Day four

_posts/2022-06-08-alc-day-four.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: "Pulling trains along the central coast: AIDS/LifeCYcle Day Four"
+tags:
+- alc
+- alc2022
+- cycling
+---
+
+Most of my training and cycling has been solo, but today was **so much fun**
+because it was all about _teamwork_. The day starts with a good steady climb
+known as "the evil twins", includes a gorgeous and long descent to the coast,
+and finishes outside the town of Santa Maria. For one reason or another I found
+myself cycling in largely small groups of 2-4. Teamwork means coordination,
+communication, and _speed_.
+
+---
+I also posted a [thread to
+Twitter](https://mobile.twitter.com/agentdero/status/1534501199570825219)
+for today with more pictures
+
+---
+
+The alarm peeped at 4:15 and I immediately started marching over to the
+breakfast tent shivering like a little dog. By the time everything had been
+taken down and made it to bike parking at 6:15ish I wasn't shivering, which is
+a good sign, but also an indication that the day will be quite warm.
+
+The route meandering through Paso Robles had me riding next to some fixed gear
+cyclists, known for their siren call of "Fuck yeah rider!" Pulling up alongside
+at a stop light I ask them if they were riding freewheeling hubs or true fixed
+gears. Freewheeling hubs are effectively single speed which allow you to coast,
+while truly fixed hubs means that the cyclists legs are pumping as long as the
+wheels are spinning. The curly mustachioed man said "Freewheel? Never heard of
+her!" Watching them descend a small roller was mesmerizing as their legs pumped
+almost in unison like cylinders of an engine. As we approached the evil twins,
+I gave them a "fuck yeah riders" for good measure, and commenced climbing.
+
+It's not a race, it's a ride.
+
+But I'll be damned if I don't get competitive on the climbs. En route to Rest
+Stop One I started passing people on some of the rollers preceding the twins,
+jumping out to the side "on your left!", standing out of the saddle, and really
+pushing as much power into the pedals as I could. In Rest Stop One a fellow
+cyclists told me that it was a lot of fun to try to keep up with me on those
+climbs. I felt so flattered and we chatted for a bit, both being former members
+of Team ALCaholics. We parted ways and I fell in with a woman I had ridden a
+bit with the past couple days,
+
+Despite her insistence of not being a strong cyclist, she very truly is, and
+for whatever reason is not riding with clips. You'll see that more than you'd
+think at ALC. Cyclists of all skill levels and all kinds of equipment load outs
+are riding the route, raising money for a great cause. What you don't typically
+see are such strong cyclists riding without clips, and this year I've ridden
+with two _very_ strong riders, mashing pedals with their street shoes.
+
+We chatted for a bit as we climbed and then I pushed onward from twin one to
+twin two, where I ran into the Triathelete I had chased a couple of days prior.
+He's probably 6 inches shorter than I am and can absolutely smoke me on the
+route. We climbed together and chatted, passing people as we went up evil twin
+two. As we went by the Googler I had met on Day Two, he called out "well don't
+just have a full on conversation while I'm struggling here." The push continued
+to the halfway point.
+
+There's a pull-off on the side of the highway at roughly half the mileage
+between San Francisco and Los Angeles. I was pushing hard so I could get heir
+early, get my pictures, and start the long descent to the coast with as little
+traffic as possible. We all arrived around the same time, got some great
+pictures, and started down.
+
+In 2019 this descent _terrified_ me. I had never lost so much elevation or
+ridden at these speeds before. Most of my training had been indoors and I just
+didn't have the exposure to massive climbs like I do now. I also had rim brakes
+which I knew could heat up and would require lots of feathering. This time
+around I am a *must* more confident rider and actually pedalled downhill most
+of the way. At one point I approached a fellow who helped me out on day
+one. "On your left!" I shouted at full volume, as we rounded a curve I saw his
+head shake. I assumed he didn't want to move over because he felt unsafe or
+saw some hazards up ahead. I gently braked, waited to until after the turn and
+then came into the lane and sped past him, returning to the shoulder after I
+was clear. We caught up later and I apologized if I came up onto him too fast
+or made him feel unsafe.
