The Road to Santa Barbara

Labor Day weekend I did the unheard of... well, I should say I never in a million years thought I would do this... but it has been done by others...

I rode my bike from my house in WeHo to Mia's parent's in Santa Barbara for our annual SB BBQ Weekend..... 90 Miles!!

Granted, this day, I was only suppose to bike 80... but given it the route kept me on bike paths, I accrued a few more miles.

As I started off from my house, I was super excited.  Heck, wouldn't you? Biking to SB is kinda Bad Ass! I had previously dropped my weekend bag off at Mia's so I wouldn't have to worry about carrying anything additional and thankfully, Amaya agreed to drive me and my bike back to LA at the end of the weekend, so I didn't have to worry about doing the ride twice.

So.. needless to say, I was in a good space. I was on mission and it was awesome... the first 30 miles were very routine, PCH up to Malibu, pass Pepperdine, which is a tough little hill, but I continue on my way pass Zuma into Ventura.  Along this route I was clocked by going 35 mph and 39mph! I could not believe I was going that fast! Super crazy and awesome.  As I enter Ventura, PCH turns into the 1 Freeway, so all bikers have to exit and take the bike path... so I did, but then at one point, it seemed like it ended, so I got back on the 1.  Within minutes I am pulled over by a cop. "Please exit the freeway" in a LOUD PA voice from behind.  It scared the crap out of me.   He explains that the road I was on ends about 500 yards from where we were standing... and that I should not be on the freeway... and explained the rest of the bike safe road that I had gotten off of. He then attempted to give me directions, but when I told him I biked from WeHo and was heading to SB... he was at a loss for words.  It was really quite funny.  So, instead, I plugged the address into Google Maps and had my phone tell me where to go.  Now that was super easy.

Cruising along, I gotta tell you, was amazing.  I never drive this part of Cali to get to SB, I usually take the 101 or 1 but not these bike-safe, hidden roads.  It was awesome! I came across this amazing Pepper and Pumpkin Field and for being so early in the season, these pumpkins were huge!!

Now, given this was a looooong ride, I actually was listening to music.  I normally don't bike with tunes because I can't listen to it on the race, but this day it was perfect. Brandy Clark, Kacey Musgraves, Kelly Clarkson and PINK are now my Go-To-Tunes for rides.  Talk about a little pep in my pedaling step!

The ride was seriously so amazing.  I was biking ON the water the entire time. Either on a specific bike path, through parking lots or on the PCH.  I loved every minute of it.

The entire journey took me 6 hours 23 minutes.  and that was including getting pulled over by the cops, stopping to take pictures, picking up a sandwich at a deli and refilling my water bottles... so honestly, it was probably closer to 6 hours in reality... how awesome is that!?!?

When I finally arrived at the beach to meet up with Mia and Ellen, I was actually only about 1hr behind them on getting to the beach. They were in complete shock that I just completed that ride and to be fair, so was I!  I was tired, don't get me wrong... there were times along the way and most definitely the last 10 miles I was so over it, but the good thing was my legs weren't tired when i got off the bike.  I mean they were, of course, but I wasn't sore or anything... it is a good sign!

Thinking ahead for recovery, I did the best thing I could think of for my legs and quickly jumped in the ocean. One, I was so hot and two, it was like taking a recovery ice bath! :-)

Later that night, when the others arrived they all still could not believe that I had biked up.  We made a few jokes that I probably beat them because of the traffic.  It was funny.

The next day, I woke up bright and early... natural internal clock and ran 8 miles! YES 8 miles... and my knees were pretty decent.  I kept a solid pace.  I was trilled!

All in all... it was a pretty solid training weekend and I was able to hang out with my bestest buds!

AMEN!  :-)

Zuma to Camarillo

This is not a fancy post... in order to get in the miles, I hopped on the bike and headed north from Zuma to Camarillo.  It was a great ride... amazing scenery the entire way.

