The Old Rugged Cross Road!

Friday 3/24/2023

The old rugged cross, I remember Grandpa Burkle signing it when he lived with us.  I loved Grandpa Burkle but wasn’t always nice to him.  None of us were.  Regrets.  I thought a lot about Grandpa Burkle yesterday when I was thinking about this entry because of Cross Road.  Going out there for the first time of the young cycle season.  I loved my Grandpa, but I wasn’t always the best kid.  Anyways… this blog isn’t about regret.  I just wanted to say I love you Grandpa Burkle wherever you are in the ether.  When I think of the Old Rugged Cross I think of you. 

Now… this blog entry is about riding, it’s about feeling good, free, and powerful.  Most of my blog entries are about riding so this should not be a surprise.   When I talk about the old rugged cross, I mean the old rugged cross road, which has been my nemesis for the last year...

I’m not gonna lie I didn’t want to go to Cross Road yesterday.  I wanted to forget everything I knew about across Road and Patterson Pass road.  Where I wanted to go yesterday was out to Collier Canyon Road and climb there.  It’s a climb but is a nice steady climb.  It’s not like old Cross Road with its steep climb that made me get off and walk last summer.  However, trying to keep the ride to 1:40 minutes I couldn’t figure out how to get to Collier Canyon and back in that time, so Patterson to Cross it was.

It was important for me to get outside yesterday.  I needed it.  I love riding on my Fuji inside.  I love riding the game.  However, Cylon, was getting restless.  It had been far too long since he had been out.  Plus, David had given me a few upgrades for Cylon that I just had to get out. 

 

Frake!! Bullethead!! Chromejob!!! How can you not love that!!! When you add that to your bike you have to go get on it and ride!

So, ride I did.  I geared up in my neon yellow jersey.  Anytime I ride Patterson to Cross, especially alone I feel the need to wear the neon.  Got to make sure people see me on these back country roads.  I paired the neon jersey with my Freaky Tiki socks. 

This was my first ride with a lot of new equipment.  My Garmin Edge 830, my Garmin Power pedals, cadence and speed meter.  So I was pumped.  I should have read the manual about how to work the 830 on a ride before I left the house, but thanks to my phone and google three blocks from home I got it figured out.  SMH!

After the initial setback of the bike computer I was off.  Traffic was bad out there yesterday afternoon.  The freeway by Altamont Pass is washing away because of all the rain, so… that makes for lots of cars on the side roads trying to avoid the traffics on 580 East.  That doesn’t make Billy a happy cyclist.  Mainly because people in cars are idiots.  They don’t pay attention to cyclist. This one crossover literally followed me in the bike lane for half a mile.  Fraking donkey!  Anyway, I had to keep my wits about me, especially around 580 because of the idiots.

Being outside and riding was great.  First, I felt strong.  So strong from the interval work I have been doing on Master Fuji and the Neo. Second, yesterday was a gorgeous California spring day: 65 and sunny.  Can’t beat that with a stick.

As I cruised down Greenbill (Greenville) road, and approached Patterson Pass, I kept asking myself if I really wanted to go out Patterson to Cross and I kept coming up with the same answer: no but yes.  I wanted to climb, but at the same time I didn’t want to.  It’s the age ole battle that goes through me.  I want to do it but I know it will be hard so we could cry off it and do something else.  However, I was out there and I was determine and damn it I was going to go to Cross and do my climb. 

I of course asked my self this one more time waiting to make my left into the Pass.  Again, I just said I’m doing it and I turned left into Patterson Pass. 

A funny thing happed as I was riding the pass.  I noticed that I had become stronger in the saddle.  Maybe it was being on Cylon, and he is lighter than Master Fuji, or maybe it was the time I’ve spent doing intervals over the last few months in the living room?  Whatever it was going up Patterson to Cross wasn’t the nightmare I remembered it being from the year before.  I’m not going to sit here and say it was all shits and giggles.  It wasn’t easy.  It just wasn’t as bad as I remember.  I felt so strong doing it.  My legs felt like they had so much more to give.  It was really a good experience going up to the cross turn. 

When I got to Cross, I sized it up, and once again asked myself if I was sure I wanted to do this.  Cross is a short steep little bump in the road.  However it is one that has kicked my ass before.  I was committed to doing it.  If I had to get off and walk, I would.  I turned right onto Cross and headed down to go up. 

The climb wasn’t easy.  It just again wasn’t as hard as I remembered it and I was up it and starting to head back down before I realized it.  I was winded when I got up and over.  However, I never once felt like I wasn’t going to get up and over.  My legs again never screamed in agony or pain.  They just did it.  Upon creating the peak and heading back down I gave out a loud triumphant scream. 

The hard part was over.  Coming down Cross is flipping amazing.  It is so much fun.  It’s down and it’s fast.  I averaged around 27 MPH.  Man I love that.  That is why we go up so we can come down fast and free!  Man did I feel free.  It’s been a long cold winter for both work and weather and yesterday on the bike for the first time in a long time I felt free and alive.  It was great. 

I stopped at Tesla and realized I had another 40 minutes to ride.  So, Tesla to 4th street was my planned route home and I should be able to make in my allotted time.  I cranked down Tesla. At one point I was pedaling myself at 23 mph.  My legs felt good and strong.  I cut back on my cranking because my heart rate was climbing and I wanted to try and lower it some.  I wish I hadn’t slowed down because when I did an old guy passed me.  I get passed a lot out on the bike but that doesn’t mean I like it. 

My heart rate spiked again going over the overpass downtown first street.  It climbed to 189.   That annoyed me.  To high.  I think. However coming back first street I focused on bring my HR down.

It’s a strange mix of watching my HR and wanting to crank really hard on the pedals.  I feel like I have the energy to give but also want to make sure my heart is over working. 

I made it home in 1:42 minutes.  I went 17.6 miles.  Average about 10.3 mph.  I felt awesome after the ride.

Today my legs are a little sore.  I should have stretched when I got off the bike, I’m terrible about it.  I know it.  I’m not to tired though.  I got up and did a workout and walk with my trainer today.  Then I’ve been out back with Kona playing fetch.  The. We are off to get a massage in a half hour!!  A great start to the weekend!