A Model Patient

Ah, life post surgery ....

Unclear as to when I may resume biking, so, in the meantime, I look forward to being a volunteer for the 2010 Low Key Hillclimbs -- the series begins this Saturday with Montebello, the traditional opener.

Put on Your Biking Clothes

"May I have your attention, please. Please observe me if you will. I'm Professor Howard Hill. Oh we got trouble." We got trouble right here in Silicon Valley. Ah, showtunes! - (no Led Zeppelin today) -- music to sing along to on a bike ride and when times are kinda rough. Today, I learned that my cat Charlotte has early stage renal failure. Her sister Cabbage died a year ago. So, the two of us are going to make the most of it while we can, you know. So, let's start. All aboard.

Put on your biking clothes. There's a lot of world out there. We're going to find adventure. Put on your biking clothes when you feel down and out .... Beneath your helmet, the world's all a smile ... there's no Blue Monday in your biking clothes.... [Hello Dolly modified]

Today's ride included Montebello above. Lovely vineyards -- Ridge, I think.



Later, a conversation with The Boyfriend:

Me: Listen, Mister
The BF: I feel a whopper coming
Me: You got that right, Mister.
The BF: I suppose you want a drum roll
Me: Listen, Mister, sure, you can do all 5 passes of the Death Ride, but, and it's big But, can you yodel and sing the Lonely GoatHerd from the Sound of Music while climbing Montebello - Odl lay ee, old lay lee, Odl lay hee hee, odl lay, Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl
The BF: Oh oh, help me.
Me: You got that right Mister. Once more. Odl lay ee, old lay lee, Odl lay hee hee, odl lay, Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl.
The BF: Help, help. Don't we have an 8th amendment?
Me: Too late, Mister. All the men climbing with me enjoyed my yodeling!
The BF: Sigh.
Me: Especially when I told them about my favorite things ...
The BF: Sigh.
Me: By the way Mister. Just as I was leaving, I heard a roar. I looked to the sky. And there they were. The Blue Angels soaring above me.
The BF: Top Gun! The Blue Angels!
Me: You got that right, Mister. I do believe they gave me the thumbs up as I winked at them.







The plan was to do Foothill to Montebello, swing around to Redwood Gulch to Highway 9 and Skyline, down Page Mill and so forth but as you can see from the photo above, the weather turned. The marine layer came in fast, the wind picked up, and I began to shiver. So, my ride was greatly shortened.





Lovely, isn't it, the color of the water. I achieved one of my goals today by doing Montebello. Last year, at the LKHC, I did it in 55:58. This year, without a whole lot of gungho and with the extra weight of a camelbak, I climbed Montebello in 53 minutes. Must have been that yodeling. My max on Foothill was 32 mph.

Now and then, I simply remember my favorite things and then I don't feel so bad or so sad.

Montebello LKHC

Preface:

As some of you know, what I see during a cycling event bears little resemblance to what others experience.

Acknowledgements:

Thank you Dan, volunteers, and photographers. Also, great to see both regulars and new faces attend. Lastly, I'd like to thank myself for showing up.

Prologue:

Oh the drama -- would we be able to embark upon the first climb (results and photos) of the 2008 Low Key Hill Climb series? Would we "Get over It" if we didn't?

In the Beginning:

Woman: What's your name?

Me: Christine, aka the weenie woman who has the distinct honor of always finishing last.

Woman: Oh, I know who you are!

Me: Sigh.

Volunteer: Oh, a librarian! Will you be reading a book on the way up?

Me: Probably get through an entire 800 page Russian epic given the speeds of years past....

Joke of the Day:

Volunteer: You know, we can take your saddle bag to the top for you.

Me: Yes, that's sure to make all the difference. [nearby people laughing hysterically].

At the start:

Man: I like starting at the back of the pack.

Me: We get to look at everyone's tushies!

Man: Best seat in the house.

Middle:

Panting like a German shephard though not with my tongue hanging out, I climbed, mostly alone, until I came upon the cute AT&T guy repairing a line. Naturally, I had to stop for a moment to admire the view. The Boyfriend, also on this ride, is probably shaking his head as he reads this. Focus woman, focus to which I'd reply, "It's not about the bike, it's about me, me, and me flirting, I mean, socializing.

With about a mile or so to go, a steady rain began to fall covering the hairs on my arms in a glistening mist, much like fine droplets of dew settling on flowers. At the same time, I said to myself, "What is this -- a wet t-shirt contest? Cyclists began to descend saying nice things to me. Thank you.

End:

I was the last to start but not to finish, thanks to the boot camp (I mean biking holiday with The BF) from the previous week. OMG.

Epilogue:

"Get over it." That we surely did. Until next time....