12-31-2025 Ride

Slept pretty well, did wake up and read for a while before going back to sleep. I got out of bed around 6:20 and got ready for a bike ride, since the weather looked okay. Let the house around 6:40, down by the park and across the pedestrian bridge to BVP, which I took up to San Pasqual Valley Rd. Used that road to get onto Citrus Ave, taking it all the way back to BVP, where I turned right. Weather on this ride was basically ideal, mid-60s and overcast to keep the sun out. I took BVP up to Valley Pkwy, turned right, and then took a left onto El Norte Pkwy. Was feeling pretty good, had just started to speed up when I hit a nail and got a rear tire flat. I swore a little, then settled down to replace the tube, which took me about 15 minutes before I was rolling again. Made good time down to Broadway and turned right there, taking it up to Jesmond Dene Rd and turning there. I had originally planned on turning onto Ivy Dell Ln to shorten my route, but it was completely blocked to traffic. So I took Jesmond Dene back to Centre City Pkwy, pushing it a little on the last climb. I think I had a tailwind on the way back because I made consistently good time. Also hit a lot of green lights, which helped. Back over the freeway and then the last two little climbs before I was home, a nice ride other than the flat.

Avg speed = 17.4 mph. Total mileage = 29.4 mi

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

Total elevation gain = 1260'

Avg heartrate = 126 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 44

Training Load = 119

Intensity = 81%

https://www.strava.com/activities/16896305531

Got home, looked up a recipe for artichoke rice salad, and headed to Von's to pick up the ingredients. After I bought the groceries, I stopped at the pharmacy and got a Moderna COVID booster. As I was walking to the exit, the cheap paper bag that I had gotten for my groceries broke. I was afraid that one or both bottles of wine had broken, but luckily, maybe miraculously, nothing broke. Rode home and made the artichoke rice salad, put it in the refrigerator, and then had a shave and shower to get ready for my volunteer shift at the hospital. It was lightly raining as I rode over, stopped at Amazon Fresh to drop off the swim fins that Laura got me for Christmas. The hospital was as busy as I have ever seen it, particularly in the middle of the shift. I got really busy in the second half, as people got moved out of the hospital or up to a room. Was glad to see this shift end. Rode home, again in light rain (not too bad, just had to be careful on the roads). Ate some light snacks, then got ready to go out to a couple of parties we were invited to. First, we went to Avi's house, got there kinda late to the party but had a nice, subdued time. Then we drove to Aaron's house in Del Sur for late night drinks and snacks. We had a devil of a time finding his place, turns out he had given me the wrong street number. We ended up going in his back door. The evening there was moderately nice. Good drinks, but Ann and I had gotten into a fight earlier and she was cool. We stayed up past midnight and had a deep conversation when we got home that got both of us upset. So, not a great way to start the new year.