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2020 Biking Summary

2020 ride summary: Look at that consistency!

Gosh, 2020 has been a year for riding (and everything). I started the year without biking at all: The first 18 days of January fell into the recovery window of my EIAE surgery. After the doctor cleared me to ride, I promptly quit running and delightedly resumed my regular bike commuting and weekend ride schedule. I felt out of shape, but thrilled with the apparent full functioning of my left leg.

I planned to spend the year pursuing my highest level of fitness since 2016, shooting for PRs and faster overall times. I could hardly wait to try Passport 2 Pain again with two fully functional legs! In a fit of optimism, I signed up for RAMROD, even though I’d likely ride it alone. This was my year! Continue Reading >>

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Dismal Ride With a Dash of the Delightful

I don’t often regret my bike rides. Many times it comes to the point where I have to change into biking gear and I really don’t feel like it, but I force myself to change and go out, and by the time I get home I’m glad I did. Today was not one of those days. (If that doesn’t cue you in, I’m going to complain about my ride today. Probably you want to skip this post since I’m venting.)

Today nothing went wrong — no accident, no mechanicals, no reasonable weather complaints (saying “it’s cold” in December seems excessively whiny), not even a flat tire. But before leaving, the kiddo and I spent several delightful hours at the dazzling Tolt-Macdonald Park and we didn’t get home until midafternoon. I inhaled a couple pieces of cold leftover pizza and salad and hit the road. Continue Reading >>

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100,000 Miles Ridden

On my Saturday ride this weekend, I passed 100,000 miles ridden (since I started tracking in 2008). It only took 12 years.

100,000 Miles Ridden

Then: 2008

Off We Go
Then: October, 2008

I started biking in 2006, riding about seven miles one way to the train station. By 2008, my company moved a little closer to our house, so I was able to start commuting 13 miles one way directly there. I had just bought my custom titanium Seven, which I rode mostly just for commuting Monday through Friday, with weekends off. Right around 2008 I met a conductor on the train who was a cyclist and encouraged me to consider doing the Cape Cod MS Challenge, which led to me eventually training for and riding the STP. But long rides were the exception rather than the rule back then. Continue Reading >>

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Ride to Paradise

To celebrate having the Friday before 4th of July off, Dad and I organized a very modest group ride up to the Paradise overlook on Mt. Rainier. We met up with a total of eight people, including ourselves, and we all wore masks when close to each other. But mostly we weren’t close — we rode up the mountain at our own paces, and ended up in groups of three or fewer almost the entire time.

After so many months of stringing the same roads together in slightly different variations, it felt great to see new sights and ride new roads. Riding up the mountain felt decent — I’m not as strong as I was last time I rode there on RAMROD in 2016, but still pretty good. And it didn’t rain! Continue Reading >>

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EIAE Update: University of Washington Report

Yesterday I met with Dr. Sherene Shalhub and her entourage, which included one doctoral fellow (Dr. Becca Ur), one visiting doctor, and one student doctor-in-training. The little consultation room felt microscopic by the time everyone had squeezed in.

I’m going to cut to the chase, skipping over the witty repartee with the Loquatious Chinese Medical Assistant and the time spent rehashing my medical history and the history of my symptoms with Dr. Ur. Here’s what I think I learned from Dr. Shalhub. Continue Reading >>

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Marin County Alpine Dam Ride

I finished Levi’s Gran Fondo on Saturday and didn’t think I’d be riding much the rest of my trip. 

Wrong!

My original Sunday plans didn’t work out, so I had the entire day until my 6:30 pm flight to find something to do. I had my fast bike, an extra change of clean clothes, a ride buddy, and a route with promised spectacular views. Why not?!

It took some figuring out — would the timing work so I could still return my bike for boxing and shipping? Could I do it and not miss my flight? Could my legs do another ride after Levi’s the day before?? Continue Reading >>

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Levi’s Gran Fondo Ride Report

This is us before the ride. How optimistic and eager we look!

John and I started together, but got separated pretty quickly. We were in the first group to go, doing the longest route, and let me say — wow those riders are fast. I had already decided to just ride my own ride, regardless of what other people around me were doing. As a result, although I rode in proximity with other people, especially at the beginning, I spent most of the ride alone. That’s fine; it’s what I expected and it worked well for me. No pressure to push beyond what my leg could sustain. Continue Reading >>