NYC Bike Race

You have to see this video.
NYC Bike Race

Watch Video

AMGEN Tour of California

The AMGEN Tour of California is coming! I'm really excited that California is having a cycling tour and especially with the pro cycling teams that are involved (Discovery, T-Mobile, CSC …). It will be a 700-mile race which will take place on Feb 19-26. The starting line is San Francisco and ending at Redondo Beach. What makes this event even more special is that the tour will also raise funds for cancer care treatment and awareness. All around this is a good thing happening.

On a personal note it’s really interesting how cycling and cancer seem to come together for me. I started cycling when I participated in The Leukemia Society’s Team in Training program which raised funds for cancer research. Now 5 years later I’m still cycling and still helping wherever and whenever I can. I am amazed at how small our world can be sometimes.

I can’t wait for the tour. I’m really looking forward to being apart and witnessing this event.

Visit the tour web site: AMGENTOUROFCALIFORNIA.COM

velomobile

Step aside Fred Flintstone and check out these wheels. Granted you still need the leg muscle to work these, but if you love to cycle this just seems awesome. The Velomobile is capable of cruising at speeds of around 30mph on flat roads. It comes either fully covered or partially enclosed. All I have to say about this is I want one. I would totally ride this to work.



Unfortunately these are expensive. If you get the ones produced in Europe they run around 5,000 to.7,000 and if you purchase in the USA it’s 5,000 to $6,000. If you can afford it you still might be placed in a 3 year waiting list.

Oh I love this “Due to its weight -- but better aerodynamics -- performance is drastically different. Huffing it up a hill at 3 mph, there's no forgetting you're in a 70-pound machine and not on a 18-pound road bike.” Good thing there’s lots of flat land around here. I write this as if I could purchase one of these. LOL.

Read the Article and find out more - Saddle Up Yer Velomobile

Conquering Spain in 2007

My new year’s resolution for each year is to check something off my I wish I did that list. Every year I pick something and just go for it. I first started with sky diving, and then I did a 100 mile bike ride in New Mexico, after that it was a Hockey clinic with the LA KINGS (I actually skated on Staples Center Ice). Then I tried to learn how to swim; still haven’t conquered this one. Last year it was another 100 mile bike ride in Tahoe. I know cycling twice I just can’t seem to get away from spinning my wheels. This year I’ve decided to step it up a bit and try cycling in Spain. There are still lots more that I would like to do, but for now I’m very happy with the cycling. The best part of my crazy adventures is that I get to enjoy them with friends. This little adventure will actually end up happening till 2007. I have a whole year to work my way up to it.

In the meantime I'm super excited and am looking forward to another year of cycling. I hope to sign up for some rides and really get my legs working again.

Comments SPAM!!!

There is SPAM in my comments! Now I was all excited to see that someone actually took an interest in my ramblings. So I go to check the comments on my last post and I find SPAM! Maybe if they were related to what I'm writing about I wouldn't mind as much. Instead they are freaking advertising some certifcation program, totally off the mark w/this blog. I'm too tired tonight to try and figure out how to delete them. This is just rediculous.

Miles and Miles and Miles

I miss the miles.

Cool Breeze  

Cool Breeze 2005

BID #1992 Cool Breeze Metric Ride (60 Miles)
Event Date: 08/20/05

Yesterday I awoke at 3:30 am made my friends (Alondra and Rico) pick me up at around 5:00 am and off we went to Ventura. Why? To the starting off of yet another cycling event but this time I didn’t ride 100 miles instead I did 60 miles.

I was pretty nervous about completing this ride simply because I was not prepared for it. Also in the past rides in which I participated I had difficulties in each. The Cruising the Conejo ride back in May I had difficulties with my legs and couldn’t finish the full metric and had to quit. Then for the Tahoe Century ride in June I had a chain the kept popping off every time I tried to go up hill. With the many hills and cold weather finishing the century ride took every single ounce of energy I had. For this event I trained 3 times on the road for max distances of 25 miles and few spinning classes here and there. Knowing this I still went ahead and prayed I finished the ride okay.

