Our ride with the Discovery boys

Triathlon Forum
1

Earlier today I jokingly said, “Heading to the pool, then later riding 3 hours with lots of vertical. Maybe we’ll see some of the pro teams here for Sunday’s SFGP!” Be careful of what you wish for!!!

Went to the pool, did 2,500m, showered, home, ate, went to pick my friend Yuko up and we were late getting to Sausalito to meet Anthony. Got the bikes ready and we were getting ready to take off and a group rides by on the bike path. All in the same outfit. THE DISCOVERY TEAM!!! (Except for George.) Man, just to watch them go by, they were soooooo smooth. By the time we got on the bikes and on the way, they were way down the bike path, but we were thrilled to have seen them. As we are riding along the thought comes into my mind, “Maybe they will be at the end of the bike path and not know where to go!” (Since they didn’t have anyone with them or a team car.) As we get to the end of the bike path…THERE THEY ARE, WAITING!! I ride up and Tony Cruz asks if he could ask me a question. ASK AWAY!

They wanted to know where “the loop” was and how to get there, so we stood there for a few minutes and told them how to ride Paradise Loop and answered the other questions they had about different routes they’d heard about. We said we were going in the direction they needed to go in, so they came with us and we take off and I’m riding with Tony Cruz on my left and Pavel Padrnos on my right and the rest of them behind me! Yuko was up ahead of us leading out the entire group and Anthony was back in the group. They were all chatting away and as we went up Camino Alto (1.25 mile climb), they were in the big gear just noodling along and I was riding it faster than I ever had. Yuko and I slid back through the group and we wished them good luck on Sunday and Anthony was able to hang with them to the top of the hill and then at the bottom of the hill, they went right to do their ride and we went straight to do ours (Alpine Dam, for the Bay Area locals).

The rest of our ride we were grinning like fools, (until the major climbing started). Cold, fog, heat, sun, big hills, wind, cold, wind gusts, fog. Three hours of riding. Lots of vertical.

Can’t wait until the race on Sunday.
clm

Bib #11 - George Hincapie (USA)
Bib #12 - Tony Cruz (USA)
Bib #13 - Pavel Padrnos (CZE)
Bib #14 - Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)
Bib #15 - Fimiyuki Beppu (JPN)
Bib #16 - Jason McCartney (USA)
Bib #17 - Gennedi Mikhailov (RUS)

2

haven’t you heard that you’re not supposed to be discussing such frivolity while people are suffering in New Orleans? (at least according to Spin Doctor). Heck, you probably shouldn’t even be on the bike, unless you’re riding east to help the refugees.

Seriously, that an awesome story! I probably would have followed them as far as I could have before I blew up.

3

Typical… You suck!

You riding the course Sunday morning?

4

Thats awesome. I rode Alpine Dam earlier in the week and saw a group of 5 or 6 guys in matching full Discovery outfits out in Marin (near San Anselmo) going the other way. I wondered if it was really the actual team knowing that the SFGP was this weekend and seeing just how well coordinated there kits were. They weren’t going noticably fast when they passed, but is was Main St. San Anselmo with all the stop signs and crosswalks so I wouldn’t have expected them to. I can’t wait until Sunday as I’ve never seen an actual professional cycling race.

5

Well, don’t tell the spin doctor, but I have six bags of clothing, some stuffed toys for the kids and a couple of decent suitcases to put them all in ready to take in to work on Tuesday to ship down to our Houston office where they are coordinating the effort.

And yeah, it was a short ride, but so very cool!!!

clm

6

No, running early before the race on Sunday.

You riding with me tomorrow???

7

haven’t you heard that you’re not supposed to be discussing such frivolity while people are suffering in New Orleans? (at least according to Spin Doctor). Heck, you probably shouldn’t even be on the bike, unless you’re riding east to help the refugees. .

More importantly, haven’t you heard that you shouldn’t be discussing these things on a forum that I am reading while sittting in an office with Timeslips minimized on my screen?! Now that is insensitive!

8

You better be careful meeting so many pros at once. Your little black book will run out of room… :slight_smile:

I can’t believe LarryCalifornia hasn’t commented yet…

9

ahh you suck :wink: I’m just kidding ofcourse, that must have been one hell of an experience for you. (I’m just jealous)

Hey Clm, I’m in the city this weekend for the race and I was looking for a place to swim. I know there is Aquatic Park (too cold for this Guy) and there is the Y but damn it’s $15/per! I’ve been to LA Fitness @ The Four Seasons before but was hoping to find something closer to me on the Embarcadero. Any other suggestions or is the Y my best bet?

Any good bike shops in the city I should check out (I went to Pacific Bicycles earlier today)?

Thanks :wink: and I hope I’m not hijacking your thread.

10

Life is goooooood!

11

Go to the Y. If only for the signs in the MEN’S locker room that read something along the lines of “This is sex-free facility. Sexual advances or behavior of any sort will not be tolerated.”

As a humorous comparison, there are signs on the Y (or something like it) in Minneapolis (several friends of mine were at Lifetime Fitness and relayed this story to me) that read “This is a handgun-free facility. Please leave all firearms in your vehicle.”

12

We are heading out at 6:00am. Tried to get the boys to ride with the HOP ride, but they got scared away by Kaley at Forward Motion. Maybe after Caliman when they are back on the road bikes…

I’m going to try to do two loops of the SF course before it’s shut down.

13

The Y is your best bet. Koret Center at USF has a pool, but it’s far and I don’t know what the hours are.

Go to City Cycle (Union @ Steiner). If fact, if you go tomorrow night, PARTY!!! If I can drag myself down there after tomorrow’s big training day (then driving back to the City and trying to park my car with all the street closures for the race), I’ll be there.

clm

14

That’s cool!! Tony’s a great guy… probably one of the most humble and polite pro’s out there.

15

Nuts! Where are you riding?

16

That’s a hilarious comparison.

I lived here (SF) for many years and I love this place. I wrote a couple of different articles in my head already just walking around including a comparison/contrast of San Fran and San Diego. There certainly is much to observe and write about as a visitor/former resident.

Edit: What I wrote was lame and I don’t want to be misunderstood.

17

Thanks Cathy :wink:
.

18

Damn, I thought that I was cool for riding a few minutes with some Jelly Belly riders before they headed up for the race. Once again… you suck. =^p

Jeromy

19

I swear this is your year. :slight_smile: Ant’s gonna talk about that one for a long time. Are they giving away anything this weekend? Throw my name in the drawing will ya? Have fun.

21

I saw the entire CSC squad riding over white’s hill this morning.