The Oracle of Apollo
Snippets from the life of Apollo Lee

A few skipped riding days, including a couple of crucial Saturday rides, trimmed the mileage this month down to a meager 700 miles. Worries about my living situation, finding new housing on Craigslist, and trying to get ready for a vacation to Idaho were all contributing factors to the missed days, but probably more of them were grumbly don’t-feel-like-it days.

All in all, though, I’m satisfied with my performance. I’d have liked to break my distance record, or at least take a longer ride than 64 miles, but that will have to wait until August. With an average speed of 19.1, this month was my fastest month yet. It’s also the 11th month in a row since last year’s crash over 500 miles.

July: 706.08 mi in 36:55:24 (19.1 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)

This week was another four-day riding week. I had planned on six days and just over 250 miles. On Thursday, I spent too much time on the phone after work, arranging my upcoming trip to Idaho, to get my 38 miles by sundown. Today, I woke up late, tried to figure out how to meet up with a possible new roommate, and realized that I have a bunch of errands to run before I fly off to Boise tomorrow. So, Saturday was scrubbed. I guess I should relax on the chart a little bit until I’ve finished moving. Next week will be very short, since I’ll be in Idaho until Thursday, so I’m gonna slide back down to 32 mile days and ramp back up from there.

25 Jul:  38.09 mi;  2:00:42 (18.9 mph avg; 30.5 mph max)
26 Jul:  38.15 mi;  2:02:21 (18.7 mph avg; 25.5 mph max)
28 Jul:  38.02 mi;  1:56:44 (19.5 mph avg; 32.0 mph max)
29 Jul:  38.22 mi;  2:00:42 (19.0 mph avg; 30.5 mph max)
Total : 152.48 mi;  8:00:29 (19.0 mph avg; 32.0 mph max)

Month so far:  706.08 mi.
2005 so far : 4561.48 mi (91.23% of goal).
2005 goal   : 5000.00 mi.
Remaining   :  438.52 mi (19.93 mi / wk avg)

Yesterday, my coworker who likes to ride sometimes, thought it would behoove him to ride his bicycle the entire way to work—from his house about 10 miles north of mine. He invited me to meet him along the route and ride it with him. He doesn’t ride nearly as much as I do, so I figured I could catch him along the way.

After lubing my chain yesterday and doing my laundry (which, thanks to the neighbor lady took until 11 pm), I got about 5.5 hours of sleep. I scrambled around this morning and realized that I’d forgotten to extract a directory of files from a Windows-incompatible DVD burn of one of the sites I manage at work. It was 7, time for me to click into my pedals and go catch my coworker, but I figured it would be better not to get yelled at by my manager for blowing it off for the third day in a row.

After 1.5 hours of extracting, finding, tarballing, and attempting to email to myself from Mac OS X Mail, GMail, and Yahoo! Mail and failing consistently with all three, I finally uploaded it to a web server, grumbling, and got ready to ride to work.

Well, I better use the bathroom before I go. I went into the upstairs bathroom to take a leak and I dropped my headband into the toilet in the process of flushing it. No, I didn’t lose the headband. I just dropped it into a whole bunch of morning piss. After washing it in the sink by hand, I realized I was not going to be able to wring it out enough to ride to work this morning.

And, of course, everyone driving in front of me wanted to do so at 18 miles an hour. Or, they were green light sitters (you know, people who perform a standing ten count after a red light turns green before they actually touch the gas pedal).

What a way to start the day.

This week started out well, but after a hard ride on Wednesday on which I ran out of water with 5 miles left (and cramped hard), I bailed on Thursday and Saturday. A nice conversation with a beautiful woman for about 10 miles on Tuesday brought me in with a slower average speed, but I don’t get to talk to women that beautiful very often.

Instead of getting 250+ miles for the week, I was about 100 miles short. Better luck next week.

18 Jul:  38.18 mi;  1:56:35 (19.6 mph avg; 35.5 mph max)
19 Jul:  38.69 mi;  2:04:04 (18.7 mph avg; 26.5 mph max)
20 Jul:  38.46 mi;  2:00:20 (19.2 mph avg; 26.5 mph max)
22 Jul:  38.17 mi;  1:56:36 (19.6 mph avg; 33.5 mph max)
Total : 153.50 mi;  7:57:35 (19.3 mph avg; 35.5 mph max)

Month so far:  553.60 mi.
2005 so far : 4409.00 mi (88.18% of goal).
2005 goal   : 5000.00 mi.
Remaining   :  591.00 mi (25.70 mi / wk avg)

After my contribution to Seth’s ride on Monday, I felt damn good. Good enough for five days in a row with daily average speeds well above 19 mph. In fact, three of the five days were commuting days—days in which I rode to work and rode home. In the past few weeks, I’ve been driving to work more frequently, because I’m just so tired of the continuous and relentless 20 mph headwinds every evening that I couldn’t even think for a while.

This week was my longest week yet, but only a little less than a mile longer than the Week 25. It’s also the fastest week ever with an average speed of 19.3 mph. Saturday’s ride of nearly 59 miles was at the same average speed as the one metric century last weekend.

