| (Long Distance) Ramblings |
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I like to ride my bicycle - for long distances. I have earned the California Triple Crown and finished the Furnace Creek 508. My goals include qualifying for RAAM and ...(read the blog to find out). "The bicycle has a soul. If you are able to love it as it deserves, it will give you emotions you will never forget." "Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride."
"The important decisions in my life I make while out riding my bike."
"Pain is temporary, quitting lasts forever.” Lance Armstrong
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Monday, June 19, 2006
Training Update - Monday at the GymAnother exciting night at Gold's Gym. Well, perhaps not. Martin and I worked out for about 30 minutes tonight. We worked our legs and core. I felt good which is surprising after yesterday's long ride. Now that I had some time to rest, I will write more about the Willamette Pass ride. We started in cool weather, just warm enough for me to wear a light vest and Bruce stayed with a long-sleeve jersey. The sun was out, but the air still had a chill in it from the night. Looking toward the east, we saw a thin layer of clouds that we expect to burn off. As such, I left my arm warmers and tights in the car. As soon as we turned onto Hwy 58, we began to climb. We had a nice, clean, wide shoulder to ride on. It was almost wide enough for us to ride side by side. Traffic was light and we enjoyed the clean, mountain air as we climbed up through the forest of Willamette National Forest. After several miles, we began to come upon view points of the peaks of the Cascade Mountain Range including Diamond Peak. Then we came upon the tunnel. It is not long, but it is narrow. We pushed the "Bicycle in Tunnel" warning lights button and sprinted through the tunnel. Luck was on our side as no vehicles came up behind us. I must state it is truly amazing just how loud a vehicle is as it travels through a tunnel honking it's horn. After the tunnel, we had a few more miles to the summit and we did not stop. After a short descent, we paused at an Odell Lake Viewpoint. Continuing down the mountain, we stopped at a local store to refill our water bottles and then we headed to the small town of Crescent for a lunch. After lunch, we retraced our route back to Oakridge, but this time we had a 26 mile downhill! Too bad a strong west wind kept our speed down. We finished the day with 5600 feet of elevation gain, a fair amount for a day's ride.
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