04-30-2026 Walks

Travel day. I thought I would sleep better, but maybe it was too much caffeine. I woke up a little after 1:00 and had trouble getting back to sleep. Lay in bed for what seemed like a long time, and I eventually got back to sleep. Ann got up before 3:00, and that woke me up. Had a shower and some leftover pizza for breakfast, then I finished packing. We were out the door around 3:50 and walking to the bus stop, near the train station. Got on the bus fine (Ann had found a way the previous evening to buy tickets ahead of time) and we were at the airport a little after 4:30. The security line was especially bad on this day, thankfully we had time to spare before our flight boarded. Got to the gate boarded the transport bus, it was not a full flight, so no trouble finding overhead storage. Got to Munich Airport way before our flight was scheduled to leave, but this was better than having to rush through the airport, especially when we had to go through EES screening. That line wasn't so long, we were through in about 15-20 minutes. I ate some food in the airport while we were waiting, started feeling hungry from not taking in enough calories the previous day. The flight to LAX on Lufthansa was a long one, but I had a whole middle row to myself. So I was able to stretch out and not feel crowded, which helped me be more comfortable. I watched three Jason Bourne movies as well as Bohemian Rhapsody again. Got some little patches of sleep interspersed as well. We arrived in LAX a little early and got off the plane pretty quickly, since it was far from full. Over to immigration, where we just zipped through, they took our picture without need to talk to an immigration agent. Found our way to the pickup spot for the shuttle to the hotel parking lot where our car was parked. No issues there either, we got it and drove to a nearby Fairfield Inn in El Segundo, where we planned to stay overnight. To the room, where we had a short break and then walked to a nearby Mediterranean fast food place for a light dinner. I had a large salad, it was good to enjoy greens again. Back to the room (it was somewhat chilly on the walk back), where I shaved and cleaned up, feeling better after. Quiet evening, Ann turned in early, and I wasn't too far behind her in falling asleep.

04-29-2026 Ride/Walk

This was a tough day on the bike. It started out super early, as both of the other guys in my hostel room were loud snorers. I was able to sleep until about 3:30, then I listened to music to drown out the noise. Got up around 5:20 and gathered all my stuff to clear the room. I had some breakfast food, so I went into the common area and ate that. I took too long for breakfast and had to scramble to be ready to ride at 6:00. Checked out after waking the night clerk up to get my bike. When I went to load the route in, it wasn't in the list of rides on Elemnt. Couldn't figure out why, so I wasted about 15 minutes getting the route loaded (I'd originally mapped it as a run, not a ride). But I was glad I did, since the map on my Wahoo was much more visual and easy to follow than the verbal Google Maps directions. Got going a little after 6:15, and it was generally okay at the start. I had to pay attention to the map, since I wasn't getting turn-by-turn instructions on my Wahoo (don't know why). Headed out of Padua, had a little difficulty getting onto the gravel bike path, but with just a little backtracking I got on the path, which was gravel to begin with. The gravel part was about ? miles, then it transitioned into a paved path that was easily the best part ot the entire ride. I think there was another gravel section before I got into Vicenza. This is a spread-out city, and I was lulled into a false sense of being ahead of schedule by the signs upon entering the city. I stopped for a cappuccino, chocolate croissant, and banana at a nice little cage on the outskirts, debating whether to do the out-and-back to Campagnolo headquarters. I decided to do it, probably the right call but it ended up causing pain. Headed over there, and I missed a turn, causing me to backtrack, this time for more significant distance. Found my way and had to ride through an industrial area to get to the headquarters. I found it, took a couple of pics, including a memorable one with me in the foreground and the logo on a wall in the background. I wasn't even halfway done and could see that my energy level was going to be challenged. Retracted my route back to the outskirts of Padua, but it was a challenge. At some point I either got off-route, and my Wahoo wasn't updating me on progress on my route. I think this was after the route back stayed on roads through little villages instead of being on the bike path. Anyway, I tried to stay close to the projected route, and eventually I was able to get back on-route. Retraced the route on the same initial gravel path, which brought me into the vicinity of Padua (still a ways away). Here's where it got frustrating. I followed the route to a place where the bike path was blocked along a canal, tried riding on the other side of the canal but got to a point where it was obviously veering away from the intended direction, so I rode back and had to find my own detour (again!). I kept the planned route visible on my Wahoo map and found some surface streets that roughly paralleled this route. It took quite a while before I was able (it wasn't trivial, in this case) to get back on-route. I rode roughly the same direction as the previous day, but thank the Almighty that I didn't have to navigate those narrow gravel paths again. Nearly all of the time was on paced roads or bike paths, pretty good conditions. But I was running out of gas. All the way back I was riding into a northeasterly headwind whenever I was heading east or north, and I was riding, from Padua to Marghera, basically northeast. It was brutal stopped for a break by this fancy mansion along the Brenta River, ate the pastry I'd bought the day before, and that gave me a little boost. But my legs were toast, had to pedal softly and slowly just to keep moving for those last 18 miles or so. When I stopped, I think it was around mile?, and I 2as definitely counting the miles to the finish. By my calculation at that point, I thought I was going to ride about 80 miles. Sent a note to Gianluca at 12:20, saying I planned to be back around 1:00. He sent me  text soon after saying the office was closed from 1:00 to 2:30, so I really had to dig deep and try to make it back before 1:00. One last little backtrack to deal with, and I pushed to get to Travel & Bike at 12:50.

Avg speed = 13.2 mph. Total mileage = 77.9 mi

Avg power = 137 W. Weighted avg power = 148 W

Total elevation gain = 670'

Avg heartrate = 136 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 245 (!)

Training Load = 288

Intensity = 67%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18304296784

Took the pedals and head unit mount off quickly, then I unloaded the stuff from the rear pannier. My voice was hoarse from dehydration (ran out of water around 12:30), so it was a chore talking to Gianluca. My legs had started to twitch in those last 10 miles or so, but I was able to manage it. Even still, as I was taking the pedals off I got a severe cramp that forced me to stand up and stretch it  out. The turnaround for the bike was pretty quick, I was out in front of the store with my stuff by about 1:00, so he could close the shop. He pointed out the bus stop, so I put my shoes on, packed up my bike stuff, and walked (slowly) down there. I had enough time to buy a ticket using their WhatsApp interface, it worked slowly but was ready just before the bus showed up. Initially I sat on the bus, but my two bags made it uncomfortable, so I stood instead. That might have been a mistake. It was a short bus ride, but about halfway I started feeling faint and mildly queasy. This was an after-effect of the effort I put into the last part of the ride, which really drained me. It helped to lean over and feel a cool breeze, and I was able to keep it together until the bus stopped near the Venice train station. Got off and walked carefully to a little stand, where I bought a larger bottle of Coke and went to sit down. I've probably had better Cokes, but I can't remember one hitting the spot so clearly as this one did. I did some more rearranging of stuff in my two bags, texted with Ann and Laura about their plans (this was really disappointing, they finished lunch and went directly to Murano, one of the reasons I had hustled so much during the ride was to get back in time to go with the, but apparently I didn't fit into their schedule). Then I walked to the Airbnb, taking in some of the sights on the way. Dropped my stuff off, had a very little to eat, then took a long hot shower to wash off the accumulated salt. That felt really good. Changed and then did a longer walk over to the Grand Canal (not easy to find by yourself, it helps to follow the crowds. I ended up at the Rialto Bridge, which is a central point in Venice. Took some pics, then went to find a beer to buy so I could sit by the water and enjoy it. That was nice, although it was cool with the breeze coming off the canal. From there I walked along the Grand Canal as far as I could, then meandered through the streets looking at sights. I ended up walking about three miles on tired legs, no fast pace on this day. Got back to the flat just before they returned from their afternoon sightseeing. Later we went out for dinner at a place nearby. I had a four-cheese pizza that was probably the best I've had this trip. Was a little agitated at the start of dinner but calmed down after a while. Back to the Airbnb, where we pack up most of our stuff, then I went to bed.

Some general highlight/lowlight comments from my first overnight cycling trip:

• The weather was just about ideal, not too hot, not too cold, no rain (although there was a chance in the forecast). For the future, I need waterproof panniers and a waterproof backpack or cover.
• Distance on day 1 was too short and on day 2 was too long. If the weather had been unfavorable on day 2 I might have been in a real bind about how to get back to the starting point. 40-60 miles/day for a bikepacking trip seems about right. I might be able to go longer if I stick in a long break somewhere in the middle, as long as I don't go too deep in the first half.
• Definitely stay away from using Google Maps audio directions. That was a nightmare on day 1, had to stop, look at the route on my phone, and backtrack quite frequently.
• Plan on an average riding speed of 12-14 mph for flat terrain, not including stops. I likely can't ride faster than that over a long period of time, especially on a route with lots of turns through cities and towns.
• Stop every hour for at least five minutes and have something to eat, also use energy/electrolyte drinks in water bottles. On this trip I got dehydrated and calorie-deprived in the second half of day 2.
• Keep your phone charged by having it plugged in to a power bank all the time. It's just too risky to be out in the middle of nowhere with a low-battery phone.
• A backpack is nice and portable but not a good solution for bikepacking. Much better to put all your gear in bike bags (panniers, extended saddle bag, handlebar bag).
• Travel as absolutely light as possible. I definitely took too much stuff with me,didnt use all the clothes I brought, took two bike locks and repair kits, etc. Every pound is another burden to move, especially if there is a lot of climbing (there wasn't on this trip, thankfully). This goes for the bike as well. My rental was robust but really heavy, especially in the rear.
• There is a dilemma to resolve about which tires to use. The terrain I rode on definitely needed gravel tires but perhaps not as wide or knobby as the ones I used. The max speed I recorded was about 20 mph, and I was regularly pushing steady power with few breaks (no downhills). That wore me out faster on day 2. There is something to be said for extensive training under the same kind of riding conditions that you will experience.

