Happy Hour Cycling

Don't you think it's time we all became more physically active? Beginning this month, I and a few friends will be riding five miles each day. If any of you would like to join our Bike Club, please let me know and we can make arrangements to swing by and pick you up!

I think it would be appropriate to ride somewhere between 4:00 and 7:00pm. We can call it happy hour, if it will make you say "Yes".

Buenos Dias from Espana

Further news from Spain - Greg and Ruth Sneed take the Bull by the Horns

We had a great time at the Vaulta de Valencia and got to draft Alessandro Pettachi to the start of the race. We watched the start and then headed up to the feed zone to get another view of the racers and to snag some souvenirs. We got several musette bags one even had a bannana in it which Bob ate along with a few containers of Enervite which is much nicer to suck down then gu. The next day we rode through the feed zone again and scavenged several more water bottles I almost wrecked when Bob stopped in front of me to grab an eusketel bottle he had spotted on a rock. The riding here is great but its kinda a strange place with lots of retired brits over here every other place is a faux british pub and our hotel had a british breakfast every morning I am so ready for pancakes and some yummy american sausages sorry I´m not a fan of bangers. Our friends Greg and Ruth have joined us so along with a guy from Stratford upon Avon we tackled the climb to Gudalest which has many switchbacks and then a screaming descent. I´m enjoying the riding over here and we will ride one of the cols again this week before heading back to the land of rain. I´m feeling more psyched now about the upcoming brevet season.

Greetings from Albir Spain

We are on Holiday at a Graham Baxter Sporting Camp doing some lovely riding up lots of hills and past many beaches and hill towns. Tomorrow we attend the Tour de Valencia and hope to get some good pictures of the racers we saw the team cars for Discover and CSC in town and have heard Valverde is planning to race. This isn´t really a training camp for the less serious set ie not racers but they have been very accomodating and tell us good routes that take us intersting places we arrive back later then the other folks but have done less miles, fewer hills but have probably had a nicer time then having our hearts jump out of our chests. I´m the only woman here. Most of the guys are planning to ride le tour l´tape which is riding a stage of the tour de france 8000 riders do it every year there are time cutoffs and huge passes to ride so they are riding the cols (passes) in the area. One of the Cols is the Col de Rates which we plan on riding before we return back to Seattle.

Ergomania

Ergomania
My hubby competed in Ergomania on Saturday January 27, 2007.
He uses erging or indoor rowing as his offseason training for cycling. We own a concept 2 rower and many gyms also have the rowers. Concept 2 is a very cool company sponsering events like Ergomania and also holding on-line Challenges. Between Thanksgiving and X-mas they hold the Holiday Challenge if you get your rowing in your holiday calories are burned off and you can get through the holidays without gaining a pound in fact you might loose a few. Bob is a PBP Ancienne and is planning to ride PBP 2007

Weight Training for Long Distance Cyclists

We are not like those no upper body Tour de France riders we need to be fit all the way around. I recently started weight training at the gym so I will be able to complete endurance rides in the future. Wednesday night I found myself drawing a blank about what I was there for and what I was doing. I spent some time today putting together a cheat sheet to use for weight training I need to add neck exercises to it so I don't end up with Shermer's neck. But its a start- If you weight train let me know some good additional exercises. I don't plan on doing all of these every time I lift.
I found a good page that has exercises choose the ones that work for you

LEGS
Dumbbell Stepups
Dumbell Squats
Dumbell Side Lunges
Leg press
Hamstring curls
ARMS
Biceps curls
Bicep Hammer Curls
Tricep Kickbacks
Triceps extension
Triceps Bench Dips
BACK / ABS
Low back extensions
Reverse crunches
Crunches
CHEST
Dumbbell chest press
Lat pulldowns