Previous Rides

Welcome to my ride blog! I am doing this primarily to keep track of one of the most significant experiences of my life - riding the AIDS Lifecycle ride in June 2011 to raise money to find a cure for HIV/AIDS, help people with HIV/AIDS and to educate people about the epidemic. (My AIDS Lifecycle page is here.)  I'll be writing about each of my rides, recording statistics so you and I can keep track of my progress. I'll also be writing about how this experience touches my heart and soul - it will be a tremendous and meaningful force in my life over the next 10 months.

How did I decide to do the ride? Briefly - it grew out of a long-seated desire to give back to my community and from the kick-ass inspiration my friend Steve unknowingly gave me. He rode the AIDS Lifecycle ride this past June - and his detailed accounts of each day on the ride, and our discussions before and after the ride convinced me that this was something I wanted to do. So, there you have it. Thank you Steve!  (This is Steve and his daughter Maddie.)

This will be quite a physical journey, so I decided to buy a new bike. I'll be riding an average of 80 miles each day for 6 days - good bike is a good idea. After some research,  I decided to buy a Cervelo RS roadbike. For those of you that are interested, you can see the bike here.

The features that I sought were:

• Quality - I want to keep the bike for a while. I do not want to upgrade in a few years. Lazy I guess. 
• Comfortable to ride - slightly less race prone posture. Achieved through slightly higher handlebars and longer wheel base.
• More comfort - traditional spoked (32) wheels instead of racing spoked
• Easier pedaling - special cassette in the back that allows for an easier time pedaling up hills

What sold me on the Cervelo was a side-by-side ride against three other bikes. For me, the Cervelo was it. Various people told me that I would feel which bike was right for me and sure enough, I did. I bought the bike from Pacific Bicycle in San Francisco. What a great experience! They listened to my requirements and went above and beyond satisfying them. Yea, could buy a bike online for less, but the guys at Pacific Bicycles more than earned the extra cost - I highly recommend getting expert advice if you are seriously looking at a new hobby or sport. I bought the bike in mid June. Hey, the guys at Pacific Bike are smart - so smart they told me I would fall early on due to the cleats - everyone does. I didn't let them down - fell first thing, in the parking lot of the bike store. Well, at least that was behind me quickly!

Here is a summary of the earlier rides I have done:

1. Alhambra Valley Road to Reliz Valley Road (July - 26 miles). One big hill.
2. Marsh Creek Road to Deer Valley Road (August - 36 miles). Same deal as the ride described above, only a bit shorter. Very tired by the end.
3. Claremont Ave. to Alvarado (August - Thur afternoon - 5 miles) KILLER hill. Had to walk the last few hundred feet, burning quads. Some fear on the downhill due to steepness.
4. Pinehurst/Skyline/Wildcat Canyon (August - Different Spokes ride - 28 miles) Big hills, especially on Pinehurst. Did fine, recovery was not bad.
5. Home to Richmond via Bayside trail (September - 20 miles with Ross) No hills, but significant wind. No problems and easy recovery.
6. Golden Gate Park to Great Hwy to SF Zoo (Labor Day Sunday - 15 miles) Easy ride, but too many cars and people.

To close this section... a big thank you to my husband Ross - my teammate in life. His total support, love and encouragement are my biggest inspiration. Thanks my man!!