04-28-2026 Walk/Rides

Slept well, the best I've had in a while. I woke up before the alarm went off, spent some time trying to locate my bone conduction phones (they eventually turned up in Ann's fanny pack). Had some yogurt, a shower, finished packing, and took out the trash before we left the flat at 7:20. We walked to the train station and got to the platform with time to spare. The 90-minute train ride to Venice was uneventful. The train actually stopped at Mestre, near where 8 was scheduled to pick up my bike, but I decided to stay on it into Venice proper. It turned out to be a good decision. The train arrived, and I split from Ann and Laura at the exit to the train station. Was a little confusing to orient myself and walk toward the bus stop, but I figured it out. I did end up getting on the wrong bus, though, telling the attendant I wanted to go to Mestre, not Marghera, which is where I actually needed to go. So I got off the bus before it turned north and then had a long walk to the bike shop. It ended up working out okay because I got to the shop around 10:35. The door was closed, which caused me to worry about whether there was a problem with the reservation. I texted the shop, then walked across the street and bought some bread and a pastry. While I was walking back, Gianluca, the shop owner, showed up and unlocked the door. It was all good after that. Turns out I had planned to pick the bike up at 11:00, so that's why he arrived when he did. Got the paperwork taken care of, then he let me use the bathroom in back to change into my cycling clothes. The bike was brand new, never been ridden, and I had some difficulty getting the pedals off. As soon as I reviewed a video reminding me of the direction to turn the Allen wrench, a hard push loosened them up, and it was easy from there. Got the pedals installed along with the head unit mount, adjusted the seat height, then gave the bike a quick test ride. All good, another minor seat height adjustment, then he took a picture of me and the bike before I took off. I stopped a little afterward in the shade and finished getting ready, putting on the bike light (this bike actually had integrated front and rear lights, I later found out), my head cap, gloves, and inputting directions to the Hotello Padova. Then I was off. The main frustration of the trip was having to stop frequently and check Google Maps on my phone to make sure I was going in the right direction. The directions had A LOT of turns, staying of main roads as much as possible. It was all good until I missed a turn, backtracked, and found myself on a true gravel path. I estimate that I rode about five miles on gravel, most of it in one long stretch. There was also a point where Google Maps had me on a path that was under construction, causing me to backtrack again and find my own way (not too difficult) as a detour. Back on the gravel path and on route. Around this time I stopped to tighten up my handlebars, which probably weren't tightened enough at the factory and had slipped a couple of times when I hit a rough patch. I actually made pretty good time when I wasn't having to weave through streets and paths, but that weaving turned out to be a significant part of this ride. It became particularly tough when I got into Padua, where the route had me going on pedestrian paths with lots of walking traffic, slowing me down considerably. I was very close to the hotel when I lost my navigation, and it wouldn't come back readily. So I navigated manually to where the hotel was supposed to be, rode by the nondescript entrance once, then found it when I retraced my path.

Avg speed = 12.6 mph. Total mileage = 25.0 mi

Avg power = 109 W. Weighted avg power = 118 W

Total elevation gain = 150'

Avg heartrate = 122 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 36

Training Load = 68

Intensity = 54%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18291031389

Gave my information to the desk clerk (Marco), then I headed out on search of a place to eat lunch (was pretty hungry by this time). The hotel is located in more of an industrial zone (not too far from a main bus terminal), and I couldn't see any decent places to stop. So I googled for pizza near me and found a place less than 10 minutes away. Unfortunately, it sent me back into the crowded pedestrian area, but I got through there and, with some fits and starts, found my way to the place. Had a pizza and a Coke, taking my time, then I rode back, a little more efficiently but not by much, to the hotel, where my room was ready.

Avg speed = 7.5 mph. Total mileage = 4.6 mi

Avg power = 44 W. Weighted avg power = 54 W

Total elevation gain = 40'

Avg heartrate = 105 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 5

Training Load = 4

Intensity = 24%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18292129148

Got my room key, paid the city tax of €2, and put my bike in the secure luggage storage room before heading up to the room. It is simple and clean, should be fine for my needs, although I should have brought ear plugs. Rested for a bit before going out in the evening for a drink and some dinner. I rode to the Prato della Valle, a pretty, central area in Padua. Sat outside and enjoyed the early evening, watching the people on the piazza. I used Google Maps in auto mode to get there, it was quick and didn't have any sidewalk detours. The auto route home was much longer, so I switched to bike mode, which had me sharing a bunch of sidewalks and narrow alleys with pedestrians. At one point I got turned off route by a guard, no bikes allowed there. Found my way back on route and got to the hotel just fine, stopping briefly at an outside museum that didn't have much open for display in the evening. I used my Amazfit watch to record the ride, and it did a decent job, I think, although I'll need to check whether it synced with my power pedals (I don't think so).

Avg speed = 8.5 mph. Total mileage = 4.5 mi

Avg power (est) = 46 W

Total elevation gain = 90'

Avg heartrate = 109 bpm (Amazfit)

Relative Effort = 5

https://www.strava.com/activities/18294765098

I cleaned myself up and changed into clean clothes (felt much better), then walked to a nearby market to buy banana, water, and a beer to enjoy. Sat in the hotel common area to drink my beer, but it was really quiet. I was hoping for a more social atmosphere in this hostel, but it seemed more to be a way station for travelers, not a gathering point. Caught up on blogging, finished my beer and then got ready to sleep. Watched some TV before turning in.

04-27-2026 Run/Walk

Woke up really early, read for a while and was able to get back to sleep before getting up before 6:00. I was going to run and asked Laura if she wanted to join. Mapped out a simple-to-follow route in Strava, and this is what we took. It basically followed the main roads surrounding Bologna city center. We generally kept an 11:30 pace, lots of stops are street crossings. Laura slowed down a little toward the end but kept up her pace pretty well. It was super annoying to follow the route on my phone, Strava is not well suited for this. On the run, I didn't experience any discomfort from either my right foot or my right leg, which is great news.

Avg pace = 11:06/mi

Total distance = 4.52 mi (Actually 5.36 mi, from Laura)

Elapsed moving time = 50:12

Avg heartrate = 112 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 9

https://www.strava.com/activities/18274290992

Got home, had some crackers and coffee that Laura made using the Moka press. I'd shaved my goatee off the night before, it was getting itchy, but I trimmed some wayward whiskers in the morning. Later in the morning we went on a long walk, featuring a stop for more coffee (decaf for me) and pastries at this little stand inside a mini food court. We kept walking all around this part of the city, eventually making it to the clock tower, the Torre dell' Orologio, by the Piazza Maggiore. We bought tickets and walked up to see the clockwork from the inside as well as the clock face from close up. There was a balcony above the clockwork that had some nice views of the city. Stopped at a nice little bistro that Ann had found in one of her Bologna guidebooks, food was good. She had a charcuterie board for one that was impressively sized. Walked back to the flat for an afternoon rest after that. In the late afternoon Ann and I walked over to the Piazza Maggiore to visit the Basilica di San Petronio, the 10th largest by volume in the world (very high ceilings). It was impressive in size, but the chapels were fairly pedestrian, nothing special about the altar. It did have a cool meridian line as well as a sculpture of what Jesus' body might have looked like, recreated from the image on the Shroud of Turin. Also, it contained, in one of the chapels, the head and body of St Petronio. After this visit we walked to a nearby bar to meet Laura for drinks. She is starting to feel the stress and complexity of planning the wedding together with Joe. Stopped at a market for some dinner fast food and stuff for breakfast before heading back to the flat. I had a lot of steps on this day, and my feet were ready to take a break when we got back. Did some sorting and packing for tomorrow's bike ride, then read before getting to sleep.

04-26-2026 Walks

Slept okay, read some in the night but got back to sleep. Woke up feeling a little worn down, wondering if I have caught Ann's cold. We packed our stuff up, I had a shower and some bread and water for breakfast, and we were moving by 8:00. Laura stated, correctly, that our likely best bet to get to the train station on time was to walk there and avoid the risk of missing a bus. So we did, eventually entering the station at a high point and taking lots of stairs down to the actual station. I was hoping to get a coffee in the food court nearby but no luck. We were able to get seats, not together, on the train back to Firenze. It got really crowded during the 90-minute ride, I updated my blog and watched the landscape pass by. Off the train, just a short wait, then on a new train to Bologna for a fairly short ride. This was a bullet train, reaching speeds up to 270 kph (165 mph). A lot of it was underground. Trip was quick, we arrived in Bologna around 11:15. Walked over to the neighborhood where our Airbnb was, it was a little sketchy on the way over, but the neighborhood itself is fine, just on the edge of better areas and apparently in the midst of improvements. We ate lunch at a Greek place close by, pita sandwiches were very good, and cheap. We toasted the day with grappa, which really provided a kick. The Airbnb itself is very nice, well laid out, pretty, and tidy. I was tired, needed a little rest, so I took a nap. Meanwhile, Ann and Laura were discussing where to go in the afternoon. We ended up walking over to a main piazza (Piazza Maggiore), a more upscale area. There was a protest going on pleading the case of the Palestinian people. We went to a Gelateria near the square, my pistachio was delicious, good flavor and creamy. We kept walking, but I started feeling a little out of sorts. Kept back from them and just focused on making it back to the flat. We ended up walking about three miles. I started feeling worse when we got back. Head started aching, maybe it was a headache from missing caffeine in the morning. I eventually took a couple of ibuprofen. Ann and Laura went out to dinner, but I wasn't up to that, so I stayed back and focused on not getting sick. Eventually the ibuprofen started kicking in, and I felt better. I watched an episode from second season of Young Wallander, then went to get a pizza for dinner after they returned. The delivery place I went to was doing a booming business, it was interesting to watch the comings and goings of the food delivery guys. The pizza, however, was terrible. I ate it just to get the fuel, but it was the worst meal yet on this trip. Felt much better after eating, no congestion and headache was gone. So, the end of the day was a good one.

04-25-2026 Run/Walk

Again slept okay, up in the night as usual but slept into morning. Laura was up when I got up, and Ann was up soon after. Little chat, then I went out for a morning run. Weather was good, but these streets were unfamiliar to me, so I had a number of times where a ran down a street or alley only to turn around and run back. Found a football stadium and ran around it, then I located some kind of old walled Citadel with a generally nice path around it. I did two loops, then started heading back. With the exception of one detour, I made it back to the flat pretty well, didn't really get lost. Very slow in the first mile, but I had a fairly fast third mile.

