09-30-2025 Run/Ride

Had a somewhat restless night of sleeping, with very vivid dreams. Ann also couldn't sleep and ended up on the couch downstairs. I woke up after 6:00 and got ready for a run. Did a new extended route through the neighborhood that's a little over 4 miles, would like to see how to get it to 5. Started off slow, lots of hills, but I had negative splits throughout. It was humid, and I was sweating pretty good by the end.

Avg pace = 8:48/mi

Total distance = 4.29 mi

Elapsed moving time = 37:46

Avg heartrate = 132 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 18

https://www.strava.com/activities/15987042128

Had some cereal for breakfast when I got back, and I made some coffee to drink while I had my phone appointment to enroll in a Medicare Supplement plan. Unfortunately, the meeting had been changed to Wednesday morning, I guess I had gotten a voicemail message but inadvertently deleted it. So, no meeting. Instead, I did several units on Mango Languages. Started to watch an episode of Silo, but Ben called me, and we ended up talking for over an hour and a half, mostly about the situation with Mom and the caregivers. He can be really frustrating to talk with, it seems that he likes to play games to show he is aware of everything and knows just what to do. But I got it over with, then finished watching the show before having some lunch and then getting ready for a ride with Paula from her house. Drove over and got there a little before 1:00. I won't try to fully describe the route we took, which initially took us on a service road, dropped us into several San Elijo Hills neighborhoods, and then got us onto Rancho Santa Fe Rd via San Elijo Rd. I dropped my chain on that downhill but was able to get it back on without stopping. We eventually got over to Lone Jack Rd and took Fortuna Ranch Rd up into the hills, eventually dropping down a really steep road in a neighborhood off Elfin Forest Rd. We followed that to Harmony Grove Rd and then went by Harmony Grove Village on Country Club Dr. I pushed the pace somewhat on Harmony Grove Rd, doing a little bit of relatively flat-road training for the upcoming TT as part of the sprint tri. Eventually over to Barham Dr and to the CSUSM campus by looping up and around on La Moree Rd. To Craven Rd, then rode through the neighborhood south of there to get back to Twin Oaks Valley Rd. Then it was up this climb to San Elijo Rd and back down to Double Peak Dr. I was a little frustrated that the ride ended in the biggest climb, so I pushed the pace and left Paula pretty far back, getting to her house about 5 minutes before she arrived. Ride was definitely hilly, no long climbs other than the last one, lots of elevation gain and loss. Ride was, at times, hotter than I thought it would be, but overall the temperature was okay. 

Avg speed = 11.9 mph. Total mileage = 25.0 mi

Avg power = 118 W. Weighted avg power = 160 W

Total elevation gain = 2750'

Avg heartrate = 117 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 47

Training Load = 130

Intensity = 73%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15992149556

Ran into a little afternoon traffic on the way home, not much. I had some time to relax and take a shower before dinner. After dinner, I got my free Slurpee and then did some shopping at Sprouts for stuff to make smoothies, since John and I are planning on riding from our house on Wednesday. Quiet rest of the evening.

09-29-2025 Ride/Swim

Had a pretty restless night, I'm guessing it was the caffeine in the espresso gelato along with the Dr Shasta caffeine that did me in. Didn't nap the previous day, so that wasn't it. My back was a little sore as well, not sure whether it was the previous day's longer morning run or moving the bags of composted soil around. Decided in the early morning to do a TT ride on my Fuji bike, wearing my tri suit with a jersey over it to hold my phone, wallet, and bike pump. Down the hill, at the bottom of the hill I started my Wahoo, not sure why it didn't start at the house. Over to Pomerado Rd and up to Twin Peaks Rd, where I turned around and rode back to RB Rd. Home from there via W Bernardo Dr. I was able to stay in aero position for most of this ride, worked pretty hard from start to finish.

Avg speed = 19.3 mph. Total mileage = 11.9 mi

Avg power = 193 W. Weighted avg power = 202 W

Total elevation gain = 640'

Avg heartrate = 140 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 34

Training Load = 54

Intensity = 92%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15975774662

I got back with just a little time to get ready for a swim at the WWC. Was originally supposed to meet Avi there, but he backed out. So I decided to do an uninterrupted 1500 yd swim. Didn't feel strong from the start, and the splits from the three 500s indicate I wasn't in a swimming mood: 9:58, 10:02, 10:00, total time 30:00. My stroke count was initially high, and I was able to get a little better in the middle of the workout, but it fell apart as I got tired near the end. Lots more work to do in the pool over the next week and a half.

Avg pace = 2:00/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1500 yds

Elapsed moving time = 30:00 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 147 bpm (Zepp)

Relative Effort =  37

SWOLF = 39

Avg stroke rate = 21 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.22 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/15977027106

Had a biscuit for breakfast when I got home. During the day, I watched several episodes of Silo and did some chores, including boxing up my new waxed flat-top chain for the Canyon bike, cleaning my rear cassette, lubricating the ratchet mechanism to make it run more smoothly and quietly, getting my Escondido library card renewed, and buying some dental floss at CVS. When I had come out of CVS, there were a couple of kids near my scooter, I think they were getting ready to take my helmet, since the kid in back didn't have one. Glad I came out when I did, it was disappointing to consider that they might have taken it. After getting home, I cleaned out the shoots from the pepper tree and the sumac bushes I had chopped down behind the fence. The sumac shoots were easy to clear up, the pepper tree sprouts not so much. But they're done and should last for a couple of months or so.

09-28-2025 Run

Didn't sleep particularly well (<>). I decided to go for a run instead of a ride in the morning. Headed down to the park and around it four times for a 5-mile run, walking back up the hill to the house. I had a pretty steady tempo, ran negative splits throughout.

Avg pace = 7:44/mi

Total distance = 5.15 mi

Elapsed moving time = 39:50

Avg heartrate = 135 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 22

https://www.strava.com/activities/15965767575

Got home and had some time to cool off before shaving and showering to go to church with Ann, who was the liturgist on this day. Emily was there as well, we laughed before the service about old TV shows (MadTV, The Office). After the service concluded, Pastor Lisa brought up the situation with Brogan Hunt and Carli Tomlinson, but it was quite confusing and kinda weird in the lack of clarity of the message, other than to respect their privacy. Talked with a few folks on the patio after church, then the three of us walked over to Esco Gelato for gelato and conversation. Got some composted soil for one of the garden beds at Home Depot after that and then drove home. In the afternoon, I applied some silicone sealant to the soap dispenser by the kitchen sink to try and keep water from getting into the cupboard. Don't know if that's where it's coming from. I also swapped out the chain on my Canyon, it was past due. I looked at the newer chain I've been swapping out to determine its number of links, 106. I used solvent to de-grease one of the new chains I bought recently, then I waxed it in preparation for cutting to size and installing in the future. I also did some Mango Language practice for Spanish. In the evening, Ann and I watched the first episode of the second season of Unforgotten. I liked it, I hope she sticks with it. Was quiet for the rest of the evening.

