Did I Earn that Turkey Reuben?

Probably not. The eating is still dominating the riding. and something's got to change.

Yesterday, Jerry and I rode for the first time in probably a month. We started at Mike's Bikes in Sausalito and rode out to Lagunitas. We intersected a Seismic Challenge ride, and chatted with that small group at the Coffee Roastery in Fairfax. They had only about six riders. Not much of a showing considering their ride is coming up in October.

Our average speed was down a bit, but in general, we did pretty well. The first climb, up Camino Alto, was actually welcome. It was really cold out and even a little drizzly, so raising the body temperature felt pretty good. As we headed north it got more sunny and a little warmer-- that was welcome as well.

The climb up White's Hill felt pretty draggy. Neither of us was anywhere close to our peak. I pushed hard, trying to get some of that quad strength back. It felt like a long slog and the descent on the other side was glorious, particularly when we took time to coast and stand a bit to relieve our seats and other chafing parts.

Speaking of chafing parts, while my Specialized Jett seat is pretty good, I have one more in waiting to try. Can't recall the make, but it's a pricey women's seat that I got on Freecycle. While I know there is no perfect seat, I'm looking forward to trying out this one. I use chamois butter and that helps up to a point, but I really am striving for more comfort.

After the descent, we stopped at the market in Lagunitas and split a small container of tabouli. While the food is good, I'm generally getting a bit fed up with the Lagunitas market when it comes to their bathroom. The latest is, it's locked and is not available to the public. What gives? We go there and spend money and after riding and hydrating, I need a rest room!

But I think I've found an alternative to the Lagunitas Market. A new cafe has opened in the little strip mall next door. The woman there was happy to let me use her rest room even though I hadn't purchased anything, and next time, we're going to stop there for lunch or a snack. While it's true you can't buy Gatorade there, you can get a snack and yes, they have a lovely rest room and I filled my Camelbak there. I'm sure if I had asked her for ice she would have been happy to oblige. So between the Nuun tablets in the trunk of the tandem and the sink in the rest room and what looks like a very nice menu, we are set. I recommend it to other cyclists who are looking for a change. And "facilities."

Jerry and I both realize we are out of shape and need to work on it. Since we are both grossly underemployed we've got time, so we are going to ride on Wednesday, after he gets back from visiting his Dad in SoCal. Jerry left this morning on Air Mooney, our little four-seater that's hangared at the Petaluma Airport.

I considered going, but have enough around here to do to keep my pretty busy. One thing I want to investigate is a new espresso chocolate cookie. The ones I made at Balkan Camp were not to my liking-- not that I tasted them. But the way they look and spread was not acceptable to me. I think it was one of those recipes that on a small scale is fine, but when you go to make more than 300 of them, something doesn't work well. I also want to get a quart of pure lemon juice-- not that "realemon" crap, and experiment with lemon-thyme sorbet. Lisa had some when we went out to lunch when we were back east, and I'm anxious to give it a try.