Avg pace = 8:55/mi

Total distance = 3.22 mi

Elapsed moving time = 28:46

Avg heartrate = 130 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 11

https://www.strava.com/activities/18246874039

After the run the three of us walked to a chain coffee and pastry shop (I didn't know it was a chain); the pastries and cappuccinos were fine, actually pretty good. Back to the flat via another route that took us through a major nearby piazza, where we plotted out the day. We walked over to the Duomo, the local cathedral, and bought tickets for the complex, which came with an audio guide. I couldn't download mine, Laura's downloaded right away, and Ann's took a very long time (don't know why) to download. I went into a nearby church while I waited, hear a nun singing, slightly off-key, and accompanying herself on a guitar, out of tune. Could have been beautiful, but I couldn't listen to it very long. We eventually gave up on downloading the audio guide and went into the main cathedral building. It was pretty, nothing very special about it to my taste. There was an interesting little library area with large old music texts. Other than that, fairly standard decorations. The crypt area had some frescoes depicting Jesus on his way to the cross, and the baptistery was also mildly interesting. After that, Laura directed us to a pizza restaurant that actually ended up not having pizza. This place was on some lists as a good restaurant in Siena, maybe that's why she picked it. We had a large cheese plate and Artichoke pie for appetizers, both were good. My gnocchi was okay, a little too much pesto flavor. Then it was back to the flat for an afternoon rest. I read and had a nap, felt refreshed. Later in the afternoon, Laura and I went to a wine shop not too far away for chianti and red wine tasting. Ann's stomach was upset, so she stayed back at the flat. The wines were decent, the server was nice and descriptive of the way the wines were made. Chianti wines are mainly made with Sangiovese grapes, I learned. Laura paid for the tasting and a bottle of wine we brought back to the flat. When we got back Ann was feeling better, and a little later we walked over to a place where Laura thought there was a rooftop bar/restaurant, ostensibly to watch the sunset. However, she couldn't find the entrance, so we ended up walking over to the large piazza near the flat and having drinks and light snacks at a high-priced place with a decent view. We walked into the piazza just as a celebration of Liberation Day was wrapping up. Back to the flat after that, and a very light dinner of crackers, cheese, and the wine from the shop. That wasn't filling enough for Laura, so later she went out for a late dinner while Ann and I turned in for the evening.

04-24-2026 Walk

Travel day. Slept decently, with vivid dreams, probably from eating late. Woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep, so I read for a bit. Got up, cleaned the Airbnb, had breakfast, showered and shaved, and packed up. We left about 7:20 and got to the train station in plenty of time to catch the 8:14 to Naples. This train was crowded, but we got to the station and the platform early, to ensure we had seats with room for our backpacks. The train trip was uneventful, and we arrived in Naples in time to have a coffee and a pastry. Went outside the central station found a clip joint for breakfast, food okay but way overpriced. Inside the station there was a Toast House. They announced the platform for our higher-speed train to Firenze (Florence) with just a couple of minutes to spare. We had assigned seats, and this next leg of the journey was also uneventful, although it was a longer journey. The train went through Rome and actually switched directions, which was unusual. Into Firenze station, where we had a short time to make our connecting train to Siena. Got on the train, no assigned seats but we got adjoining seats. This was a nice train, but it took a roundabout way to travel the 30 miles to Siena, about an hour and a half. We arrived around 3:45 and waited for Laura to get in. Got some water and snacks at the Pam supermarket in the mall adjoining the station, then we walked all around to try and find the bus stop. We found one but it wasn't the right one. Connected with Laura when she got in, and we successfully located the bus stop (not very well marked). Caught the bus to our neighborhood and walked a little bit to find the Airbnb. It was a pretty nice layout, well equipped. After settling in we walked to a nearby place for a drink. Ann got upset with me for not being nice, so she was frosty for a while. We walked to a restaurant that Laura had found and ate dinner. Got there just before the rush. Dinner was good, I had a thick noodle dish (Pici) that apparently is a local favorite. Back to the flat after dinner, and that was basically the day.

04-23-2026 Walks

Went to sleep early, I guess it was a longer day for me than expected. I got up in the night for a fairly long time before getting back to sleep. Ann's alarm woke me from deep sleep at 6:45, and we had breakfast before walking down to the port to catch a ferry to Capri. Big crowds to get on, including several large tour groups, but we were there early enough to get on the boat and get decent seats with a view. The boat might have been a hydrofoil, was a smooth ride in somewhat rough seas. We left around 8:30 and docked a little after 9:00. Then we walked to the dock for the smaller boat ride that would take us around the island on a viewing tour. We sat in front of a family with an annoying kid who was being constantly placated by the parents, especially the dad. Seas too rough to go into the blue grotto area, unfortunately but not surprisingly. The other three grottoes were mildly interesting, water color beautiful by the green grotto. The tour guide was hard to hear, so we didn't get very much of what she said. She pointed out a large "castle" villa that had been owned by Mussolini, mentioned something about the connection with Dolce & Gabbana. We rode by the three rocks jutting out of the ocean, with an arch in one of them. Two-hour tour was actually just a little over an hour, I guess because we didn't stop at the blue grotto. Ann got a little queasy in the rougher seas as we approached the dock, so she found a place to sit and settle her stomach after we got off. Very, very touristy, this place. We took the funicular up to the main city, which was basically shops and restaurants. Walked over to Augustus Garden, where it took 25 minutes to use the website to buy tickets. They essentially gave us a couple of nice views of the coastline, not much more. We walked partway down the Via Krupp, which apparently leads to Marina Piccola. From there we walked back to the upper village, and Ann found us a relatively inexpensive take-away restaurant for lunch. I had Ravioli Caprese (aka in the style of Capri), her salad was bland. I felt a little bit energized after the food, but this place was definitely not my vibe. I didn't want to go further up the hill, so we walked around the village through a neighborhood leading up to the Arco Naturale. Didn't make it that far before we had to turn around because of time constraints. Back to the funicular and down to the marina area, where we sat at an overpriced cafe while Ann had a limoncello spritz. Then we walked to the ferry back to Sorrento and got on. Ferry ride was a little rougher on the way back, but I dozed for a couple of minutes before it launched. Back to the Airbnb before 4:30, time for a rest. I did go to the store and pick up a few things before calling it a day. Here are a couple of bullet point notes from our excursion:

• We saw our first Swarovski store of the trip, right after I had seen a pair of custom sandals decorated with Swarovski crystals
• There's a mild obsession with the people of Naples regarding Diego Maradona. Apparently, he played for Naples for a period of time and led them to their first and second Serie A titles
• At the lookout point in the Gardens of Augustus (aka Krupp Gardens) there were a number of locks attached to the iron railings, like we've seen before on selected bridges
• On the Via Krupp, I heard two young women discussing the best photo look. One of them said to the other, "You could show more belly, just pull your skirt down a little." The other lady really didn't need to do that, IMHO
• I saw my first mobile toilet cart ever in Capri city, which has narrow alleys and, apparently not enough facilities. Ann wasn't paying attention, and she came a little close to getting hit by the toilet cart, which certainly would have made for an entertaining story
• Capri certainly isn't my kind of place. Too many tourists, too many tourist shops, upscale fashion junk, just a few nice vistas to walk to and see from a boat

04-22-2026 Run/Walks

Slept okay, although I was up reading for a long while. Got up after 7:00 and got ready for a morning run. It had been a while, and initially I was slow both in pace and in having to avoid pedestrians. Picked up the pace in the succeeding two miles, running negative splits throughout

Avg pace = 8:51/mi

Total distance = 3.23 mi

Elapsed moving time = 28:55

Avg heartrate = 123 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 7

https://www.strava.com/activities/18207508126

I stretched before, and that seemed to help with right leg tendon tightness, both during the run and through the day. Still, I'm slow and need more speed work to get faster. Back to the Airbnb, and Ann was up. I was sweaty, had a shower and felt better (<!>). Then we went out to find some breakfast. I found a good bakery, where got some bread and chocolate croissants, but they didn't have coffee. So we walked over to a restaurant, Radical, recommended by the baker. It was a breakfast place, so we ended up eating breakfast there (pretty good shakshuka) and saving the croissants for later. Then we explored the downtown area more fully, visiting the local cathedral, stopping at a church with some wonderful photographs by Rafael Celentano, including an iconic one of nuns on a swing (nice little selection of photos of Mother Teresa as well). We walked through several tourist alleys, stopping at a place that made their own limoncello, talking to Andrea, the guy who handed out the free samples. We bought a small bottle for Laura, then walked back to the Airbnb. Had a break for a while, then in the early afternoon we went out for another walk, seeing a small waterfall with a little altar nearby, then walking up a serpentine road that really led to nowhere but was supposed to provide good views of the city. Mildly interesting, one decent vista. Back to the flat, where I had a little nap and read for a while before we walked in the late afternoon to get a gelato (chocolate and banana, very good). We walked down to a seaside viewpoint, then through other parts of the downtown shopping area. Back to the flat, stopping to get food for breakfast and a bottle of wine for our own happy hour in the flat (watching Young Wallander) prior to dinner. Ate at a vegetarian/seafood restaurant, Green Wave, that has only been open four months. Food was decent, service was good (free little appetizers but a €10 cover charge), prices were a little high for what we got. Still, enjoyable. Back to the flat after that, and a quiet rest of the evening.