At the event I gathered with my riding partners for the day, Erica and Ed whom I met while training for the Tahoe ride and Erica’s friend Sam. My goal was just to get to each resting zone. The fewer miles I had to think of the better. So first break was 14 miles away, easy I can do that. On the way there I got a flat on my back wheel. ARG!!! Okay so we stop pull to the side and Ed changes the tire and helpful support guy from cool breeze brings a floor pump and get the tire all fixed up. Great! Ready to go again and we continued to ride on. The road was mostly flat at this point and I was feeling so good that I even waved hello to the camera with both hands while riding. We made it to the first stop and met up with Alondra and Rico my personal support team for the day. It was great to see a friendly face waiting.

Then we took off and we headed for the hills. Oh yes now I remembered why I was nervous. My heart rate went up, my breathing was a little difficult and I kept pushing hard but riding slower. I recalled my past training, controlled my breathing and paced myself and continued on. I even had a chat with a woman about team in training and her bad experience of falling and cracking her helmet in four places. I gave her some tips on how to climb the hills and wished her luck as we reached the top and I zoomed away.

GOING DOWN HILL WAS GREAT. That’s it.

Most of the ride was fairly flat; OH we even got to ride on the Ventura freeway. That was interesting. It was scary yet fun because the wind of the cars gave us a boost and a nice break. We saw beautiful homes going up and as we came back we had a beautiful coastal view.

It’s a SNAKE. Yes on the way back we not only had to be careful of pedestrians as the sign said as we entered the bike path, but the sign forgot to mention snakes. I was right behind Ed and he rolls over a snake lying on the pathway. I had no other choice but to roll right on top of it as it curled up from the impact. Cliped into the pedals I tried to raise my feet and I yelled SNAKE and looked at my wheels to make sure it didn’t get trapped in them. Frightening experience and thankfully no one got hurt, well exept for the poor snake taking in some sun.

We got to the finish line with a smile on our face and everyone safe. WE FINISHED. I was so surprised I did so well considering I didn’t train. It was a great ending and I think it only took about 5 hours.

Like my friend Alondra says we are crazy. YEAH sure lets do a ride around LAKE TAHOE, okay or Yeah sure I’ll ride 60 miles and not train for it. Let me tell you it feels good to be crazy. Till the next ride, maybe I’ll do another century in Arizona.

Thanks to all my team mates and Alondra/Rico for making the event fun.

View Elevation map

Having fun going up hill, what a change 

Alondra and Rico, super support team 

Look mom no hands 

TNT Bandits : Alumni team in training members 

5/21 Training day 11– 60 miles

I fell! 30 miles into the ride going up hill I crashed big time. Alondra and I were riding with a slower group and as we were going up hill remembered that we needed to wait for fellow team mates. Alondra turned right to wait and I was to follow. But as I was turning right I was thinking I need to notify someone that we will be waiting and as I was thinking and starting to turn I forgot to signal I was turning. As I was turning I didn’t realize how close the people riding behind me were. So one team mate rode on while the other rode straight into me and we collided. He came from the right side and completely surprised me (as I’m sure I surprised him). I screamed and went down and he was able to save himself.

I hit the ground falling on my right side. I quickly got up checked my bike and my team mates came over to check on me. Now I have a cut and swollen knee, another cut near my elbow a large road rash on my shoulder and some very minor scratches on my hands. After putting some ointment (don’t know what) we check my bike again. The bike tape is ripped, the right gear is scratched and my brakes were off place. With some quick adjustments to the bike and myself (make sure I didn’t break any bones) I got back on and rode another 30 miles of hills and hills and hills at Palos Verdes.

Now a day after I have the bruises and sunburn on my shoulders and I ache. It hurts to lift my right arm, actually it just plain hurts. So that was my Saturday ride. I can’t type more because I’m in pain. Hope next week goes better for me. Only one more training ride left before the big one in June.

Oh only was able to complete 60 miles due to heat and pain. The goal was to get hours on the bike not so much miles. I believe we did about 7 hours (lots of hills).

Fundraising Update

The event is fast approaching and I still need to raise $755 in order to meet my goal. There are a few things happening if you all would still like to help out in the fight against cancer.

Tickets for the dining cruise are still available – Click here for details

And the always popular and immediate way is to donate directly – Click Here

Please pass the word.
Thank You for your support.

5/7 Training day 10 – 68 miles

Cruisin’ the Conejo 2005

An official ride was the schedule event for sat. Again up at 4am excited to go riding especially since I hadn’t been able for about 2 weeks (due to illness). This day too had been schedule for some rain but luckily it turned out to be one fantastic day.

