This past Saturday (April 13) should have ben a milestone for Kathy and me. We were scheduled to ride the Paul Hulse century, a 104-mile out-and-back ride between Santa Clarita and Ventura. Unfortunately, two things happened.
First, as has been the case so often this season, the ride was rained out. Southern California had above-normal temperatures and clear skies the week leading up to the ride and is enjoying beautiful weather again the week after. But the weekend of the ride was full of rain, high winds, and chances of thundershowers and hail. The organizers, Pos Peds, decided to cancel it in the interest of rider safety. Just as well for us, because we weren’t ready. Why?
Well, our second setback is that Kathy has been beset by physical problems. The prevailing issue involves her jaw and a failed crown, a new root canal, an extraction, and an infection that wouldn’t die. As a result, we haven’t been able to ride together for the nearly three weeks. The last time we did, we were up to 45 miles. We had hoped to be up to 70 or more in preparation for the century last weekend. But even if the ride went forward, we wouldn’t have been able to ride it successfully.
Kathy’s jaw issues seem to be mostly behind her . . . or at least, they are no longer debilitating. So this week we got out and did a series of rides to ramp back up to where we were at the end of March: 5–, 11—, 20–, and a 45-mile ride. We capped it off today with a 67-miler up in Davisville. She’s come a really long way back in a short length of time.
I’ve been able to get a lot of solo riding in. I’ve joined a few rides in the Bay Area in order to get some more hill work in. Besides, it’s great to have an excuse to ride on the San Francisco waterfront and the hills and coasts of Marin and Sonoma Counties. Rides I hope to be able to take with Kathy soon.
