It's been a while since I've been on the sisters, and today I was reminded why. Unless we're training for some serious hill event, there's really no sane reason why people should be going up and down those things on a bicycle. To boot, I went out with Todd and Jeremy who just live for climbing, so I knew I was in for a lot of pain.
We met at Rock N' Road cyclery in Mission Viejo at 6:30, and despite the proximity to Vin's house, I could not encourage him to come with us. After the ride, I'm thinking Vin is smarter than I give him credit for. HA HA. Both guys had ridden up from their house, while I drove there. Upon Todd's arrival, he mentioned how he had a surprise for us today. 6:30 is way too early for surprises, by the way, but Todd's surprise was that we would start out on Live Oak first and then head over to the sisters via Antonio and Oso. Yup...too early for surprises.
I told the guys they should just pretend to ride without me as I'm thinking I just want to survive today more than anything else. They agreed thankfully.
When we got started, it seemed like every single time the road pitched up, Jeremy was taking off and just going for it. If there was a Strava segment for a given speed bump, I'm thinking he would have gone for those too. Jeremy was already off broken away as we were climbing up El Toro and subsequently Live Oak. I just stayed and paced Todd, who I know manages his power output for the length of the ride.
We didn't catch up to Jeremy until just a little before the camp ground opening, but once on grade heading up RSM, he was charging again. What a beast! It was enough just to stay with Todd up the switchbacks for me.
We were all together again before we hit the left to go to Antonio Parkway to head down Oso. Todd was doing a lot of the work, with Jeremy taking some turns to keep the pace up while I sat shamelessly behind both of them. Actually, I was ashamed, but my survival instincts took precedence.
Even on Oso, Jeremy would charge up some hills as though he studied every single section of the ride, and Todd and I just stayed together at his pace. Jeremy took a quick EPO, I mean BIO break at Pacific Park, but was able to make it back to the light for the intersection that we were waiting for.
I trailed them all the way up to Highland, but once we got on that road, they went nuts! Todd was just a brute going up that hill, and had gotten away from Jeremy, who had gotten away from me. There was no way I was going to put down that much effort expecting to try the likes of Nyes, Summit and Park after. F that noise. When I got to the top, the guys were nowhere to be seen. Nice.
I descended and made my way onto Pacific Island and I did start to make some ground on them where they were just ahead of me making a u-turn at the top. I got a little held up by a car that wanted to turn right, so when I made my way down, neither of them were in sight again. Sigh.
I didn't really know the route, so I thought they made a left to hit the other side of Highland. After climbing it and seeing no one ahead of me the whole time, I figured they must have gone straight to hit the other side of Pac Island. Thus, I made a right turn on Niguel and made my way down to Alicia and Crown Valley.
Now my plan was to go up the other side of Pac Island as well and hopefully meet them up there. However, I goofed and accidentally turned right on Club House, which I think was the turn before Pac Island. I was thinking I was doing good on Pac Island only to come to an intersection where I could see Pac Island as the cross street. Oops. I turned left and climbed it again chasing down 2 guys ahead of me just for fun. When I got to the top, both Jeremy and Todd were just getting to the top from the other side. Perfect timing.
We all headed back down towards Crown Valley and onto PCH, where Jeremy was up front leading for a bit. He had me pull up to the front (where in my mind I was yelling noooo!) and I did lead the guys for a bit towards Nyes. Just before it, Todd took over and I waved Jeremy on so I don't get in his way.
Before going up Nyes, Todd was saying how the beginning always makes him nervous. When we started to ascend, I knew exactly what he was talking about. That hill is just crazy. I was standing and pounding it just to be able to keep up with the two guys, but after making the right turn at the first stop sign, they both just took off and literally left me in the dust. I didn't care at that point, however, since all I kept asking myself was am I going to make it without stopping. Even alternating the seated and off the seat climbing, I was dying. I did finally make it all the way to the top, while I saw the guys already off their bikes as I made my way past the park. I had to hit the top stop sign since Todd was already referencing female reproductive organs for those who don't.
We took a short break there and refilled water, but we were off not too long after. I was behind Jeremy, but since he was on carbons, he let me go by and I got to descent just behind Todd. When we got on PCH again, we were all together where Todd then led us over to Bluebird.
Now I really don't remember Bluebird too much, so I kept a pace behind Todd originally. However, after I saw how long and steep that road was, I waved Jeremy on so as to not slow him down. I again was thinking to myself, can I make it up this damn hill or not and at one point when it turned and pitched up pretty good, I was thinking this just can't be good for me. HA HA. I did keep going and while I couldn't see the guys, I did come up to the left turn just before the top where Todd then Jeremy was coming back down from. After Todd confirmed I just had to make it to the top of that, I went on while they descended.
When I descended, I almost missed the right turn to take me back down to PCH, but I did realize what way I had to go (the sign that says PCH -->) helped. Doh. I did get behind a slow moving VW bug, and pretty much had to sit on my brakes the whole way down. As I descended, I wasn't sure if I was suppose to go right on a side street, but I opted to stick with the familiar and turn right on PCH.
After not seeing Todd and Jeremy anywhere ahead of me, I wasn't quite sure where to go from there. Rather than trying to find my way up and get lost, I figured I was just not up for the climbing but was willing to go up Park for a final hill. Maybe I'd meet them at the park at the top.
After missing the turn to Park and finding my back onto it eventually, I started to climb when I started to feel my left hamstring twinging. Not good considering I hadn't even started the serious part of the hill yet. At this point, I had to decide whether to keep going anyways or live to fight another day. The latter won.
I went and took the steep side street that took me toward the 133 and started heading up toward El Toro. I can still feel my hamstring want to cramp, but a less than hectic pace did finally start to let it subside. I did end up going up Aliso Creek only because I thought that would be a faster way back, but I was definitely managing my pace up it.
I did make my way back via Alicia > PDV > Los Alisos and finally back to Rock N' Road where I texted the other guys just to let them know I'm safe but a bonafide female reproductive organ. I would have let them know sooner but I didn't have my phone with me.
Todd and Jeremy were definitely killing it on the hills today, and I was absolutely humbled by riding with them. Jeremy is just getting so much stronger on the hills that it's downright nutty. Todd's always scary, so nothing new there.
Epic fail on my part for trying to take on the sisters after a long hiatus and with two guys who live to climb. I'm just glad to be back in one piece so I can celebrate Vince's matrimonial
P.S. My knees hurt.
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