Labor Day Weekend

On Friday, Luke mentioned that he would've enjoyed sitting on a patio with some Spanish white wine, so when I stopped by the store on the way home, I picked some up! Sounded like a good idea.





Looking back, I probably should've added some non-vegetable, non-alcoholic carbs into that meal!

I'll be honest: this weekend didn't really turn out as planned. I had some weird delusions of hitting up some massive volume and good riding for the 3 days we had off.

For Saturday, Justin needed to pick up some parts at The Path, and also get his fork looked at, so we knew we had to head over to OC. We planned to do another dawn-ish ride on the road to start out the weekend right with 2.5 or so hours of riding on the flats.

NOT the breakfast of champions...



Right away my heart rate was skyrocketing with the smallest of efforts. Since we had another ride planned, I was trying to take it easy, but my body wasn't really cooperating. I just didn't feel that great.

Sky sure was awesome, though







We did manage to get in some mileage and a few short efforts, but turned around early. Got back home, and Justin cooked up some delish breakfast burritos!!



I felt a little better after eating, and eventually we headed out the door, with the plan to ride the Luge in some way shape or form once we had taken care of some errands.

View of the fire from THE 91



We got the bike shop stuff done, picked up some necessities, checked out the new Stumpy HT Comp (sweet bike, actually), and then headed south to Oakley. Justin wanted them to check out the cracks that are ever increasing on his Flak jacket prescription lenses (I just noticed a new crack in my left lens as well - sucky since it's around 7 BUSINESS days to be without sunglass vision). We also got some new "flair" - different Earsocks!





It was hot out over there, especially at 3~ pm. We suited up in the crazy heat anyway and headed out to do Whiting - Luge. We had planned on maybe doing an O'Neill - Whiting - Old Camp route, but that was a bit too much for me!

We saw four hikers and one other mountain biker on the entire route, and not much wildlife! Pretty much just hot and dry out there.



Mustard was hot and tough, but we hit it pretty hard anyway, and I was putting in some efforts, but the power was coming and going! I likened it to the waxing and waning of the moon. I'd charge a section and feel great, and then the next short rise have nothing left.



I was pretty stoked to be hitting up the Luge again, since it's been almost a year.







It had felt pretty good to get out on the mountain bike afterall, but I was definitely fatigued post-ride!

Since Justin was grilling up some carne asada for taco's, we decided to open our last beer.



Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous... the chronical







Dinner!



We weren't really sure if we should spin on Sunday or just kick back. I wanted to at least get out on the bike in some semblance of a ride. So, we left the house later in the morning and set out on about an hour regen ride. At the turn off street, we both agreed to get a little more volume and head around the lake. Sounded like a good idea at the time!



It doubled the ride time (as I knew it would), and we both wound up running out of energy on the way home. Luckily we had about a buck fifty, so once Justin scrounged together the extra change we were able to purchase a 12 fl oz Pepsi can (seriously, everything else was too much $$). That got us home!

We had some post-ride fuel, got prepped, and headed south to see Justin's sister and cousin, hit up REI, and stop by La Jolla to see the sea lions.

It was gorgeous down there at the coast!





We got home pretty late, so didn't get much done, but were both able to prep for Monday's planned ride: Idyllwild! I warned Luke that I wasn't sure I'd be physically up for 3-4 hours, but we were going to head up and see what we could do anyway.

Once in the lot, we realized that there were a ton of people out pre-riding for the 24 hour event in a few weeks, so we decided to cut out the first part of the course (climbing the 24 hour course descent) and just headed out on course. I was pushing, but feeling ok, and only fell off the pace of Luke and Justin a little on the early climb.





I was pretty stoked to *finally* clean the rock wall



We rode some singletrack, hit up some fire road climbing… and generally had a really good time. It was just what I needed; singletrack stoke and no masses!

























Since it was Labor Day, yet another American grilling holiday, I had picked up some ground sirloin and sweet potatoes from the store so Justin could grill up some good American cookin'!

For those of you that like to see Justin's meat, you'll have to check back later! I left the pics on the camera :)

All in all, the weekend worked out pretty good. It wasn't as fruitful as either of us hoped, but we got in some solid bike time, a little beach time, and tried to rest up. Taking the day off hoping we can get back to it tomorrow!

High(er) elevation fun!

Early last week we all got the idea to head up to the mountains for some high (er, for So Cal) elevation training! Saturday was to be laps at the latest 12 Hours of Rim Nordic course, and Sunday would be the Big Bear Shootout #1 for Justin and I. Steph and Dan were going to ride, possibly Rim Nordic again, and Luke was going to head out for a hike with his sweetie, then hit the road once he got home.

Justin and I were up pretty late on Friday, so got a late start Saturday morning.

My balance for the evening did not get in the way of us heading out...



We had to hit up wally world for a new camp grill, and the grocery store for a few minor provisions. The sky was pretty grey at home, but once we got about a mile up the highway on the way up to the mountains it was gorgeous.



Nasty stuff down below, though. It wasn't all just haze/clouds. Lots of smog.



We got up to the middle of the mountain sometime around 11 and once suited up, we figured we'd head up what we thought might be the end of the course until we met up with the crew already out pre-riding. Could've been interesting if we were wrong, but about 1.5mi later we ran into the group descending down and almost at the finish.