04-21-2026 Ride/Walk

Well, this was an epic day, great in nearly every regard. I had reserved a bike from a shop in downtown Sorrento for the day. Started packing my backpack the night before and woke up early to make sure I was prepared for the adventure. I started walking to the shop around 8:35 and got there with several minutes to spare before they opened at 9:00. The mechanic put my pedals and head unit on, and one of the other staff adjusted my seat for me. I had brought everything I needed except water and the key for the bike lock. I texted Ann to bring the latter (didn't end up needing it after all). Rode through town, after initially getting sent east on a one-way road that had no connectors to let me turn around. Eventually I just turned around and rode carefully back into town, then got on streets going the right way, toward our Airbnb. It took a little time for me to get used to the saddle position, my left glute was a little tender but didn't end up being a problem. Right leg was fine throughout the ride. I won't list the roads I rode on, will just summarize. Before I left town I stopped at Jolly Market, bought a bottle of water, put on my gloves, head covering, and bike light, and started climbing. This first climb ended up being a little over four miles and almost 1500', occasionally steeper, particularly around sharp turns. But the general gradient was very manageable, even enjoyable. I stopped several times to take pictures, once when I realized I still had my gym shorts on over my bib tights. Got to the top of the climb about an hour after I started the ride, made decent time for the most part. After that came a six-mile general descent, never very steep but with a lot of sharp turns and sweeping curves. I was very cautious, no real scares. The cars, trucks, and motorbikes were pretty manageable for the most part on this section of the ride. The road eventually brought me along the coast, and it was flat-out gorgeous. Once on the coast the road became more undulating, with generally gentle climbs and descents, not so many flat sections. I arrived in Positano before 11:00 and texted Ann. No reply. Tried to call on WhatsApp. No reply. Sent her a conventional text. No reply. I ate a banana while I waited for her to pick up. Eventually I called her and got through. She was still on the bus, surprising to me, but it was running behind schedule (fairly common on these roads). She got off the bus around 11:15 and sent me the address, so I rode down (thankfully) to where she was. We had a drink together at a bistro, and I also had a coffee to get some caffeine. Also had a GU gel. I got back on the bike a little before 12:00 and decided to ride along the coast some more,aiming to make it to Praiano. This part of the coast road seemed more narrow, particularly as I got further east. It too was undulating, with ups and downs that were generally not too steep. I got into an area with no cell signal right around Praiano, as far as I could tell. Near what I thought was Praiano, my Wahoo showed me off-route, so I backtracked and took a road off the main coast road. Turns out it was one-way the other way, and with no cell signal I couldn't tell where I was. Legs were still feeling good, so I figured I would keep going until I was at about 25 miles, then see where I was. More undulating roads with tunnels at times and lots of sharp turns. At one point. T close to my turnaround point I stopped to do a recon, crossing the road to where there was a wider gravel patch. When I hit the gravel I very nearly went down, just barely held on to keep from tumbling over ignominiously. I eventually got to another coast town, which turned out to be Lone (I didn't know it at the time, just figured it was appropriate to turn around here. In reviewing the map later I saw I almost made it to Amalfi. So I turned around and started retracing my route. Turned my route tracking on the Wahoo off and made my way back through Praiano and Positano. There was a lot more traffic by this time, and with larger busses occasionally clogging the way I had to stop a number of time before the vehicles in front of me could continue. It was warming up as well, not uncomfortably hot but noticeable. There was a fairly long and steady climb, the last major one of the day, that started just before I got into Positano. It was about 6.5 miles, but there was a descent section in there, so it wasn't all uphill. At some point I stopped and had a guy take some pics of me and the bike (a BH Ultralight with mechanical shifting and rim brakes, incredibly light and fairly responsive, although I hadi or issues with brakes fading on the long descent into Positano). At this point I also took my thermal undershirt off, felt cooler after that. A little more climbing after this short rest break, then I turned off the coast road and took one that headed toward Meta and Piano di Sorrento. I think, after making this turn, the road started descending steadily. This was another fun part of the ride, although I had to pay close attention to lots of sharp turns. It helped during the descents to have my Wahoo on map mode, so I could judge the upcoming turns more easily. The route took me down into Meta, where there was this crazy little loop that had a short, very bumpy large cobblestone section that I had to navigate. Due to poor cell reception, my Wahoo wasn't letting me know when turns were upcoming. Instead, it would signal when I was off-course. This happened on the cobble as I was climbing, so I got a little extra cobble action to enjoy. Back on route, closi8loop and then heading into Piano di Sorrento. This was a steady, fairly gradual descent, fun to ride but limited in enjoyment by the heavier traffic. Through Sant'Agnello, although I didn't know it at the time. I was just following the route and hoping it would drope into Sorrento. This happened soon after, I knew I was close when I saw the railway bridge over the road sporting the word Sorrento. It dropped me onto the street by the bike store, but they were closed until 4:00. Stopped my ride here, it significantly exceed what I expected it to be, nearly all in good ways. Traffic management was about as expected, rarely scary but occasionally mildly frustrating. The drivers were generally courteous, no issues there, thankfully.

Avg speed = 13.2 mph. Total mileage = 45.7 mi

Avg power = 112 W. Weighted avg power = 143 W

Total elevation gain = 4100'

Avg heartrate = 131 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 145

Training Load = 166

Intensity = 65%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18196863642

I debated sticking around but decided to ride back to the Airbnb instead. Restarted my Wahoo for the extra couple of miles. I got back to the flat around 3:00, it felt good to sit and reflect on the day's ride. I watched a little TV (Mr Mercedes, first episode), then rode back to drop off the bike.

Avg speed = 10.6 mph. Total mileage = 2.3 mi

Avg power =  74 W. Weighted avg power = 95 W

Total elevation gain = 140'

Avg heartrate = 113 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 2

Training Load =  5

Intensity = 43%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18385635077

That went smoothly, and I walked to the Airbnb to have a shower, which felt awesome. Later, I walked back to the town square to meet Ann for dinner. She took the ferry back from Amalfi, a much better choice than the sketchy (because of schedules) bus service. It was about 20 minutes behind schedule, not too bad. I walked down to the central Piazza and met here there, then we walked to Capri Blu for dinner. Simple, delicious pizza for me, seafood ravioli for Ann. Meal was quite tasty. We walked back to the Airbnb after that, and the rest of the evening was quiet.

04-20-2026 Walks

This was an interesting tourist day. We had tickets to get into Pompeii when it opened at 9:00, so we got up early and were walking to the train station before 8:30. Train was crowded, but we were able to get two of the last seats together. As one would expect, the entrance was crowded. I thought it might be less so, given it was a Monday, but no. It took a while for the opening crowd to get through the entrance gates, and then we were in the compound. Highlights included:

• Temple of Apollo - worship area
• Baslilica - hall of justice, with two naves separated from central hall by brick columns, similar to future church designs
• Central Forum - main gathering place, open area with shops to the east
• Temple of Jupiter - aligned with Mt Vesuvius in the distance, head of old statue of Jupiter visible
• Forum Baths - very cool and well-preserved, with dressing room and cold, medium, and hot bath areas
• House of the Tragic Port - with mosaic tile work showing Cave Canum (around here is where we started to run into tour group crowds)
• House of the Faun - largest house in Pompeii, with cool little bronze statue reproduction, nice grounds, some fine mosaic reproduction as well (Alexander vs Darius)
• House of the Small Fountain
• House of the Large Fountain - right next door
• House of the Vettii - very popular spot, owned by two brothers, with beautiful wall frescoes, some of them erotic
• House of the Golden Cupids - I couldn't find the statues here, pretty internal garden
• House of the Wounded Bear - with cool "HAVE" mosaic in front
• Amphitheater - oldest known one from the Roman Empire, could hold up to 20000 people
• Plaster casts - created by filling voids created when people were burned in the lava and ash from the eruption

There was more to see, but we had reached the end of the incomplete Rick Steves audio tour, and Ann was ready to leave. We walked back to the train station and got on a very crowded train to Sorrento, standing room only for about 2/3 of the trip. Ann found us a sandwich shop that was open in the afternoon (I had my first Aperol Spritz). Food was a little weird, quite messy. Then we went back for a rest in the afternoon (<!>). Evening was quiet, we walked to the market, got some curry rice for dinner and food for breakfast. I spent some time packing up gear into my backpack for the Amalfi Coast ride. Agreed to meet with Ann during the ride. To bed fairly early.

04-19-2026 Walk

Slept okay, about five hours before I woke up and could get back to sleep. I read for a while, had some cookies, and then willed myself to sleep, waking up when Ann's alarm went off at 6:45. We showered, packed our stuff up, ate a light breakfast (including gelato we had bought for the previous evening), and left the Airbnb around 8:15. A little over 2 minutes to walk to the Roma San Pietro train station, which was easy to find. Our train to Naples left on time at 9:13. No issues on the train ride down, I had a very short nap. We got to the central station around 12:10 and dropped our backpacks off at a nearby pharmacy, where Ann had made reservations. I found us a really fine little family-owned pizza restaurant, Nonna Anna, where we had a nice lunch. Then we headed toward the Naples shopping district. I was watching my stuff, but somehow someone picked my pocket and stole my power bank out of my cargo shorts Velcro pocket. Pretty amazing and frustrating, but at least it wasn't anything important. That incident bugged my happiness for sure. Ann was guiding us to supposedly cool areas of Naples, but I was unimpressed. It was gritty, somewhat dirty, and filled with tourist shops, stands, and restaurants /bars. We walked to another train station, found a gelato place and had some, then Ann had some digestive issues that had to be attended to. She considered finding a Metro station and getting back to our starting point, but it was not clear where to buy tickets or where to pick up the Metro. So we ended up walking back, slowly and carefully watching for pickpockets. Got back to the pharmacy and picked up our backpacks, then we took a Metro to the ferry dock area. We got there early but it was a nice afternoon to sit outside. The ferry ride was uncrowded, we didn't have to pay extra for oversize bags, and the view from the left side of the boat was beautiful, including some nice pics of Mt Vesuvius. Got to Sorrento and had to climb a bunch of stairs from the shore up to the town, that took some effort. The town itself is pretty, quaint and upscale touristic. I was tired by this time, ready to find the Airbnb and relax for a bit. We did, after a little trouble following the directions to the building. We rested a while and then I found a nearby place for dinner. I was 50:50 about eating but was totally glad we went. We ate at a very small place (mentioned in Rick Steve's travelogue), Addu Mamma, in the kitchen. It was excellent, perhaps the best gnocchi I've ever had. Lots of lightly smoked mozzarella mixed in the sauce made the dish for me. We talked through dinner with a nice guy from Switzerland who was also traveling through Italy. Ann and I shared a bottle of wine over dinner. We were really tired after the long day and glad to rest at the Airbnb.

