Have plastic French Press, will travel...

Someone told me today that I am famous on ALC for my need for Peets Coffee and my plastic French Press... (famous?) Anyhow, I thought I'd share the info on my French Press so that I don't have to share so much of my coffee this year. :-p

This is the Lexan (plastic) French Press available at REI.



It is 33oz and if you go to the dining tent early in the morning (or heck, late for that matter) you can get boiling hot water to pour into it. Let it steep about 5 or 10 minutes then press and voila- everyone is your best friend!

I don't need a whole lot of coffee in the morning, usually just about 6 oz or so. But its amazing how people will smile widely at you when they see you with a fresh pot of good coffee at 5 in the morning.

Me, Michael and Peets makin' friends.

Go Greenbelt Ride Report...

A few folks have asked me about the Go Greenbelt ride I did last month so I figured I'd post the letter I sent out to my donors to recap...

Wow. It's been a month since the ride and I can't believe I'm just coming off the high of riding for 7 days.... well ok, just getting over a horrible sinus infection that gave me a cloudy brain for two weeks.

Thanks so much to you all for your incredible support, both monetary and mentally. Riding 7 days in the Bay Area is just about as incredible and green as you can imagine! The organizers of Go Greenbelt have been doing this for the past 14 years, and have the support part down pat- I had no complaints whatsoever!

The greatest thing about this ride is that it is limited to 75 riders or less, and most riders are experienced at riding multiple days. Most had done the AIDS ride at some point in the last 10 years, and most now do this ride because it affects the area in which we live and because riding with a much smaller group is so different from the AIDS Rides. Not better mind you, but much much different. Rather than camping, we were able to stay at a church in each town, sleeping in sleeping bags on air mattresses- in recreation halls or the actual church itself!

Day 1 was SF to Los Gatos. We rode through the Presidio and GG Park out to the Great Highway and on to Skyline. From there we headed to Woodside with a lunch stop at Robert's market. Note: many lunches and dinners on the ride were "on our own" (aka we paid for ourselves), but because the ride has experienced riders on it, there was no lack of suggestions for eating places. It was nice to eat in reasonably priced places with good food! After Woodside, it was up Old La Honda back to skyline, riding all the way to Highway 9 into Saratoga (great downhill!!!) and into Los Gatos.

Day 2 was Los Gatos to East San Jose (the old 'hood where I grew up!) via Morgan Hill and parts of South San Jose. We also rode up Metcalf Road (those of you who do Tierra Bella know this road) and down toward the Silver Creek Area of San Jose. When I was a kid, all of these areas were agricultural land with cows grazing area. Now there are Mega Homes with zero lot lines and homes so close to each other you can tell when your neighbor is running out of shampoo...

Day 3 East San Jose to Livermore VIA MT. HAMILTON. yes, over the mountain, past the observatory and down Mines Road to the next county. The road on the downside of Mt. Hamilton is CRAZY! Windy and steep hairpin turns, each ending with a CATTLE GUARD! what is up with that? Actually, it was very beautiful on that side of the mountain, and we got lucky- usually that side is dry and hot and this time it was cool and comfortable.

Day 4 Livermore to Fairfield. THis was a veeery interesting day, because we had the option of A. riding the entire 88 miles, 40% of which was on Vasco Road- a very very dangerous piece of road that is bad enough driving a car on, much less riding a bike on. or B. Getting shuttled to Brentwood to start your ride from there- about a 55 mile trek, or C. Starting from Rio Vista through the Montezuma hills (where the windmills are!) and onto Highway 12 which is also busy with trucks but not as bad as Vasco Road. I took the C option- I'm no fool! The Montezuma Hills are very very windy but beautiful- and those windmills are so very cool when you see them up close!

Day 5 (no red dresses, darn!) Fairfield to Santa Rosa. The route took us through Napa Valley, up my favorite Silverado Trail and across to 29 and the V. Sattui Winery where we had a catered lunch which was awesome and needed before a very very hard climb up Spring Mountain Road which basically is the most direct non highway road from Napa directly into Sonoma County. It was one of the hardest climbs I've done- not to mention the fact it was about 90 degrees that day and you all know how much I love to climb in the heat! NOT.

