I'm at training camp in beautiful San Luis Obispo. It's been in the low 70s everyday, sunny and clear and gorgeous. The landscape is verdant, California poppies bloom everywhere, it's just fantastic.

The riding has been super fun too. We did a short 32 mile ride on Saturday afternoon when we got here, then 70 miles with some significant climbing on Sunday -- I stayed with the lead group WAY longer than last year, up to the last kilometer when the climb got really steep and the fast men attacked. I let them go and climbed the rest in my own rhythym, reaching the top easily. I never even shifted out of my big ring! I rode with the lead pack all day Sunday -- only one other woman did that and she's a PRO triathlete.

Yesterday, we did 106 miles with SO MUCH climbing. Again, I stayed with the lead group way longer than last year -- I was with them until they started attacking. Then I worked with two other riders until we met up with the big group again. We all rode together to another climb [Peachy Canyon] and when the big men started pushing, I was out the back. While I find that incredibly frustrating, I have to keep it in perspective: I'm a 40 year old woman who's been seriously training for only two years and I'm riding with men, most of them a decade or two [or more] younger than I. That I'm hanging with the pack as long as I am is really good. Of course, I want to do better, but I can't lose sight of how far I've come. And it's not like I was last up -- I passed and left behind a number of riders. Not to mention the ones that lost contact with the pack before me. I spent an hour riding on my own -- which was lovely except for the pit bull who didn't like cyclists riding across his patch of road. Happily, barking and chasing was the extent of it [pit bulls aren't people aggressive, I projected calm and gunned it].

Today was our rest day. We had a skills clinic for an hour --- practicing bumping wheels and leaning on each other as we ride --- then an easy 12 mile recovery ride. The rest of the day was our own to enjoy. I had lunch with a couple pals at a great veggie restaurant then we walked around in the sun enjoying the breeze and the fresh wonderful air.

Tomorrow there are options to ride 60, 77.5, or 89 miles. I'm going to do the 77 at least -- up Black Mountain with it's crazy steep grade. I'll assess how I feel after that. I'm looking forward to it!

I've gotten terribly sunburned. I didn't think about sunscreen on Sunday and my arms burned between my glove and short sleeve. I did wear sunscreen on Monday, but we were out for 8 hours [ride time was 6 hours] and it must have worn off as my burn got much worse. AND I got a bit of pink on my face -- everywhere except where my helmet strap crossed my cheek. Heh. SUCH a lovely pattern! I'm just going to embrace the stupid white-shoulders-red-arms look. In past years I've been at pains to get my shoulders to match, wearing sleeveless jerseys, etc. I'm not sure I care this year. I might just sport the cyclists tan all summer in tank tops and sun dresses. why not, I EARNED it.

I have pictures, I'll post them later. I am having a BLAST!