09-27-2025 Ride

Slept somewhat fitfully, maybe it was the combination of a big dinner and the Pepsi I had at the airshow. Got up a little early and changed out the pads on my rear disc brakes, which were worn down and rubbing against the rotor. Got ready for the ride and headed over to the parking lot by Marco's Pizza, where the following riders showed up: Ray, Perse, Fritz, Arnold, Jed, Jed A., James, Nel, Jhonar, and Andy.  I had mapped out the route, so I took the lead, riding up W Bernardo Dr and over to Bernardo Center Dr, turning left and taking it down the hill to turn right onto Bernardo Heights Pkwy. On the climbs, I was leading out, and for the most part the others were staying back, likely conserving their energy for a harder day. Took this road over to Pomerado Rd, turning right there (I waited for everybody to catch up) and riding down to Twin Peaks Rd, where we turned left. We were supposed to meet Edson here, and I ended up looking for Fritz in the Target parking lot after he went to find Edson (they were already riding ahead of me). Got behind everybody, I caught up with James but had to wait until the right turn on Espola Rd and the climb up to Poway Rd to catch the others. We gathered at that turn and then headed downhill after James showed up. My original route had us going to Community Rd, but for some reason I thought the route was going to take us up Sycamore Canyon Rd via Garden Rd. James didn't know that, so I had to push really hard on the downhill to catch up to him on Poway Rd and get him to turn around to meet up with the others. The Sycamore Canyon climb is a short one, and Fritz and Arnold stayed with me on the climb as I put in a pretty big effort here. We waited for everybody else to show up, then took the little ramp up to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, crossing the road and heading west. I got out ahead of the others again and rode solo all the way down to the left turn onto Pomerado Rd. Several other riders showed up, Edson and Andy had continued up Scripps-Poway Pkwy to the 67, and another group stopped to help Perse fix a flat. They eventually showed up, and we climbed up Pomerado Rd to Stonebridge Pkwy, turning left there. I started out at a fairly modest pace, while Jhonar and Ray raced each other up the first two little climbs. Then I buckled down and started pushing, with Fritz and Arnold hanging on. Jed A. also tried to hang on for a bit but went too deep and had to back off. Eventually, I was able to shake the others and get to the top, where James (who had ridden ahead) was waiting. I ended up setting a PR (13:39,221 W, 151 bpm) for the segment from Pomerado Rd to the top, felt pretty good about that. We gathered up at the top, then took Via Santa Pradera to Beeler Canyon Rd, down the steep descent, aided by the gate near the bottom being open, then over to Creek Rd to get back to Pomerado Rd. On this stretch, it was me and Fritz in the lead, with the others following. We stopped at the Chevron station on the corner for our break, then continued on, getting back onto Scripps-Poway Pkwy and taking it all the way to the 67. Again, I put in a bigger effort and gapped all the others right away, was fortunate to hit all the lights green, and had a decent (not great) time up the Purple Monster climb. This ended up being my second-fastest time from Pomerado Rd to the 67, 12 seconds slower than when I did it in August. Waited for the others at the turn north on the 67. They had a little head start before James showed up, then I ended up catching and passing them all on the stretch to the pass by Mt Woodson. Jed A. turned toward home at Poway Rd, and Edson and Andy were still way ahead of us. Down to Archie Moore Rd, where we gathered up again and rode over to Highland Valley Rd. Once again, I, along with James, got out in front of the others on the descent to HVR, and I was feeling pretty good on the little climb up to the top before the descents. Pushed pretty hard all the way back to Pomerado Rd and got there just before four others - Ray, Jed, Fritz, and Arnold- showed up. They had been working together to catch me and almost did. I set a PR (27:56, 155 W, 139 bpm) for the segment from Archie Moore to Pomerado. From there it was the usual way back to the starting point. I was behind the others again on the climb up to RB Community Park, but I caught them and rode with the leaders to the base of the last climb. Fritz and Arnold were pushing the pace, and I was working hard to keep up. About halfway up, I passed Fritz, and he couldn't hold the pace, dropping back. I stayed in front for a bit, then here comes Arnold passing me. Gathered my last energy and pushed hard to pass him and create a gap before the turn to get back into the parking lot. That took a good amount of effort, but my legs were solid and held out. On the ride, both Jhonar and Perse cramped up, neither had been riding much recently. The others suffered but held up well.

Avg speed = 15.8 mph. Total mileage = 51.7 mi

Avg power = 157 W. Weighted avg power = 189 W

Total elevation gain = 4470'

Avg heartrate = 133 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 138

Training Load = 286

Intensity = 86%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15957332415

We had lunch at Marco's Pizza after the ride. I had soda while most of the others drank beer. Gideon showed up later, as well as Cam, just back from his Europe trip. I rode home after that and watched a little NCAA football in the afternoon and in the evening. Nothing else special.

09-26-2025 Ride/Walks

Woke up after another good night's sleep, fairly early but I had gone to bed fairly early as well. Got ready for an early-morning bike ride with Paula, leaving from our house. It was overcast with a chance of rain, but we didn't see so much as a sprinkle during the entire ride. We headed up Aguamiel Rd to Duenda Rd and took it over to Escala Dr. That little climb after the dip is short but challenging. She handled it well, is becoming a better climber for sure. We then rode to Pomerado Rd and turned right taking it (it was busy with morning traffic) up to Paseo Verano, where we turned left and rode through the Oaks North neighborhood to get to Bernardo Winery. Just past the winery is a sidewalk that you can take to get into the Valle Verde neighborhood, and that's what we did. Paused after this for a picture to send to Blair on his birthday, then we continued on Old Winery Rd up to Valle Verde Rd, turning right there and taking it over to Espola Rd. We turned left and rode up to Bridlewood Rd, turning there and riding through that nice neighborhood on Summer Sage Rd to Lake Poway Rd, then Riparian Rd to Titan Way and back to Espola Rd.  Down the hill to Twin Peaks Rd, which also had a lot of traffic to deal with. At Pomerado Rd Paula reminded me that this was her last day at HP. I felt bad for not remembering, need to be better with things like that. We stayed on this road until turning onto Paseo Lucido. Had to be a little careful going through morning traffic around the schools. We stayed on Paseo Lucido until turning right onto Bernardo Heights Pkwy and taking it to Bernardo Center Dr, where we turned left and rode up to the HP site. Through the parking lot and over to the sign in front, where we took pictures to commemorate her last day. Then it was back home the normal way from there.

Avg speed = 13.1 mph. Total mileage = 18.9 mi

Avg power = 110 W. Weighted avg power = 150 W

Total elevation gain = 1530'

Avg heartrate = 108 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 20

Training Load = 77

Intensity = 68%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15943469761

When I got home, I asked Ann if she was still interested in going to the Miramar Air Show. Somewhat surprising to me, she said yes, so I had a quick shower, we took some food and chairs and headed over to Miramar MCAS. It was interesting just driving through the base to where they had us park. It is, of course, like a little city there. From the parking lot to the flight line, it was about a 30-minute walk at an easy pace. Fairly light security at the gate, then we were into the "fair" section of the event. Lots of booths, including sign-up booths for military and military-adjacent jobs. We skipped the ground displays of military craft (I'll have to go there next year and spend time looking at that stuff. Ann wouldn't like it, will need to go by myself), wandered around a little bit until we saw where we could set up our chairs to view the events, east of the bleachers and paid seating areas. There were a couple of warm-up events that we didn't fully get to see, but we were there for the official opening ceremonies and all of the main event shows. Here's a breakdown of the agenda, with some notes:

1.      Altus AFB USAF C-17 and KC-135 Demo (Including an interesting demo of in-flight refueling)

2.      Welcoming Ceremonies Featuring USMC 3D MAW Marching Band, Mounted Color Guard, and USSOCOM ParaCommandos

3.      USMC F-35B LIGHTNING II Demo (This STVOL stealth fighter was really impressive and loud)

4.      USMC Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Demo (Lots of ground explosions and fireballs, it was difficult to see what was actually going on down on the field)

5.      Vicky Benzing P-51D “Plum Crazy” Mustang Demo (She has a PhD in physical chemistry, basically flew the plane back and forth several times, it's impressive that a WWII-era plane can still fly)

6.      Race – Precision Exotics vs. Vicky Benzing (Silly)

7.      Aarron Deliu Extra 330 Aerobatics (Excellent, he did amazing things with his plane, I saw him after the demonstration greeting people and being really gracious)

8.      USAF F-22 Raptor Demo w/ P-51 D Heritage Flight (The F-22 didn’t fly, it was a disappointment)

9.      Warbirds Over Miramar – The Flying History of the USMC.

•          P-40 Warhawk – Flying Tigers Spirit
•          SNJ Trainer – Turtle Bay Legacy
•          F4U Corsair – Pacific Powerhouse (I remember this plane from Black Sheep Squadron)
•          SNJ “War Dog” – Stateside and Beyond
•          PBJ-1J “Semper Fi” – The Marine B-25 (Very cool-sounding dual-engine plane)
•          AD-4N Skyraider – Cold War Warrior
•          OV-10 Bronco – Eyes of the Corps

10.  USN Blue Angels w/ Fat Albert (Big build-up, too much time spent on the Fat Albert flying around, the Blue Angels did their low-altitude show, which was impressive but not as cool as the high-altitude show, still very fun, and loud, to watch)

The weather held out for us, no rain at all and the sun stayed mostly behind the clouds, keeping it pretty cool. We walked back to the car after the show and had dinner at a Pho place on Mira Mesa Blvd, then drove home. Was a quiet evening, I watched the last episode of Season 1 of Dark Winds. Like Hillerman's mysteries, it was a little too busy at the end, wrapping up the story lines too neatly. Still, beautiful scenery and some (not all) decent acting.

09-25-2025 Run/Swim

Had the best sleep since we got back from Europe, woke up early, had some cereal and fruit, and went back to sleep some more (<!>). Before going to the WWC, I decided to go for a run. Did a minor modification of the old 3.5-mile loop from our house, flattening it out a little and adding just a little more distance. Kept my pace slower for this run, just working on getting more miles in.