Unfortunately I wound up sliding out pretty bad on a loose corner and wound up with a skinned/bruised elbow, and bruises on my hip and knee. Yay! Kept riding since the parts all worked fine, and the scrape dried over eventually.

I was covered in a fine dust all day



Ominous clouds rolling in



Steph gettin' her prep on



Weyland contemplates



Luke and I headed out for my first full lap and his 2nd shortly after, and Justin and Steph transferred the course file from 705 to 705 (sweetness).

Was it humid? Or, was I just working too hard?



Luke leads it out, but we were conversational the entire way



Until Justin caught up and pushed the pace!



Justin was done after one, but I was determined for 2. Steph and Dan went for a bottle refill and I hung out. Dan mentioned the clouds looked pretty dark on the ridge. No sooner had Justin showed up from putting the camera away (just in case) when rain started to fall. At that point I was pretty cooled down from lap 1, and we hit the road. Sprinkle showers fell for the next 30-45 mins, but no real rain hit that I could tell.

Think it'll fit?



Justin and I drove down, passed our campground exit, u-turned, and then I had the brilliant idea to drive all the way back up past Rim Nordic to Big Bear Lake to check-in for the race and get some bandages and tape for my arm (so I could sleep/race). So, up up and away we went. Registration wasn't open yet, but we hung out and chatted with Gabe and Lety, checked in, stopped in at Rite Aid for some not Telfa and non-hurt sticky tape. Also, I was walking to the register and caught sight of THIS so had to buy a bag.

Back down the mountain we headed. Clouds were looking dark, and I wasn't looking forward to a night in the rain, but we met up with the rest of the camping crew, and toward our campground for the weekend near Green Valley Lake (all that was available).

The road down to the campground was fairly bumpy, but not horrible. Just a long 4-mile slog that left a fine coating of dust on everything in the bed and on the bikes. We got down to a big water crossing and Steph and Dan determined their car just wasn't meant to run through it. Luke and Charressa carried on, and eventually Justin and I crossed as well, and the campground was about 1/4mi later. Really quiet and pretty nice (your basic FS campground).

We unloaded and set up camp. Sky was blue and temps were pretty good.

Provisions





Our new grill



Justin preps the bikes



Set up



Charressa and I set up their new campstove, hooked up the propane and created fire!! Don't laugh, I'm not very camp-savvy!



Dinner





After dinner Justin and I cooked up some really old smores (nothing was bad, but it was old stuff!), and then we all shared some Jiffy pop. Lots of bike talk, training talk, racing talk. Good stuff!

Hit the hay some time before 11. We were up before the sun and for some reason camp was extremely loud. Someone blaring a car radio, and another group of campers yelling back and forth. Weird. It wasn't even 6 am yet! We had planned on sleeping in til 7, but had had breakfast by then ;)

I filled this Thermos with coffee Saturday morning around 7:30. Sunday morning at 7 am it was still warm!



Justin and I packed up camp, bid farewell to our camp-mates, and headed up the hill to Big Bear Lake once again.

We stopped in at the restaurant to use the facilities and saw Slater and Monique out there! Remembered that this race was part of the multi-sport Open Air Big Bear series. It brought out quite a few first time mountain bike racers! After some chatting we drove up to just near the start and chilled out. Justin did last minute bike prep and chain cleaning, and I hung out in the truck. It was pretty warm out, but a spectacular day on the mountain.

Eventually it was time to hit the warm-up, final prep and then we rode up the hill to the start! Good turn out for sure, and they started right on time. There were 5 pro women (the usual!) and we took off in a mad flurry.

My legs felt stellar! For about 5 minutes. Then the power dropped way off. I did what I could to hang onto Joy's wheel for awhile, but that became futile. Kicked it down a bit, spun, and hoped to recover on the rollers. I'd come back feeling pretty good after a short break, and have her in sight, and then she'd take off again! Sarah caught back up as well, and we battled it out for 2nd for a bit. I think I finally was able to make a small gap on a descent, but everytime I looked back there she was!

I nearly went down on the singletrack loop that the long course includes, and once when I pulled into the bushes to let another rider pass my right calf cramped up. That has never happened. I've felt pangs of cramps before, but never a full on cramp. I tried to stretch it out, but it felt worse, so I clipped in and figured I'd give'r until my body quit. I managed to reel Joy back in again somehow, but once we hit the fire road off the singletrack she put in an attack again and was off the front.

I slowly spent the steep fire road climb back up to the main fire road reeling her in, and just caught her as we hit the turn. We both hammered like crazy across the rollers, and I spent the first singletrack on her wheel! It was a blast descending down behind her. We hit the fire road again and she gapped me a little, and someone got between us. After trying to pass some of the lower categories, on a steep climb section the SS in front of me dabbed, and I was forced to dismount and run. The gap grew. Another rider in between us, then another, and the first guy behind Joy would not let anyone pass. The rider in front of me had a few unsuccessful attempts at passing, and eventually got around, but it was pretty techy and narrow, so I was stuck behind. I couldn't make up the time, but eventually went around and hammered to the line.

Great race! Had a blast out there. Justin and I tried to cool down spin back UP to the truck (that was fun!), used the sun shower to rinse off, had some food and headed down to the restaurant for free taco's and awards!



We had a good time hanging out, but after awards I was ready to hit it. Long drive back down the hill and we had a ton to unpack/clean up after our camping weekend.





The after math



Dinner!



Yeah, I had a lot of cereal yesterday ;)