Would I do it again?

Honestly, I can't say that yet. Today is Wednesday, June 18th, 2008. I've been back in San Francisco for 9 days. I recovered physically fairly quickly. But mentally, it's still a lot to process. I know that by the time registration comes around again later in the year, I'll know without a doubt whether or not I'd like to do it again.

In the meantime, I'm letting the afterglow of the experience take me where it may.

In the meantime, please enjoy the photos I've put up from the ride.

Last hurried post before I hit the road...

The time between now and Sunday at 4am when I awaken for the ride are probably going to be a blur...

But just wanted to jot down one last post.

First of all, you can send me messages while I'm on the road at:
http://experience.aidslifecycle.org/2008/support/
(I'm rider #2285)

Second - check my home page during the next week to see if I've added any audio recordings from the road. I'll be calling in via pay phone periodically, and leaving messages that you can access at:
http://www.aidslifecycle.org/2285
Just scroll down a bit to the "gabcast" window.

Third - there is no third. But I want to add that I will be flying on the wings of support of everyone who has been here for me over the last 6 months, since I made it public that I would be participating in ALC. The experience of training and fund raising has made this already one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I have felt so many changes mentally and physically occur in my body, and how I relate to the world. It makes the actual event (which starts in 2 days) just the icing on the cake. I am so excited to undertake my first bicycle tour of California, taking in the sights and scenes of the landscape from SF to LA. I will ride as many of the 545 miles as I can, while remembering that I am mortal. I vow to strike the balance between a healthy sense of pushing myself, yet avoiding injury. I am not afraid to get on the "sag wagon" if necessary. I want to remember this event for the joys and challenges, not by the physical therapy that I inflicted upon myself by not respecting my personal limits. I am also open to the possibility of completely surprising myself and riding more miles than I expect possible. From where I sit now in this chair, nervously typing away on my last work day before the event, I am ready to mount my trusty steel horse, and get on the road!

Send me a message while I'm on the road, if you feel so inspired. And be sure to check out my audio broadcasts all next week. I'll try to represent some of the spirit and culture of the event I'll be participating in.

Also, http://aidslifecycle.typepad.com/ will have photos and info updated daily, as well.

With Gratitude,
Alex

Epic Stall!Century Cancelled...Bigger Lesson Learned.

I was all set to ride 100 miles on Saturday, but with the temperatures heading up towards the 90's last week, I went to bed Friday night sick to my stomach from heat stroke. Rather than injure myself 2 weeks before the ride, I slept in Saturday, and made a more mild 33 mile jouney from San Francisco to Fairfax.

I am learning at this stage that it is more important to learn to listen to my body and know when to quit, than to ride through adversity, with the possibility of injury. I have had to come to terms with the fact that I might not ride all of the 545 miles, taking advantage of the sweep vehicles to take me and my bike forth on the course, if necessary. But I will ride every mile I can, with a goal of riding 100% of the 545 miles. But if it comes down to a decision of health versus statistics, I've decided to take a break where necessary.

So this Saturday was good practice. I got to feel the effects of extreme heat around mile 25 and it was very uncomfortable. By the time I made it to the end of my ride, I was sick to my stomach and light headed. I think 100 miles in those conditions would have been debilitating. And I got to practice saying "enough." Perhaps just as important when it comes down to completing the ride and remaining healthy.

Happy Bike To Work Day 2008 !!!

Between leaving my house this morning and arriving at work, I stopped by four energizer stations, ate 2 free bagels, got a free stylish tote bag, renewed my SF Bike Coalition membership, and spoke with a handful of friendly cyclists.

On my 10 mile ride to the office, according to the on line calculator, I burned 360 calories. And compared to driving a SUV, I spared the air of 12.1 lbs of toxic emissions, and saved $6.66 in fuel costs. I wonder if that number is not merely a coincidence . . . you decide.



Commuters arriving at the Caltrain station this morning to find the friendly volunteers giving out bagels and tote bags and signing up new members to the SF Bike Coalition. I'm proud to be a part of the growing bicycle culture in the city.

Lunch: chicken fried steak torta from a "frutas, verduras, tortas" shop in SF. With my metabolism geared as high as it is, and the number of miles I'm riding, I don't have to worry about the amount of calories I eat. I just eat until I'm full. Another plug for cycling in this food obsessed society: canceling your gym membership! (yet more $$$ I'm not spending on a monthly basis on top of not owning a car.) Alright, enough ranting for this blog post. Off to digest . . .

Mind over matter. The turn of the century is near.

A "Century" is a slang term for a 100 mile ride.

June 1st is right around the corner. That is the day that I will be amongst 2,500 bicyclists rolling away from San Francisco on our seven day, 545 mile journey towards Los Angels.