Avg pace = 8:14/mi

Total distance = 3.59 mi

Elapsed moving time = 29:36

Avg heartrate = 131 bpm

Relative Effort = 15

https://www.strava.com/activities/15932586433

When I got back, I was soaked through with sweat, it's quite humid for San Diego. I had run in my tri suit, so I packed my other gear up and headed over to the WWC. I was the only one in the pool at the start, but it quickly filled with others, so that nearly every lane was occupied by the time I finished. Did a warm-up 500, then 5 100s at 2:30 intervals, finishing up with another 500 using the pull buoy and focusing on lengthening my stroke. Here are the times (total time was 28:08):

    Warm-up 500             9:51

    5 100s                        1:49, 1:46,1:45, 1:45, 1:45

    500 with pull buoy    9:27

Avg pace = 1:55/100 yds (Zepp)

Total distance = 1500 yds

Elapsed moving time = 28:08 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 136 bpm (Zepp)

Relative Effort =  20

SWOLF = 37

Avg stroke rate = 21 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.35 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/15936077839

Had some toast when I got home, then got ready to head over to HP to meet John and Brooke for coffee. Dan Tanchangco joined us as well. He's likely going to be laid off, hoping to land something with HP but I don't see that happening. His wife's job is also going away, so that's scary for them both. Mariya's partner Mike was also laid off, but apparently he has a couple of job offers already. Jerry and Stan will stay with Indigo, working from home and traveling as needed. Rode home after that, had some lunch and watched the last episode of Season 1 of Silo as well as the first episode of Season 2. Also had a little nap in the afternoon before riding to Phil's BBQ for happy hour with HP folks. I had a soda and talked to Avi about our trip and to Britt and Dave Pereira about work and the Web Press business. Headed home for dinner, then Ann went to see a musical (The Prince of Egypt) at the Moonlight Amphitheater with Kay while I did the dishes and watched Thursday Night Football. 

09/24/2025 Ride

Woke up early, had some cereal and started watching the last episode of Severance but ran out of time. I shaved and then got ready for a ride with John for the first time in a while. Rode my Canyon this time. Headed through the neighborhood to Matinal Rd and then over to W Bernardo Dr. To RB Rd and then the normal way from there to his place, riding at a steady but not scorching pace. Saw Jayden and Vivian before we left. Headed up to Scripps-Poway Pkwy and turned right, heading up and then down to Mercy Rd, taking it to Black Mountain Rd. We rode up to the 56 bike path. On the climb, I pushed it and missed my PR by three seconds. We headed east and stayed on Ted Williams Pkwy, getting on the old time trial route and generally following it {no turn on Rios Rd) for a while. I dialed my pace back and rode with John up to the turn, then got out ahead on the little climb there. We reconnected before the descent to Twin Peaks Rd, where we turned right and rode to Midland Rd. Over to Poway Rd from there, turning right and staying on this road until we rode back up Springhurst Dr. Back the normal way from there, and Vivian made us smoothies. I talked to John about his Mom's passing, had a good conversation about her last week and his time there. Then I rode home the normal way, benefiting from a tailwind and making decent time. Home via RB Rd and W Bernardo Dr route. We rode a little harder than I expected we would, John has obviously been riding and is in good riding shape.

Avg speed = 16.1 mph. Total mileage = 43.0 mi

Avg power = 127 W. Weighted avg power = 155 W

Total elevation gain = 2240'

Avg heartrate = 121 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 56

Training Load = 154

Intensity = 70%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15923536051

Had about an hour when 8 got home before heading to the hospital. I showered (had shaved earlier) and was able to watch a little of a Dark Winds episode. Then I rode over to the hospital, had lunch (took a slice of quiche) and then did my volunteer shift. It was pretty standard, got busy toward the end of the shift. Rode home, had dinner, and watched the ends of both episodes I had started. Also cleaned up a pretty messy kitchen, Ann has been cooking a lot since she got back from Europe. Read a little bit but ended up going to sleep at 8:00 after a fairly tiring day.

09-23-2025 Ride/Run

Starting to sleep more normally, meaning that I get up in the night but can get back to sleep. I woke up really early early and had some cereal and a banana, then went back to bed, waking up later (<>). I went for a ride on my Fuji, with the aero bars, in the early morning, to get more comfortable riding with my arms on the aero bar drops. Down by the park and then up Pomerado Rd to Poway Rd, turning around there and riding back to RB Rd. Home via W Bernardo Dr. At times, it felt like I was in a good rhythm when riding in aero position, but I didn't have the endurance to keep pushing hard for longer periods of time. More practice riding needed. For some reason, my heartrate monitor didn't sync with my Wahoo on this ride.

Avg speed = 18.5 mph. Total mileage = 16.6 mi

Avg power = 158 W. Weighted avg power = 179 W

Total elevation gain = 780'

Training Load = 65

Intensity = 81%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15910544138

Ate a second breakfast when I got home, along with a cup of coffee. Then I drove over to the Pomerado Hospital complex in Escondido and got a flu shot. Stopped at Home Depot on the way back and bought some lengths of 1" PVC pipe, thinking I might need to replace some of the posts holding up the shade cover in the garden after Ann said they were falling down. When I got home, I went out back and saw that just one of the poles had leaned over, nothing broken, so I adjusted it and the shade cover back to normal, will continue monitoring. It's been about a month since any of the posts broke, so perhaps everything is stable enough. Watched some TV in the afternoon, and Ann bought us tickets to see Ed Sheeran in 2026 at Petco Park. Had pizza with dough that we had made together a couple of days previously, the crust was disappointing. I guess we need more practice. After dinner, Ann went to church, and I went for a run at the park. Rode my scooter down there, it was pretty busy with youth athletics, but I found a parking spot. The temperature had cooled, but it was still really humid, and I was sweating pretty heavily throughout the run. Kept my pace a little lower and ran for four miles, had to talk myself into running the last mile, which was the fastest one. Felt okay, it's always difficult for me to run after eating, I feel weighed down. But I need the miles.

Avg pace = 8:15/mi

Total distance = 4.05 mi

Elapsed moving time = 33:27

Avg heartrate = 138 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 20

https://www.strava.com/activities/15916574482

The rest of the evening was quiet. I had a shower and read for a bit.

09-22-2025 Swim

Had a surprisingly decent night's sleep, given my long nap the previous afternoon. I did wake up several times in the night but was able to get back to sleep. Got up around 5:00, had some breakfast, watched an episode of Dark Winds. I also installed the aero bars on my Fuji bike, then I got ready for a swim at the WWC. It was overcast and threatening to rain when I got there. Several people in the pool at the start, but I didn't have a problem getting a lane and swimming freely. I did 4 500s at 11-minute intervals, the last one with the pull buoy. The first two felt pretty good, the last two were a struggle. Need more endurance swimming to build up the consistency of my stroke, which was around 20/length in the first half of the workout. From the video, here are the splits from the four 500s: 9:31, 9:30, 9:46, 9:44, total time 38:31

Avg pace = 1:56/100 yds (Zepp)

Total distance = 2000 yds

Elapsed moving time = 38:53 (Zepp, not including pauses between intervals)

Avg heartrate = 133 bpm (Zepp)

Relative Effort =  22

SWOLF = 38

Avg stroke rate = 21 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.29 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/15899709190

We had a water leak under the sink in the morning, not sure where it came from, so will continue to monitor. The leak sensor functioned as intended. I had a quiet day. Met in a follow-up meeting with Alight specialist about Medicare options and submitted IRMAA form to lower our prescription drug costs. I watched some TV in the afternoon and went for a walk after dinner. It was a quiet evening, I read a fair amount. Started Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Ultimatum, and I also installed Mango Languages on my tablet to refresh my Spanish knowledge, starting from the very beginning.

