Thanks to all of you!

With Debra's second donation yesterday I reached my goal of raising $5,000. Thanks to all my donors and thanks Debra! Now my job is to complete 585 miles of riding w/o breaking any body parts and come back home in one piece :-p

End of training...

Exactly one week from today I will be on my way to Los Angeles. Only one week left to the big ride... Today we concluded our training rides with a 25 mile loop. It was a "wrap up" ride that ended with a small party at Starbucks. No more rides until next Sunday. Now it's rest time!

Yesterday I completed my second century ride (i.e. 100 mile ride). I rode from Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay and back with Doug. It was a fun ride. I thought there wouldn't be any hills but I was wrong. There is quite a challenging hill about 8 miles south of Half Moon Bay.

So I guess this is it... Months of training is over. I still feel like I haven't done much training although all the ALC veterans say I shouldn't worry and that I am ready. I know as the big day approaches I will get more and more nervous. But I am also looking forward to it. I've met some very nice people and I am sure I will meet more.

180 miles in two days

For the first time I tried a "back to back" riding, i.e. I rode my bike on two consecutive days. On Saturday I completed my first century (100 miles - 161 km) by attending the I Care Classic charity ride. I started the ride close to 7 am when the temperature was 50 degrees at Morgan Hill and completed it at 4 pm when the temperature probably hit upper 80s maybe even lower 90s. This was one of the hardest bike rides I've ever had! At the end of the ride, my legs were completely sore, my arms and legs were like bug magnets, with little flies stuck on my sweat and sunscreen (yuck?) and my eyes were totally red and itchy. I wasn't even sure if I could have the energy to shower let alone wake up early the next morning and go for an 80 mile ride. But I did it! On Sunday I joined a small group of ALC folks for an 80 mile ride from Palo Alto to Ocean Beach in SF. It was one of the best bike rides I've ever done. We took Skyline Blvd all the way to the ocean. Lots of rolling hills and then a loooong downhill through Daly City down to Great Highway in SF. Ocean view and ocean breeze was just perfect. After a quick lunch in the city, we got back on our bikes. This time we had to ride up that loooong hill through Daly City. There was no more an ocean breeze, instead weather got hotter and hotter. Hills started to get more difficult to ride. My left knee started to hurt by mile 45 or so, then the right knee did the same thing around mile 60. Towards the end of the ride I got even slower. But I was able to complete the 80 mile ride and get back to Palo Alto safe and sane. When I got in my car I checked the temperature: 97 degrees!

Can you spot me?

Efrain sent me this picture that he took last week during the "Day on the Ride" event. This is the first rest stop where there was a long line for the porta potties. Can you spot me? It's not hard, just check for the guy that is seriously in need of using the bathroom and can't help but act silly ;-)

DOTR: Day On The Ride

75 miles (121 km)

I had a great day on Saturday. It wasn't only because I rode the longest distance (75 miles) ever, it was because I rode with 599 other ALC participants; experiencing their dedication and enthusiasm in reaching their goal, helping each other, encouraging each other, getting together for a common cause. On Saturday, 600 bike riders got together at Sports Basement in San Francisco, to participate in DOTR (Day On The Ride), to experience how a typical day on the event in June will be like and to get an overview of what to expect. I was one of them...

4:30 am:
I woke up. Had breakfast (i.e. filled my stomach as much as I could!) - waffle, peanut butter, syrup, milk, orange juice, fruit yogurt)

5:15 am:
Left home, locked the door, started walking towards the elevator

5:16 am:
No this is too cold, I need one more layer. Went back home, put on a long sleeve jersey underneath the short sleeve jersey and wind breaker.

5:20 am:
On my way to San Francisco. It's still dark. Listening to energy FM on the way.

6:00 am:
Is this true? Is it really raining in SF?? What happened to 81F (27C) from yesterday???

6:10 am:
I'm at Sports Basement. It's quite crowded. I park my bike and get my registration number. One goes over the bike frame, one goes on the helmet. Two wristband put on my arm: pink is for the prepaid lunch, red is for... color coordination? Not sure... I called Chris to meet him for the first time. He is another first timer ALC rider, we talked over email to be tentmates during the event. Non-snorer and quiet guy like me :-) And he provided all the pictures in this blog!

6:45 am:
Opening speech from ALC director Stephen Cadby. He says 2700 people registered for this years ride and together they raised $3.3 million! After the mandatory safety speech, we all held hands for a moment of silence. This very emotional moment was counterbalanced with Kurt's animated stretching exercises.

7:30 am:
...and we are on our way for the 75 mile bike ride! Check the cue sheet. We went over Golden Gate Bridge, then down to Sausalito and to Fairfax. I don't remember what time we reached the first stop, but I do remember the long line in front of porta potties! They had names like "Love Shack", "Midnight Slum". I used the one named "One at a time".

After Fairfax we rode to Cheese Factory in Marin. We passed through some beautiful hills. I had one chain dump, but nothing major. No flats this time! Weather was perfect; not cold, not hot, just about right. At mile 35 we reached Cheese Factory and ate our lunch in the park nearby: turkey sandvich, cookie, vitamin water, apple, grapes, pasta.

Weather got warmer on the way back. We rode in Taylor Park for about 4 miles, which was refreshing. I broke my record of 66 miles a little before Sausalito. And with the completion of 75 miles we got back to Sports Basement where a spaghetti dinner with cesar salad was waiting for us.

9:30 pm:
I was in my bed at 9:30 pm, sleeping like a baby :-)

Dalmatian dog riding a bike in Japan

Now this dog should definitely work on fundraising for ALC! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6742988194956129075&pl=true