I felt pretty good all week. Velowear’s package arrived on Friday, three business days ahead of time, to add two pairs of shorts and a hot new jersey to my wardrobe. Now that I’ve cranked out a 230+ mile week twice, maybe it’s time to step the chart up. 37.96 miles on weekdays, 63.27 miles on Saturday, 253.07 miles for the week. Can I do it? I guess we’ll find out.

11 Jul:  34.56 mi;  1:46:30 (19.5 mph avg; 35.5 mph max)
12 Jul:  34.92 mi;  1:47:31 (19.5 mph avg; 30.0 mph max)
13 Jul:  34.99 mi;  1:48:50 (19.3 mph avg; 32.0 mph max)
14 Jul:  34.70 mi;  1:47:56 (19.3 mph avg; 29.5 mph max)
15 Jul:  34.59 mi;  1:45:32 (19.7 mph avg; 32.0 mph max)
16 Jul:  58.76 mi;  3:08:16 (18.7 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
Total : 232.52 mi; 12:04:35 (19.3 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)

Month so far:  400.10 mi.
2005 so far : 4255.50 mi (85.11% of goal).
2005 goal   : 5000.00 mi.
Remaining   :  744.50 mi (31.02 mi / wk avg)

I headed out for my Saturday ride today at 3:30 in the afternoon–the same time as I headed out last Saturday. Today’s route was planned for about 58 miles and covered the same roads as I ride almost every Saturday.

The wind was light as I climbed up to Portola Valley. After discovering that the fountain in Triangle Park no longer works, I hiked across the street to the gas station, bought some water, used the bathroom, and hung out just long enough that my muscles got cold. This was the first of three times this happened on today.

There were many miles in which I just could not seem to find my legs at all today. Despite a noticeable tail wind for 20 miles, I did not gain much time on my clock after a magnificent 45 mph Edgewood descent, try as I might. I watered up again in Menlo Park, then only ten miles later in Los Altos, and stomped home to close out my longest and fastest week ever. I gained some of my mojo back on the way home and polished it off with an 18.7 mph average.

It was a decent ride, if a little bit slow.

Today:   58.76 mi;   3:08:16 (18.7 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
July :  400.10 mi;  20:57:20 (19.1 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
2005 : 4255.50 mi; 227:28:36 (18.7 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)
Goal : 5000.00 mi (744.50 mi to go : 85.11% complete)

In order to give back to the community and support an extremely important organization that helps lots of people, I have decided to sponsor Seth Dillingham in his goal to ride in the Pan-Mass Challenge to raise money for cancer research.

Lots of people wish him well, but I decided that it would be a good thing to contribute ten cents to his goal. For every mile on my chart. I have 4022.98 miles on my chart.

The Pan-Mass Challenge is trying to raise $21 million for cancer research, including the $6,000 that Seth’s trying to raise. You should help him out. Chances are you or someone you love will be affected by cancer at some point in your life. Go help Seth right now. If I can do it before I’ve had any caffeine before I’m even in the shower yet, what are you waiting for?

After today’s big ride, I took a 90 minute disco nap, got a bite to eat, and headed for San Francisco. Seeing Andy Caldwell listed on the flyer locked it down for me — I was headed to Mighty.

I didn’t get to the club until about midnight, but my favorite Canadians, Patrick & Gigi, were already there. Andy Caldwell was working the tables when I arrived and played music that packed the dancefloor with frenzied dancers.

Julius Papp followed, playing an exquisite set of fist-pumping house tracks that got me sweaty enough that I could wring out my Sugoi shirt. Lots of pretty people were there and I had a great time dancing with some of them. After a while, the toll of the miles earlier and the athletic dancing style I have started to wear me down. So, after only three hours at the club, I jumped back into my car and headed south towards home.

Another short week, but this time I simply couldn’t put my ass on the bike on Monday or Tuesday. On Wednesday, I had to take my car into the mechanic, so I had no excuses at all for two days. On Friday, I needed a high speed ride, after two days of headwinds in the afternoons on the way home.

Today, though, I crossed that 4000 mile mark, which puts me at 80% of my goal mileage for the year. Last year, I made 4000 miles on November 18 (Week 46). I’m ahead of last year by almost twenty weeks. Yes!

06 Jul:  34.94 mi;  1:53:17 (18.5 mph avg; 26.5 mph max)
07 Jul:  34.86 mi;  1:51:56 (18.7 mph avg; 26.5 mph max)
08 Jul:  34.58 mi;  1:46:25 (19.5 mph avg; 35.5 mph max)
09 Jul:  63.20 mi;  3:23:07 (18.7 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
Total : 167.58 mi;  8:54:45 (18.8 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)

Month so far:  167.58 mi.
2005 so far : 4022.98 mi (80.46% of goal).
2005 goal   : 5000.00 mi.
Remaining   :  977.02 mi (39.08 mi / wk avg)

Today, I needed 57.52 miles for my Saturday ride. I intended, of course, to head out about noon. Noon turned into 3:30 by the time I pushed away out of my driveway. I really have to work on that “getting out the door on time” thing.