09-21-2025 Ride

This ride turned out to be more difficult than expected, part of that was my fault for not paying more attention to what I ended up signing on for. I woke up quite early and didn't go back to sleep (<!>). Went down into the garage to adjust my rear disc brake, which was rubbing slightly on the rotor and causing some frictional noise. Then I changed and packed my stuff into the Kia to drive over to the meet-up spot to start the ride with Rob. On the way, I reconsidered why he had suggested meeting at Scripps Ranch, so I called him to verify and he told me he planned to meet at the Sabre Springs transit center. I'm glad I called, would have been a mess if we were at different places. Went to Sabre Springs and unpacked my bike, got it ready. He was, of course, a little late, so we started riding about 5 minutes later than planned. We rode over to the 56 bike path and took it down to Carmel Country Rd, where we were supposed to meet the others. Rob got ahead of me before this, so he overshot the meeting spot, and I had to push really hard to catch up to him and get him to turn around. We rode back to the spot, waited several minutes, then Paula and Catalin showed up. We ended up waiting for their friend Ihab to show up, and eventually he did, after he had been waiting nearby for us to show up. Then the ride officially started. It was in celebration of their 22nd wedding anniversary (they got married on 9-21 22 years ago on a Sunday). We rode to the top of Carmel Country Rd, I pushed my own pace a little hard and got some separation on the rest. Gathered up at the top and turned left onto Carmel Mountain Rd, taking it the reverse direction of the route I had ridden on Saturday. Over to Del Mar Mesa Rd, turning there and riding back down to Carmel Country Rd. Took some photos at the overlook spot, but it was overcast and hazy out in the distance. Stayed overcast on this entire ride, and we occasionally had to ride through light rain that never got really heavy. We took Carmel Country Rd to Carmel Mission Rd, turning right there and then left onto Carmel Center Rd. I think Paula and I had ridden a similar route previously through this neighborhood. Right onto Carmel Creek Rd, then a left on McGuire Dr to get back to Carmel Country Rd, where we took a right and crossed Del Mar Heights Rd. On the early part of this ride, it was Rob, Paula, and I in the front, with Ihab (on a gravel bike with wider tires) and Catalin bringing up the rear. To Hartfield Ave, turning left onto Half Mile Dr to get over to El Camino Real. We started down the hill, and I overshot the next right turn onto Derby Downs Rd to get to Old El Camino Real, where we turned left. I hadn't been on this road before, and it will likely be part of a future Bisikleta route, since it's an interesting way to get to San Dieguito Rd. It basically dropped down to this road, will be steep and a little challenging to come back up. We turned right at the bottom, and the three of us made pretty decent time across the flats to El Apajo, where we turned and waited for the other two. To Via de Santa Fe and then a left onto Calzada del Bosque to get over into RSF. We turned right onto Los Arboles, followed it around until taking another right onto Via del Alba, followed by a left onto La Gracia.  This got us into RSF village, where we took La Flecha to Avenida de Acacias, turning left there and then left again onto Linea del Cielo, heading back out of the village. We took a right onto Ave Maravillas, which I don't think I had ever been on, and then a left onto El Secreto. This road has a very nice downhill where you can build up some speed, taking you to Rambla de Las Flores, where we took a right. Down to La Granada, turning left there and riding up the short climb to Los Morros and staying on Los Morros by veering off to the right at the split with La Bajada. We stayed on this road all the way to Via de Fortuna, turning left there and left again on El Mirlo, with its nice descent to RSF Rd, where it turns into La Bajada. We climbed a little bit before turning right onto La Noria, which turns into El Camino Real, and rode until turning right onto Highland Dr. Ray had taken us on this road before, so I remembered its short, steep climb but overshot the next turn onto San Marlo Dr. Left on Santa Petra Dr, then another left onto Santa Victoria, riding on this road for a while before turning right onto Santa Carina. Paula was slowing down by this time, so I rode with Catalin providing turning directions. Left onto Santa Florencia, another left onto Santa Rosita, then a right on Santa Helena to get us down to Lomas Santa Fe, where we turned right and rode to PCH. Around this time was when the rain was most steady, but it didn't last long, and it never made the streets puddled. We headed south on PCH and enjoyed a relatively straight shot for a bit with no turns until we got into Del Mar. Then Paula took us on this convoluted route through the streets of Del Mar east of PCH, I won't even try to describe all the turns. But it was steep at times. My legs were starting to feel tired from all the climbing on this day, on top of the previous day's exertions. Eventually we got up to Crest Way, which is essentially the eastern border of this part of Del Mar. We stopped there for a short break and some pictures before getting over to Del Mar Heights Rd, taking a left, and riding down to Portofino Dr, where we took a right and rode this nice downhill over to Carmel Valley Rd. Then it was to the 56 bike path the normal way, and the home stretch back to the meeting point along the bike path. Rob and I got out ahead on this stretch, both of us with tired legs but more left in the tank than the others. We split up back at Carmel Country Rd, Rob and Ihab had to get back home while I rode with Paula and Catalin back across the 56, turning left on Del Mar Trails Rd to a little park by Mona Lisa St, where we had cake and sparkling water to celebrate their anniversary. They both told me about their Havasupai trip, which sounded marvelous and quite successful for everybody in the family. I was not looking forward to the ride back to the car after this break. When it started to sprinkle, it was time for me to start riding before the rain got worse. I retraced my route back to the 56 bike path and rode all the way back to the Sabre Springs transit center. The little climbs were no fun at all. Legs were tired, and so was I, along with being a little irritable. But I made it back without major incident and was really glad to ride into the parking garage, to put my stuff in the car and drive home.

Avg speed = 13.8 mph. Total mileage = 54.9 mi

Avg power = 120 W. Weighted avg power = 153 W

Total elevation gain = 3880'

Avg heartrate = 119 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 90

Training Load = 234

Intensity = 70%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15892137679

Had a light lunch when I got home, bread and cheese followed by peanut butter crackers. I watched an episode of Dark Winds, then had a nap in the afternoon, brought on by fatigue from the ride and jet lag. Felt much better after the nap. Dinner was good, our first big meal since returning from our trip. I cleaned the kitchen and had a quiet evening, reading and watching a little TV.

09-20-2025 Ride

Well, this was going to be a big riding day, as many of the Bisikleta riders are getting ready for a major-league century in Santa Barbara in October. I slept marginally better, did wake up in the early morning and have a bowl of cereal before going back to bed and reading. Woke up around 5:00 and got out of bed to start the day early.  Did a little blog catch-up and got ready for the Bisikleta bike ride at a leisurely pace.  left a little bit early, in case the other riders decided to be ready to ride at 7:30. Just Ray was there when I got there, after riding through the neighborhood and taking the extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood. Eventually, we had seven riders for the day: Ray, Jed, Arnold, Charlie, Nel, and Fritz. We headed, initially at a measured pace, out CdS all the way to the 56 bike path, and I was keeping my pace dialed back, riding at times in the front, middle, and back of the pack. We took the 56 bike path toward the sea, and I was riding at the back during this stretch. Took it down to Carmel Country Rd, where we turned and rode up to Del Mar Mesa Rd. We've done this before on a ride I mapped out, it's really steep (well over 10%) but just for a short period of time. Here I pushed pretty hard and gapped the others on the steep section, then waited for Arnold and Fritz to catch up after it leveled off a bit. They continued on, and I waited for the others to make it up before continuing. We continued up to Carmel Mountain Rd, where we stopped to regroup and take a bio break just after the turn at a little park there. From there we continued down Carmel Mountain Rd, taking it all the way until we turned left to stay on this road down to Sorrento Valley Rd. Right turn there, taking it over to Carmel Valley Rd and turning left there. Over and up to PCH, turning left and heading down to the shore before climbing the outside route of Torrey Pines (most of us, I think Arnold and Charlie took the inside route). I started the climb near the back and put down a steady (but not scorching) pace. Fritz jumped out ahead of everybody, so my goal was initially to keep him in sight and, after I started to gain on him, to catch him and set a harder pace to the summit. Mission accomplished, he wasn't too far behind me after I got to the top. We waited for the others to show up, then continued on, staying on Torrey Pines Rd through two turns. We turned right onto Dunaway Dr (hadn't ridden on this road before), which turned into Prestwick Dr, curving around into Calle del Oro and dropping down to La Jolla Shores Dr, where we turned left and took it back to Torrey Pines Rd. We rode through that intersection and took Torrey Pines Ln and a sidewalk to get over to Hidden Valley Rd. Then the fun really started. I hadn't ridden up this climb to Mt Soledad in a very long time (according to my blog, it was Dec'09 when I last did this climb, would have been on my Univega with tiny gearing, O to be young again). But I generally knew what was coming. It was steep going up Hidden Valley Rd, then got really steep just before the turn onto Via Capri. Fritz was out in front of me up to and past this turn, then I gradually caught up to him and passed him, working hard on gradients that I later measured out to be nearly 20%. It levels off to the 8% range for a stretch, then kicks back up near the top, when my legs were really feeling the effects. Thankfully, it's not super long, and I was able to make it, climbing out of the saddle for most of the steep parts until I started to run out of gas near the top. Rode up to the Mt Soledad cross, where there was a private ceremony among a bunch of veterans taking place. Fritz wasn't that far behind me, maybe a minute or two. The others trickled in, all except Charlie, who broke his rear derailleur on the climb and had to call and Uber to get home. We gathered at the top, then rode back down the same way into La Jolla Shores, stopping at The Corner to have coffee and pumpkin, banana, and zucchini breads. The coffee helped jazz me up a bit. After the break we rode up La Jolla Shores Dr back to Torrey Pines Rd. Again, I started in the back of the pack and ended up passing everybody on the climb. Fritz held on the longest but couldn't match the pace after the gradient dropped a little bit and I kept my power level high to sprint to the intersection. We headed north, gathered up just after the intersection, then somehow Fritz and I got behind the others by quite a bit. Ray had proposed making a change to the route, so when we got to the turn to stay on Torrey Pines Rd we made it but weren't 100% sure that the others were in front of us. The two of us pushed pretty hard to try and catch up with them, didn't see them until after the Torrey Pines descent and climb back to Carmel Valley Rd, when we saw Nel. We stayed on PCH through Del Mar, Arnold and Jed were way out in front and I couldn't catch up to them. They ended up taking PCH to VdlV, while we took the shortcut on Jimmy Durante Blvd to get to VdlV. That put us in front of them, but Ray didn't want to wait for them, so we took the normal route over to San Dieguito Rd and across the flats to the gas station before the Three Witches climb, where we stopped to wait for the others to show up. Had a decent 4-man pace line going on the flats, Fritz led for about the last third of that segment. Jed and Arnold showed up, and we continued. I didn't have much left in the tank for this last significant climb, so I set a pace I could maintain and started up. Nobody else was strong enough to pass me, and so I ended up pacing Arnold and Fritz up the climb. They kept going after the turn onto CdS while I waited for the others to show up. Ray and Nel made the turn, then I rode with Nel back to the starting point while Ray waited for Jed to show up. Took the foot off the gas for this last stretch, riding at Nel's pace. Legs felt fine, but there was no cause to push the pace hard. The sun had come out just before we started the Three Witches climb, it was in the high 70s and more humid than usual. I waited until the others showed up, then rode home via the RB Rd and W Bernardo Dr route. On the last part of this ride, starting around the turn onto Jimmy Durante Blvd, we had a pretty favorable tailwind helping us along, and I was glad for it, especially closer to the end. Legs were sore the rest of the day, but I was glad they didn't cramp up during the ride, since I hadn't done a lot of high-intensity, long-distance riding recently. I could tell from my heartrate during the ride that my fitness level was reduced from before the Europe trip, so there is work to do to bring it up before the sprint tri on Oct 12.