I am ready. Almost.

I sent out my final fund raising letter to my email list, and it resulted in a massive final outpouring of funds that pushed me well over my $5,000 fund raising goal. At this point, the pressure of fund raising is off.

I think between now and June 1st, my strength and endurance won't change much, so it's just a process of preparing mentally for the exertion and fatigue that will ensue during so many consecutive days of riding.

So towards the goal of mental preparation, this Saturday am going on my final intense training ride. I will be starting at my house at 5:30 am, and joining a group near the Golden Gate Bridge for a ride to Petaluma and back home. All together it will total about 100 miles! I have decided that if I can pull an unsupported century in relative comfort, then I am as ready as I need to be for the actual event, which will involve massive group energy, and staffed rest stops every 10 to 15 miles.

Whether I am with a group or not, I no longer feel that I ride alone. I am coasting on the support and encouragement I have received from countless people. I am grateful.

Plastic and the Marin Head Lands.

With the revelation of the plastic soup in the Pacific Subtropical Gyre, and the number of birds and aquatic animals dying from a diet of plastic, why do we need any more information to make a rapid and complete changeover from plastic to biodegradable vegetable based products?

I have just completed over 1500 training miles since the end of November'07. As June draws near, I am noticing a feeling that no matter how much I ride, I don't quite feel like I'll be quite ready for the rigor of 545 miles in 7 days. Helpful advice from prior riders includes the fact that even if I can't finish a particular day's miles, I can always grab a spot on the "sag wagon" and be driven to the campsite for the evening. While it's not my first choice in how to participate in the ride, it is comforting to know that doing my best will be enough, and someone's got my back.

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, I've gone on 30 mile rides to uncharted areas in the Headlands and back. The feeling of exploration and discovery has been inspiring, reinvigorating, and healing. As the weekends between now and the ride continue to be packed with events that often preclude long training rides, I've found the ability to go out riding on a weeknight most reassuring that I will be able to continue to increase my strength and stamina and hill climbing tolerance.

The Headlands create a pleasant micro-climate which blocks the intense wind coming off the ocean at night this time of year. In the silence of the setting sun, with only the sound of clicking cogs and heavy breathing in my immediate vicinity, the space opens up to reveal the natural treasures of the land. The evening light shines hard upon the blooming spring flowers and jagged rocks. And the sound of birds of prey cut through the descending evening in a manner inviting presence and awareness. I think of it as the Head Lands for its mentally soothing rejuvenating potential

Last night, I rode past the Marin Marine Mammal Center, which takes in distressed ocean animals, rehabilitates and releases them. I thought about my friend who works there as I rode past, and on my way returning to The City, passed him on the road as he was driving towards his weekly evening volunteer shift! He flagged me down with a flash of his headlights, and we stopped to talk for a moment and he revealed that there were less animals than usual in the center, so it was likely to be less busy than usual.

Today I asked him how his shift went, and he reported that it was business as usual. I asked him if he saw any animals that were suffering the effects of eating plastic. He said a sperm whale which recently washed up on a local beach was cut open, and a few hundred pounds of plastic fishing line and netting was found balled up in its gut.

It probably "costs" less to produce a plastic fork than one made out of biodegradable potato or corn starch. But how could it cost less to drill and refine oil into plastic, than to grow and process a vegetable from the earth? Simplified: it doesn't. Oil is so heavily financially subsidized, that it costs the producer less to use the material that has very great cost (economic, as well as flesh and blood. Iraq? Hello?) than to use something sustainable, easy to grow, that won't end up as plastic beach sand in the Pacific after being photo-degraded into progressively smaller bits. But seeing the photos of our polluted oceans, and the suffering animals of the earth, why do we need any more information to make a change?

He said, "Things are starting to change slowly, but it will take time."
I replied, "We don't have time."
"No we don't . . ." he said, walking away.

The Marin Headlands. A 'jaunt' is born.

Last week's training ride to the Marin Headlands was a revelation. It is perhaps the most compact, beautiful route I can imagine. And a round trip from my house, with some additional weaving, is about 25 miles. Perfect for these longer-lighted days.

Marin Headlands, I hope to see you again and again.

Here are some pictures from last week's ride, and a couple from last night, when I repeated part of the route for an evening training run.

Crossing the bridge, Marin Headlands in the background:

Stopping to rest up on the hill with my training buddies:

The view from here:

The descent, which involved navigating a long tunnel that uses a 5 minute delayed traffic signal to allow traffic through one direction at a time:

And taken during last night's "Jaunt":

I walked through the tunnel at the top, and found the following view on the other side. An epic expanse of trails and hills ripe for the exploring (another day).