04-18-2026 Walks

This was a very busy sightseeing day. We had an early start, given that we didn't go to sleep until around 2:00. I woke up at 5:30, did some sleuthing about how to get to the Vatican Museums as well as a pastry shop to have breakfast beforehand. Ann got up at 6:30, and we were out the door by about 7:15. Coffee and pastries were good at the place we went to, then we walked to the museum entrance, where the lines were pretty huge, especially for those folks who needed to buy tickets. Still, we didn't get into the museum proper until about 8:30, it opened at 8:00. We walked directly to the Sistine Chapel, Ann didn't stop much on the way. I took my time a little more, the galleries on the way to the chapel were mildly interesting. The chapel itself wasn't at all what I expected, was rectangular, and the Creation of Adam central fresco was smaller than I thought it would be. It was still very impressive to consider that Michelangelo spent four years painting the frescoes on the ceiling. We slowed down after that and walked generally back to the main entrance, including the iconic octagonal courtyard, which was cool. There were some beautiful paintings by Rafael, fine sculptures as well, including works by Bernini. The grounds were also impressive, although we didn't explore them too much. Spent about three hours in the museum, then Ann and I were ready to take a break. We walked back to the Airbnb, which is up four flights of stairs. Took a little break, and I had a refreshing 30-minute nap. Ann found a sandwich shop nearby, and we walked over. Took 15 minutes before we got a table, but the sandwiches were decent and the right amount of food. From there we walked over to St Peter's Square, saw another long line to get into St Peter's Basilica. Once we got in the line it took us maybe 45-50 minutes to get into the basilica itself. In the line, we talked to a family, originally from India, visiting from Boston. The basilica was consistently impressive, sculpture by Michelangelo, main alter by Bernini. Many former popes are entombed there, and the underground grotto area was interesting to walk through. Crowds were annoying but not overwhelming. Used a mediocre audio guide for the Tour. It worked okay but didn't have enough stops to talk about. After the tour we took the elevator up to the plaza by the dome of the basilica, then it was about 200 challenging steps to get up to the walkway near the top of the dome. The views were worth it, very impressive. Walking back to the upper plaza was easier, Ann took the elevator down (longish line) while I jogged down the ramped steps. That gave me a few more minutes to walk through this impressive basilica and take some additional pics. We were pretty much walked out (so we thought) by this time, so we found a little cafe near our Airbnb and had a drink. Stopped at a Carrefours Express after that and got some snacks and light food for dinner, then headed back. We were all ready to settle in for the night when we got a surprise text from Laura, saying she was staying overnight in Rome after her flight from home. I debated whether to get up and meet her, but we decided toeet in the middle, near the Parthenon, about 15-20 minutes away. We got dressed and walked over there, and she showed up about 1 minutes after we did. Found a restaurant nearby and had drinks and dessert. I told the story of our travel adventure, which has some comical elements that make it entertaining (now that it's over). Split up after that, but we both ended up walking, separately, over to the Trevi Fountain to see it at night. Lots of folks out and about on the way over, but the walk back to the Airbnb from there was sparsely populated and through a lot of dark streets. We didn't feel unsafe, but we were both definitely ready to lay down at the end of this long day. Took a little more than a half hour to get back, I was super glad when we made it. It didn't take long to get to sleep after three extended walks during the day.

04-17-2026 Walk

Continuation of travel adventures 

We had a layover in Istanbul for about two and a half hours on Saturday evening, after our flight arrived at the gate around 7:15, after a seemingly interminable taxis to the gate. It was okay, we had time. We were in row 15, so we got off the flight (seats were somewhat cramped) and found a place to sit at one of the gates in a largely deserted but fancy terminal. I took another longish walk around the airport terminals near us. Got on another full flight to Rome okay, there was a fair amount of confusion in the boarding process, and some minor chaos around line formation and cutting. We were toward the back of the plane on this flight. It was about two hours, another long taxi to the gate, then we ended up taking an airport bus to the customs area. It took us about 20-25 minutes to get through customs, no issues with the new EU policy, which apparently was turned off at the time we went through. We got out of the terminal and, after an initial misdirection got to the place where we could pick up our Lyft taxi. Less than 30 minutes to get to the Airbnb, driver was moving fast. We arrived just a little after 1:00, and a non-English speaking guy let us in and showed us the flat. I was in bed and reading by 1:30, asleep not too long after. I ended up logging 14k steps, unexpectedly, during our long travel experience.

04-16-2026 Walk

Well, this was a crazy, frustrating travel day, maybe the craziest ever. We got up early, packed our stuff into the car, and left home around 6:45. Ran into just a little traffic until we got into LA. But we were early to the area near LAX, so we stopped for breakfast at a Norm's. Food was okay, I ate my huevos ranchers and half of Ann's French toast (turned out to be a good plan), had made full-strength coffee for the drive up, so I was caffeinated. We got to the airport parking garage around 9:50, so we made great time. Right on the shuttle, a United rep helped figure out why my ticket wasn't showing TSA pre-check and fixed it, and we got to the gate with lots of time to spare. I ended up walking through Terminals 6, 7, and 8, just to pass the time. On the plane, and this is where the fun began. Before we were scheduled to leave, the captain let us know that there was a mechanical problem with the plane that they were fixing, so maybe a minor delay. Not too long after, he got on again and said it would take longer than expected. That's when I told Ann we should get off the plane and start figuring out out to rebook our flight. The gate agent, Jill, took some time to get us on a Alitalia flight that left really soon, but check-in was closing soon and it was in the International terminal. I was able to get Ann checked in but not me, and we missed the bus to that terminal. So we walked back and asked the gate agent what to do. I was really anxious by this time. She said to get to the gate and plead our case, so we hoofed it back to the shuttle bus stop only to just miss the shuttle. I was carrying my bag as well as Ann's, and I tried to get the guy to let us on the bus, no luck. We weren't going to make that flight, so we again walked back (I was walking quickly to get a better place in line) to the original gate. She tried for about 15 minutes, off and on, to find us a flight, without success. So she told us to have a seat, and Ann started checking SkyScanner for flights. She found a Turkish Airlines flight that looked promising and went up to show it to the gate agent. Voila! After about 10 minutes, Ann came back with a reservation code but no tickets. We walked all the way over to the gate, but there was no Turkish Airlines agent. When I tried to check in online, after a few attempts we got a troubling message that this flight was going to be canceled. Yikes! Checked online for flight status, and all looked good, so we decided to walk down to the ticket/check-in area for Turkish Airlines. Turns out you can just walk downstairs in this terminal (I have no idea why not), so we had to walk back to Terminal 4, where the shuttle bus had dropped us, exit the terminal, and walk from the outside back to the departures area for the International terminal. Took us about 15 minutes. We found our way to the Turkish Airlines check-in counters, and I got in line for Economy class, while I asked Ann to see from one of the Business class agents (shorter line) if we were in the right place. That agent (Maheshi) was able to convert our reservation code into two tickets and check us in. Whoohoo! Back through security, with a very short TSA Pre-check line, and to the gate. We had burgers (not bad) using the meal voucher from United to cover 3/4 of the cost. I also got a sandwich for the flight, since it was unlikely I could get a vegetarian meal on the plane. Still, it was better, much better, than it might have been. I was already resigning myself to at least one night in LA or San Francisco before we would be able to get on a plane. Very late arrival in Rome will cause some issues, but I don't think there will be anything money can't solve.

04-15-2026 Ride

Woke up after a somewhat fitful night's sleep with vivid dreams. I packed my pedals, wrenches, and bike lock in a plastic bag to take. Also took my back tire off and applied a patch to the inside where the screw went all the way through. We'll see if it holds up. Then I got ready for a bike ride with John, heading over to his place the normal way. I initially made decent time but slowed down on the last climb up to his place. I was a little early, so I did a short loop around his neighborhood before arriving. Jayden and Vivian were out to see us off, and we headed up to the top of Pomerado Rd, turning right on Spring Canyon Rd and climbing a little more before turning left onto Sunset Ridge Dr. Took this to Scripps Lake Dr and turned right, taking it down to the entrance to Lake Miramar. This stretch was up and down, never flat. We rode two loops around the lake, heading clockwise. I initially rode behind John through the more winding parts of the path around the dam, until it widened up, then I rode ahead. Set a PR (17:41, 142 W, 124 bpm) for the reverse loop of Lake Miramar the first time around, and I was perhaps a little faster on the second lap, but I stopped short by the parking lot and waited for John. We rode back following our outbound route until after the turn onto Spring Canyon Rd. Made a left turn on Blue Cypress Dr, took that fun little descent, then climbed back to the top of Angelique St on Cypress Canyon Rd. Then it was back to his place the normal way.

Avg speed = 15.6 mph. Total mileage = 38.8 mi

Avg power = 134 W. Weighted avg power = 155 W

Total elevation gain = 2150'

Avg heartrate = 120 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 46

Training Load = 136

Intensity = 70%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18120546962

I didn't stay for smoothies this time, headed home to get ready for the trip following the usual route using W Bernardo Dr. Some time to relax, I kept gathering stuff for the trip according to my airplane travel list. A lot of stuff for the bike rides. Did my volunteer shift at the hospital, nothing special to note. It was busy at the beginning and end, time seemed to pass more quickly. I talked to Melissa about her family trip to Japan, which was very different from ours. Headed home, talked to Mom briefly after I got there, then chatted longer with Ben about his trip. The rest of the evening was low-key, finishing up gathering my things for the trip. I gave the kitchen an extra cleaning as well. In bed and asleep easily.

04-14-2026 Ride/Hike

Well, the ride on this day was not a good one. I originally planned on leaving around 7:00 for a ride to Camp Pendleton to renew my riding pass. But Mom was having problems with the base unit from Bay Alarm Medical (Ross had unplugged it but didn't turn it off).  Issue resolved, but it took about a half hour to fix. So, I left a little after 7:30, heading down by the park and across the freeway, turning left on Via Rancho Pkwy. Right after the turn I ran over a wood screw and flattened my rear tire. Not great. I stopped to fix it, it went pretty well, although I think that tire is done now. This was the first time I used the electric bike pump, and it worked just as promised. Pretty cool, although it is kinda bulky. Back on the road, riding to Felicita Rd and turning there to get up to Hamilton Ln. Left turn there and then a right on Bernardo Ave, climbing up the little hill and over to the road that parallels the freeway on the west side. Up this gradual climb. By this time, I could tell it was going to be a low-energy day for me. The previous day's virtual ride must have taken more out of me than I thought. So I slowed down and tried to keep a steady pace. To 11th Ave and then down to Del Dios Rd, taking it to Avenida del Diablo and turning left there. Rode over to Citracado Pkwy and turned right, then left onto Harmony Grove Village Pkwy. I used it to get to Country Club Dr, turning right and taking it into northeast Escondido. Road quality here isn't great. A left on Progress Pl and a right on Corporate Dr got me over to Meyers Ave, which I used to get to Barham Dr. A left turn there got me headed west, eventually connecting to Discovery St, which I used to get to San Marcos Blvd. There was a lot of traffic around the high school, and it took a while to get through the lights. Stayed on Palomar Airport Rd, which is generally downhill except for a little climb just before Viewpoint Dr, along with another one by the airport. Made decent time on this stretch, which took me all the way to PCH, where I headed north. Through Carlsbad (I thought that this road was closer to Carlsbad Village, but I was wrong) and into the outskirts of Oceanside. I took the normal way to Pacific St and rode north on it, past the pier and by the harbor, turning onto Harbor Dr to get to Vandegrift Blvd and the Camp Pendleton Visitor Center. As I pulled up, another cyclist gave me the "no go" sign and said the Marines aren't letting visitors onto the base while the war is going on. Shit! I thought about this before riding over but didn't expect they would lock the base down. So I headed back the way I had come, tired and annoyed for quite a while. Back on Pacific St to Myers St, using it to get to Cassidy St and keeping on the route I had ridden out. South on PCH, I decided to keep on this road until I got to the 7-Eleven by La Costa Ave, where I stopped for my free Slurpee. For whatever reason, the coupon didn't register, and I was mad enough to skip the Slurpee and just keep going north on PCH until I found a way across the construction along the median. Then I retraced my route back to La Costa Ave and turned there. I knew this next stretch was going to be a challenge, given how I was feeling, and I wasn't wrong. Several moderate climbs got me up to RSF Rd. Had a nice tailwind helping me along once I got on this road, and I took it to San Elijo Rd, turning right there. Was feeling more tired by this time, and I slowed down accordingly on the climb into San Elijo Hills village. Right turn on Elfin Forest Rd, and that little climb out of the village was another slow one. I enjoyed the descent after it to get to Harmony Grove Rd, then I was slow on all of the climbs here, even though none of them are tough. This got me back to Harmony Grove Village Pkwy, where I turned right and retraced my earlier route to Citracado Pkwy, staying on it to Valley Pkwy, where I turned right. Another nice descent, not long enough, then the turn onto Via Rancho Pkwy for more little climbs that were a lot tougher than they should have been. By this time, I felt calorie-deprived, hadn't eaten enough during this ride, by a long shot. I had a banana in Oceanside, and one of my water bottles had Gatorade in it, but other than that, nothing. Need to do better in this regard. Rode home the normal way from there, the last two climbs were tough, I didn't have much left in the tank at all. Boy was I glad to get home.