Avg speed = 15.9 mph (16.0 mph). Total mileage = 63.8 mi

Avg power = 139 W. Weighted avg power = 179 W

Total elevation gain = 4270' (4650')

Avg heartrate = 130 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 153 (184)

Training Load = 301

Intensity = 81%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15880255998

Ann was home when I got home, finishing up the spreadsheet of Europe expenses to split with Pat. I wasn't super hungry, ended up having a fairly light lunch and still not feeling hungry in the afternoon. Watched a little NCAA football and caught up on blogging, tried to avoid having a nap and was successful. Ann slept through the late afternoon, so I made a light dinner and ate while watching some TV. Read in the evening and was planning on going to sleep early, but had to text with Paula and Rob to align on logistics for the next morning's ride.

09-19-2025 Swim/Run

As expected, sleep was not continuous. Woke up in very early in the morning, Ann was awake too (<>). I was able to get back to sleep for a bit, then got up early and started the day (watched an episode of Severance). Plenty of time to get ready for a swim and a run (including having a much needed shave), so I updated the information in my blog from the Europe trip. Then I rode over to the WWC, was pretty busy at 8:00 with Friday exercisers. But Terry and I were the only ones swimming at the start, so the pool was relatively free. I swam 1000 yds, stroke was a little less powerful, probably 21-22 strokes per pool length, and I tended to pause a little longer at the turns to catch my breath. Need to focus on swimming longer distances over the next couple of weeks to be ready for the upcoming tri three weeks from now in October. I tried to use my camera to capture the workout, but the battery ran out, so the data weren't there. Instead, the results below are totally from my watch. Swam the two 500s in 9:49 (three strokes per breath) and 10:03 (4 strokes/breath). Heartrate data are still erratic from the watch, not to be fully trusted.

Avg pace = 1:59/100 yds (Zepp)

Total distance = 1000 yds

Elapsed moving time = 19:22 (Strava from Amazfit)

Avg heartrate = 126 bpm (Zepp)

Relative Effort =  6

SWOLF = 39

Avg stroke rate = 21 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.29 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/15866679504

After the swim I changed into my running stuff (lot of gear to tote along just for a run) and did the 5k loop from the WWC. Felt fine in the first mile, had negative splits for all three miles, but I was really having to push hard in the last mile, breathing heavily. More work needed here to build endurance, lower my heartrate, and feel fresher at the end of the run.

Avg pace = 7:33/mi

Total distance = 3.13 mi

Elapsed moving time = 23:37

Avg heartrate = 156 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 41

https://www.strava.com/activities/15866625719

Rode back home and got ready to run some errands. Headed over to the 4S Ranch Library and got them to re-validate my library card and reset my password. It now works on my tablet, will likely need to do the same thing for the Escondido Public Library; I may wait until the next time Ann goes to Target in the mall to do that. I stopped at Sprouts on the way back and got some fruit, vegetables, and snacks, then got gas at the AM-PM before heading home. Light lunch, Ann still wasn't back from the store, and I watched the last episode of the first season of Forgotten. That was a good show, very well acted, but the last episode was a tad simplistic in wrapping up the stories of the main suspects. I called Blair and got an update from him about the details of the Indigo cuts to US R&D. Really sad, I still don't know how to process the impact to so many people I know. I think he will be okay, sounds like he'll stay in Boise, is hoping to have a job into 2026 so that he will be able to withdraw from his 401(k) without penalty. Had a nap in the afternoon, I was tired from jet lag, also read some. I'm reading Paul Murray's The Bee Sting, about an Irish family encountering family difficulties during a financial downturn. In the late afternoon, I called Mom, talked briefly to Ross about his colonoscopy results (three polyps, no info yet on biopsies). Mom was in a decent mood, she seemed to be dealing okay with recent changes in caregivers and problems with her new car. She even let me tell her a little bit about our trip, which was something of a surprise. Light dinner (I had been snacking in the afternoon) followed by a quiet evening, where I watched an episode of Dark Winds, based on the Tony Hillerman novels. It's okay so far, not super great but worth sticking to for a while to see how the story develops.

09-18-2025 Entry

Travel day. We woke up at 5:45 to find our flight was delayed for a mechanical repair, so we waited a bit before going to the airport. At security, I forgot to take my metal wallet out, so they searched me thoroughly before letting me through. Still, we got to the gate early and had to wait (I watched a couple of episodes of The IT Crowd on YouTube). Thankfully the baggage handlers' work slowdown (while we were waiting Ann pointed out a bunch of them apparently having a union meeting in the departure lounge) didn't appear to affect us, and the plane took off about 45 minutes late. Prevailing winds helped us along. Watched Black Bag on the plane, it was pretty good. Ate some breakfast and then tried to get some sleep on the plane. We were in the last section of the plane, and it was nearly empty. I had three seats to myself, with nobody in front of or behind me. I didn't have much success sleeping, dozed a little bit and that's all. Instead, I watched three more movies: The Amateur, Lady Bird, and Thunderbolts. The middle one was the best of the lot, the other two were formulaic. Lunch was mediocre as usual (Ann gave it a terrible rating, and I can't disagree), but the movies got me through the hours. Got through border control using the MPC process, but in this case it was probably a little slower than the normal lines, since there were so few people on the plane we came in on. We had to take a roundabout way to Terminal E due to construction, and I had a brief frantic moment before re-entering the Security checkpoint. Couldn't find my passport, turns out I had put it in my back pocket. Yikes! Through Security more easily but I did forget again to take off my belt. When will I learn? The flight was delayed, we stopped at a Mexican food place and had a burrito and burrito bowl, which weren't too bad. Flight further delayed, and even once we were on the plane it seemed that we waited on the runway and got passed over by a couple of other flights. I was on the very last seat on the plane, didn't pay for seat assignment and got assigned the shittiest one. It was only a 2-hour flight, so I looked out the window and just sucked it up. Flight was on time and not as bumpy as it might have been. Emily picked us up from the airport, she was right on time and we didn't have to wait at the Arrivals area when she showed up. A little traffic around the airport, but the trip home was smooth, and we were very glad to be home when we got there. The cat was pretty frantic the whole evening, wanting a lot of attention, and she didn't really settle down through the night. Went to bed shortly after getting something to eat and unpacking.

