Wednesday Afternoon "Beating"

Wednesday afternoons we try to get out for a few hours. Nice long ride with friends, right?

This Wednesday was especially special as our friend, Ara Oggoian who owns Bicycle-Heaven outside Chicago and Adam Salladin, who owns Hill Country Bicycle Works were on the ride.

I had planned to go North, up Cranes Mill to Canyon Lake and back. Lutz suggested doing a ride to New Braunfels to recon this weekends race course.

I hadn't ridden in a week and my legs/glutes were still a little sore from snowboarding over the weekend.

Ascent view and profile of what we did.  New Braunfels 16 mile RR course highlighted in yellow.

Garmin view of the ride. We ended up with 86 miles in 4:45, mission accomplished.

Here is what the 16 mile lap will look like on Sunday. Gonna be a hard race - 1st 5 miles heavy rollers, next 3 miles false flat on gravel, then last 7 in exposed windy sections "out east."

If you look at my stats above on the Garmin pic, or here on the Ascent graphs you can see I got my butt whipped by "my friends."    Nearly 19 mph,   Max HR 192?

Where would we be without our friends?  Certainly less strong on the bike...

Jan Tng Camp - Thurs/Fri

Wednesday we rolled up towards Kendalia from the heaven.

The store was our stop point x2 for the day.  I had a BLT there the 2nd time around.

We aren't sure what these TxDoT markers are for - this one is outside the store in Kendalia.

The riders that had to get back earlier did the lower "loop."  The rest of us did both loops.

Lots of climbing, but easier than the previous day since you get to recover on the down hills.

Today we rode out to Boerne, and noticed this "Bicycle Tree."

You can just make out the Texas Tech Logo behind Lara "Pew, Pew!!!""

We stopped for a snack in the Boerne Bakery.  Colby had to find an appropriate place to nestle "Chez Whitey."

Only 1 of the riders had the foresight to wear cycling shoes that didn't have to come off before going into the bakery...

Shoes came off.  Pounds went on.

Kim took the coveted "Iron Hammer."   Given annually by Matt at the end of training camp to the local rider who logged the most miles.  Kim picked up nearly 300 in 4 days of riding...

Last year "Hammerhead" John Bentley had to work today so he relinquished his trophy.  I'm sure John will come back a'gunnin' next year "Pew, Pew!!"

Good thing the pace was docile today, as the terrain certainly wasn't.

Another year kicks off with another successful training camp.  (I measure the camps success by the fact that my cycling year gets jump started.)  We didn't ride Monday d/t cold and rain, but got in 300+ miles in 4 days.

The company was awesome.  The rides were perfect.  The weather was ideal (after the rain left Monday, natch.)

We only had about 1/2 as many riders this year as in the past couple of years, which I attribute to the economy.  I think those who are working are glad they are and are working hard!!

Thank you to all who came out and special thanx to Rob Kane for again leading a ride "out east" for the 3rd of 4th consecutive year.

Til next year.  Put this on your agenda - you'd pay $1,000 to do this "free" camp out of town!

Hope I'm trained up and ready for tomorrow's Team Geriatrix 125 mile hammerfest!!

Jan Tng Camp - Wed

Once again this year we were treated to a ride South and East of town ("Out East") guided by Rob Kane.  A great mixture of urban, rural, farm, industrial scenery highlighted by San Antonio Missions and San Antonio River.

We consider "Out East" to be flat, buy my legs and the above profile show that although there were no major "climbs" it was up and down _all day long_.

Ah, staging from Alamo Heights on a crisp cool San Antonio winter morning.  All smiles before the ride.

We started riding south, down thru the missions along the San Antonio river.  After about mile 10 we rode thru Padre Park, site of Sunday's cyclocross race.  Rob found an errant flag marker, and proceeded to direct us the rest of the ride with it.  (You may not know this but Rob likes to be the boss...)

We lunched alongside a beautiful lake south of town.

And it may have been Pizza slices and pimento cheese sandwiches from a local Valero, but hey, after 70 miles we were hungry.

Great 105 mile ride today.  Rob leading.  Lara and Jim again on the tandem.  Return victims Kim and John.  Surprise visit from Richard Kinsey.  Colby showed as did Chris Lutz.  Craig rode and may regret it for a couple of days.

We started out in cool 50 degree weather and it might have tickled 70 by the end of the ride.  Perfect.