+
+He didn't even remember it and had no problem with my passing. "I must have hit
+a fly or something." I shared with him how much that descent terrified me and
+how important it was to be respectful of other cyclists boundaries, he smiled,
+wished me a good ride and I departed Rest Stop Two with the Googler and
+somebody from Twitter.
+
+The Googler offered to "pull" for a while, which basically means push at the
+front through the headwinds for the benefit of the others. After a couple miles
+it was my turn, and so I pulled in front, set the pace at about 20-21mph and we
+all rocketed along towards lunch. I was happy to pull and they were happy to
+let me! I stayed up front pulling them through the rollers along the highway as
+we cruised along the coast towards San Luis Obispo. The sights were stunning,
+the central coast of California is _definitely_ worth a visit.
+
+Parking at lunch, the Googler says "when you asked if I wanted to ride
+together, I didn't think you meant that you would drag my ass all the way to
+lunch!" No complaints were tendered however, I was happy to challenge myself,
+and worked up an incredible appetite in the process.
+
+I sat around in the shade at lunch so long that most everybody I knew had left,
+my bike computer timed out the ride, and I had to ride out solo. The cycling
+was still great and as I closed into city limits I caught a couple of folks at
+a stoplight. A new group of bike friends, hooray!
+
+After pulling all the way to lunch, I figured the karma of cycling was due for
+me, and I happily accepted a free ride towards Rest Stop Three. My post-lunch
+efforts are where I have been doing my low effort segments, which seems to work
+out well so I may continue that in the future.
+
+Closing in on Rest Stop Three the bike in front of me popped and psssssssssssh
+went flat. They both stopped off and needed no help so I continued onward to
+Rest Stop Three which ended up only being about a hundred yards ahead. As I was
+wrapping up with my business I saw him walk up with his bike over his shoulder,
+the sidewall of his tubeless tire had a tear in it, but the bike techs believed
+that he'd still be able to ride with a tube in the tire.
+
+I rolled out again solo. The segment from Three to Four includes a water stop,
+which I skipped, and an unofficial cinnamon bun stop. Unfortunately I spent all
+my fun money for the day supporting the fundraiser at lunch so I pressed on
+towards Rest Stop Four.
+
+My right knee started to nag. I could not figure out what sequence of events
+would lead it to hurt, but it was intermittent so my pace took a hit as a
+precaution.
+
+Still, I cannot pass up a good riding group. When I came across a guy I met on
+day two, who I knew was a strong wheel, I decided to hop on and not let him go.
+I wanted to get to Rest Stop Four with as little energy as possible. We picked
+up a first timer along the way who was also quite happy to have a group to raise
+his spirits and pace.
+
+Closing in on Rest Stop Four, pop! Psssssshhhhhhhh. Our strong wheel had a
+flat. The two stayed back as I pushed on to Rest Stop Four which was perhaps a
+mile ahead. When I arrived I just kind of sat in the shade stretching my knee
+out, the stop was still being set up, and my knee was the first priority.
+Somebody from Medical came over unprompted "you look like you could use a bag
+of ice." "Yes, thank you!"
+
+The first tire rolled into camp looking for a car to pick up the strong wheel,
+his sidewall was shredded and he had two flat tires.
+
+I am not good luck today.
+
+With some much needed ice and rest, I departed Rest Stop Four with two older guys who kept making jokes about being
+slow. I left them behind at some point and found myself alone. I think I made a
+wrong turn again.
+
+Damnit, I cannot believe I made a wrong turn again. I must get real stupid
+after Rest Stop Four.
+
+I backtracked and only lost a couple blocks. Eventually I caught up to the
+older timers, shared a laugh at my missing a turn. They hollered at me but I
+clearly didn't hear them. Oops.
+
+Rolling into camp, the very nice Roadie who has been there every day at the
+finish line called out "30!"
+
+Despite all my goofing off, I am proud to have arrived 30th to camp.
+
+It's not a race, it's a ride. But cycling is all about competing with myself
+and am enjoying the challenges of each day of the ride.