09-17-2025 Walk

First some improved travel suggestions:

1. Pack a small bag carrying cooking essentials - sugar, pepper, a little oil, seasonings.

2. When out and about, keep minimal items of value on your person - phone, one ID, one credit card.

3. If you're staying in a place with washing machines, pack only two pairs of pants/shorts, along with the ones you wear while traveling.

4. Driving has its stressors to be aware of. Best to have somebody serving as a navigator, especially in cities. Best to take it really slowly, particularly at the beginning of a car rental, even if that means people honk at you. Manual shift cars may be cheaper, but their added complexity may not be worth it, especially if driving and parking in cities.

Got a decent night's sleep (<!>) and had the crappy cereal and good coffee for breakfast. Then I showered and we cleaned the apartment a little more deeply than normal, to avoid the cleaning fee. We decided (Pat picked) to go back to Les Halles for lunch, was a good suggestion. The place was fully open and more vibrant around lunchtime. They both enjoyed their lunches, mine was okay (Lyon is not a place suited for vegetarians). We bought some snacks and then walked back to the flat for a short respite before walking down to catch the Rhonexpress tram to the airport and TGV station. Bought tickets online, and travel there went smoothly. We got on the train to Paris, had a lot of cars but we found ours okay. Train ride took about two hours, and we had some trouble in the airport finding out how to get to the nearby hotel where we were staying. But we found the route and got to the hotel about 5:30. Had drinks down by the bar in the evening, they offered free cocktails that were truly strange-tasting. Snacked on the remaining food we had brought with us, then called it a fairly early evening.

09-16-2025 Entry

Had some difficulty getting to sleep, and for a while I thought I was coming down with a bug. But the feeling didn't get worse, and I was eventually able to go to sleep, waking up feeling just fine in the morning. I went out for a run after I got up, intending to run to the park and around there. But I missed a turn and got a little lost, so instead of making it worse I turned around, cut the run short, and headed back to the flat. So this wasn't a big workout.

Avg pace = 8:31/mi

Total distance = 2.45 mi

Elapsed moving time = 20:55

Avg heartrate = 118 bpm

Relative Effort = 4

https://www.strava.com/activities/15827258421

Got back, and Ann was up, working on canceling her cards and verifying no activity for either one (check). I ate a fairly big breakfast, trying to clean out our larder. Breakfast cereal I bought is pretty terrible, but the coffee I made was good. We did some wash, and after hanging it up to dry headed over to the Basilica Notre-Dame de Fourvière to check it out. Went up a short funicular to get to the top of the hill. The inside of the Basilica was pretty, some nice mosaics on the walls and a pretty altar region. There was a church service going on when we go there, so we waited until it ended before walking around. After visiting the church we walked to see a nice vista of Lyon, including the weird little Eiffel Tower replica that the citizens of Lyon hate. Then we walked to find the ancient Roman ruins, including the remains of both an outdoor theater and indoor (no longer) odion. We got into the Roman history museum free as seniors. It was mildly interesting, a little too heavy on carved stone ruins but containing some really beautiful floor mosaics. After this visit we went back down the hill and found a slightly upscale French place for lunch. Got in there before they closed at 2:30, and we were the last ones to leave (not what I like to do). Pat enjoyed his food, I had a light salad with goat cheese brioche that was good when it was hot. Ann's quiche was good but not her beef. Had a look inside the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste afterwards, it wasn't as ornate but had some pretty stained glass. Then we took it public transit over to the purported largest pedestrian square in Europe, Place Bellecour. It wasn't all that interesting, so we walked down a pedestrian walk with stores, intending to get to a Metro station. But the Metro line was down, so we had to retrace our steps to the square and take another Metro line. Were hyper aware of pickpockets on the way back because the trains were crowded. Made it back okay, no incidents. I didn't track any specific walks but did get in over 10k steps, including the morning run. Had an entertaining light dinner together, where we polished of much of the remaining food, shared the last bottle of wine, and reminisced about Unocal days.

09-15-2025 Walks

Vivid dreams in the night, probably because of the late dinner (<!>). Had a fairly light breakfast and some good coffee, then we decided to take a walking tour of Lyon in the afternoon. We headed over to Les Halles, a local food court, for lunch before the tour, after buying 2-day Metro passes to get us around the city. The shops at Les Halles were mostly closed on a Monday, which was disappointing. We walked around, saw some beautiful baked goods, and ended up having a cheese tasting with wine at a nice little shop. Then we took a tram and a subway to a stop near Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Here's where the really bad thing occurred. On the tram, which was quite crowded, Ann's wallet was stolen out of her fanny pack. She had forgotten to lock the zipper, and somebody unzipped the pack and took her wallet out of it. It happened really quickly, since we were only in the car for a couple of stops. She noticed as soon as we got off the tram, then we stopped while she put a hold on her credit and debit cards. She lost cash as well, so a major bummer. I was surprised at how well she took it, I would have been devastated and probably would have wanted to go back to the flat. But she wanted to continue with the day, so we took the subway over to near the cathedral. Walked to the square (it took a little looking around to be sure we were in the right place) in front, but the cathedral was closed on Mondays. So we waited until 1:30, when we met our guide Bertrand for a walking tour of old town Lyon. He was engaging and mildly funny, and the tour was about the right length, maybe just a little short on the number of stops. I captured notes and include them here.

• Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste, earliest remaining sections are from the 9th century. Basilica at the top of the hill is from the late 19th century, it's the symbolic high point in city, has always been a holy place.
• This region of Europe was Gaul during Roman Empire, it had a Celtic culture and was conquered by Romans, Lyon (Lugdunum founded in 43 BCE) was capital of this area, top of the hill where the Basilica currently is, was fed by Roman-style aqueducts. Because of its important strategic location at the north end of Rhone valley, it was the 10th largest city in the Roman Empire at its height. It moved down the hill to present-day old city during Middle Ages (hard to main water supply through original aqueducts). From 150 AD, it served as a location of an ancient Christian community.
• Potato-shaped area centered around the area between the Saone and Rhone rivers is UNESCO site. The current Lyon City Center is located between the two rivers. Along the Saone River is the Justice Building, where the Klaus Barbie trial was held.
• There are a number of secret passages (Traboule) in the city, most of them running perpendicular to the river. Many were used by French Resistance during WWII. More than 500 still exist, about 30 of them are publicly accessible.
• Renaissance period, particularly during and as a result of the reign of Charles VII, was the second golden age of Lyon because of him deciding to make it a cultural center. It became an early book printing center, and Italian bankers and merchants moved there as well.
• Bouchon are traditional Lyonnaise restaurants. The Rue du Boeuf has the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. Female chefs (Les Meres) were particularly famous, many were former chefs to upper class who left around the beginning of the 20th century. Eugenie Brazier was a particularly famous female chef, who tutored Paul Bocuse, the chef with a rooster tattoo from WWII Resistance. He was the inspiration for the ghost chef in the movie Ratatouille. 
• We saw a cool clock, the Charvet Clock, featuring five automatons that move at each hour. Around the city you would see statues with missing heads, heads removed by Protestants. There is a cool rooftop café at the Gadagne history museum.
• Wealthy people lived close to the hills in Lyon and therefore farthest from the river and possible floods. King Francois I established a  silk manufacturing site in competition with Genoa, another major city at the time.
• Medici family members lived here, including  two women who were queens, one of whom was Catherine de Medici. Six circles or balls in the family emblem. Saw a cool galerie connecting two sets of apartments, designed by Philibert de L'Orme, who became the official architect for Catherine de Medici and has been regarded as the founder of French Renaissance architecture.
• Part Dieu is one of the most important rail transit locations in Central Europe.
• We walked over the only surviving bridge over the Soane, others were destroyed by retreating Germans in WWII. Up on the hill is a mini Eiffel Tower, not beloved by Lyon residents. Saw an interesting mural on two sides of a windowless building, with Claudius, Verrazano, Ampere, Jacquard, many others. The Jacquard loom was likely the first programmable industrial machine, 5 m high.

