The Aerobic workout check-in thread!

I was planning on making an attempt Friday on my 65th at the Baldy Ski Lifts.

There was a wind advisory with predicted gusts to 30 mph and I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid.

I got a 5:30 am start since I planed on taking my time. it's about 15 mi from the house to the start of GMR (Glendora Mt. Road) It became obvious that the only ones out that early on a Saturday morning are either still drunk or hung over and half asleep on their way to work. The olfactory senses can contribute to your safety. I could smell a doughnut shop a block or so before having to contend with the caffeine deprived drivers in a rush for their fix.

I passed a club gearing up for a Halloween ride at the base of the hill. The naughty nurse sag driver shouted out "do you need a nurse?". Declined the offer and headed up GMR. GMR was closed due to the holiday and fire danger. Kept it on the 32 most of the time and was dodging rocks and small bushes on the road the whole way. The wind had been blowing hard enough to uproot small bushes and even one dead tree was in the road. A CX bike with new 42 mm tires contributes a lot to confidence when there's that much crap on the road.

I got to Baldy Village a bit before 11:00 and figured I could top out by noon. That didn't happen. The last 8 miles is unrelenting and the last four are at a 400+ ft per mile grade, with one mile close to 500 ft. I started out stopping and resting after the first two switchbacks, then it was every switchback and finally twice per switchback.

After Manker Flats the grade kicks up again and I was reduced to walking the last 100 yards. I figured walking was less embarrassing than a tombay.
http://www.bikeforums.net/fifty-plus-50/806704-what-club-tombay.html

The naughty nurse and crew were all there and this time I said

"I need a nurse!!!"

Coming down from the top to the village is a real test of the brakes. the worst part of the ride back is the grade grinding back up out of Baldy Village to GMR and intervening uphills on the way back that certainly don't feel that steep on the way up. At least the county had run a blade down the road so no rocks and debris issue and a relaxed 25mph+ coast home.

I used three small leftover brown rice balls with soy sauce for electrolytes and a king size Payday for fuel. Didn't use much of the Gatorade, but ran the 3L Camelbak dry about 4 miles from home.

80 miles, 8,280 ft 7:50 ride time (don't think the ride time is correct, more like 10 hrs)