Tierra Bella Volunteer

Guess what! The club let me be a volunteer for the 2011 Tierra Bella. My assignment, or should I say duty, was to escort male cyclists safely across an intersection and then to give them my telephone number for any support they may need. Oh alrighty, not exactly true. I was posted with Sandy at an intersection (about 10 miles into the ride for the 100 milers and 100Kers) to help cyclists cross the road safely and to alert traffic to the event. For almost 2 hours, waves and waves of riders passed us. It was a stunning scene. I saw friends from the club and from LKHC, including Lisa! At one point, a helicopter hovered over us. I was convinced it was the SWAT team, sent in by The Boyfriend (who was unable to attend this year) to make sure I behaved. I stayed beyond our alloted time and good thing I did because, as luck would have it, I met this man ... he was from Fresno. The TB was his first 100 miler a few years ago and the event means a lot to him but unfortunately, a spoke on his front wheel snapped. So, I said to him, "How may I service you, I mean how may I be of service?" :) I got out my handy dandy new cell phone and pressed the programmed number for SAG help. After the cold marine layer burned off, and gave way to a sunny blue sky, I rode the 60K route. I floored it, for me. The TB is a beautiful ride made special by a lot of volunteers. I hope cyclists had a great time. I know I did. Thank you Greg and Rita, our safety committee leaders who came around to each station offering us food and drink. I plan to volunteer again next year! Just the Stats: 34.50 miles 14.4 mph avg 30.5 mph descent 2 hrs. 23 min

Tierra Bella 2009

Me: How about we just wake up whenever we feel like it Saturday, watch the sun rise, have a cup of coffee, twiddle our thumbs, wiggle our toes, and start the Tierra Bella whenever.
The BF: Yes, yes, yes, we'll wake up when we do. I will most likely wake up soon after 5 am and we'll be on the road around 5:45.
Me: Sigh....

The Boyfriend shot off soon after we arrived at the college since he was doing the 100 mile. Eventually, I got on the bike to do the 100k route, half asleep and promptly taking a wrong turn 5 miles in with several other cyclists.




The ACTC Tierra Bella is a lovely tour with wonderful support and great food at the rest stops. California poppies and other pretty flowers dotted the green landscape along with vineyards and various farm animals, much of which I barely noticed in my sleep deprived state. Around mile 31, I noticed that my average speed was only 12 mph. Time to wake up! Time to flirt! Time to get over to the Uvas rest stop (above, mile 42) and eat turkey wraps, the secret weapon! Time to floor the pedals.





So how did I fare in the end? First, I realized that I missed riding with a group of people, like the girl gang I joined for the Cinderella tour. However, I did run into some ACTC friends who were working the tour as volunteers and that brightened my day. Last year, I did 65 miles in 5 hours, averaging 13 mph. The stats this year despite the sluggish start: 65 miles, 4 hr. 35 min, averaging 14.1 mph. Go turkey wraps! I took a photo of The BF as he entered the college, having done the 100 mile (including a climb up Henry Coe) with an average speed of 15 mph. Go BF!

The BF: I'm going to go mountain biking tomorrow! What are you going to do?
Me: Wake up when I feel like it.

Next up, another biking holiday in Solvang and the SLO Wildflower bike tour.

Tierra Bella 2008

Bike Tour season begins for me with the Tierra Bella, a great event hosted by ACTC. The Boyfriend and I didn't do it last year due to rainy conditions. This year, while there was no rain, it was a mix of gray clouds, sunshine, winds and chilly temperatures.

Picture a dark morning, as in even the sky is still sleeping, that's how early it is ....

He: Rise and shine!

Me: mumbling obscenities under my breath

He: What's that you said -- you're looking forward to making me freshly brewed coffee.

Me: mumbling, "There must be 50 ways to bop off your lover" but one will do.

It was a cold windy start at Gavilan College in Gilroy. The Boyfriend and I soon went our separate ways as this year, the 100K was in reverse from previous years and the 100 mile also was a different route. Within minutes, my hands went numb. Throughout the course, my feet fell asleep and I had to stop and shake them to wake up. Of course it provided opportunity to flirt with men who found it amusing to see me wiggling my toes.

The photo above is me about an hour into the ride or 15 miles at Gilroy Hot Springs. Don't I look glamorous. At least I'm not blue. Some guy noticed the cat on my panties (Trashy Cat shorts) which meant he was looking at my tushy. I made sure The Boyfriend heard about that story.