After the tour we stopped for a drink and then walked to a Franprix fancy market to get some stuff for dinner and the rest of our stay. Took the Metro and a tram back to the flat and had a quiet evening, pasta for dinner and reading a fair amount.

09-14-2025 Walk

Travel day. We had some adventure in the morning, though. Pat had tried to use the washing machine the day before, but the cycle took forever, and we found out that Pat had finally tried to interrupt it, without success. The machine locked up and wouldn't open for him to get his clothes out. So we messaged the Airbnb host, who either came over or sent someone, and they had to do a pretty extensive repair of the washer to both open the lid so we could retrieve the clothes and then repair the machine so it was functional again. Turns out that Pat missed a step about locking the drum before starting the wash cycle, and it got screwed up. The guy was eventually able to fix it, but he wasn't too happy about it. I also showered and shaved in the morning before the guy showed up. We packed up our stuff, and I cleaned the kitchen. When Ann was putting the pots away, she noticed water under the sink, it turns out that the trap had separated from the drain pipe. So I wiped all the water away and washed the pots and pans, not what I wanted to do before leaving. It was all good. I dry-mopped the floors as well before we left. Checked out after 9:30, then drove to Lyon, a shorter drive, mostly on freeways and toll roads, than others. Were originally going to stop at a place just outside Lyon, but I found that the Europcar agency closed at noon and wasn't going to open until 3:00. So we drove down to the train station where the agency office was and dropped Ann off to find the office and learn about how to drop the car off. Success, although it was a little difficult and funny to navigate Ann back to where I had temporarily parked. I finally got her, and we drove to the parking garage where the car could be dropped off. Mission complete, I'm glad not to have to drive again this time in Europe, it was moderately stressful and occasionally chaotic, but no miscues made! We were able to walk to the Airbnb, located about five minutes from the train station and, as usual, we had some difficulty finding the entrance. But we got in relatively easily and dropped our stuff off. Went and found a good pizza place, Beluzza, near the flat, had lunch there. We walked back to the train station and got just a little bit of food and drinks at the Carrefour City store there. Then it was back to the flat for a quiet late afternoon, where I had a restful nap. Ann suggested walking to the Lyon central park in the early evening, so we did. Took about a half hour to get there, and we walked in the park for over half an hour. It occasionally rained lightly but was never a problem. Saw a nice mirror lake and some roses at the end of the season. There was a pop-up singer setup at a gazebo that looked interesting, but Pat kept walking, so we did too. Around the park, then onto quiet city streets to walk back to the flat, stopping to buy some milk along the way. Ended up walking nearly five miles, so Ann's feet were sore. I made some curry rice for my dinner, Pat had quiche he'd bought earlier at the market. Ann didn't eat. We had the wine from the first winery, it was decent. And that was the evening.

09/13/2025 L'Alpes d'Huez Ride

This was a good day, but a difficult one. Woke up really early and read for a while then went back to sleep. I woke up again a little after 7:00 (<!>) and then got ready for the L'Alpes d'Huez ride. I looked at where Cycle Huez was located, and they were in the village at the top for the climb. Minor shock for me, major one for Pat. He didn't believe it at first, but the evidence was clear. We left about 8:50, it was a pretty drive into the Rhone Alps and up to Alpe d'Huez village. The shop was open and ready for us when we got there. They set up the bikes (Wilier Filante with Shimano DI2, 50-34 crankset and 11-34 cassette) pretty quickly, and we got ready to descend into Bourg d'Oisans. Weather was cloudy but definitely cool, about 50 deg at the start. I was worried about getting chilled on the descent, so I put my long-sleeved shirt on over my jersey and then my windbreaker. It wasn't so bad, probably because the 21 switchbacks didn't allow up to build up a lot of speed. The descent was thrilling, strong braking needed when coming into the sharp turns. I was able to stay with Pat, catching up to him at the turns. We rode down into the village and rode around a bit. It's quite picturesque, there was a Saturday market going on. Then we rode over to the start of the climb, which is a 10% grade for a while before the switchbacks started. I jumped out in front right away, sure I wasn't going to be satisfied with his pace. The turns were relatively flat, while the straights were consistently steep, particularly at the beginning. Not really my preferred gradient profile, and I didn't feel as strong as the previous ride. I stopped several times, the first to take a picture, take off my overshirt, and start my music. The other stops were for pictures, including Dutch corner and a pretty good shot of the switchbacks coming up the mountain. I was definitely feeling it in my legs from the high output needed to climb between the turns. Didn't pass as many people, the weather might have kept the big crowds away. I got to the top village and kept going, looking for an identified summit but not really finding one. Rode back to the cycle shop and waited for Pat to show up, ate a banana while I waited. We continued up the way I had gone but turned at a different point, looking for the finish point in the Tour de France. Eventually we found it took some photos there and the rode back to the shop. It had started sprinkling by then, so we timed the ride just right. Legs weren't as tired at the end as the previous ride, but my glutes were more sore. Not much writing on the road since this climb wasn't included in the Tour this year

Avg speed =10.5 mph. Total mileage =23.5 mi

Avg power =140 W. Weighted avg power =178 W

Total elevation gain = 4110'

Avg heartrate = 136 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 139

Training Load = 159

Intensity = 81%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15795643230

On the climb, I finished in the top 16% (top 34% for men) in my age group, was pretty happy with that since I stopped several times along the way. We dropped the bikes off and then drove back to the Airbnb in steady light rain, both glad that we had gotten our ride in before this happened. Drive back was tough because I was tired and starting to feel hungry. But we made it back okay, and I had a celebratory beer when we got into the flat (then another one after that). Ate a very light lunch of crackers and St Agur Bleu Cheese. The rest of the afternoon and evening were quiet, as we stayed around the Airbnb. Pat couldn't get a bottle of wine open, so Ann went out and bought a corkscrew.  Then we enjoyed the bottle of wine from the second place we'd stopped at. It was indeed tasty. Ann made, with Pat's help, curry potatoes, pork chops, and veggie chik'n patties (they were fairly tasteless) for dinner, and I cleaned up. Read some more and updated my blog about the ride, then went to bed early.

09-12-2025 Entry

Travel day, turned out to be a longer drive than I expected, maybe because of the stress of driving on unfamiliar roads in France. We got up early, cleaned the apartment, and got checked out by Marie. We were on the road by about 9:00, stopped for gas at the nearby Intermarché, where Pat had some trouble paying while Ann got us some croissants. Then we were driving on a mixture of free and toll roads for about 2:45. Definitely felt longer, on the A-7 there was a steady stream of traffic to deal with and occasional slow-downs. Once we turned east toward Grenoble the traffic cleared and it was better. We drove to this little hotel and restaurant near Grenoble, Chavant, where Pat and Kit had stayed several times back in the 2000s and had a great time. We arrived early for our lunch sitting, so we walked around a bit and then sat in the lounge having wine and a very light appetizer before going into the dining room. This place didn't have vegetarian dishes on the menu, but they were very accommodating, making me a cauliflower soup and a vegetable risotto (with mushrooms, mashed parsnips, and fennel). Ann had a similar setup with her duck. Red wine with the lunch was decent, food was quite rich, well-prepared, and presented beautifully. It was not my usual kind of experience, but the different atmosphere was memorable, and the others also enjoyed it. I was getting tired, but there was a dessert of different nut preparations that was good, followed by lemon madeleines and homemade caramels. Thankfully, it was just a short drive to our Airbnb in Grenoble, located on the fourth floor with no elevator. Building okay, again not a super great neighborhood. Ann had a tough time figuring out how to get into the apartment and get the fob to open the gate into the parking lot, but eventually she got it done, with me showing her where to aim the fob to activate the gate. Lugged our stuff up the stairs, and I had a short nap to recharge my batteries (Pat did too). After we settled in, we walked over to a nearby market. This is more of a working-class neighborhood, fairly mixed in ethnicities and cultures. Got some food for dinner along with snacks, but our lunch was quite rich, so neither Pat nor Ann ate anything significant. I snacked on stuff we had gotten at the store, bread and cheese. We had a quiet evening at the flat.

09/11/2025 Run

Woke up and went for my first run in a while. I was a little concerned about the pace I'd be able to hold. Ran over to where the city walls were and headed west toward the river. Followed the city walls over to an old Roman bridge across the river, that was 2 miles and my turnaround point. I retraced my route back from there. Was able to run negative splits, aided by occasional stops at crosswalks. Legs felt fine but started to tire in the fourth mile. Hoping to get a couple more runs in before we fly back.