Bummed my friend Dean wasn't home in Camarillo to say HI! :-)

LOST in Translation... or Should I Say Montebello?

WOW oh WOW is this a story for you.

To start off, I did a fun OWS with Lilias on Friday (Aug 22nd) and afterwards, we headed to breakfast were I met Alison.  She a super nice girl and also training for an Ironman. We all get to talking and I tell her that my friend Bucket gave me a great route from Griffith Park to Long Beach that I was planning on riding the following day with a few friends.  It is roughly 70 miles and asked if she wanted to join since she too had to do a long distance and its more fun with friends.  She said sure.

Team Bad Ass... Taking on the Swim!

Such a beautiful morning. (T26)

Saturday am... we meet at Griffith Park and of course all my buddies that want to ride with us are late!  LOL.  Great first impression I am giving this poor girl who needs to seriously train as her Ironman is Oct 5 in Barcelona. After 1hr, we finally get on the path only for it to END!  That is right my dears.. END... we are now on surface roads, merging with the freeway and winding our way through back roads of downtown. I had printed out the route so I was yelling LEFT here, RIGHT there, etc.. how it did not register in my pretty blond brain that the directions were NOT on a path, I have no idea... but needless to say, it was so HYSTERICAL and UNREAL.  It was literally THAT ride - ALL DAY LONG, LOL.

Scottie, Jay, Kelie, Alison and myself pedaling through super shady parts of town to finally make our way to the bike path in who knows what part of LA... I think overall, we were on surface roads for 10-15 miles.  Nutty!

Alison, Jay, Me, Kelie, Scottie

Once we finally get cruising on the path, Jay bags out as he was only in it for 30-40 miles, not the 70... but the rest of us pedal on.

Alison and Scottie who are fast riders take off.  Kelie, who is faster than me, but is recovering from a wedding stays and rides with me... it was nice to have the company and catch up on life.  The bike path was beautiful and flat.  It was actually a fun ride getting to LB... (it was the getting back that got tricky.) :-)

View on the bike path

Kelie & I once we arrived in LB (that's the Queen Mary behind us)

Once we got to LB, of course Kelie and I could not find Alison and Scott.  Which just added to the ridiculousness of what had happened all morning. After about 15 min, we found them and got ourselves all sorted out.  We stop to refill our water bottles and restroom break... and chatted a little before we started to head back to Griffith Park.  Scottie was laughing a little as he realized he has not ridden this far since our SD ride... but is excited for the return. 

As we head down the path towards home, Scott and Alison of course take off again.  I would too if I was that fast. :-)  Kelie and I continue to ride and chat and after what seems like 2hrs... we both were like WHERE ARE WE?!?!?  None of this looks familiar.  OH S#!T.  LOL... Where the heck were we?? We were still on the path, but how did we miss our turn? Where is Scott & Alison?  and Just as we start to slightly freak out, my phone rings.. it's Scott and Alison.. they too are still on the path about 5min ahead of us.  they did the same thing. Uh Oh!  We are LOST.

Now instead of turning around on the path, and trying to do the printed out direction in reverse, Scott decides to plug it into Google Maps to get us home from where were are.  At this point, Kelie has to use the restroom, Scott and I are out of water and I am pretty sure that is when Alison decided she will never ride with me again. :-)

As we get off the bike path the first place we see is Mr. Pepe's Burgers... OBVIOUSLY that is where we are going!! It was actually a pretty cool burger place. :-)

As Scott gets everything in order, we realize that we have somehow ended up in Montebello! What the heck!?!? AWESOME.  Alison and Kelie are talking to a few friends on the phone laughing.. it was pretty funny.. I was a little embarrassed because I was technically leading this ride but had no clue.. and I was also a little nervous because I knew we still had like 20 miles to go.

