LA recap

Somehow, if I visit Texas in winter, it brings them winter. But every time I've visited California the past few years in January or February, its always been perfect. Texas and rain Vs Cali and sun.

Hmm.....



Despite it being January and deep into the training slumber, I couldn't turn down the invite to race the Socal Urban cross in San Dimas on Saturday...which, everytime I hear that town's name I think of Bill and Ted's "San Dimas High School Football RULES!"
.

Anyway, I rode ok for the first half of the race but my back wasn't having anything to do with power production, so soon it was small child mode. Normally, this would be a disappointing situation, and while stinking up the place is never something to write home about, it was a great scene, a semi-lousy course, but perfect weather and who can argue with wearing shorts in a park on a Saturday afternoon?



Penzlow won and Molly Cameron stopped by after a long month in Belgium. The crew, made of Molly, Damian from Bend, and a few folks from Organic Athlete went to a veggie asian food place nearby. Food was served in HUGE boats.

Here's the imported mud section and the only portion of the course not paved.



Trying to get the most out of the sun, I snuck out for the longest ride I've done in awhile...super windy, and dang it...somehow I turned off the Garmin for an hour and a half. I guestimate 110-115, maybe 9000' of climbing. That's a long day without an ipod. The ride finished by going up Tuna Canyon in Malibu where the Red Bull Rampage used to be held. I did this climb once in 1997 (now its a one-way downhill road) but it was poached going uphill today. Terrible pavement, I can't imagine racing down it.



For good measure, LA's still LA.



Take what you can get.



I'm thinking a weekend in Bend might not be a bad idea, however.