Couldn't do it two days in a row even with Apollo waiting for me

Distance 30.0
Moving Time 2:12:02
Elevation 2,297ft
Avg Speed 13.6mi/h
Max Speed 34.0mi/h
Heart Rate Avg 121bpm Max 144bpm
Calories 1,060
Temperature 59

Wakeup Time: 5:30 a.m. / Meet Time: 7:15 a.m. / Ride-out Time: 8:00 a.m.

Thank you volunteer AIDS/LifeCycle Training Ride Leaders Kas, Dan, Rex, Kathryn, George B, George H, Judy and Hugo with special appreciation to Mark Smith and Mary Beth for being wonderful SAG supporters.

I love my husband, John Finn, for waking up early to take me to my Sunday ride in Orinda since BART does operate until 8:00 a.m. Angelica and Jamie came by to say hi to him before he drove back home. Seeing the familiar faces from this Orinda Sunday ride group was a joy. Lots of hellos and hugs for all.

Why does the camera make Anthony pose this way?

The dapper Mark Smith reviews the route

She made it

The gesture isn't PG

More of dapper Mark

Even Francisco is thinking twice about Mt. Diablo

Captured three friends

My future tent mate - as soon as he fundraises a minimum $3k. He does year-after-year.

After a warm-up led by Hugo, Mark Smith reviewed the route, which included going up part way to Mt. Diablo. Hmm? Deja vu. Didn't I just do this yesterday? Regardless, I did feel ready and once Carlos and I headed off after the safety speech and giving lending me a pair of gloves because I forgot mine, I felt good. We whisked away up Moraga Road toward St. Mary's onto mile 26.5 for rest stop one at Peet's in Castro Valley. Once we started up Pinehurst, my legs, if they could, would have started talking to me. The conversation would have been ...

Legs: WTF? Mt. Diablo, again?! How did YOU not know this?

Art: Hey, I'm fine. It's just a back-to-back

Legs: Okay, we'll give it a try.

Then, we made a right on Redwood Road towards Skyline Boulevard ...

Legs: I don't think you know what your getting yourself into.

Art: I'm fine. Stop bullying me.

Legs: I just want to make sure you're not overdoing the cycling thing.

Art: I've been doing back-to-backs for the last few months.

Legs: Do you remember you told yourself that you would NOT overtrain. I think today is one of those instances.

Art: Just hold off, okay.

After 9.5 miles on Skyline (where I took my windbreaker and arm warmers off), Left on 98th Avenue, Left on MacArthur Boulevard (where my chain in the rear gear dropped), Left on Estudillo, Left on Lake Chabot Road ...

Legs: I repeat. WTF?!

Art: I understand. We'll regroup and determine what to do at the first rest stop.

Legs: Sounds good.

And, finally we roll into the parking lot and are ready for a break. Carlos, Steve, Jamie and a few other folks had already been there for a few minutes. I told Carlos that I could maybe cycle a few more miles to the second rest stop, when Jeff chimed-in and said he was taking BART back ...

Legs: What are you waiting for? Tell Carlos you're leaving with Jeff.

Art: You win!

My only rest stop one photo

Always happy to Ramona

Don't you adore the caption above. I realized after going to bed at 6:45pm  and waking up oh so refreshed that It should have said, "Always happy to 'see' Ramona." But, I'd rather add a definition of Ramona: (verb) to have fun and enjoy life. 

So that was my short day, and I'm so glad I didn't push myself beyond my limits. I just couldn't ride up Mt. Diablo two days in a row even with Apollo waiting for me (see yesterday's post). It's hot right now for cycling 72!