Training Log Archive: tommyturbo

Mt. Rainier BOMROD revisited: Cayuse-Chinook-Paradise-Cayuse. One RAMROD (2005) was enough for me (too many long stretches of marginally safe and boring road), so in 2006 I coined the term "BOMROD" and started riding a route that I thought was the "Best of Mt. Rainier in One Day." Today was my first time in six years: https://www.strava.com/activities/73601770 I went a little faster on that day, but new bike fever might have been a factor. I used to sometimes add a round trip to Sunrise at the end of the ride, but that was never in the plan for today. I was dreading the return trip back up the south side of Cayuse, but I survived it. I didn't use my 27T cog all day, and I used that as motivation to keep grinding up Cayuse on a day when I never had good energy. A lot more people go to Mt. Rainier these days. Every TH parking lot was full, and Paradise was a mob scene. It seemed like 99% of the people were driving from parking lot to parking lot to take photos with their phones, so the actual hiking trails are probably no more crowded than in the past. Even though traffic was heavier than I expected, it wasn't a problem because every single driver was very courteous. Nice!

Syc-Rainier with Tracy

Grand Ridge RT-Duthie-Soaring Eagle: Not riding hard doesn't mean it wasn't a hard ride. Not riding hard also doesn't preclude riding well and having a blast on trails in fantastic condition. Not that I had a choice of riding hard or not-I was feeling four straight days of riding, especially yesterday's solid 60m road ride. Thanks to 50mg of caffeine, I actually felt better the longer I rode.

Black Diamond-Covington-Newcastle: Things go better with Coke, especially solo road rides. Despite having a single can in the fridge, it's been over a year since I drank a Coke. There have been many days on the mountain bike that I have wished to come upon a magical Coke machine in the middle of the woods. Plus...I felt naked without so I went back to get it. I'd rather ride 100 miles without a chamois in my shorts on the worst potholed road in America than 5 miles without my little helmet mirror. The toughest thing about switching from riding the mountain bike to road is remembering it!

Marymoor OAB EZPZ with Tracy