Thirty Days

To go.
Counting them down baby!
Until Death Ride 2011.
Okay not really, but I did almost die last year when my brother and I did the Haleiwa Metric Century.
This year though, it seems I'm doing it solo as my brother is busy over at The Warehouse and doesn't have time to get his bicycle legs back.
Okay, sort of solo, just me and about six hundred other folks.
I've started to do a minimum of twenty five miles now, though I try to hit at least thirty.
Since I've got only a month or so to go, I'll be going for thirty fives and then forties. I don't want what happened to me last year to happen again!
It's a really really nice ride, taking the bicyclist from the North Shore of O'ahu down the north/east coast.
Last year we had super super nice weather, you can see some pics here.
This year, since I'm not chasing some dude on a tri bike around, I plan a full photo essay!
Or something.
I ran into trouble last year around mile forty five as I just ran out of gas. Hydration I think was my major problem, that along with not eating anything to keep the energy up.
It's difficult for me to gauge how much fluids to take in for in my case, not a lot of fluid comes back out.
If you know what I mean.
So I sort have to keep track of that kind of thing since my body doesn't process fluids like normal folks.
I'll say one thing though, being on a full on road bike will help, as the effort is no where near what rolling along on The Flat Tire Black Magic Carpet Ride is like.
I figure if I pace myself and just tool along, I should get done in around five hours.
As long as I don't stop and take like two hundred pictures like I did on the Honolulu Century Ride.
That puppy is coming up in September.
The Haleiwa ride isn't too hilly or anything, but it does have a nasty stretch along the coast that is full on into the wind.
I think I burned some matches trying to keep up with my brother last year, I mean after that run, I was cooked!
I gotta say though, I'm kinda sad he's not going with me, I mean misery loves company and all that.
Then again, it should be better not having to chase some guy in an aero tuck all the time.
Not too much draft there.
Although I appreciated whatever draft I got.
Maybe I'll just have to tuck in behind some nice looking local wahine and enjoy the view.
Okay, that was really sexist, but you know what I mean.
Sort of.
Anyways, as I said last year, the weather was just about perfect. All the famous spots were flat and water was crystal!
I swear I wanted to stop and take pictures everywhere, but we were falling behind due to a flat and we were trying to make up some time.
Still, I think we came in almost like last; most of the cars in the parking lot were already gone!
Didn't help too much that I had to limp on in.
Okay, so now I'm serious about building up some endurance and speed.
Okay, maybe just the endurance part.
Speed continues to elude me.
No more taking days off!
No more being lazy and watching Law & Order!
No more eating Doritos!
Or Cheetos!
Or Sour Cream and Onion Lays potato chips!
Don't bother me man! I'm riding my bike!
In one month, I'm going to be a lean, mean, cycling machine!
Hell on two wheels!
Faster than a speeding bullet!
More powerful than a locomotive!
What was the celeste blur?
That was me baby!
Once my new wheels get here, I'll be like three times as fast!
That's like Mach three!
I better take an extra set of tires with me just in case I burn the treads off the ones I'm riding!
Wait, I better slow down, wouldn't want to singe my eyebrows!
That's right! my bicycle jerseys are made out of Nomex!
Sort of.
Maybe.