Avg speed = 15.8 mph. Total mileage = 65.3 mi

Avg power = 129 W. Weighted avg power = 147 W

Total elevation gain = 3430'

Avg heartrate = 127 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 106

Training Load = 206

Intensity = 67%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18109508434

Had to rest for a bit after I got home, then I started feeling better. I rode over to Rancho Viejo (Ann had said they had cheap burritos), ended up paying $9 for a burrito, so that place is crossed off the list for the future. Still, the soda I got caffeinated me and energized me, felt better on the way home. No nap in the afternoon, which was an accomplishment. In the late afternoon I headed over to the park and met Emily and Caleb for a hike. We did the normal loop by the lake, but my phone was low on battery and didn't track the entire route. Talked about church stuff as well as the Remax awards party the previous week. Got home and had some time to relax, watched play-in basketball (thrilling ending between Heat and Hornets), then I started arranging stuff to take on the trip. My backpack is going to be really full. Read for a while before going to sleep.

04-13-2026 Swim/Virtual Ride

Slept well, longer than usual (<!>). Ross sent me a text saying he wanted to talk in the morning, so I postponed going to the WWC for a swim. Talked to him about Mom's current state as well as canceling the Bay Alarm Medical subscription. After I got off the phone with him, I called Bay Alarm Medical and canceled the service. It went pretty smoothly, no high-pressure attempts to try and get me to stay on the service. Did a little work around the house, then I got ready for a quick swim. The skies looked threatening as I rode over, but I stayed dry. Put my stuff under the eaves, though, when I got there. Swam 1000 yds at a pretty good pace, here are the splits for my two 500s: 9:01, 9:09. Not sure if I have swum a 1000 this fast in the pool without stopping.

Avg pace = 1:49/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1000 yds

Elapsed moving time = 18:10 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 167 bpm (not likely)

Relative Effort = 52 (probably not)

SWOLF =35 (!)

Avg stroke rate = 21 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.47 yds (seems too long)

https://www.strava.com/activities/18093984214

Got home and had some cereal before heading out to buy a pair of cheap black shoes for the wedding. I went to the Valley Thrift Store and got a pair of Johnson & Murphy shoes, really nice and in good shape. Stopped at Walmart on the way home and bought shoe polish, saw Dick Althouse in the parking lot. I had some lunch when I got home and polished my shoes as well. In the afternoon I checked the repaired sprinkler line, and it appears to be holding water pressure. Hurray! Ann went to Mah Jongg, and I did a virtual ride on MyWhoosh in the garage. Averaged 20 mph for an hour on a flat course, it was a workout as usual.

Avg speed = 20.1 mph. Total mileage = 20.2 mi

Avg power = 175 W. Weighted avg power = 180 W

Total elevation gain = 90'

Avg heartrate = 138 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 45

Training Load = 67

Intensity = 82%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18097313593

I started charging my pedals one by one, then emptied the gasoline out of the mower and sprayed some carb cleaner in the carburetor for good measure. Had a quiet late afternoon. Ann and I watched TV after dinner, and I spent a quiet evening reading after that.

04-12-2026 Run/Ride

Slept pretty well, considering how much napping I'd done the previous day. Woke up early and laid in bed for a while before getting up and going for a run. This time I planned on starting slow and running longer. Listened to Hard Fork podcasts during the run, a 10k with negative splits for the first 6 miles. I stretched before the run, and that seemed to help release tightness in my right leg. Right foot felt fine, no issues there. Didn't run really fast, but I could tell the distance was a minor challenge. I ran all the way home for a change, keeping it slow on the climb up to the house.

Avg pace = 8:59/mi

Total distance = 6.31 mi

Elapsed moving time = 56:42

Avg heartrate = 125 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 16 (Felt a lot harder than this)

https://www.strava.com/activities/18081493925

After I got home, I did the dishes. Ann had started the dishwasher, so I did the rest of them manually. Then I had cereal and a banana for breakfast before reading for a bit, then going for a leisurely bike ride. Headed through the neighborhood and then took the long way through the 4S Ranch neighborhood. Was riding at a slow pace, although this ride ended up having more elevation gain than I expected. Over to CdS, turning right and taking it to the light at Casey Glen. I turned left, rode around the little park to Tierney Glen to get to PdS. Headed back through the neighborhood and over to Potomac Ridge Rd, where I turned right and rode to Nighthawk Ln. Right turn there, to Camino San Bernardo (CSB), then I headed to Dove Canyon Rd and turned right there. Down the hill, turning left on Bernardo Center Dr and riding up (slowly) to the top of the climb. I turned right on Avenida Abeja (traffic light there), then left on Avenida de Los Lobos, where there was a nice descent. But when I turned left onto Paseo Montanoso, I had to climb a steep (>10%) little section that was painful. It got me over to CdN, I missed a turn that would have brought be to Penasquitos Dr via some other neighborhood streets (next time). I took CdN to Paseo Lucido, turning left there and riding to Calle Pueblito, turning right to get to Bernardo Heights Pkwy. Another right turn and down the rest of the descent to Pomerado Rd. I turned left and took it to Rios Rd, right turn and a left on Alondra Dr to get to RB Rd, turning right and riding up to Valle Verde. I turned left there, rode up the little climb and then over to Old Winery Rd, where I turned left. To the end of the road and over to Paseo del Verano via the sidewalk path. Another couple of little climbs, then the descent back to Pomerado Rd, where I turned right. I followed it down to the freeway and rode home the normal way from there. Last two little climbs were pretty slow, I was strangely without much energy on this ride, but at least I got it in without getting rained on.

Avg speed = 14.7 mph. Total mileage = 22.5 mi

Avg power = 126 W. Weighted avg power = 161 W

Total elevation gain = 1650'

Avg heartrate = 126 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 43

Training Load = 83

Intensity = 73%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18083795120

I was hungry when I got home, so I had some leftover salad. Took a short break, then I dove into some chores in the back yard. I cut the piece of 1" PVC pipe and tried to glue it in. The angle between the two sections made it difficult, and I think it's 50:50 that the connection will hold. I have a backup plan if it fails. After that I pulled a lot of the weeds out of the backyard grass, it started sprinkling while I was working but never got too bad. When I finished that job I went in the garage and fired up the mower. By this time it was sprinkling pretty good, and it ended up raining on me fairly heavily as I cut the grass in the back yard. Wanted to get this done before applying the fertilizer later in the afternoon. Then I reserved a road bike for when we are in Hawaii, to ride up to the top of Haleakala and back down. This should be a big challenge. Later, after the rain let up, I spread fertilizer on the grass, hoping it helps revitalize the lawn somewhat. I watched just a little bit of TV before dinner. Was a quiet evening. I spent a fair amount of time trying to clean up my email inbox after downloading the account to Outlook. More work to be done there.

04-11-2026 Ride

This started out as a frustrating day. Woke up after sleeping pretty well, no need to read 8n the night. Got ready for the Bisikleta bike ride, knowing there was a chance we would get rained on. It wasn't raining when I left the house and rode through the neighborhood. When I got to the 4S Ranch neighborhood I felt the first sprinkles. Up to Ralphs Ranch Rd and over to the 4S Target the new normal way from there. The sprinkles turned into a drizzle by the time I got there, but I was still hoping to ride, since the roads were dry. However, the consensus among the riders was not to ride. It was a shame, and the right decision. I was sad because Kamal showed up to ride, and he hadn't ridden with us in three months. Originally, I was going to stop at Mostra for coffee on the wet ride home, but I decided to skip it and make coffee when I got there. Got fairly wet on this short ride, not a fun one.

Avg speed = 14.6 mph. Total mileage = 9.6 mi

Avg power = 129 W. Weighted avg power = 158 W

Total elevation gain = 620'

Avg heartrate = 116 bpm

Relative Effort = 11

Training Load = 37

Intensity = 72%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18067594484

Had some coffee, cereal, and a banana when I got home. Ann went to Chuze, I just chilled, watched a little TV before doing some chores in the garage. Organized my bike supplies, swapped out the cleats on my black Sport cycling shoes, and replaced the right shifter battery. Then it was time for lunch. After lunch I went in the garage and glued the two PVC pieces together to raise the level of the line going into the front yard closer to the level of the line coming from the sprinkler valve. Had a quiet afternoon, watched a little TV and napped a couple of times, not sure why I was so tired. In the latter part of the afternoon I went out in the back yard and started gluing sections of the broken PVC line back together. I got it all the way to (I think) one longer piece of PVC pipe that needed to be glued in, when I realized that I had bought the wrong kind of 1" PVC pipe, it wasn't Schedule 40. Bummer! After dinner, I convinced Ann to go to CMR with me, buy the correct pipe, and have a Blizzard at DQ. We got home, and I had a quiet rest of the evening. Finished reading Zeke Faux's Number Go Up. It was kinda frustrating in that the whole crypto finance world is not adding any real value to our world, and there isn't a clear path to this fact changing any time soon. It's essentially a gambling space that's being used to exploit ignorant people. I started Children of Time, by Adrian Tchaikovsky, about a human ship searching for a new home after the devastation of Earth and its early space colonies, along with the interaction with a world seeded with an evolutionary acceleration virus and the rise of sentient spider creatures.

