Training Log Archive: tommyturbo

Mercer Island-Seward Park-Cedar Grove: What's special about this birthday ride? 500k day, chicken riesling, and gluten! I went over 500,000' of climbing in 2020 today, for the 14th year in a row, dating back to 2007. While never a goal, it's simply a result of a lot of riding, even in a year when I was off the bike for over two months. Not only do I not "celebrate" my BD, I ignore it and try not to even acknowledge its existence. Tracy is making chicken riesling, one of my favorites of her numerous delicacies. A special bonus will be real bread with gluten! I wore my special pumpkin orange fleece jersey, but that was for Halloween. 20,906' climbing for the week/77,529' for the birthday month

Syc-Rainier with Tracy. Lightest since 10-4–19

Olallie-Raging River Double Trouble "Birthday" Ride. Some people do special rides for their birthday. While never my strategy, with over 6000' of wet trail mountain bike climbing at the 28 mile mark, I think this ride qualifies. Damn Garmin battery died. My birthday is actually Saturday the 31st, so I guess I'll have to do something that day as well. I envisioned this ride with Tracy dropping me at Olallie, then riding to Raging River, and then home when done there. Even with the aid of the car, today was a pretty solid ride.

Squak Mountain backyard hike: Talking yourself into something is harder than convincing a stranger. After two straight very hard mountain bike rides with an even harder one coming tomorrow, I knew that a complete DOB made sense. While I didn't ride, I did get out on the trails, as I couldn't quite talk myself into a total rest day. The weather is too nice!

Grand Ridge RT-Duthie-Soaring Eagle: A first that I hope never becomes a second. I had my first "head on" collision with another rider in 30,000 miles of mountain bike riding. The other rider says he's been riding mountain bikes for 30 years, and it was a first for him as well. Bad Karma: a fast, blind, tight turn and both of us at the apex of the turn at the same exact moment. As I sensed the inevitable, I made an instinctual decision to try and align my front tire dead on his. I succeeded, and the "tire cushion" worked. We both had also slowed as much as possible, and there was no harm, no foul, i.e, neither of us fell, and our bikes were undamaged.

Olallie true end of the line: Different time of the year means different decisions/questions. On a summer O ride, my major decision/question is how hard do I/can I ride the toughest climb in King County. This time of the year, the major decision/question is what to wear/bring to enable me to stay comfortable on the climb, as well as on a descent of over an hour. First snow ride of the season on a chilly day. Garmin battery died. Actual RT 3h10m/27.8 miles/6100' climbing/150 MHR