Three months left in this year. I’ve met my distance goal, now I want to work on extending that and exploring what comes next. I started off the month with a couple of rest days. I was worn out maybe from the push to finish the mileage goal in September and a few too many weekends waking far too early. The club’s Amtrak Century required waking up before 5am. I didn’t sleep all that well either, then too much standing and a bit of lifting but a long hot walk all conspired to wear me down more. I’ve got more family commitments this month and more likely as the year draws to an end.
So, I finally got back on the bicycle on the 7th. Fatigue, head cold, sinus or allergies took a lot out of me for a week. I took it easy riding south to Las Pulgas to sort my next adventure in this old guy on a bicycle thing. That is training in a controlled manner, and following as closely as I can the dictates of the Join Cycling App. My plan is really for the next year and possibly beyond. I am after all exploring fitness centered around cycling for life. I’ll be incorporating yoga and weight lifting in this chapter of the adventure. I first need to set a baseline FTP test. That was my goal to do was to check my idea of the route for this as I am forced to do the test outdoors with no thru axel adapter for my trainer and bike combination being available at the moment. As for today’s ride I had the usual tail wind on the southbound leg with the opposite heading back home. I did manage to forget to turn on the Wahoo until south of town so I missed a few k’s.
Switching my focus to following training any distance goals will be ignored. I am currently thinking that after baselining my FTP, I’ll start a strength training workout routine. On Join the areas of workouts are divided up to VO2Max, Threshold, Strength and Endurance. With performance tests on their own. The routines seem to have about a three month cycle. I’m not worrying about my weight as it has more or less stabilized around 145 to 147 pounds, (66-67kg).
With this cold thing I’ve had, I figure I have a week of easing myself back into riding again. I’ve of course blown up a bit from sitting and napping, feeding the cold, though only a few pounds so a gentle slide back into riding should get me back into the swing.
My third ride back after a week off with a cold/allergy thing, I rode down to Las Pulgas again. Once I cleared the last light on old PCH, I decided to push and see how I was feeling. I had a tailwind so, why not see if I can cut some out of my PR. And so I did. Never got my heart rate above 158, so not far from the top. Power wasn’t big thanks to not pushing hard with the tailwind I guess.
What the day told me was I am OK to go for the ramp test come Monday. Rest day on Friday and Saturday with family duties, then a light group ride for Sunday where I need to keep it light.
Well, that din’t go as planned. Saturday evening was an annual gathering at a friend’s Oktoberfest celebration. Far too much food. I and my wife enjoyed water in place of the many German and other imported beers. I spent too much time standing while chatting motorcycles and bicycles, racing, restoration, collecting, riding and dreams. Old funny stories, scary escapes and breathtaking memories of first time adventures. All of us of a certain age, laughing and a bit of tears here and there. Quite good. Highly recommend.
Then again, that standing thing led to a very poor nights rest thanks to the pain that induces. My alarm was not going to get me out from under the warm covers when it vibrated to life on my wrist. No group ride for Sunday. I finish a short week of riding with only three short exploratory rides. But, I feel pretty good. My Morning coffee and foam art progresses.
A very short week followed with only one ride on Monday thanks to weather and family commitments. Monday’s ride was planned to be a ramp test, but I was not feeling my best, so rode gently out to Cow Camp and back. The weather blowing hard against my back at times ending in a headwind fight on the final leg home. At one point rain was spitting into my face along with the wind. The rain was only enough to cover my sunglasses with water, only to be blown dry minutes later by the increasing wind. The weather was chill enough I opted for leg warmers, base layer and jacket. I was only too warm for a few minutes. By the end I was off and on slightly chilled to perfectly comfortable.
I may need to source a pair of lighter tinted riding glasses for these overcast days. The sun did not appear for an extended visit until I was halfway back to DoHo along the creek trail from SJC. Very short week.
Back at it for another week. I’m mostly recovered but now need to work back up to longer riding again after too long off the bike. Our weather is warm with a bit of a breeze now and again.
I managed to ride through soaking splashing wet roads two days in a row, making a complete muddy mess of a clean bike and shoes.
Another attempt at making flapjacks. I didn’t have enough agave nectar so used honey, negating the vegan side of the concoction, but we’ll see if it works. On my first attempt I ended up with a crumbling pile more like granola than flapjack.
And then it all came to an end.
Some time has passed, Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo. The above photo has the time stamp showing, 2:06, the crash came about twenty minutes prior. Below it is 5:35pm. A fair amount of time was spent in the ER and various scanners.
Lacerated lung, collapsed with some fluid in it and bruised and lacerated what is basically a bag surrounding the lungs. Three ribs broken in multiple places around the shoulder, back and chest. Fracture to the scapula. Plenty of road rash. The sync from Cycliq and Strava is a touch off but speed was down around 13mph as I was looking for the crack to avoid this bump. I managed to hit the big part.
A bit closer view,
And about as zoomed as I can get.
I’m looking at three to four months of recovery after visits to doctors. All is well and progressing.
Totals for the month:
Distance: 679.32km
Climbing: 4,635m
Time: 27 hours, 39 minutes
Totals for 2025:
Distance: 13,064.3km
Climbing: 92,990m
Time: 531hours, 26min.
Along The Way 