Monster Bash

Early Saturday morning, as in it was still dark and I should have been in bed, I found myself being driven by The Boyfriend to Paicines for the 2008 Mega Monster Enduro Ride, a spin off of the Low Key Hillclimbs.

I dressed as though on an expedition in Siberia while the other beauty contestants wore bikinis and swim trunks (oh alrighty, slight exaggeration). At the start, as I prepared to shoot off, Dan the Man, said to me, "No drafting." That's code for no flirting. No! There goes the day I thought. I could have stayed home, slept in, and gone to see The Hottie and the Naughty starring Paris Hilton.

The ride was an out and back on CA25, a road of rolling hills with little traffic, a few ranches, some wineries and the Pinnacles looming in the distance. I chose the 100K having not been on the Bed (aka Bianchi Eros Donna) since 6 weeks ago and having not done 65 miles since August. I am a poster child for "Just do it" though I had to revise my strategy of Start Flirt Finish. The Boyfriend opted for the 100 mile and he soon shot past me. Okay, many cyclists shot past me.

Ah, the scenery. Cows soaking up the warm air and sunshine. A fake monkey atop someone's mail box. A soothing ride. And of course the riders. Apparently, yellow is the new black for male cyclists. Quite a few of them, including The Boyfriend, in yellow jerseys. I met some nice women on the ride.

I managed to finish thanks to Fatboy Slim's Rockafeller Skank and the Ink Spots' Street of Dreams playing on my iPod to motivate me for those last few miles along with Greg who did the 100 mile and started much later than me and who passed me at the end, making me pick up some speed to finish. Embarrassing, eh. I suspect a lot of cyclists felt some burn towards the end. Results have not been posted. I'm hoping that I did not finish last but given my track record....

A big thank you to Kevin, Pat and others involved in making this event happen. While it might have been a low key kind of thing, it certainly was hi tech to have an antenna at the rest stop so that the guys could stay in contact. You all are just too cool. See you during the coming biking season.