FINALLY.. Scott has a route, so we think, Siri is telling him where to go.  And you would think she would tell us a safe route, but no.  She has us crossing over traffic - not at lights - so at one point, I peak out into the traffic to see if we can cross, a car comes whipping around the corner - where of course I slam on the breaks - so I would not get hit by a car and do not have time to unclip and fall.  I swear the fall was in slow motion, too..  It all keeps adding up.

The massive bruises I got from the fall. :-(

We are cruising now... biking over freeways, through neighborhoods and getting closer.  We stop at a light and guess what street we are about to turn on... GRIFFIN! Say what?!! Everything happens for a reason... LOL.. that ride was a disaster.. a fun one, but a disaster.. and to stumble upon GRIFFIN Ave.. was a pleasant surprise.

OBVI. :-)

2 miles later we are back on the path.  Alison is hauling ass and probably counting her lucky stars to be back.  Scottie is struggling as this was a loooong journey. Kelie is cruising and I am over it.  LOL.

When we finally make it back.  We all say our goodbyes and have a good laugh about it and head home. 

A few lessons were definitely learned.

1... Don't ride with Rachel!

2... Read and Re-read your route - and make sure you understand it!

3... Probably best to create your own route so you know where you are going.

4... Laughter is Key.

5... Patience is a definite

6... Friends are AWESOME.

this was the route... as you can see from blue line we went WAAAY off course. LOL.

Ice bath Recovery was definitely in order!

Bricks

Every Tuesday night, Adrian conducts a brick with his Cloud 9 Endurance group.  I have said before that with this new group, I am slow-man, low-man as everyone has done marathons or ironmans or has actually done a few of them.  Me... Not so much!

So, every Tuesday, or as many as I can attend, I try to make it to Adrian's Bricks.  Despite being the last person, it pushes me to do better and this particular week, I did pretty good!

We did 3 loops north of Sunset by the college.  They were pretty decent climbs, I would say similar to the Amalfi Switchbacks.  We had to handle 3 loops if we could in 20min... and I did it and surprisingly I wasn't the last person.. YAY! (2nd to last... but I'll take it!) ...

it was fun.  I am getting better and that is all i can hope for.

 2nd Time up. 

 Adrian's selfie with the group

BAMFs

Oh.. and I totally forgot to mention that Adrian also does Trail runs on Tuesday am... this is not really my cup of tea, but i went for it.  HOLY CRAP!!! We met at the top of Mandeville and hike the mountains around there. it was Freaking HARD.. and we all know that I am the worst runner, on top of bad knees and no hiking... I was an embarrassment to this group LOL.  Such a struggle... but I did it... cursing under my breath, LOL and with a smile... but I did it! - Total of 10mi run this day.. 7mi on the trail and 3mi on the brick.. it was a GOOD DAY!

SERIOUSLY!?!

I am not in this picture because I am so far behind. :-)

there is me in the back, hoping I don't kill myself climbing back down

 Amazing View

FINALLY made it to the top!!

These guys are amazing.

Hawaii and Hurricanes

My dear friends Leo and Michael got engaged in the middle of TWO Hurricanes.. It was crazy.  People plan weddings in Hawaii for the guarantee that the weather will be amazing.  That being said, for the first time in 20 years, Hawaii was about to be hit.

As we braced ourselves for fun among the hurricanes, I knew that I still had to train.  And let me tell you, even in terrible weather, Hawaii is still amazingly gorgeous. (Thursday and Friday had rain)

Great way to see Waikiki - even if I was soaked

 When I looked at this view I thought I was in "LOST"

By Saturday, the sun started to shine and we were able to take some advantage of the beach.  Thank goodness... so I hit the road for a 10miler. :-)

at this point, I was so hot and this was so inviting, I took off my shoes and went for a dip! :-)

On Sunday, the boys were getting married. It was beautiful out. Not a cloud in the sky.  They looked amazing and I am not going to lie, I think we looked pretty good, too!

 Mike & Leo

Ellen, me & Mia

Overall.. the weekend was amazing. Beautiful and fun!