04-10-2026 Swim

Slept okay, did wake up in the night and read for a while, but I got back to sleep (<!>). Had to hustle to get ready for my swim at the WWC when it opened. Talked to Tuan some about our Vietnam trip while we were waiting. The pool was crowded on this day but I had a lane to myself. Felt okay when I started but didn't have a lot of energy on this day. I ended up swimming four 500s with brief rest breaks in between. Here are the times: 9:12, 9:20, 9:26, 9:30. So, not great. My form was pretty bad on the last 500. On the plus side, the changes I made to the Amazfit watch settings not only restored the lap tracking in Strava but also incorporated pause times, so my elapsed times don't include the pauses any more.

Avg pace = 1:52/100 yds (Video, not including pauses)

Total distance = 2000 yds

Elapsed moving time = 37:28 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 129 bpm (likely)

Relative Effort = 6 (seemed like more of an effort than this)

SWOLF =36

Avg stroke rate = 20 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.47 yds (seems too long)

https://www.strava.com/activities/18055611352

Rode home and had some breakfast before going out in the front yard and trimming the big bush on the west side of the yard. I got out there, and the bees were quite active around it, so I decided to avoid getting stung. Instead, I went out back and tackled the leaking sprinkler line. First, I trimmed the bird of paradise plant whose root system was right over the broken line. That took a while, including digging out the dirt to get at the line. Was messy work as well, but at least I was in the shade. I ended up digging out the line going back to the sprinkler valve (#2) as well. Tried to just reseat the PVC pipe in the flexible fitting and tighten it up, but that didn't work. So I went to Home Depot and got the parts to rebuild a section of the 1" sprinkler line heading back to the valve. I was tired from this work by this time, so I postponed the next steps of gluing in the new line and fittings. Instead, I gathered my tools and rode over to Ray's house to show him how to replace his brake pads. That went fairly smoothly, although he had a little bit of rubbing on his front brake. Will see how it goes during the Saturday ride. In the evening, we drove into Escondido and saw some performers at the Hidden City Sounds concert to celebrate some of the nominees - Jesse Ray Smith, Kimmi Bitter, and Rebecca Jade - for this year's San Diego Music Awards. The concert was good, we enjoyed Jesse Ray Smith, would go see him again. Americana music done pretty well. Kimmi Bitter was also decent, had a guy playing a Gretsch guitar to give her music a surf country feel. We drove home from there, I dropped Ann off, and then I drove to Carmel Country Rd to say hi to Paula on her longest leg for the RAGNAR run. Drove home and went to bed after a long day.

04-09-2026 Ride

Slept somewhat fitfully, caffeine from the coffee ice cream in the evening made for very vivid dreams. I woke up and read for a while but was able to get back to sleep. Got up around 5:45, unloaded the dishwasher, had a bowl of cereal, and got ready for a ride with Rob Tran. I noticed that my Wahoo battery was almost out, so that delayed my start a bit. It was still low when I needed to leave, so I connected it to my battery pack and took off. This was expected to be a harder day than normal, so I packed more food and put Gatorade in one bottle. Left home around 6:45, down by the park and over the freeway to BVP, taking it up to Valley Pkwy. I was maintaining a decent pace, not killing it but not wanting to be late. Once I saw I would have plenty of time, I slowed down a bit. Rode to El Norte Pkwy and got there around 7:20. Rob showed up about 7:25, and we continued on Valley Pkwy to Lake Wohlford Rd, where we turned right. Up this 2-mile climb, where they have paved a lot of the road, so it is much better now. I'll have to try it as a descent sometime soon. I got up to the top, turned around and rode back to Rob, who wasn't too far back. We continued through the village and then on the rolling stretch over to Woods Valley Rd. This is a nice piece of road to ride, and the temperature was just about ideal. We stayed on Lake Wohlford Rd to Valley Center Rd, where we turned right. I'd never been on this stretch on a bike, and the descent was thrilling. There is a decent shoulder, but I was going fast enough to make it a little sketchy to ride, with the morning traffic to deal with. Got down the hill and then over to Harrah's Casino (Rob stopped a little bit before to adjust his cleat). He bought some water there, I was good to go, so we continued up to the 76. Left turn through the roundabout onto a stretch of road that I don't think I've ever been on. It was probably a couple of miles to the turn onto Cole Grade Rd, where I stopped and ate a banana before we began the climb. The climb itself is about 2.5 miles long, and it seems to be steepest early on. I just dropped into a low gear and pushed up. Ended up with a time just outside the top 10 for my age group, but I think I could better my time, now that I know what the climb entails. I kept going after the climb, it was rollers pretty much all the way back to Valley Center Rd, although there was one little climb to negotiate. I circled back and rode to Rob, who wasn't very far behind at all. We stopped briefly after the turn onto Valley Center Rd, then continued on. My right shifter quit working for a bit just before and into the climb up to the top of Valley Center Rd. Thankfully, it started working again, and I was able to push to the top and get into the descent. Was fast and a little scary due to the swirling winds, cars, and trucks. A garbage truck passed me when I was at full speed and buffeted me, giving me an adrenaline shot. Got to the bottom, where Rob had caught up to me on the descent. We rode back to El Norte Pkwy, where we parted ways. Was a good ride with him, he is getting stronger and could end up being a pretty formidable cyclist if he sticks with it. I rode home the normal way from there via BVP, keeping a pretty good pace and benefiting from the net downhill grade after crossing San Pasqual Valley Rd. Across the freeway, and the last two little climbs were tough, legs were tired from the effort. But I made it home safe and sound, this was a good day on the bike.

Avg speed = 15.6 mph. Total mileage = 50.7 mi

Avg power = 146 W. Weighted avg power = 176 W

Total elevation gain = 3580'

Avg heartrate = 128 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 103

Training Load = 223

Intensity = 80%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18043793558

Got home before 10:30, so I had some time to relax before getting ready to ride to the SDHS in Escondido for my volunteer shift. It was another day of folding laundry, and I'm officially getting tired of this task. I did it, along with stocking the shelves, for about three hours, then rode home. Had a little time before I rode over to Phil's to meet Avi, Britt, and others at happy hour (no drinking when I'm riding the scooter). Was okay, talked mostly to Britt about a current work crisis as well as her childhood history of athletics. Rode home after that, had dinner, and spent a quiet evening.

04-08-2026 Run/Swim

As mentioned in the previous post, I drank too much Pepsi at dinner the previous evening, so I woke up in the night with a mildly churning stomach. Read for a bit and was able to get back to sleep, but I need to watch out for that next time. Got up a little before 6:00, read some more before getting ready for a run. I stretched more than usual before taking off, and this really seemed to help. No real leg pain or discomfort during the run, and my right foot was okay too, was noticeable at the start but it settled down. Down to the park for the usual 5k route, I was faster than usual on the first mile and kept putting in negative splits for the next two miles. So, this was my fastest run in a while, felt fine at the end.

Avg pace = 7:50/mi

Total distance = 3:16 mi

Elapsed moving time = 24:48

Avg heartrate = 134 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 14

https://www.strava.com/activities/18027326031

Got home and had some time to cool down before getting ready to head over to the WWC for a quick swim. The pool was busy on this Wednesday. I swam 1000 yds, had to stop several times to empty water from my goggles, and I also paused at 950 yds, thinking I was done. Here are the splits for the two 500s: 9:24, 9:23. I was able to maintain 18 strokes per pool length for the whole time. Slow strokes, would need to increase stroke frequency while maintaining pull distance. But the workout felt decent, and Strava is now capturing the lap data again.

Avg pace = 1:53/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1000 yds

Elapsed moving time = 18:47 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 129 bpm (likely)

Relative Effort = 6 (seemed like more of an effort than this)

SWOLF =36 (!)

Avg stroke rate = 20 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.41 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/18029099091

Got home and had some cereal and coffee before going in the side yard and replacing a length of aged drip sprinkler line. I buried the replacement line, found another leak and cut out that part of the line and capped it off. All good there. But I found a major leak on sprinkler line 2 that is going to be a big job to repair. Ugh! Not enough time to start that, so I shaved, showered, and got ready for my volunteer shift at the hospital. It was busier in the second half than the first, time went more quickly when I was busy doing stuff. There was a new nurse there, Frenchie, nothing much else to report. Rode home and watched some TV before dinner. It was a quiet evening, cleaned the kitchen, did some reading, went to sleep around 9:00.

04-07-2026 Mountain Bike Ride/Hike

Slept later than usual, until 6:30 or so. I had gotten up really early, had cereal for breakfast, then gone back to sleep. Leisurely preparation for the mountain bike ride with Andy, who showed up around 8:00. We drove over to the park and rode from there, he on his gravel bike and me on his mountain bike. Across the pedestrian bridge, then heading west, initially to the area by the boat launch, then to Hernandez Hideaway, finally continuing to the Lake Hodges dam. The way out seemed to have more climbing, but that probably wasn't the case. This wasn't a technically difficult ride, but it was challenging at time for me, particularly on the sharp little climbs that came up from time to time. We stopped for a longer break by the damit would be fun to extend the ride sometime down into the riverbed below the dam. Here, we turned around and rode back, including taking the flatter return route. I was working hard to stay with Andy. The mountain bike is harder to get up to speed and keep going at pace. I felt a little more comfortable on the return from the dam. I forgot to bring my Wahoo, so I used the Polar heartrate monitor that Avi has lent me and recorded the workout using Polar Flow.

Avg speed = 8.2 mph. Total mileage = 16.3 mi

Avg power (est.) = 69 W (too low)

Total elevation gain = 730'

Avg heartrate = 104 bpm (Polar)

Relative Effort = 21

https://www.strava.com/activities/18016586320

Got home and had time to shower and get ready to meet Earl for lunch at Bros Kabob in South Escondido. Food was decent, falafel was okay but not great. We talked about our Vietnam trip as well as what's going on with Earl's kids, mainly Jenny and Jason. Also discussed some elements of perceiving reality, including a philosophy known as quantum qubism. Had a quiet rest of the afternoon, read a little bit and watched some TV. In the early evening I rode over to Kit Carson Park to meet Emily for a hike, then we went to OtB afterwards. It was a good time to catch up on what's going on with her. She told me about work (generally going well, not as many complaints about Mike) as well as their trip to Las Vegas. I ended up drinking too much Pepsi. Rode home before sunset, no issues there. The rest of the evening was quiet, I watched some more TV while Ann was at bell choir practice.

