I haven’t talked about biking much at all here. In real life I pretty much never talk with people about my biking because I know I get so excessively excited that two hours later I’ll still be talking while my victim has glazed over and slowly slipped into a boredom coma. Also I haven’t mentioned it because normally biking for me in the winter is pretty low-key, a time to recharge, rest, and build some base miles before the crazy spring/summer season starts.

But this year, we’re doing a big family trip to Maui at the end of this month, and I’ve made it my goal to “Cycle to the Sun” — ride to the top of Mt. Haleakala (it hasn’t escaped me that, coming from Seattle, my goal is pretty much always to cycle to the sun). This is about the only place in the world there’s a paved road that goes from 0 to 10,000 feet all in one continuous stretch, and it’s on the bucket list of many a hill climbing cyclist. In preparation for that, Dad has been generously helping me do rides of duration and elevation that are more appropriate to August than February.

Two weeks ago:

“Gee,” I thought to myself, “I’m pretty hard core for riding 5500′ in January on my winter bike!”

Last weekend:

“Wow,” I thought, “I’m sure exhausted after riding 6600′ — that’s pretty darn good for winter riding, especially on my winter bike.”

This weekend:

“I must be crazy, but at least I get to ride my fast bike today,” I realized, as I kept riding up just one more hill to get past the magical 7500′ mark.

This weekend marks the end of my ramping up the climbing, thank goodness; next weekend will be a taper ride, and then early the following week I hope to do the real thing. I’m getting really excited. At least, I will be once I’ve recovered