The tunnel back to the road:

Hills.

If there's a single topic of discussion that all riders seem to enjoy, it's hills. The joy, the pain, the anticipation, the legendary ascents.

Thus have I learned about hills:

• If you continue pedaling, no matter how slowly, you will eventually get to the top.
• The reward of a difficult hill is an exhilarating downhill.
• Talking to someone while you ascend makes it much easier.
• Complaining (or riding with a complainer) while you ascend makes it much harder.

I have been on a lot of training rides heading North from San Francisco, which usually involves encountering the famously feared Camino Alto Road. Here is a video I took, starting near the top of the ascent, and continuing down to the traffic light at the bottom of the hill.

Note: the bumpiness of the descent kept angling the camera down, which occasionally brings my headlight into the frame.

For all the computer gamers out there, that is not a handlebar-mounted weapon of any sort, it is a battery powered accessory designed to project photons in a focused pattern to warn car drivers of my presence in low light situations.

Bicycling - natural link to thrills and adventure.

I achieved my lifetime maximum single day mileage this weekend. 65 miles on Saturday, the 1st of March, 2008. It has become a wonderful feeling (as I wasn't feeling so wonderful at the time.) But, a couple days later, refueled through rest, ingestion of protein and carbohydrates, and lots of fluid replacement, I am feeling a mixture of accomplishment and doom. It was a difficult ride, and my capacity is about two thirds the way towards an average day on the seven day AIDS/LifeCycle ride. Oy.

The ride was undertaken with a crew of about 15 riders of varying experience, starting and ending at the Orinda rapid transit station, which is about 20 miles from San Francisco. I had been getting bored of riding to Fairfax, where the local rides were heading, and wanted to branch out to see territory unexplored, for which these training rides have been a fantastic motivation.

My training partner through the this ride seemed to be in her early 60's, and had previously ridden the ALC, and had ridden various bicycle touring events around the West Coast. I started up a conversation early with her regarding her custom bicycle frame, and ended up riding most of the day with her, as she maintained a slow, patient pace up hills. She had said to me several times, "feel free to pass me." And I replied, "I'd like to keep the pace slow, and I'm well aware of how many more miles we have to go." Which I can now call the voice of experience. I've learned that feeling good for 20 miles has nothing to do with feeling good for 40 miles, and absolutely nohting to do with being able to maintain comfort and stamina for 60 miles. So, a 4 mph uphill pace was plenty fast for me. At the end of the ride, I still felt very tired, but my knees were not injured, and the soreness to follow was minimized compared to rides where I had kept up a higher pace.

I felt like I had been let in on a Cycle Jedi secret when, after 10 or 15 miles together, she said, "Alex, I'll tell you something. The people who don't pace are the ones who end up filling the medical tents in the evenings during the ride." Tell it true!

Following are some pictures taken during a short training ride I took earlier in the week in preparation for my 65 mile day. These were taken at Fort Funston, in the southwest quadrant of San Francisco. The area includes a cliff overlooking the ocean. Hang gliders congregate there to float on the thermal updrafts.

Tag along with me, and we'll go for a spin.

A'ight. Who's ready to jump on the Lex-Train? Utilizing my low-tech-high-function grippy Flexpod camera mount, I've recorded these intimate views of life on the road. These were recorded on The Great Highway along the Western border of San Francisco, which runs parallel to Ocean Beach and the edge of the Pacific Ocean.

First view: aiming straight ahead.



To the left, beach front property and clouds.



To the right, arm hair flowing in the gentle breeze.



My sunscreened punim, obscured by Rx shades.

Amgen Tour of California.

The Amgen Tour of California is underway this week.

Now that I own a bike computer that calculates accurate speed and distance for my own rides, I can see the capacity of these riders is beyond belief. Ascending at 28 mph! I've managed to hit that speed while descending large hills with a tailwind. Super human!

Unleashing (or maybe leashing?) the inner Dalmation.

I biked about 85 miles this weekend! And while I am feeling a little weary today, my inner experience of qi is that it is full and freely flowing.

Something that I have realized about myself through training for the AIDS LifeCycle ride in June, is that physically, I am rather like a dalmation. Typing "dalmation exercise" into google yielded this page which yielded information such as:

• If you are unable to exercise your dog, then you will have to find someone who would love to, daily. Walking alone may not be enough exercise for your Dalmatian - - they need to run.
• Given the right diet and the right amount of exercise, Dalmatians can live to 13 to 15 years. Without this, their life expectancy is in the range of 7 years (according to the Dalmation Research Foundation).
  