Day 6 Santa Rosa to Olema. I think this was probably the most beautiful day because Sonoma County really has kept it's country areas rural with little or no development. There is something to be said about riding in rural areas, cleaner air, friendly people, and residents who are so up with the Greenbelt Alliance and Go Greenbelt that they are very proud that you are riding through their towns. Riding up Coleman Valley Road to the Coast (Bodega Bay, Tomales, Pt. Reyes) reminds you that we are very lucky to be living in an area where people still respect their open space! Highway 1, although a little busy- is still one of the best cycling highways in the area. We traversed down highway 1, with a stop of course at the Bovine Bakery before pulling into the Olema Campground where we spent our last night. Well ok, Everyone Else spent their last night-- I stayed at the Olema Inn.

That night we had our last dinner together at the Olema Ranchouse- the dinner was paid for by a grant from Bill Graham Productions, and also we were visited by a major Sponsor of the Go Greenbelt Ride- KFOG! (yes, I think by now I've talked Greg into doing this ride next year...) I'm guessing by next year, with sponsors like that - and me blabbing my mouth off- the Go Greenbelt Ride will be "the ride to do", as an alternative or in addition to, AIDS Lifecycle.

Day 7 Olema to San Franciso via Mt. Tam. From scenic highway 1, we hung a left at Fairfax-Bolinas Road and headed up, up, up through the fog to Ridgecrest Road and on to the Seven Sisters- if that's what you call them. I think there are nine sisters actually, but mostly because I'm delirious by the time I get to Ridgecrest so I can't count anyway. From there its up to the top, or down Pantoll Road, which I did and back to SF via Sausalito grade. It was ALC's "Day on the Ride" so I ran into a few riders on the way back to the Presidio. It was a blending of rides, which was sort of cool!

Would I ride it again? you bet! Even though the organizational logistics are very different from ALC- it is an exceptionally well run 7 day ride. The fundraising minimum is $1,000 and your $50 registration fee goes toward your fundraising. It is an awesome route, and I think they may move the date out a week or two so that they can get consistently better weather. In the past they have had days of rain on this ride. Luckily this year it was only a little rain during ride out day 1. Next year they are also hoping to adjust day 4 so that we avoid Vasco Road and instead go up Mt. Diablo. That would mean riding the 3 major mountains in the area in one week - Mt. Hamilton, Mt. Tam and Mt. Diablo! Diablo I would gladly do instead of Vasco Road...

So thanks again for all of your support and Kudos! I think I am the #3 fundraiser for Go Greenbelt this year, but I will find out for sure when we have our reunion/prizes party in June. Stay tuned.

Countdown...

Got this idea from Shelly Ross... pretty cool!

Rain (and fear) Cancels....

Friday, May 19th.... Just about 2 weeks until we ride out for AIDS Lifecycle 5. Today we had a ride scheduled from the Sports Basement to the Cheese Factory and back, about 65 miles. We headed out from SB under overcast skies and wound our way over the bridge without incident and then out to Marin with a stop at San Anselmo Coffee Roasters. There were a few sprinkles here and there along the way, but nothing that I worried about. We all re-fueled at the coffee shop and sat outside chatting, noticing that the sprinkles were coming down just a little harder now. Rain? We know how to ride in rain, and this is nothing like what we rode under in Napa on the Silverado trail way back when. No problem, lets gear up and go....

6 folks took the lead, John - an official TRL went with them. About 10 minutes later the rest of us got our act together and rode out together toward Fairfax. As we rode, the rain came down much more steadily. Hmm.... my brain starts working.

"Pull over at the Fairfax Coffee Roasters!", I yell. About a dozen of us huddle under the awnings, watching the rain come down while I make the mental decision that NO, we cannot ride over White's Hill and onward, with only 2 weeks left til Ride Out. I decide it would be safer and drier for us to turn back. How many people have wiped out on White's Hill in dry weather? I will not chance it. I leave a message for John on his cell phone, that we have turned back. I hope that at some point in Nicasio he will have cell service and receive my message.

