Butt hard

Down in SFO early today and heading out about 1PM for my nice loop ride. I was feeling good until coming down the hill to Pacifica when I realized the wind was blowing, and hard, out of the south. This is atypical and caught me completely off guard.

So I slogged into the wind, which aided by the coastal overcast made for cool & blustery conditions; very much different from just the other side of the coast range (Santa Cruz Mountains). Turned off of the main road at Lobitos Creek cut-off for a 2 mile climb to intercept the remainder of the Tunitus Creek climb - all in all a 9.5 mile 2500' affair. This was a climb on this years TdCA and one that I frequent when I'm on a SFO layover. The TdCA must've had some influence because gone were the numerous cracks and ruts that makes this road great for climbing but a nightmare for descending. Though I swear the reasonably new asphalt was making the climb slower, albeit smoother. I'll save my review of the descent for another day, as I've been too chicken head down.

On other rides up this climb though the redwoods I've had some wonderful experiences, often passing several others on the way. Not today! Not only was it a solitary effort - but an effort that really showcased my lack of training and fitness. Either that or I can blame it on the fact that I forgot to eat anything until mid-climb and was running on empty.

On the way back toward the airport on top of Skyline Blvd the fog was rolling up and over the road in several spots with gusto, blowing me sideways and forcing me to pedal harder than I wanted on the descent when faced into the wind. Still a good day to be out and look forward to my rematch next week.

Knee

OK so it's been 6 months since the Doc supposedly fixed my left knee - so how come it still feels weaker and less stable than previously?

I've been hesitant to do any artificial weight bearing activity at the gym - letting it fully heal and not hurrying myself back too quickly while risking further damage to the inner workings of the joint. So with my occasionally infrequent & erratic cycling schedule bringing my cardio fitness slowly back to par, I will now try to solidify and strengthen the knee to balance out my full recovery.

I should be ready for the season to begin for 2010.

OK maybe 2011.

Sotomayor

Will the Senate determine that the Supreme Court suits her to replace Justice Souter? Hey she's single, saved baseball and loves Seinfeld, what more can you say?

I remember

I didn't always agree with why you were put in harms way, but:
I remember your service,
I remember your dedication,
I remember your pride,
I remember your sacrifice.

Best race car circuit in the world!

Hands down - the F1 race that overwhelms the Principality of Monaco.

Ya it's only 160 miles, and it only last about an hour 45, and passing is a bitch, and the required haute factor is very high - but they have to make both left AND right turns (plus a tunnel!).

Very cool.

You just never know?

Steve Larsen died after a hard track workout. I know he was somewhat of a controversial figure from his racing days but I only dealt with him from the business side as a client of his World Tri business based in Bend.

He personally called me several times to update me on the status of a delayed order and we often chatted about various things from racing bikes to triathlons to different equipment and clothing choices.

A good interview with him on Slowtwitch.

I never had the chance to meet him personally but I feel sad nonetheless. All the best to his wife and 5 kids.

1 hand clapping

The pilot group approved the tentative agreement today by what seems to be an overwhelming margin of 85%. With a 95% voter turnout over 1000 pilots voted in favor of the TA with less than 200 pilots voting against.

The sad part is that I think most of those who voted in favor were not necessarily voting YES as much as they weren't voting NO.

Nothing really outstanding - sure there are pay raises to be had - which is tough to argue against in the present economic situation; but they are tempered by increased scheduling flexibility, higher employee health insurance costs, and other items that lean toward the Company. It also created a trio of choices for current pilots for their retirement options (current plan, reduced DB & increased DC, or DC only), though new pilots will not get a choice (DC only). The old saying goes that pay rates ebb and flow but work rules & benefits given up never return.

Another respected pilot used to say that the only things that really mattered were "money & days off." If looked at in that regard we did OK.

I'm sure the news of the voting results were greeted by the management and shareholders at today's AAG annual shareholder meeting at the Museum of Flight with glee.

Idiot passengers of the day

At the airport this morning getting some paperwork from a remote computer behind the gate (C-11) at SEATAC when an alarm went off in the pocket of a couple of young guys sleeping nearby. These 2 guys were college-age and a bit disheveled, but otherwise cleanly dressed and in a most contorted position. When I turned around after the alarm continued to do it's electronic best to wake these 2 - all the people around them had their collective heads up their ass.

So I walked over and lightly shook the one guy who was beeping the loudest & got him to wake up. He sleepily thanked me while waking his partner. Before I walked away toward my flight I told them that their fellow passengers were ignorant in their assistance and would have let them continue to sleep; perhaps missing their flight.

As a result I get the collective look from everybody else. Somebody will probably complain and I'll have to explain the whole situation to the Chief Pilot. Of course if he reads this blog, I won't have to.