A friend called me and wanted to do a ride out to the Livermore Valley. He picked me up and drove to the starting point on the top of the hardest climb. After not riding since a flat ride on Saturday I was completely out shape. And even though the way we went was 5 miles shorter than normal I felt completely shot when I got back to the car. This seems to be the case as I get older. But if I ride continuously every other day, I don't get like this..,

One thought that passed though my head was that perhaps when I don't ride I put on weight. If so a pretty small amount of weight is having a large effect. But then, I have 5 lbs or so too much on now so maybe it only takes a small amount to make me this tired.

With the hardest hill routes shut down I can't get enough exercise to take the excess off.

On today's ride there were 13 of us all going out the same way though the three of use were coming back a different way. As we approached the last quarter mile the fastest of the other group caught me. They had taken a route that was 4 miles further. But the fastest guys from the year before last were no longer among them one having fatal Alzheimers and the other a heart blockage that they are treating with drugs but he is still riding if quite slowly now. Both of these guys were vaccinated and both condition are known rare side effects from the vaccines. By one theory it is from the shot itself causing a bolus in a large capillary that goes directly to the heart. So if you don't get any side effects within a month or so you're probably safe. But not as safe as never being vaccinated and simply getting the almost harmless illness that in 0.08% of the people has negative effects and possible death without medical care. Today they have a drug that stops covid-19 in its tracks so don't take any additional vaccine for it unless you're over 75, obese and have two or more serious heart conditions.

To return to cycling - The new fork works very well, although it reduces rake and trail it steers more accurately and doesn't walk around except below 4 mph on the long climbs. I usually don't go that slow but today I was so tired it was happening. On the way out when I was fresh I was going 5 to 7 mph up the climb. Bit after (unsuccessfully) trying to keep up with a dozen other people I was simply too tired.

5 years ago I could easily keep up with them but I wonder if the time in between where I have been riding mostly solo, I haven't pushed myself hard enough and simply lost fitness or more likely 5 more years is just making me slower.

On the plans after spring has sprung is a couple of very long and hard climbing rides since I now know where the roads are not too badly damaged.

They rely upon Skyline Road and an undamaged section of Redwood Road. Tunnel road also leads back to Skyline. If I go my pace I can probably do these 40 or 50 mile rides and get back to where I was this time last year. Through the end of this month the snow pack will be 300% of normal, the largest reservoirs will be filled even before the snow melt and even now almost all of the damns are dumping water in expectations of the melt starting. Even Tule Lake is returning! This has been dry for two decades!

They are going to have a hard time with their declaration of a water emergency and higher water costs.

If Tule Lake is filling the water table is near normal!

On the negative side - this means that the Colorado River and the Rio Grande will be running very deep and fast and anyone trying to cross these won't live to tell the story. Even in late summer.

On Friday, March 17, 2023 at 8:07:39 AM UTC-7, Tom Kunich wrote:
> A friend called me and wanted to do a ride out to the Livermore Valley. He picked me up and drove to the starting point on the top of the hardest climb. After not riding since a flat ride on Saturday I was completely out shape. And even though the way we went was 5 miles shorter than normal I felt completely shot when I got back to the car. This seems to be the case as I get older. But if I ride continuously every other day, I don't get like this.,
>
> One thought that passed though my head was that perhaps when I don't ride I put on weight. If so a pretty small amount of weight is having a large effect. But then, I have 5 lbs or so too much on now so maybe it only takes a small amount to make me this tired.
>
> With the hardest hill routes shut down I can't get enough exercise to take the excess off.
>
> On today's ride there were 13 of us all going out the same way though the three of use were coming back a different way. As we approached the last quarter mile the fastest of the other group caught me. They had taken a route that was 4 miles further. But the fastest guys from the year before last were no longer among them one having fatal Alzheimers and the other a heart blockage that they are treating with drugs but he is still riding if quite slowly now. Both of these guys were vaccinated and both condition are known rare side effects from the vaccines. By one theory it is from the shot itself causing a bolus in a large capillary that goes directly to the heart. So if you don't get any side effects within a month or so you're probably safe. But not as safe as never being vaccinated and simply getting the almost harmless illness that in 0.08% of the people has negative effects and possible death without medical care. Today they have a drug that stops covid-19 in its tracks so don't take any additional vaccine for it unless you're over 75, obese and have two or more serious heart conditions.
>
> To return to cycling - The new fork works very well, although it reduces rake and trail it steers more accurately and doesn't walk around except below 4 mph on the long climbs. I usually don't go that slow but today I was so tired it was happening. On the way out when I was fresh I was going 5 to 7 mph up the climb. Bit after (unsuccessfully) trying to keep up with a dozen other people I was simply too tired.
>
> 5 years ago I could easily keep up with them but I wonder if the time in between where I have been riding mostly solo, I haven't pushed myself hard enough and simply lost fitness or more likely 5 more years is just making me slower.
>
> On the plans after spring has sprung is a couple of very long and hard climbing rides since I now know where the roads are not too badly damaged.
>
> They rely upon Skyline Road and an undamaged section of Redwood Road. Tunnel road also leads back to Skyline. If I go my pace I can probably do these 40 or 50 mile rides and get back to where I was this time last year. Through the end of this month the snow pack will be 300% of normal, the largest reservoirs will be filled even before the snow melt and even now almost all of the damns are dumping water in expectations of the melt starting. Even Tule Lake is returning! This has been dry for two decades!
>
> They are going to have a hard time with their declaration of a water emergency and higher water costs.
>
> If Tule Lake is filling the water table is near normal!
>
> On the negative side - this means that the Colorado River and the Rio Grande will be running very deep and fast and anyone trying to cross these won't live to tell the story. Even in late summer.
Yesterday's ride cured my backache and I slept like a baby last night. A baby with a cat trying to push it out of the way.

Despite prior predictions it appears that Saturday morning will be clear and dry here though the evening and night starts a new order of rain and snow.. that will last into next week including some heavy perhaps even storm class rain. This ought to be especially good for Lie-berman so that he can tell me that things are just peachy at his place as his home washes down the hill.