Heading out of Alamo Heights, down thru SA, down thru the Missions along the San Antonio River.  Out of town in about 15 miles then 70 miles of low traffic, farm land thru Wilson County.  Back from the east side - industrial area of San Antonio.  The pace mighta been a bit quick.  I know I was working hard and my legs were still feeling Monday's run and Tuesday's shop ride.

We didn't stop til mile 70 where we spend 20 minutes outside a Valero drinking water and eating pizza and sandwiches.  Not too long after, Craig bonked hard (and flatted) turning the last 20 miles into the "Bataan Death March."  It is a badge of honor, or a rite of passage, to be dropped and left "Out East" to fend for yourself.  However, if we had left Craig out there he honestly would not be with us in the future.  At least mentally, and possibly physically.

So we are now 1/2 way thru the week.  Sorry I didn't take more pictures - I didn't have alot of camera battery today.   Thursday will be one of the most picturesque rides we do.  Come out and ride.

Jan Tng Camp - Sun/Mon/Tues

On Sunday, the Turk dusted off her circa 1999 Tx State Cross championship skills and lined up at Rob's race.  Probably knew she didn't stand a chance when she was racing against the likes or former B-H great Ryan Wohlrabe....

As you'd expect from Rob et al they put together a very cool 1.5 mile course loop in Padre Park along the San Antonio river.

Good thing we didn't race longer.  We started and ended at the same point, yet started the race at over 650' elevation and ended at under 600' elevation.  Had we raced longer we might have ended up under water!!

Monday am the elements didn't hold up their end of the bargain, it was 40 degrees and raining in the am so no ride today.  We did run 5 miles thru the neighborhood in Stone Oak, which was fine in the weather.

Running in the Hill Country is not flat, which can make you strong.

Monday nite Lara was introduced to a Slauson Family tradition - the birthday week.  Although her 41st was on Tuesday we warmed up the "Happy B-Day" pipes and ate pumpkin cheesecake.

Tuesday the riding started.  Since again 40 degrees and raining at 9am, the scheduled start time we ate breakfast at Guero's and started riding about 10:15.  Only 6 riders so we shortened the ride from the scheduled 100 miles to 100km.

Which is not anything to shake a stick at given as we all know, the course profile of the Saturday am, "Long Shop Ride.

Once the rain lifted we were treated to cool and beautiful weather.  George pulled a professional foul, forgetting the cycling jacket he had taken off earlier and tucked inside his cycling vest.  When he took off his vest later, he was reminded of his jacket when it fell down into his cassette, chain, and rear der.  The gods were smiling, however, as no sig harm done and the ride continued w/o further mishap.

Why do we ride?  So we can eat!!  Jim was treated to dinner w/ 3 beautiful women at Silo's.  We like the Minnesota tradition of picking up the tab on your own birthday.  Thank you Lara!!

Training week started well.  Rob threw a little cross race for us on Sunday - chance for Jim to "get the stink off" to use our favorite Bill Lewis saying.  Jim had spent 60 hours in bed with a stomache bug a couple of days before.

Monday we were housebound due to freezing rain, so we did a nice, hilly 5 mile run (instead of the scheduled 100 mile ride to Castroville, out west and back around.)  We then did the weekly Slauson Costco run (big happenings for Lara, visiting from Ely, MN pop. 3500.)  Lara found a nice pair of Mizuno running shoes at our sister store Run Gear Run, to use in an upcoming 130 mile endurance run on snowmobile trails back in balmy MN.

Tuesday, the rain lifted, as did or spirits and the temps.  We shortened the scheduled 100 mile ride to Boerne, Comfort, Edge Falls, to the 100k Long Shop Ride.  This allowed Jim and Lara to get used to riding on the tandem (which they plan to do at Paris Brest Paris in 2011.)  It allowed us all to "Get the stink off" and primed the week nicely.  Plus it gave us a chance to proudly show off our local weekly ride (which is why San Antonio riders can get damn strong if they show up regularly.)  I remember riding the state road race this fall reflecting "this course isn't nearly as tough as the Saturday am ride!!"

Wednesday we ride from Alamo Heights.  Our host Rob Kane has cleaned up his mess from Padre Parks Sunday cross race and will take us on a flat, fast and furious 100 mile ride "out East."

Stay tuned.