I invite anyone who would like to continue on, to do so (at their own risk). Luckily, everyone agrees that we do not need to take the chance on riding in the rain this close to Day 1. So instead we turn back and re-trace our steps back to Sausalito, stopping at Cafe Trieste for lunch (pizza with marybeth, yum!!). I talk with John, who reassured me we made a good decision to turn back, as he was at Nicasio and drenched. We figured out how to reach one rider, David, who was ahead of John and probably already at the Cheese Factory.... call the Cheese Factory and have them get a message to him. After a few tries it worked for John!

Special Note: David Buonocore, awesome rider riding ALC (and this training ride) on a FIXED GEAR bike- was the ONLY rider today to make it to the Cheese Factory and back. David, we all stand in awe. (oh to be young again!) You ROCK man!

After lunch, as a special treat some of us decide to ride back to the bridge via Fort Baker, which has a gnarly climb back up to the bridge. After that climb we carry our bikes under the bridge via the pedestrian walkway, back to the East side to cross the bridge. Not too bad.

I talk with John to find out status (besides the fact that they are soaked). He and Wilfredo are back in Fairfax, waiting for a cab. It is waaaay to rainy to continue riding. Later on the catch up somehow with David and the three take a cab back to SB, soaking wet, I'm sure.

I'm bummed, as I always am, when I have to cancel a ride. It seems like I have had to do this too many times this season. But when I think of the fact we are only 2 weeks out, I don't want to be the TRL that has an accident on her ride where someone breaks a bone and cannot do The Ride- because we made the dumb choice of riding White's Hill in the rain. No sirreee, not me, I don't want that distinction! :-)

Wow I just found out Blogger is now a widget on Mac OS 10.4   way cool.....

May Already?

For some reason Blogger doesn't like my browser (or my browser doesn't like blogger) so I haven't been able to update for awhile... I finally decided to use someone elses computer. That and my recent sinus infection is my excuse for the delay in blogging.

Lesseee...what has happened recently.

Go Greenbelt! ride took place April 23-29th. What an awesome Ride! It is a very well supported organized week long ride around the greenbelt of the Bay Area. I would suggest this ride as an alternative to AIDS Lifecycle for anyone who wants a change one year. I, of course have decided to do both rides this year, meaning I am taking two weeks off work to ride. Not a bad gig. I was able to raise over $2,000 for Go Greenbelt this year, but hitting up all of my cycling friends for donations. With their help, I think I was in the top 3 or 4 for fundraising. I will find out for sure next month when we have our "reunion and prizes" party.

Go Greenbelt was a much much smaller group of experienced cyclists (45 of us). The mileage each day was anywhere from 60 to 80 miles each day. The route, however was nowhere close to easy, with mega climbs up to Mt Hamilton and Mt. Tam as well as a little known road between Sonoma and Napa County called "Spring Mountain". Man that was a tough climb, but well worth the crazy downhill! The best thing about Go Greenbelt is that we are helping Greenbelt Alliance in its quest to prevent Urban Sprawl. The route took us through many areas (Morgan Hill, Brentwood) where the creeeping of residential developments into agricultural or open space areas is clearly evident... and sad.

May 6th Mike and I rode the metric centry route of the Wine Country Century. It was a beautiful weekend to ride, the weather was not too hot and the colors of the valley were amazing! We started our 62 mile ride at 7am and ended at 1pm. What's funny is that we had to actually slow down our pace, or we would have gotten in at about 11am (with lunch at 9am)! We took lots of pictures and met lots of nice riders who we pacelined with and generally enjoyed chatting with.

Unfortunately, that afternoon triggered a nasty hay fever spell for me. This eventually progressed into a full blown Sinus Infection for about 2 weeks which pretty much kept me off the bike and kept me inside the house. I finally got to my Doc who happily gave me an antibiotic so that I could get back on the road this weekend... Last weekend I missed a two day ride The Jonathan Pon Ride, which was sponsored by the Positive Pedalers. I felt a little better the 2nd day of that ride, so I drove up to give support and "go rider" shouts to those on the road that I passed.

This weekend it's supposed to rain (figures), and I am slated to lead a 90ish miler from SF to the Marshall "wall" and back. I am actually happy it may rain, I think it may knock all the bad pollen out of the air and leave me some good air to inhale for awhile. I'm pretty used to riding in the rain anyway, so at least riding it in 65 degree weather will be better than some of the temps I rode in back in March!

See you on the road... AID Lifecycle is only 16 days away!