Good weather, and I did OK despite my TERRIBLE fitness level.

Here's the link - I believe you need to friend me on MapMyFitness (a worthwhile set of resources) in order to see it.

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/workout/44301272/

Physically drained, but thankfully not that sore, and missing the promised ice cream (they had sent the truck away to the main finishing area), I said the "Shehehcheyanu" with my Bahai Biking Buddy (everyone should have one!).

Along the way, I did enjoy moments of the ride, especially downhill moments. In truth, after the first climb, I regularly told myself that I had no need to finish, and could accept 2 passes, or 3, or 4, or 4 and a half, since not everyone rides all 5!

Still faced some tightness and pain in my right hamstring, but found some on-the-bike stretches to work those out. Got off the bike to drink and supplement with energy goo and snacks often. Raced to make the cutoff to start the 5th pass (4pm), and made it to the 5:15pm cutoff with time to spare so that the last climb, Carson pass, could be taken "at leisure".

Finishing the Death Ride definitely counts as a mental and spiritual triumph, at least equal to finishing my first marathon, and completing my first under 4 hour marathon as well.

Here I am after having completed the last descent and met up with Ginny and Jude:

I look forward to more relaxed riding for the rest of the summer!

Then continued on to Hermit Valley, and made it back - a long ride, but excellent progress and preparation for the Death Ride in 7 days.

Here's the workout link.

Great soundtrack for today's ride too...

- A few episodes of Fresh Air - 5/31/2010 - stories from wars; 6/2 - a great interview with Samantha Bee, and a fascinating interview with a film maker working on a documentary about two Jihadi's; 6/4 - Ayelet Waldman, another good interview, and a good talk with Paul McCartney - including a fantastic poem he wrote about John which I will have to find for Yizkor this year; 6/7 - about the "poverty industry" - loans and credit to the poorest Americans; 6/8 - interesting story on the building of the Hoover Dam.

- And my downhill mix, which played: Black Eyed Peas, Gogol Bordello, Aretha Franklin, and Bruce Springsteen.

The gap took its toll - one of my slower performances up Kingsbury in a while - even giving myself the excuse of plenty of headwind on the climb.

Here's the work out link.

Hoping to hit two passes on Friday - then come and join me for an easy ride with TBY's Bike & Beer on Saturday afternoon - details here.

Bridget and I rode up the East Side of Monitor pass - so I now have completed three out of five of the passes (East & West Monitor, and East Ebbetts), albeit separately and not in sequence, that comprise the Death Ride.

We did the climb in 1:35 riding time, with a few brief stops.

Felt better by the time I got to the top, but have been feeling crappy for the last three days following.

Here's the link to the workout log.

I hope to feel better and get out to ride tomorrow or Friday, before leaving town on Sunday for four days.

Total time: 1:37 - a little more than 16 miles, a little more than 2500 feet of climbing.

Time up the Kingsbury Grade, stop sign in Valley up to Tramway - 1:16 - a personal best for me.

Nice to be able to do this ride out my front door.

Here's the link to the workout.

Sunday - join a small group of us for a ride up one or both sides of Monitor.

Made it up the back parts of Luther pass with little problem - still got passed by some cooler cyclists on the flats though.

11.5 miles, 900 feet of climbing, under an hour - not terribly bad! Here's the workout link.

Will try to get out again on Friday for a short ride, and on Sunday for at least one side of Monitor Pass.