A Good Sign

Before getting into the past week I’m asking, for those of you who do such a thing, for you to start praying for Simon’s health.  Simon is the person organizing the Tour du Burundi and he has been suffering from fatigue for the past four weeks.  Normally I would make a joke here about Simon making it up to get out of riding but this is serious stuff and he needs big-time prayer support.  Thanks.

Now the week and what a great week it was!  Contributions jumped up to $6,375 this week, $12,750 when factoring in my employer's matching contribution.  Just $3,625 of your contributions away from the $20,000 goal.  It will happen and it's so exciting to think about the positive impact that kind of money will have on the Gitega International Academy and the students.  A big thanks to the anonymous donor out there.  Would love to thank you personally but you know who you are and I appreciate your donation very much.

This weekend's riding had one goal in mind: replicate riding Day 1 and 2 in Burundi.  From Simon's description of the route and one of the rider's elevation chart, Day 1 is a flat 75 mile ride and Day 2 is a Mount Diablo-like climb, and that's what I set out to do.

A flat 75 mile ride means I head east, good old Altamont-lined-with-windmills Road.  This is the "Drafting Jesus" road.  Riding east is a pleasure and I look for signs of the ferocity of the wind I will face when I turn around at Mountain House Bar.  My clearest indication was a tarp that was stuck on a barbed-wire fence.  That puppy was snapping in the wind like no other and my deep philosophical thought at that moment, "yikes!".

Well let me tell you, the tarp did not lie.  Turning around and heading west.....ho-chi-mama!  Nasty, brutal wind and I was immediately in my easiest gear on a road with a slight upgrade but nothing that would normally require that low of a gear.   Took me an hour to ride 8 miles.  It normally takes a half an hour.  I even had to pedal on the downhills just to keep moving.  Typically, when I reach a motorcycle dirt track just outside the canyon I’ve just been through the wind dies down and things get back to normal.  Not this day.

Cycling West: headwind.  Cycling South: headwind.  Cycling North: headwind.  Cycling East: well who cares because I was done with my westerly riding early that day.  So yes, wind can blow in three directions at the same time, at least it felt like it.  So I did 77 miles Saturday and I got a much better workout than I expected because of all the wind.  Yes, I get to ride into the wind and I should be thankful I'm not riding in snow.  In fact, I am.  I just like to whine from time to time.

So with Saturday under my belt I went out Sunday to climb Diablo.  In my mind it was to the top or failure.  I had to prove to myself that I could do back to back riding of this nature or risk doubt that I would ever get in shape to tackle the entirety of the Tour du Burundi.

Sunday was a beautiful day and nowhere near the wind of Saturday.  So beautiful that I left my leg warmers at home, wore a short-sleeved jersey, and stuffed my jacket in my back pocket just in case it was cold at the top and I wanted it for my descent.

I tried this very same Saturday-Sunday combo two weeks ago and only made it to the Junction so I knew what my legs might feel like this Sunday.  Well I'm  pleased to report I felt much better as I rode up to the Junction and after a short water break I started out on the last 4.5 miles of the ascent not knowing how my legs would react.

There are clear goals over the last 4.5 miles.  2.5 miles up and you’re at the Juniper vista point and only 2 miles to go but a steep grade ahead.  1 more mile and you hit Devil's Elbow, a 180 degree turn and significant because the grade decreases at that point and you know you will make it....almost.  The last 300 feet is a 17% grade that I have never been able to ride up.

I made it to Juniper and I made it to Devil's Elbow but stopped at the last 300 feet.....by design.  The last thing I need to do at this stage of my training is attempt that last climb and fall over because I'm going so slow and re-injure my separated shoulder.  At the top I was greeted by this view.  I was hoping you could see San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance but I have to say I took the picture and I can’t even see them.  Well, you get the point.  I was at the top!!

This ride was a huge psychological lift for me!!!  Knowing I can do rides like this back to back gives me great confidence for Day 1 and 2 in Burundi.

You know what else would be a huge psychological lift?  Seeing the last $3,625 donated over the next two weeks to reach the $20,000 goal.  It's like we are at the Juniper vista point of fund raising.  We have a mile of steep incline to go but it gets easier after that.  Let's get through the last training and fundraising together and set our sights on doing the Tour and giving $20,000 to the Gitega International Academy!

And quickly, a weight-loss update.  I'm down 3 pounds this week and just 3 away from reaching another goal: 100 pounds shed from this frame of mine!

Thanks for reading this!