Venus - a Beauty!

OK - not a training post this time. I want to share a great photo for the one/only Venus transit of my lifetime, yesterday. Got shots at Cabrillo Observatory, and at the Santa Cruz lighthouse, and at Gazos Creek where I calculated where to be to see the sun setting with Venus behind the historic Pigeon Pt Lighthouse. Here's the compleat story in pix

And, the Wildflower Triathlon Too

Rick, Dave D, and Dan joined me for this year's first triathlon - the Wildflower (Olympic) at Lake San Antonio on May 6. This was the second adventure of the weekend, as Thur-Sat was the annual reunion of the (circa 1970's) UCLA Sierra Club, at Pt. Reyes. I hurried home, changed, and met Dave and then Rick and Dan. Ferrell got us a couple of rooms at the Fort, and after our usual burrito stuffing in King City, arrived at Fort Hunter-Liggett. I did a mile run into the hills at sunset, looking down on San Antonio Mission, and enjoyed the extra large full moon rising over William Randolf Hearst's Hacienda, before prep'ing my gear bag and getting some sleep. Next morning - a Great race! Rick took 5th place and Dave D took 3rd place in the 50's age group. I took 16th in the 60's age group, with a strong run as I passed lots of people who passed me on the bike. Pix page will arrive sometime later this summer, on my usual webpage.

The Chico Wildflower Century Ride

April 30 - My good L.A. friend Dave Wyman and I have made this an annual tradition - joining thousands of like cyclists enjoying the rivers, hills, and volcanic drama of the Chico countryside. My Santa Cruz friends learned what a great experience this ride is, last year, and this year we all enjoyed it together. Dave, brother Dan, and the Delucchi's, Joyce and Dino, Nancy and Jim. I've got pix, of course, but so far no time to make a photo page. I'll say, it was a delight once again. I rode with the Wyman's till the last aid station, at Durham, then short-cut back to Chico and a long cleansing dunk in the Bidwell Park pool before rejoining compadres at the finish line, for 88 miles total. Dave and Dan did the full 100.

A Sunday Ride to a Santa Cruz Mountain Icon

Nursing my nagging psoas strain from the Santa Cruz Half Marathon a week earlier, I had cabin fever on this beautiful spring day, and at noon I couldn't take it any more. Injured or not, I had to get out there. Something not too tough, but get me out into the redwoods. Ah! I've got it - a ride up Branciforte, over Mt. View, and down Laurel Glen to Castelegno's historic little store near their organic farm. By the time I coasted on down along Moore's Creek to Castelegno's, I had a big smile and was looking forward to a little Continental lunch outdoors - part of a baguette of sourdough and a jar of bruschetta and olive oil. Quite delicious. And a nice little 20 mile ride.

Santa Cruz Half (empty) Marathon - the remains

This was my first Santa Cruz Half, joined by Dave D the day after we celebrated his 50th at Vino Cruz. No celebrating today for me.... my left psoas issue returned with a vengeance, despite feeling my fittest and most ready for a fast race. 2hr 43min, not what I'd hoped. Here's the story.

The Solvang Century Rides Again

This century ride is one of my favorites; the countryside is green rolling hills and canyons - coastal California at its best. My good friend Dave Wyman from LA makes it an annual tradition as well, and as he's an awesome photographer, I can always count on some great pix to remember the day. My own pocket camera has failed to respond to repeated attempts at resucitation and is being read its last rites now. So all photos on my page are Dave's. I felt great, did the 101 miles and 5,000 ft of climbing in 7hr 15min of riding. A great weekend getaway and adventure - see it here.

Mt. Hamilton Classic

The oldest permanently occupied mountain top observatory in the United States is Lick Observatory - a place of many fond memories during my grad school and early years as an astronomer. This past Saturday, our intrepid cyclers determined it was THE day for riding up this Bay Area classic - Dave and Diane are training for the Death Ride, and I have the Solvang Century the following weekend. Dino is, of course, ALWAYS up for a mega-ride, and the rest of our gang as well. All went well, and me and my little bottle of "5hr Energy" felt great, despite being at the 36hr point from a rather tough 10 mile hilly run. Enjoy the commentary and a few pix here http://www.cabrillo.edu/~rnolthenius/OtherAdv/MtHam-Mar12/index.html