Dead Tired

I did a ride today in the heat. It was 34 miles and 2200 feet of climbing most of which was above 5% and perhaps a quarter of it was above 9%. I had intended on riding through a closed road. On the way up the 9,10,11 and then 12% section that is a mile long I had to stop three times to clean my eyes and forehead of sweat. I had to stop another 5 times to allow my heart rate to come down to the point where I couldn't hear it above the pedaling.

Finally over the top and 5 miles down and hit a roadblock with NO BIKES OR PEDESTRIANS sign. I laid the bike down and walked perhaps 20 yards down the road where I could see if they were working on the road.

saw a bolder half the size of a car come rolling down the side of the cliff which they were reducing the grade of. That convinced me that they were seriously working on the road. In California it's hard to tell. Moonbeam Brown,the governor has passed increased road taxes and licensing fees a couple of times in the last 5 years to "repair the roads." Instead all of it went to increased benefits for government workers and more subsidies for illegal aliens.

So now he just boosted the gas tax another 50% and who knows what became of licensing in order to "fix the roads".

Anyway, I turned around and went back up 600 ft. At least the steep part of this side was from the roadblock down. So most of it was only 5% to 8%. That canyon was an absolute oven and presently I am well done on a cooking thermometer.

The sharp descent on the other side had to be taken careful because the dirt haulers have spilled dirt in many spots and coming on a pile of dirt at 25 mph isn't the most fun to have.

There is a north creek and a south creek and they were both running hard. This means that the local water table is filled to capacity since it hasn't really rained in three weeks and all the side washes are totally dry.

Coming back into town the donut shop was still open so I went in almost in a coma from water loss. I had a couple of old fashion donuts and a large glass of ice water. While I recovered slightly the 6 miles home wasn't all that much fun.

I must be terrible getting old and not being able to have all this fun.

On TV this morning after hearing about three years of drought and how it was the cause of huge forest fires, this morning they changed their tune. It seems that all of the growth that was caused by the rain is going to offer California a chance to terrible ground fires. The media has turned into nothing but stand up comedians.

Did the Starke's Grade ride east of Placerville, to Pollock Pines, yesterday. The good news is that there is a washout on Starke's about a half mile past Campini Road, and that you can traverse it easily while walking your bike. Here's the GoogleEarth location file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i932ys1beu...shout.kmz?dl=0

So there are virtually no cars on Starke's due to the washout.

There is no bad news.

On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:48:30 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Did the Starke's Grade ride east of Placerville, to Pollock Pines, yesterday. The good news is that there is a washout on Starke's about a half mile past Campini Road, and that you can traverse it easily while walking your bike. Here's the GoogleEarth location file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i932ys1beu...shout.kmz?dl=0

So there are virtually no cars on Starke's due to the washout.

There is no bad news.

Looks like fun. https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Place...e0?hl=en&hl=en
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO

On 2017-05-03 09:31, wrote:
On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:48:30 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Did the Starke's Grade ride east of Placerville, to Pollock Pines, yesterday. The good news is that there is a washout on Starke's about a half mile past Campini Road, and that you can traverse it easily while walking your bike. Here's the GoogleEarth location file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i932ys1beu...shout.kmz?dl=0

So there are virtually no cars on Starke's due to the washout.

There is no bad news.

Looks like fun. https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Place...e0?hl=en&hl=en


But Newton Road isn't what I'd consider fun. Especially since so many
folks in Placerville now openly consume pot.

Gimmee singletrack and I'm happy. Once I have my MTB fixed I'll ride to
Placerville but it's all on dirt.

http://s31.photobucket.com/user/otbp...edium.jpg.html

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Joerg wrote: "But Newton Road isn't what I'd consider fun."

Right Joerg. I go out Pleasant Valley Road instead, bypassing the main road at the big climb past Diamond Springs by taking Zandonella Rd.

On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:41:57 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On 2017-05-03 09:31, wrote:
On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:48:30 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Did the Starke's Grade ride east of Placerville, to Pollock Pines, yesterday. The good news is that there is a washout on Starke's about a half mile past Campini Road, and that you can traverse it easily while walking your bike. Here's the GoogleEarth location file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i932ys1beu...hout..kmz?dl=0

So there are virtually no cars on Starke's due to the washout.

There is no bad news.

Looks like fun. https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Place...e0?hl=en&hl=en


But Newton Road isn't what I'd consider fun. Especially since so many
folks in Placerville now openly consume pot.

Gimmee singletrack and I'm happy. Once I have my MTB fixed I'll ride to
Placerville but it's all on dirt.

http://s31.photobucket.com/user/otbp...edium.jpg.html

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Why the dust mask?

On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 3:45:06 PM UTC-4, wrote:
Joerg wrote: "But Newton Road isn't what I'd consider fun."

Right Joerg. I go out Pleasant Valley Road instead, bypassing the main road at the big climb past Diamond Springs by taking Zandonella Rd.

Your geography is significantly more vertical than ours in the Ottawa Valley, even taking the Québec side into consideration.
--
Andrew Chaplin
SIT MIHI GLADIUS SICUT SANCTO MARTINO

On 2017-05-03 12:53, Doug Landau wrote:
On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:41:57 AM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
On 2017-05-03 09:31, wrote:
On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 10:48:30 AM UTC-4, wrote:
Did the Starke's Grade ride east of Placerville, to Pollock Pines, yesterday. The good news is that there is a washout on Starke's about a half mile past Campini Road, and that you can traverse it easily while walking your bike. Here's the GoogleEarth location file:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i932ys1beu...shout.kmz?dl=0

So there are virtually no cars on Starke's due to the washout.

There is no bad news.

Looks like fun. https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Place...e0?hl=en&hl=en


But Newton Road isn't what I'd consider fun. Especially since so many
folks in Placerville now openly consume pot.

Gimmee singletrack and I'm happy. Once I have my MTB fixed I'll ride to
Placerville but it's all on dirt.

http://s31.photobucket.com/user/otbp...edium.jpg.html

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Why the dust mask?


I don't know, probably an allergy sufferer. I never use dust masks.
However, it is prudent not to ride this close together. The dust kicked
up by the rider in front in this area often contains natural asbestos
and sometimes fungus that can trigger the nasty valley fever. Aside from
the coughing it causes.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 2017-05-04 08:41, wrote:
On Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 3:45:06 PM UTC-4,
wrote:
Joerg wrote: "But Newton Road isn't what I'd consider fun."

Right Joerg. I go out Pleasant Valley Road instead, bypassing the
main road at the big climb past Diamond Springs by taking
Zandonella Rd.

Your geography is significantly more vertical than ours in the Ottawa
Valley, even taking the Québec side into consideration.


It can become a chore when you have to schlepp stuff. Yesterday I did a
38-miler into the valley and back up. Needed some stuff for brewing and
had other loads on the bike. At the end one has to make it back up from
100ft to 1450ft, with lots of ups and downs. 95F didn't help much
either. Doesn't bother em much but I forgot to carry a 2nd sweat band so
I had to stop avery mile or to to squeeze the sweat out. When nobody was
looking ... yuck.

Today I am brewing a Koelsch and an Autumn Amber Ale. Yeehaw!

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Your geography is significantly more vertical than ours in the Ottawa Valley, even taking the Québec side into consideration.
--
Andrew Chaplin


Yes, the climbs that don't kill you will make you stronger.