Cycling: Lance Armstrong Foundation Ride

My cousin Kelly invited me up to Portland for the inagural Lance Armstrong Foundation ride. We got up early Sunday morning and made our way out to the Nike Campus in Beaverton. The start was a chilly, chilly fall morning but the sun soon came out and warmed our bones. We decided to do the 40 mile course which was very flat. There were rest stops every 10-miles and I must have eaten a pound of gummy bears between all the stops.

Kelly did a great setting a steady tempo over the whole course. At the end of the ride we went back to Kelly's for blackberry pie baked special for me by Georgia Kessi. Next year we have to do the 70 mile course.

Photos

Paddle: Horseshoe Cove to Sausalito Pt

Mitch phoned Monday afternoon and wanted to go play off the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 5 knot ebb. I met up with him and another guide but was feeling a bit burned after the ride yesterday so decided not to chance a Gate crossing. Instead I took an easy paddle down to Spinaker Restaurant in Sausalito and then paddled back. The water off Yellow Bluff was really churning with a stiff wind in through the Gate and a big ebb.

Cycle: Surf City Century

Amy and I drove down to Aptos in the new Xterra. The ride was very nice and we took it at an easy pace. Fall was definitely in the air with a chilly start and fog that hung on until 10:00.

Ride Stats
time 4:14
avg HR 145
distance 61 miles
ascent 3020

Photos

Paddle: US Surf Ski Nationals

I launched from Horseshoe Cove and paddled over to Sausalito to watch the US Surf Ski National races. There were two courses a short one the turned around at Lime Rock and the longer course out to the Potato Patch. There was a stiff westerly wind and I was glad not to be racing out on the long course.

Photos

Paddle: Sea Trek Katrina Relief

Sea Trek sponsored a Wednesday night paddle to raise money for Hurricane Katrina relief. Over 60 people and 15 guides turned out for the event. Donations were made and over $3,100 raised. The evening was beautiful with no wind or fog and a near full moon. We splashed around Richardson Bay for a couple of hours taking in the sights of the San Francisco and Sausalito night lights and talking of all things about knitting.

Photos

Paddle: Santa Cruz to Moss Landing

Larry, Emily and I launched from Santa Cruz at 7:10 AM. It was a sunny, beautiful morning. We had two compasses but one was broken so for about an hour we headed straight into the fog and used wave direction and the sun as refence points. I was very happy to see the twin stacks of the electric plant emerge out of the gloom. Later in the day we pick up a stiff breeze from the SW making the Eddyline Falcon weather cock. Finally had to drop the skeg. We made it in just over five hours.

Photos

Paddle: Swim of the Centurians

Gregg Berman and I launched from Islais Creek on a beautiful Saturday morning at 7:00 AM. We paddled north to Aquatic Park where we joined 19 other kayakers who supported the swim of the centurians. The swimmers jumped off a ferry at the east end of Alcatraz Island and swam back to Aquatic Park. After the swim, Gregg and I paddled back to Islais Creek. I went to the Giants game and watched another losing effort.

Photos

Paddle: Davenport to Santa Cruz

Drove down to Santa Cruz on Friday night and camped out in the Harbor Inn. Had a big salmon dinner at the Crow's Nest in Santa Cruz harbor. In the morning we got up and drove north to Davenport Landing (just north of the town of Davenport). It was a well protected cove with no surf. Marcus and Richard wanted to slam the miles down and for a change I was the one dawdling wanting to take photos and eat my Luna bars. We made good time in mild conditions, a light head wind but swell from the NW pushed us along. The kelp was so thick that egrets could land and and walk the beds. There were many otters but they are hard to photograph being shy and ducking under water as we approached. The geology of the area is different from the Bay Area. All the sandstone is laid down flat and not heaved up like the Marin Headlands. We made good time and finished under four hours.

Photos