It may sound strange in this context to say I can relate, but I feel that if I've learned anything about my body to this point, it's that I've been under-exercised for years. And coming from someone who doesn't own a car, and rides a bicycle as my main form of transportation, I have to say I'm a bit surprised. I'm guessing different breeds of dogs demonstrate different exercise needs, as do different humans, but apparently I'm geared towards the high end of the spectrum. As opposed to wearing out, I'm breaking in.

This comes as good news to someone who, as recently as a month ago, was laying awake with anxiety about how I was ever going to generate the motivation to train to the point that I'd be ready to ride 545 miles in 7 days, come June 1st.

As I was saying in my last post...

"... tomorrow's bicycling journey from San Francisco to Petaluma to spend the night at the farmhouse of one of my oldest bestest friends."

Here she is!



(on the right: Sadie. To the left: her sister Mish mish.)

Oh yeah . . . I was pretty happy to see their Momma, too.

And now presenting, the ride show slide show. Including: the debut photos of the Surly Long Haul Trucker in action:



For the 'detail oriented', I have prepared a list of everything I carried on my overnight journey.

A thought I had while riding, "I wish I could take people with me to see how beautiful this is." The best I can do with the available technology is to share these two videos taken with my camera mounted on my handlebars.

First video: Riding across the Golden Gate Bridge.



Second video: Riding along Nicasio Valley Road, right after turning North off of Sir Frances Drake Blvd outside of Fairfax.

Off to sleep before a big ride...

... if that's even possible.

I've just finished packing and preparing for tomorrow's bicycling journey from San Francisco to Petaluma to spend the night at the farmhouse of one of my oldest bestest friends. And I'm pretty excited. So should sleep come soon, I'll be grateful to bank the hours of rest that I'm most certainly going to extract tomorrow. The total distance of my ride, as calculated on googlemaps, should be around 60 miles! This will the be longest recorded single day of riding in my life.

Against published advice, I'm raising my current maximum from 40 miles to 60 miles, a 50 percent increase. The reason I'm making such a bold leap, is that the previous miles were logged on the back-breaking, calf-crunching machine known as my Marin Novato which I ride daily around the city.

The Marin Novato:

Tomorrow's ride will be undertaken on my plushy new steel steed, the Surly Long Haul Trucker! I consider the distances to be comparable, when considering "body miles" versus "road miles." Wish me luck!

**update 2/11/08: The actual recorded mileage, per my bicycle computer, was 50 miles. As I had mentally prepared for another 10, it felt like I arrived "early" and had a lot of energy to spare! Is that why some people set their clocks fast on purpose?**


(More Surly Long Haul Trucker Pictures forthcoming... I'm bringing my camera on tomorrow's ride.)

Thank you Superbowl Sunday - what a day to ride!

Superbowl XLII was only the 2nd football game I watched this season. I would usually rather spend my Sunday afternoons being outdoors, and my Monday night's resting. But, the cultural lure of watching the Superbowl was greater than my usual momentum away from watching football. I enjoyed watching the game with my Dad who was visiting. And I feel a responsibility to say that I found the commercials repulsive.

My summary of the dominant advertising angle: single out any thread of the cultured, refined, educated, intellectual, or non-traditional masculine, and beat it with your fist. Nay, attack it with violent force, and don't stop until it's reduced to a smoldering pile, or a bloody wreck.

Whether it was watching someone threatening to run over Richard Simmons with a car, smashing Justin Timberlake's genitals on a parking meter, or sending a giant mouse borg through the drywall to pummel an effeminate guy eating doritos, I saw it as various flavors of the same poison.

And while all that was running through my head, my body was enjoying a feast of barbequed delicacies, in recovery mode after riding 30 miles along roads normally choked with traffic. It felt like early morning on Christmas or New Years day. An atypical calm falling over the chaos of the cities. Where was everyone? Oh yeah, gathering to watch sports and commercials.

One particularly memorable stretch of the ride was the 4 miles of Cañada Rd that were shared with a couple of riders from the area who caught up to me to chat. We rode three aside, only passed by 2 cars over the entire time we rode together. While we rode south, the road was gently hilly, overlooking a gorgeous reservoir to the West with mountains in the background. Waves of clouds passing overhead, blue sky peeking through, made the whole scene dream like. I found silent pleasure in watching the guy on the titanium Independent Fabrications bicycle huff and puff to keep up with me on my proud steel frame. As my friend and cycling mentor Sean said in response to me telling him about that, "There you go, even $8000 doesn't matter if you don't put the time in."

Whether watching the "state of the union" through advertisement, or experiencing a state of bicycling bliss, life is a mixed bag. And on this past Sunday, I blame it all on the Superbowl. Giving thanks!