This Just Kinda Says It All Today

Dumpster Diving at the Essential Bakery

Yesterday was my second consecutive "extended commute". Wednesday I did a 51 mile commute on tandem of which about 30 of it was solo, but yesterday Mimi and I had a date. I had to pick up storage locker keys for RAMROD organizing stuff, and was going to meet VP Mike "somewhere on the trail" with both of us leaving respective starting points at about 4:30. Mimi met me in downtown. We were going to ride together, but we needed to be back up to Beacon Hill in time to pick up our farm share. We wanted to meet the kids for dinner, too, and Tom & Megan had to be outta there by not later than about 6:45 since they were going to a Gilbert & Sullivan show. Timing was sorta tight, but not too. We rode out along the Burke Gilman Trail and I told Mimi at 5:00, "ok, now in the next 5-10 minutes we should be meeting up with Mike (she'd been worried about timing since we needed to be at the restaurant by 6). At 5:08, I'm looking up the trail and VOILA!!! There he is. Got the keys, chatted a few minutes and headed back toward Blue C Sushi in Fremont. Stopped along the way to pick a few blackberries (still not real ripe, but tasty nonetheless - Mimi says they'll be ripe on full moon). So, we're riding back toward the restaurant, and I have an idea, since we're about 15 minutes early. Riding home from Bike Expo back in February or March, I'd met a guy on the trail and started chatting with him. I was supposed to peel off and head south, but we were having a great time getting to know each other, so I figured I'd ride into Fremont and then cut south through downtown and home, only a couple extra miles. As we neared the Essential Bakery, he says to me, "Hey, I've got to stop at the bakery and grab a loaf of bread." Well, I thought that was a great idea. They make wonderful artisan loaves and it's one of my favorite bakeries in town. So I figured I'd get a loaf too, since we always can use some. Well, instead of going into the bakery, the guy pulls into the back parking lot. Rides up to a dumpster, lifts the lid and pulls out a beautiful loaf of bread. These aren't filthy yucky dumpsters. They're "clean", and absolutely chock full of beautiful loaves of bread in bags. Essential Bakery absolutely will not sell day old bread. I'm not sure why they simply throw it away, but they do. Apparently the college kids have known about this for a long time. Well, I grabbed a loaf and took it home. Mimi was THRILLED. She loves bargains.

That's the set up. Here's the photos:



and notice the beautiful jersey this girl is wearing. She designed the logo herself. They're for sale through the Team Estrogen website



AND THERE SHE GOES, FOLKS!!!!!



......and now you know..............


.............the rest of the story.

Death Ride - I'm READY

It's been a while since I posted here. Seems like life's been pretty busy in June, what with trying to get ready to go to California for the toughest physical challenge I've ever tackled - well, except for Marine Corps Boot camp back in the summer of '69. A few weeks ago, I headed over to Orondo and did three repeats of Orondo Grade, stopping in Waterville at the Coyote Pass Cafe for refreshments after each climb. They really do make the absolute best bread pudding I've ever eaten, and their coffee is thick, rich and fresh. Who could ask for more. Then, two weeks ago, Mimi and I tackled the Tour de Blast. She did the 55 mile route up to Elk Rock and back and I did the full 85 miles up to Johnson Ridge. That gave me a pretty good feeling as I pushed my heavy Davidson up the mountains. Last weekend, it was off to Mazama with Redmond Cycling Club for about 12,000' of climbing spread over two beautiful days in bright sunny weather. So now, with a mere 10 days to go, I'm ready to go. Over 6,200 miles and almost 285,000' of vertical in 6 months of intense training. If that doesn't prepare me, there is nothing that will. So here's a little poem I wrote this morning, thinking of all the friends I've made in the cycling community who have either done or are doing this ride.

miles and smiles and added climbs
make for the sweetest and best of times.
Tomorrow I leave for Cali for nee eye AAAA
The state where I spent my very first day.

So many long months of training my legs
tree stumps replaced those toothpicky pegs
and now it is south to partake of this ride
but if I fall short, at least I'll have tried.

I've just nine more days to taper my training
The hours til Death Ride are rapidly waning.
I'm feeling the pressure, but know in my heart
That I'll be there early for a five o'clock start.

In jersey resplendent of Marine Corps Pride
I'll shoot out the gate for this Most Awesome Ride
Hoping that all of the rest of you folks
Have a really great time and don't break any spokes.

Ride hard and ride fast and climb strong to the crest
Then repeat this five times 'fore you lay down to rest
Enjoy the descents, but use care as you go
We want you back home in one piece, dontcha know.

Remember to bring plenty of sunblock and gu
keep well hydrated and get food in ya, too.
We'll see you all soon down south in the sun
best luck and good fortune fellow riders, each one.


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SEE YOU GUYS AND GALS ON THE MOUNTAIN