I took my bike on a trip!

My neighbor asked me yesterday if I had found work. The reality is, I have more work than I can handle some days! My client list has grown to over 23 athletes and my contract work is picking up fast! The awesome thing about that is that I can do all that work in my jammies in the house. Thus the neighbors think I don't work. Sigh...

Our adventures have been colored and many, so on easy ride day may just allow me rehash some of them! I have a fresh french press of coffee percolating as I listen to/watch the Exergy Tour and all the awesome women competing there!

We decided I needed to go to Colorado for some bike racing, and realizing the cool fact that I could not only see my brother and his wife, but my parents, 3 cousins and their families and one awesome aunt! So on the road I went, 16 hour drive with a few detours, the complete Hunger Games trilogy on my iPod, my lap top and my bikes!

Before I left, I spun the legs out up and around Oak Glen. I have yet to actually eat apple pie or an apple dumpling up at the top...one day! 

A quick spin up to Oak Glen before heading out of town. This route is awesome on a weekday morning!

People tend to mock me for living in the not-so-hopping metropolis of Yucaipa. But hey, we are above the smog a lot of the time, right at the base of the mountains, we can see the starts, and we are at 2,300ft. Not bad! Yucaipa BLVD has gone through major changes in a city-wide attempt to boost our presence in the area. The roundabouts are pretty cool! And this sculpture was completed just in time for the carnival. Pretty cool!

Yucaipa roundabout! In honor of the Oak Glen Apple Orchards. 

Moto knew it was trip time. And that she wasn't coming along!

My trip took me straight out the I-15 to Grand Junction. I utilized my contacts on FB and received an excellent ride selection: The Colorado Monument Loop! 3 hours with +/- 3k climbing and views that were pretty rad. I never train with headphones - I have enough going on in my head anyways - and I was pumped to have complete silence on this solo ride on smooth new pavement under sparkling blue skies.

Grand Junction, CO

This road went straight UP from the Ranger Station!

Riding through the park, the ranger gave me a tail and front light for my bike. For the 3 tunnels! This one actually got me a bit sketched out, so I put in my one effort of the day. There was no light at the end of the tunnel! It was hot and dry, above 90 degrees, but once I dipped into the shade of the tunnel, it was easily 20 degrees cooler and damp. And creepy! There were no cars out, period, so I am not sure what my issue was!

ACK! 

Up, up and away!

Highest spot on the route. 

Amazing view back to where I rode up from. The colors were amazingly vibrant, no photo could do it justice. At least from the iPhone. 

From Grand Junction, I headed to higher ground in Frisco, CO. Roughly 9,000ft and threats of thunderstorms and hail! I took an easy easy easy spin on one of the coolest community bike paths I have ever been on! I took it towards Breckenridge, where I ran into hail and flipped it quick! But not so quick as to get winded...

The plan was to just pass by Frisco, but my parents - who live near Sacramento - just happened to be staying there with their friends! So I spent the night. Why not!? There is always wifi to be found which allows me to complete training plans, athlete communication, and facebook posting.

Bike path day!

Don't worry, we were stopped - snow storm gridlock!

 I guess the hail meant something else was coming! Good thing I got new wiper blades. This was my 2 days of winter, all winter.

I love food, and my parents friends bought me a sandwich. But I couldn't eat it for like 4 hours!! It tortured me in the passengers seat, but proved to be very delicious once I got to sink my teeth into it!

FOOD!

 I hustled down to the "flat" lands outside of Boulder for my sister-in-law, Suzanne's first ever horse show!! It was pretty awesome to watch and such a complicated, multi-faceted event, it was really fun to get to watch. But those metal bleachers in 50 degree misty weather....brrrrr.

Suzanne jumping!

 This horse is HUGE! And I could live in their horse trailer. So nice and spacious!

Telle!