At one point, my chain fell off and out of nowhere, SAG people showed up to wash my hands. They let me know they offered full service. I made sure The Boyfriend heard about that story. I tried to ride hard and fast for most of the day because I was cold and wanted to get it over with despite it being a lovely tour. Morgan Hill and Gilroy are scenic. There were lots of purple flowers en route along with cows, llamas and goats. I biked 65 miles in 5 hours with an average of 13 mph though I certainly hit close to 30mph on downhills and biked between 15-20 mph on flats. Iwas lucky to finish before the wind really picked up as it was pretty hard for the people doing the 100 mile.

Apple pie and icecream awaited us at the end and the food at the rest stops was good as well. Thank you ACTC volunteers for another great event. 31 years of it.

Leaving in separate cars, driving along the road where riders come in for the home stretch, The Boyfriend pulled over on the side of road.

Me: Why are we stopping?

He: You keep waving at me so I thought something was wrong.

Me: I'm waving and flirting at the boy cyclists finishing up.

He: Shaking his head and sighing. I want some coffee.

Me: Sure Mister, only if you're buying.

Beautiful Earth

Saturday marked the 30th anniversary of Tierra Bella (translated from Spanish means Beautiful Earth), a lovely bike tour by the folks at ACTC that sells out every year. Each year since 2005, The Boyfriend and I have done this ride (he the 100 mile and I, the 100k) as it symbolizes the beginning of bike tour season and because it's a well organized tour, full of scenic views, good food, and good fun. The night before, I ran into Elaine from work and her husband and made witty remarks with the volunteers at the early registration desk of which I can not repeat. Alas, this year, Mother Nature chose to cry most of the day and neither of us did the tour. I was sad though I did get this year's jersey and will wear it proudly soon. The photo of me is from last year's tour. I know, from reading blogs, that some cyclists braved the elements and did the ride.

Meanwhile, come Sunday morning, as Yahoo weather informed me, it was a day of "abundant sunshine." I wonder if Yahoo weather will ever have a "nonabundant sunshine day." At a rather early hour, at least for a Sunday, The Boyfriend telephoned, too enthusiastic for the hour in my opinion, suggesting we do Sand Hill Road and Canada Road because it was such a beautiful day. All I knew was that my heat was on, it was breezy outside, I had no food in the house and it sure felt nice staying in bed. Once again, I contemplated firing him as my Boyfriend. Still, I got it together, thanks to a Power Gel in the pantry and met up with him at his place where I proceeded to give him some lip for a good 10 minutes or so at which point he was probably considering firing me as his girlfriend. I had another Power Gel and we rolled off to a delightful ride of nearly 30 miles despite the breezy conditions and somewhat chilly air. I managed to do 12.4 mph average. The Boyfriend looked very nice on his big bike. Back at home, after shopping at the supermarket and flirting with men who buy broccoli, I concocted a wonderful dish, that is, raspberry banana pineapple flavored soybean (aka silken tofu) yoghurt. Darn delicious. No doubt The Boyfriend will gag when he reads this post. Til next time.....

I'm in the Mood

Guess what! The weather was delightful over the weekend so I finally got out on the blue bicycle. I ride to work every day on a little boy's bicycle (Specialized) but that's more like strolling, you know. And a bit less than 2 miles each way. When I was four or so, I lived in Libya and rode around on a red tricycle. Those were the days, eh. It's been a month since I took the big bicycle out.

Saturday, I met the boyfriend at Page Mill and Arastradero and we biked many roads in the Los Altos Hills, including Moody Road, which was a bit of a killer for me since I haven't biked in awhile. I met a woman cyclist on Moody and she understood when I explained that the climb was taking its toll on me. It's lovely in the Los Altos Hills. You pass a few vineyards, some fancy schmancy mansions, open space, horse stables (I once took a horseriding class through De Anza Foothill College and we met at a stable in the area), and rolling hills that are green this time of the year. We did 21 miles. Can't say I was Speedy Gonzales. But it was nice to get out again and to smile and wave to men who seemed to want to help me every time I stopped.

Sunday, I took the Hybrid to Alviso (photo is of the Marina). The ride can only be described as serene, well, once you get to the bay. The trail leading to Alviso is gravel and bumpy in places. I stopped in Alviso to watch a photo shoot of a band. Once on the bay, I watched ducks and birds float on the water. Returning to Alviso, I had to stop for the train. I love trains ever since I lived near the tracks in Kfar Shmaryahu, a suburb in Israel. I did 24 miles in 2 hours. Again, can't say I was Speedy Gonzales.

Well, clearly, I must get back in shape and prepare for Tierra Bella in April. Thank you Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Glen Miller for keeping me in the mood. And the boyfriend, too.