of the guys and nailed him twice on Thursday. By accident! I sort of feel guilty. Sorta. :) Because then I avoided hitting at him entirely, which meant for poorer shots/ bad strategy, and we lost the second set 6-2.

I'm restless. Unfortunately, I know why. Sigh.

4th of July crit

This is the best of Davis!

Went out to ride with Nathanie this morning, about 20 miles. Ran into Chariot! Well, more like she caught us, chatted, then threw us off her wheel and took off....lol. Then I changed, and took off for the 4th of July Davis crit to help at the registration table. Joy! I get to register all the 1/2 Pro racers! The top racers have to show their registration card to ME (lol) and have me sign them in. Gentlemen, all. No attitudes, just nice smiles and very polite. About 90 in the field, at the hottest part of the day! Here are some more pics I took of that race:




And then, some guilty eye candy. :) In the little plaza, we have a water fountain. After the race, the men cooled off... hey, it was our just view from the ice cream parlor!

It IS about the bike!

So I'm not riding down the coast with BBob and gang either...hey, horary astrology said it was a baaad idea, and I had reservations and wanted to go for the wrong reasons anyway...but I have yet another, more local goal in mind.

Connected with a nice Vacaville roadie that has agreed to be a buddy in training - (another Sag, no less) and we have challenged each other to get over Cardiac and face off Mix Canyon. haha. I might get 1/2 mile up Mix, but still. I haven't explored that far abroad, really, and since it's around his home territory, I'll be able to get more 50-60ish mile rides in, since my max known route is closer to 44-48 miles.

edit: Mix Canyon near Vacaville, California. 7.7 course from Foothill road to top. 4.7 miles of climbing, 15% average, 23% near the top. Record time shared by Johnathan Vaughters and Chris Horner(yes, that Chris Horner), 33 min 27 sec.

Knitting is a great cure for the blues! In blues! Here it is:
I had dyed the yarn for a possiblity for the Sockapalooza, but ended up using the green. So I had a skein and a restless bent.

I've been riding a lot. About 85 miles in the couple of days. Tomorrow, an a.m. ride before I work the registration table for the July 4th Downtown Crit. Then meeting Nathanie to watch the Cat 1/2/3's race and have lunch. Then fireworks in the evening with friends.