The Adventure to Oakflats

It was very important for me to make it to this little cafe at the top of a long and
grueling mountain climb. The owner is the daughter of a woman who passed away as a result of cancer and I am cycling in her honor.....her name is Geraldine O'Brien.

Once at the top I met Geraldine's daughter and told her I was back and I had not forgotten her mom....I was still working at the ride and planning on riding in her mom's honor.

Meanwhile, I was in a lot of shoulder pain and continued on with the ride through Gonzales road and past Gina's house...only to have to quit because my shoulders could not hold me on the bike any more. After 4,000 feet of climbing and more than 3 hours of up.......I gave up and surrendered to the fact that I could go no further in the condition I was in.

Luckily, the A+ boyfriend Paul was our SAG and he took me in.

I saw the surgeon this morning 4/27 and he thinks I may have some nerve stuff going on and I have to have a nerve test on Wednesday. He will give me a shot of cortisone a week before the ride thinking I will have the best chance at the 100 if he gives the shot on this time line. From his lips to God's ears as we Italians say!

Oakflats Here We Come

The Friends We meet Along the Way!

I met this woman with tears in her eyes. We met at the registration booth at the Breast Cancer Walk. She spoke of her sister who was a teacher and her team chimed in what a great and fun loving person she was. She cried. I cried. I told her of my mom who was a teacher too and of what a great and fun loving person she was.....and we were sisters and daughters right then and there...fighting to find a cure for this horrid disease!

See slide show below for more pics from the walk.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer...or Cancer Sucks

Keep on Truckin' Mama

Another Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood! You cannot tell from the pic but this was pea soup- like fog that I drove through as I approached our start destination for Saturday's 60 miles training ride. I had so hoped for nice weather, since we have had virtually none on Saturdays since Feb. 7th...but alas it was not meant to be.

We started into the canyon and were met by cold temps and the beginnings of ferocious winds. We rode up Sedillo Hill and were met with more gusting winds. We rode to Edgewood and turned left to go to Frost Road...NORTH? NORTH WEST? Wasn't that the direction of the heavy wind that was predicted. People do not remember that they check ALBUQUERQUE weather and that the weather is not the same in the East Mountains? We could barely fight the wind. But we really had no choice...except to get into the sag...it was either fight the wind, get into the sag or blow into a steep ditch that replaced the shoulder. I chose to "Keep on Truckin' Mama! " We climbed Frost road which I discovered had a grade between 8-14% at some places and I heard my bike groan and I told everyone the nice me left at mile 37......I started spelling curses and growled a lot...but I was able to ride the 60 and make it back in one piece!

I can tell the pilates is helping my shoulder strength...I used some of their principles and it helped me to stay stronger despite having to fight the wind on the bike! Check out the link to Body Wisdom Pilates at the side of this blog! They announced "We are part of your support team now!" And so they are!

60 Miles into the East Mountains

Triathlon Mania...Don't Ever Joke About Flats

See this cute bike shop guy? This is Taylor Canady from High Desert Bike Shop...the best bike shop in New Mexico! See link on side of blog. He saved my butt on Friday night at 6pm when I just haphazardly felt my rear tire only to discover a rear flat! Never joke about flats. I did with Tom Mizner who arrived at High Desert shortly after me looking for tubes and liners. I did with my boyfriend as he had me change 5 tires in a row the other night to "Test me" to see if I could apply all my bike mechanic training to the real world! BUT...this flat I was not going to fix! I did not want to worry or have anxiety pre-triathlon if my tire would or would not hold. So, Taylor fixed my flat! He did not even charge me labor! I told him I would come back and get him if the tire did not hold and another partner in crime at High Desert told me he would not sleep all night! But instead, I came back to thank him...because in all that rain and slippery conditions, the tire held perfectly! Thanks Taylor! YOU ROCK!

The triathlon was a blast...AFTER it was over....otherwise the conditions were ugly and I am still drying out. I had to literally ring out my "cancer sucks socks" because they were sopping wet. I cannot remember being so wet...unless I consider back packing in the Appalachians as a Girl Scout and having to trench my tent due to a flood.... yes, that was the last time I was this wet! LOL. We had a wonderful time...see below...and yes...we are planning another...perhaps in the fall after my century!