04-06-2026 Swim/Ride

Slept until about 6:00, woke up refreshed. I got up and had a little time before I needed to get ready for a swim at the WWC with Avi. Had some bread and then ate a banana once I got there. I was the first one there, and it looked like it would be a light day in the pool, even when he showed up. We got adjacent lanes, then others quickly started showing up, so that the pool was pretty full while we swam. I ended up doing 1500 yds without stopping. Avi swam next to me for a fair portion of the swim, but he didn't swim continuously. Still, he was swimming at pace, so his pace helped keep me pushing. I had a couple of times that I needed to pause briefly to empty the water from my goggles. My stroke was decent, 18-19 strokes, for the first 1000 yds, but my form broke down somewhat in the last 500. I was surprised at the times for this swim, I think it's the fastest 1500 I have swum, either ever or in a long time. Here are the splits for the three 500s: 9:04, 9:21, 9:18. I've been aiming for quite a while to be able to swim distances at 1:50 pace, and this was the first time I've gotten close without some kind of swimming aids. Arms felt the effects of this workout later in the day, another good sign. Later in the afternoon I found, with help from Google Gemini, a setting - Turn Auto Lap On - that I hope with re-enable tracking of the lap data that gets imported into Strava.

Avg pace = 1:51/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1500 yds

Elapsed moving time = 27:43 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 172 bpm (no way)

Relative Effort = 93 (no way)

SWOLF =36 (!)

Avg stroke rate = 21 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.46 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/18003950747

I got home and had just a little time before I needed to get ready for a ride with Andy. Headed up to W Bernardo Dr and then took RB Rd to Bernardo Oaks Dr. Andy was already on his gravel bike and ready to roll, so we took Rios Rd to Pomerado Rd and then rode up to Stowe Dr. I dialed back my pace and rode with him, hearing how his gravel ride with his daughter went (hard but a good experience). They also stayed a couple of days in Curry Village and enjoyed Yosemite (we need to go back there soon). We took Stowe Dr up to O'Brien's Boulangerie and stopped for a coffee and a shared pastry (Andy paid, my turn next time). Planned a fall adventure, potentially with Charlie, a mountain bike camping trip out in Canyonlands NP. We rode back from there down to Community Rd, turned right and took it to Twin Peaks Rd, where we turned right again on Espola Rd and rode up to the high school. We took Titan Way to Riparian Rd and headed over to Lake Poway Rd, using it to get to Summer Sage Rd. Left turn, and the usual way from there back to Espola Rd. We rode down to Alondra Dr, turned left to get over to Rios Rd, and then rode back to his place. I rode home the normal way from there via W Bernardo Dr. This was a slow-paced ride but a fun one, no stress and almost perfect temperature. Heartrate was a little elevated from what I hoped for, still work to do for getting back into prime cardio shape.

Avg speed = 13.7 mph. Total mileage = 22.3 mi

Avg power = 109 W. Weighted avg power = 132 W

Total elevation gain = 1290'

Avg heartrate = 114 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 24

Training Load = 66

Intensity = 60%

https://www.strava.com/activities/18004232287

Got home a little later than planned, no problems. I had leftover grilled food for lunch and then had a fairly light afternoon. I did fix a small problem with one of the drip line heads by the peach tree, it was easy once I found the right supplies. Watched some TV, then I spent some time trying to see if I could figure out why Strava isn't recording the laps in my swim workouts. Ann had identified a leak in a drip head by the peach tree, so I fixed that after finding the spares. Later, I patched sprinkler line 1. The front yard large sprinkler line had been chewed through, I couldn't get water to flow to it. I think this is supposed to be line 8, which had a minor spray leak when I turned it on. Tried to fix that and ruptured the line, which necessitated cutting out tubing, removing it from the connectors, and putting a new line of tubing in. Then I traced the issue in the front yard back to an apparent line separation there as well, it was a weird one. After I reconnected the line it cause another line rupture further downstream, again due to old cracking tubing. I cut two more connectors out but turned the sprinklers off. Will splice in new line tomorrow, I was ready to stop for the night. Ann and I watched TV in the evening after that.

04-05-2026 Ride

Woke up after decent sleep. Initially woke up around 4:00 but got back to sleep until 5.50. Got ready for an Easter morning bike ride. It was colder than expected. I rode the extended route through the neighborhood to W Bernardo Dr and then took RB Rd up to Camino San Bernardo. Over to CD, turning left and getting onto the reverse of the time trial route for a while. Stayed on Sabre Springs Pkwy to the end, then took Poway Rd to Oak Knoll Rd, staying on it until I got to Carriage Rd. Left there, then another left on Poway Rd to get to Donutopolis. I stopped there and had a couple of donuts for breakfast. The chocolate iced donut was surprisingly good. Back from there to Pomerado Rd, where I continued the reverse time trial route until staying on RB Rd to W Bernardo Dr. Home from there. Legs were still tired and a little sore from the previous day's ride, so I wasn't as fast as I wanted to be.

Avg speed = 16.4 mph. Total mileage = 20.9 mi

Avg power = 155 W. Weighted avg power = 174 W

Total elevation gain = 1090'

Avg heartrate = 123 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 28

Training Load = 84

Intensity = 79%

https://www.strava.com/activities/17988856532

I'd shaved earlier, so I had a shower and then rode to church to meet Ann there. Service wasn't that inspiring, but the Hallelujah Chorus at the end was great. Talked with several folks in the patio afterwards, got our picture taken by the Easter cross, then I rode home in much warmer conditions. The rest of the morning was quiet, I had some rice and beans from way back for lunch. Cleaned the back patio, Ann did a lot of cooking throughout the day. I watched some TV in the afternoon. Started a new book, Number Go Up, by Zeke Faux, about the crypto boom and bust with the downfall of FTX. Ann and I watched an episode of Rooster after dinner, was mildly funny but probably not a keeper for either of us.

04-04-2026 Ride

Slept okay but not my normal hours, since we were out later than usual the night before. Woke up and got up around 6:00. Got ready for the Bisikleta ride.. It was around 50 at the start, so I wore my long-sleeve jersey and my light jacket over to the starting point at the 4S Target. Through the neighborhood and then the new extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood. I left early and got there around 7:20. People were already showing up, but we had to wait for James, who was riding from home and had to deal with a flat on the way. We left around 7:45 or so. On this ride, we had the following riders: Ray, Jed, Perse, Arnold, Fritz, Rob T., Nel, James, and Paula. She now has her own Bisikleta jersey, which she bought from My Tran. We headed to Four Gee Rd and did the reverse of the extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood. I led the way, which was the general pattern for the day. To RB Rd, then down to W Bernardo Dr and around to Pomerado Rd. Sometime around here James got his second flat, but he was behind us and we didn't notice he'd stopped. So we got way out in front of him. Up to Paseo del Verano, turning left there. I waited for James to show up while the others continued up this short climb, but he was still behind, so I texted him to meet us at the coffee stop and continued on. Up and over to the little path that connected us to Old Winery Rd, which we took up to Valle Verde Rd. It was me, Rob, and Fritz in the front, others strung out behind us. We rode to Espola Rd, turned left there and took it up past the high school I got out in front again and stopped at the top to see that James was catching up to us. We all waited for him there, then continued down to Del Poniente Rd, turning right there. A short steep climb got us to Huntington Gate Rd, where we turned left and enjoyed the winding descent through this neighborhood, taking us to Tierra Bonita Rd. To Twin Peaks Rd, turning left there and riding over to Kings Craft Coffee, where we stopped for an extended break. I had a large coffee, and that got me buzzed for the next part of the ride, which was the most challenging. After the break we headed back to Twin Peaks Rd and took it to Community Rd, James and I were in the lead on this stretch. Over to Metate Ln from there, taking it back to Pomerado Rd and turning right. Then to Poway Rd via Oak Knoll Rd, riding to Springhurst Dr and taking it, and Springbrook Dr up to Scripps-Poway Pkwy. We turned on Candy Rose Way just past the light and climbed up to Cypress Canyon Park Dr, me and Fritz leading the way here. Left there and then another left on Cypress Woods Dr, riding down to Swan Canyon Rd and then over to Legacy Rd, which we used to get back to Pomerado Rd. From there we rode up to Stonebridge Pkwy (Paula really likes this road, so do I), and we climbed up to the top. Did the ups and downs initially and then got onto the last 400' climb. I got out front, and apparently Jed wasn't too far behind me, but I didn't notice him. Up to the top, where I stopped and had a pee, during which Jed kept going on the route and got ahead of the rest of us. The others climbed there, we had a short break, then we rode over to Via Santa Pradera and took it down to the fire road leading into Beeler Canyon. Down the steep descent, carefully, and the gate was up across the road, so we all had to stop and carry our bikes around it. Just past the gate James got another flat, so some of us who were in the back waited for him before continuing. Paula and I ended up getting separated from this trailing group, but we caught up to them at the gas station on the corner of Pomerado Rd and Scripps-Poway Pkwy, where the riders were just leaving as we rolled up. Stayed on Pomerado Rd all the way to Camino del Norte, about half of the riders were in this group. The others had ridden ahead, and James had decided to cut his ride short and head directly home via Scripps-Poway Pkwy. I stayed with this trailing group leading the way for them but making sure nobody got separated. We turned on CdN and took it to CdS and back to the starting point. It was about 90 deg by this time, others were complaining about the heat, but I wasn't too fazed by it. Was nice in the shade and not so bad in direct sunlight as long as I was moving. I headed home the new normal way, legs felt strong all the way to the finish. Heartrate is starting to come down as well, which is promising.

Avg speed = 15.3 mph (15.5 mph). Total mileage = 51.5 mi

Bisikleta route avg speed = 15.6 mph

Avg power = 136 W. Weighted avg power = 166 W

Total elevation gain = 3590' (3460')

Avg heartrate = 126 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 100 (114)

Training Load = 228

Intensity = 75%

https://www.strava.com/activities/17979300357

Got home and snacked on generally light foods for lunch, stomach wasn't ready for a heavy meal. I watched a little TV and cooled down. Had a quiet afternoon, no nap, surprisingly. In the early evening I talked to Mom, who was in good spirits. Chatted with Ross as well afterwards. Ann and I watched some TV after dinner, then I read some before going to sleep (<>).