I headed up to Portola Valley again, by way of Alpine Road. I turned into the wind, hammered to Woodside on the middle (42 tooth) ring, braved a strong headwind up La Cañada to Edgewood Road, and made a serious scramble toward breaking my best top speed down the hill (until a strong crossing gust caused me to brake through 44 mph to avoid careening off the road). With the wind at my back, I stomped down Alameda, Junipero Serra, Foothill Expressway.

It was as I headed out from a water stop at the convenience store next to Bicycle Outfitter in Los Altos that I rolled over my 4000th mile of 2005. Looking at my clock, I decided to tack on an extra chunk of miles and set a new long ride. Down Fremont, Sunnyvale Saratoga, Homestead, and back up Foothill added seven miles to my route. I got low and tried to maintain some of my speed as I battled a continuous headwind nearly the entire 15 miles back to my house.

What a great ride, though.

Today:   63.20 mi;   3:23:07 (18.7 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
July :  167.58 mi;   8:54:45 (18.8 mph avg; 45.0 mph max)
2005 : 4022.98 mi; 215:24:01 (18.7 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)
Goal : 5000.00 mi (977.02 mi to go : 80.46% complete)

This afternoon, after a quick bite, I ran Jay back to the airport in San José. It was fun having him here, going clubbing and record shopping. Next time, I’ll get a better grasp on my schedule and we’ll see even more of the spectacular stuff in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Thanks for coming, Jay. Let’s do this again real soon.

After dinner in Palo Alto, Jay and I headed back to my place to relax for a few minutes. I got into my clubbing clothes, jumped through the shower, and we were in the car again to head up to Salted, my favorite Saturday weekly at Mighty.

Mauricio Aviles was on the decks when we got there, working up a scrumptious mix of funky deep house tracks. The crowd was much more spunky than was the crowd last night.

As I was going up to the bar to get some water, I saw two of the hottest girls in the club grab hold of Jay and drag his ass out onto the dancefloor. After a bit, I found him, asked him where he got his game, and my boy shrugged his shoulders as if to say “when you got it, you got it.” Right on.

Halo came on after Mauricio and kicked off another set of tech house and deep house music, sending the crowd into a frenzy. I danced my ass off. By about 2, though, we were ready to split. Jay’s getting on the airplane tomorrow afternoon at 2 and sleeping in until noon is not an option.

What a great party!

After waking up after about six hours of sleep, I went downstairs to grab a Clif Bar. Jay was awake. We discussed what we should do with the Saturday and decided to go record shopping at Amoeba Records in San Francisco.

We headed up there, where Jay’s favorite musical genre, drum & bass, has an entire row (as opposed to the way most record shops treat it—toss everything into “electronica”). I bought five house CDs. Jay bought some new beats. It was fun.

After we finished at Amoeba, we decided to go check out a couple of the tourist spots. The first spot we hit was the most recognizable man-made landmark in the western United States—the Golden Gate Bridge. I suggested that we could walk across the bridge. We walked and walked (I had forgotten how long that bridge is) and decided at the 80% mark to turn around and head back. We got lots of pictures of that spectacular structure and the San Francisco skyline.

Next, we swooped by The Palace of Fine Arts for more photographic niftiness. On the way back to my house for dinner, we got a nice view of San Francisco City Hall.

Dinner in Palo Alto closed out a fun and exhausting afternoon. Time now to get showered and ready for another trip to San Francisco today.

Adnan and company threw Forward, a monthly party at 1015 Folsom. I’ve been to two of these before. At tonight’s party, the crowd seemed a little bit sleepy.

Jay and I headed up to San Francisco and arrived around 11. When we got inside, Rebecca was pounding the speakers in the front room and it was Jenö on the main floor. Adnan soon took over in the front room and brought us a taste of some interesting minimal housy techno grooves and a track with a hilarious “like this” sample. Doc Martin took the tables in the main room and set the place on fire. Despite the sleepiness of the crowd, Doc dropped some seriously timeless classics and some minimal tech beats that inspired some of the tourist crowd to actually start dancing. Watch out, kids, you might work up a sweat.

After a set by in the front room I didn’t really feel, M3 and Galen shared the tables in the front room and played a set that demonstrated the skills of both DJs. It was a great set of tech house gems, deep funk, and gronky techno surliness. They ruled.

What a good party. Thanks, Adnan!

This afternoon, after work, I headed over to San José International Airport to pick up my best friend, Jay. He decided a couple of months ago that it was time to visit California, check out the clubs I expound about at great length, and just kind of see if the extravagantly posh lifestyle I lead is as cool as it sounds.

After running into my old coworker in the corridor outside the Southwest Airline gates, I wondered when Jay was coming out. I saw people of every conceivable age, sex, size, shape, nationality, and appearance, but no Jay. After a bit, I decided to go down to the Southwest counter to have him paged. As I descended the stairs, there he was. Somehow, Jay had used his ninja powers to get past me.

We jumped in my car and headed on over to Menlo Park, where I live, stopping at Avanti to grab some tasty pizza slices. Later on tonight, we’re heading up to San Francisco for Jay’s first ever visit to Fog City.

Welcome to California, good sir!