Steve's Cycling Blog

This year is turning out to be a very unpredictable one for the weather. It has been hit or miss. The first double of the year ended up being a rainy deluge. Death Valley ended up during a major storm front passage which created storm force winds and dust storms in both directions. Thank God I was able to do the Camino Real Double Staff ride on a beautiful day. We got real lucky because the rains came back soon after. Solvang turned out to be nasty nasty nasty.   I got out of bed the morning of the event at 1:30 am. I went to bed before nine but wasn't able to sleep well. (I never do the night before a event). I should have just stayed up!   I had a rough week. I spent Thursday afternoon in the Kaiser Hospital emergency room worried that I was having heart problems. I was experiencing mild equilibrium problems and shortness of breath while driving to work a couple of times during the week. I felt fine while riding my bike in training. Better safe than sorry they say!  After

Well, after a disappointing Death Valley Double attempt, I received a message on Facebook that they were organizing a staff ride for the Camino Real Double workers. I jumped at the opportunity to add this one. That way I could stay on track. There were only four of us. Lynn Katano who I have known a long time and who has completed 94 doubles before this one. Terri Boykins who is one of the best support personnel on any of the rides and a real strong double rider. (we call her "The Queen of the Santa Monica's") She can be seen riding in the Santa Monica Mountains on most weekends on the most challenging of climbs. John Long who is also a very strong double rider with quite a background. Left to right: John, Lynn and Terri We started right at 5:30 am in the dark for the event which would take us up the coast to Oceanside first. We rode through the hills around Newport and Laguna before stopping for our first rest in Dana Point Harbor. Lynn and John head to San

Well, my first event on my quest this year was a bust. Storm blows in the night before Death Valley, natures playground, offered up a real challenge this year. WIND!! We rolled out of Furnace Creek at 6:20 am on a beautiful morning. The winds had calmed some from the night before. It was so windy in the camp ground trying to sleep peoples tents were blowing away!   Getting ready to start in Furnace Creek    Our group with a strong tandem at the front.  As we headed South toward Badwater the winds picked up strong and we had a nasty headwind all the way to check point 2 in Ashford Mills, just before the climb out of the valley. Lucky I had a large pace line to work with on this section. We only averaged from 8-12 mph even with a pace line. It took us a loooonnnggg time to get there. My friends Chris and Saralie were manning the rest stop. It was great to see them.  These guys were real strong, both Furnace Creek 508 veter