Monday, August 8, 2011

It's like the air here has less oxygen!



A small Dough contingent traveled west to the Rockies this week. I am in Breckenridge trying to escape the Texas heat for awhile. Packed everything except the bike. Shoes, check. Pedals, sunglasses, gloves, helmet, kits, shoes, socks, check, check, check. I even remembered the frigging Garmin and HR strap. Sean, you'd be proud of me!

So I went down to the first bike shop in Breckenridge with hope but not a real expectation to find a solid road bike. They only had one 56 cm and it was already rented. So, I asked to see the one bike bike they had. When she went back to check, there was in fact a 56 cm Trek 1.2. An aluminum frame that was just my size. Went home and fitted it up to my measurements and put on the pedals. Presto chango got my bike.

Today I went out for a thirty mile shakedown. Everything was fine except my heart and lungs. It seems there is less oxygen in the air here! Actually I already knew that. I do however now understand how Hoodie was so strong when he first came to Texas! The air in Texas must have seemed like pure oxygen soup. BTW, Hoodie we visited U of C in Boulder. Very nice campus.

I left Breckenridge and went down to Frisco and beyond. The terrain here is tricky. On a section that I would swear was down hill, the Garmin and my legs corrected the seeming optical illusion. This happened a lot. I guess the mountains and streams kind of throw you off a little. I met a guy on my way back to the condo. I was loading a snot rocket into chamber one, and just before I fired, I sensed someone coming up on my left. He passed me but did nothing to keep me from staying with him. I eventually came along side and started talking to him. We are going to do a 50 miler on Wednesday I think.

I have a 400 foot climb from downtown to our condo and that sent me into anaerobic fits at the end! Overall a great ride. The best scenery I have seen. I hope to get out three more times this week.

Ullrich

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