The ride started off great. Everyone was there ready to go. I felt great we rode through 30 plus miles of climbing and going down some steep hill, which was exhilarating and scary at the same time.

For most of the ride I felt really great. But after our second stop (restroom break) we started off riding again and my legs could do no more. They were hurting and felt like lead. As much as I tried to push on I just had no power. I was slowing the group down and then decided to just stop and give my legs some time to rest. I travel on our personal sag vehicle (Rico is such and angel) and watch the rest of the riders go by. I felt horrible, I’ve never quit before and so badly wanted to go on, but my legs said no way.

So I was angry but the day was great and my team mates finished and now I have to come back next year to finish that ride.

4/30 Training Day 9 – NO Miles

Today we awoke around 430 am to go to THE MOTHER OF ALL GARAGE SALES. The west side team had a garage sale to raise money. It was some event especially playing with all the toys (hockey sticks, aliens and mini bike) we could find. One cup of coffee is all I had to keep me going at this all day event and boy it is scary what that one cup of coffee can do to me. View the links to some event pictures.

We were able to raise $1,650 at that garage sale. Awesome teamwork!

I was supposed to train Sunday but since it was my birthday weekend, I decided to party instead.

4/23 Training Day 8 – 50 Miles

This ride went pretty fast. Since I haven’t been keeping up to date on my blog I’ll try my best to remember what happened.

I know I was still sick and I coughed most of the way. By the end of the ride all I wanted was some chicken soup, a bath and my bed.

The ride itself was great. It was supposed to rain that morning but luckily the clouds held on till we finished. We started out at long beach and went south from there. We had some trouble at the beginning when one of our team mates got a flat. It was quickly fixed and off we went again.

My only mechanical trouble this time my gears not working properly – which I am still having trouble with (I need to find time to go to bike shop). Other than that it was the best ride for me yet (especially since I was trying to get over that darn cold). It went pretty smoothly with beautiful coastal views and everyone finished in good time.

4/9 Training Day 7 – 40 Miles

*I skipped training day 6, I was too ill and tired to try and ride – no Malibu ride for me.

This ride had me a bit nervous. Two things were against me, 1 my riding partner wasn’t with me, Alondra (she was ill this time) and 2 we were doing a route I haven’t done before. I arrived feeling still a bit ill. My sore throat and body wasn’t feeling up to making a long ride. As we started off I already felt tired, my legs ached and I was hungry. I was not a happy rider.

This Saturday ride started off at the LA Zoo and went all the way up to Montrose and a quick stop at the Rose Bowl. This ride had two big climbs, with the first starting around mile 10 and the other at mile 26. The first climb was sneaky, doesn’t reveal how long and tuff it is till the end. At the beginning of climb #1 I had a good pace and felt like I can do this with no problem. I even started singing to myself, “I feel good…”, I tend to sign when riding by myself it helps motivate me. Then I reached near the top and could start to see our SAG wagon, this is where the climb became tricky. This was the hardest part ever, I felt my legs were going to give up on me and I had no more gears to help. For a minute there I thought I would have to walk the end of it. I kept signing and peddling and remembering my spinning classes, hover tight body and keep spinning. I reached the TOP, aww finally I can eat my banana and half of peanut butter sandwich – food is good.

I’ll skip the rest (beautiful homes and scenery along the way) and go to climb #2.

I remember slightly cursing the hill and asking why am I doing this again (riding). Then I quickly get an answer it’s for Elysse (our honored team mate) and all those who battle cancer every day. This climb was very painful, so I looked down, and then I realized I still have another gear, woo hoo!!! I slowly rode to the top and then looked at the beautiful view at the top of Lida Vista Ave and it’s beautiful. We even stopped to take pictures. Yes I finally have pictures of the ride. Then you know what comes next – going back down , weeeee.

* View some of our team pictures View Photos Here.

At the end of this I felt great and so accomplished. I write this now two days after and I am so sore, my legs and mid section ache. It was a great ride and I would do it again.

Donation Status: I have been slacking but I will be sending more info on other ways to help and have some fun at the same time. Stay tuned.


I ride because I care

Donate Today! Click Here Now

Elysse our honored team mate and inspiration 

Taken from the top of Lida, 2nd climb