Avg pace = 8:00/mi

Total distance = 4.06 mi

Elapsed moving time = 32:32

Avg heartrate = 129 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 14

https://www.strava.com/activities/15771717861

Got back and had some muesli, coffee, and a banana for breakfast, surprisingly good. We stayed around the flat for a while mapping out a strategy for wine-tasting, but that turned out to be no time well spent. Headed up north initially to Beaumes-de-Venise, not really sure why, but Pat was providing directions. We stopped there and walked to the local tourist office to get some ideas about nearby wineries to try. From there, we drove to Malaucène, again not sure why, no wineries visited yet. We walked into the little village and had a decent lunch at a French café. From there, we drove toward the Vacqueyras valley, and we finally stopped at a wine shop, Les Vignerons de Roaix Seguret, along the road. They had Cotes du Rhone wines, no vineyards of their own, and they specialized in blends with Grenache grapes. Sampled some wines, I just had small tastes since I was driving, and Pat bought an inexpensive bottle of red wine. Back in the car, and we drove to Vacqueyras, stopping at another small winery, Domaine de Montvac, along the road. This one was the best experience. The server was a member of the family who had owned the winery since the 1850s and passed it down, mother to daughter, for six generations. Impressive! She was very nice and told us about different grapes based on the soil and altitude they were grown in and at. From there we drove to the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region and stopped at a winery, Chateau La Nerthe, that Pat remembered stopping at over 20 years ago (I'm not so sure he had the right one). This was definitely more upscale, and corporate, than the others. The server was knowledgeable about the wines and generous with the pours, and the wines were very good, what little of them I tried. Pat bought a bottle, another red. We talked briefly with another couple of visitors from Scotland and Ontario who were on a private wine-tasting tour and were interesting to hear about. From there I drove us back, just a short distance since we had been working our way south after having gone a fair distance north. Relaxed late afternoon followed by a dinner of clean-out-the-refrigerator. Family storytelling during and after dinner, from all sides, that was also interesting. First-level cleaning of the kitchen and preliminary packing for the next day's travel, then it was to bed.

09-10-2025 Mt Ventoux Ride

This day didn't have a good start. I heard from Blair's text that they are shutting down LEP operations in San Diego and Boise within 3-6 months, which means that a lot of my former colleagues will likely be out of a job. That is really bad news and made me feel depressed. Got all my stuff ready and then I couldn't find my shoes. Went out to the car to look and got locked out of the building. Of course, Ann found them and let me back in. Finished getting packed up, and we were on the road by 7:50 or so. Got to Bedoin around 8:30, I ended up parking too far away from the cycle shop, Bedoin Location, where we rented the bikes. We walked over and I paid for the rentals while Pat found a bathroom. Got the bikes set up and then we geared up, we're riding by 9:15. Pat had to stop several times to adjust his seat height, which was mildly frustrating, after he had had the bike tech set the height for him. The first part of the climb is fairly gentle, and I was feeling fine. My bike fit was okay, had to reach a little for the handlebars but that didn't turn out to be a problem. I rode with Pat for a while, then got ahead of him a little bit as I settled into a comfortable cadence for me. When the gradient kicked up, I gapped him and then left him behind. It turned out to be the right call, since he didn't have a good day. Through the trees up these long winding roads without too many sharp curves, I was comfortable pushing the pedals, mostly in my lowest gear but occasionally switching to higher gear and riding out of the saddle to mix it up and stretch my lower back. There was a stretch between mile 4 and mile 8 when the average gradient was 9.8%. I don't know how I kept up a decent pace for four miles at 10% gradient! After about six miles the grade let up a bit from generally over 9% to more like 7%, with occasionally lower gradients. It took quite a while to get to the Chalet Reynard, a winter ski resort, and this is roughly where the tree line is. Saw some donkeys there, and a bunch of riders were taking a break either from the climb or the descent. Gradient after this point probably averaged 6% for a while, there were probably about four miles to go from here. I was grinding it out by this time, feeling pretty good in being able to spin up a 6% grade with no problem. Following the road signs indicating distance to the summit, along with my Wahoo. There were a couple of photographers taking pictures of riders on the way up. I thought I was getting close to the summit according to my Wahoo, but it gave me 250' more to climb when I thought I was close to the end. That last less than a mile was a challenge, legs were holding out okay, but I was ready to be done. I got to the summit by this giant telecom tower, was very happy to get off the bike and savor the moment of the longest uninterrupted climb I've ever done, 5200'. It was clear at the top, a little breezy and cool. I took some pics and waited for Pat. Sent texts to several folks about being at the summit while I waited. He came in about 25-30 minutes later. I was starting to think about riding down to find him when he showed up, not in a good mood. The climb hadn't gone well for him, poor bike fit and a bigger effort than he thought it would be. He was suffering from Chateau Reynard on, which is a shame. As a result, we didn't hang around at the top, which turned out to be a good thing, since cloud cover was rolling in. I was determined to enjoy the descent as much as possible, even though it was chilly riding down. Took a pic of an observatory near the summit as well as the memorial to Tom Simpson on the way down. Rode the brakes for quite a while, I was shivering and didn't want to lose control of the bike. It was better (less turns in the road) after Chateau Reynard, I enjoyed the descent through the trees a lot, and I built up some speed at times. Had to slow down when I rode through a herd of sheep, took a pic to document. Fun descending on the lower, less steep slopes, quite pretty scenery. Pat was waiting for me kinda near the bottom, and we rode the last part of the descent into town together.

Avg speed = 10.5 mph. Total mileage =26.7 mi

Avg power = 152 W. Weighted avg power =175 W

Total elevation gain = 5220'

Avg heartrate = 142 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 168

Training Load = 174

Intensity = 80%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15762211844

Dropped the bikes off at the shop and had beers and fries to celebrate. On the ride, I remember passing a lot of others but not very many riders passing me. Still I was only in the top half for time overall on Strava on the climb for the day. We drove back to the Airbnb with no incidents or traffic to deal with, and Ann met us at the gate to let us in. I ate a light lunch and had a relaxing afternoon, just a very short nap and some reading and catching up on news and blogging. In the evening we walked into town and ate at a run-of-the-mill Turkish restaurant (Pat's dish was supposed to have rice but for some reason it wasn't ready yet). Walked back after that. I wasn't impressed with Avignon city center, not much to offer as far as I could see. Rest of the evening was quiet (<>).

09-09-2025 Entry

No walks recorded on Strava, but we did a lot of walking. Had a good sleep for a change, woke up, showered, shaved, and ate breakfast. Then we got ready for a sightseeing day in Aix en Provence and Arles. I drove, which was generally fine until we got into Aix. We arrived too late, so we were competing with everyone for parking. We kept driving around the downtown area, searching in vain for a lot with spaces. Finally found one at Rotonde, but the line to get in was long and it was hectic once inside looking for a spot. At one point I got trapped in a dead end and had to reverse. I was about ready at that point to call it and get out of town, but I went down one more level and was able to find a spot and back into it. Relief! We walked up and out into the town, found a cafe with appetizers and alcohol, then sat down for a long lunch driven by exceptionally slow service. Food (falafel, onion rings) was decent but served without any sauces. She brought us Budweiser beers, not sure why, but I was not in the mood to question it. It was actually a little comical. After lunch we walked to the cathedral and went through it. Nothing particularly memorable, from my perspective. Then we walked back through the pretty streets of old town to the car, had to visit the tourism office to find out how to get back into the parking garage. Slow traffic getting out of town, then we were on our way to Arles. Got into town there and had an easier time of finding parking, although it wasn't direct. We got directed into an alley, but on the way Pat saw a parking lot and we found a spot there. Parked and walked over to the ancient Roman Amphitheatre, originally site of hand-to-hand combat and chariot races. It's still used today, for bullfighting. From there, we tried to get on the path showing notables places from when Vincent van Gogh lived there and painted some of his iconic works. Ann was working off a PDF map with low resolution, so navigating was tough. We saw a bridge he painted as well as the site of a yellow house he painted. Then we walked over to some Roman underground crypts that were built to serve as a foundation for the buildings originally built above them. Pretty boring, we could have skipped this stop. Walked from there back to the car and drove, without major incident, back to the Airbnb. Driving here is really exhausting and sometimes stressful, not a fun experience. Dinner of spaghetti with pesto sauce (and sausages), to carbo load before tomorrow's ride. Quiet evening after that.