Day 2 in the bag

Tired and in pain but i successfully conquered a climb that got me off my bike last year.  So far despite the injuries and crashes it has been a very successful Vuelta.  Only got off on Camino Nuevo and didnt walk it and stayed on the bike all day today, except for a flat.

Tomorrow is the real test.  I know i wont make it over La Pared so i need to figure out if i take it from the front or that back, i dont want to cause problems for the peleton which may occur if i give it my all and fall, at the same time in the back i will be dealing with traffic and that wont work either.  We shall see.

Hopefully the trade winds wont do the same damage they did to me last year.

I now know i cannot use my Performance Bike bib shorts for anything more than a metric century, read welts adorn my softer areas.

Bloodied

Literally. Took a spill well before Camino Nuevo. Was pretty beat before hitting the monster but i decided i would give it my all. Camino Nuevo knocked me down 3 times but it did not knock me out this year. I did have to get off my bike 3 times but i never walked i clipped right back in and rode all the way up Camino Nuevo on 48-15. I did not vanquish the beast but i made a great strides against it!  I rode the full 150 in a ton of pain rest time to go at it again tomorrow.

Going to give it a try

I have a large knot in my right quad.  Ben Gay and some local topical creams have been applied, all they seem to is dull the pain, i am hoping some ice and some time will heal this enough for me to make an honest attempt of it tomorrow.

Tienda Bike came through and fixed Relampago they used normal spokes instead of aero matches but hey the wheel is functional.  They came through BIG TIME.  Hoping i can heal now.

Crash

Got into a dumb accident riding when the tour director told us not to ride the day before La Vuelta.  I got my camelbak caught in my front wheel.  Spokes in the front wheel toast.  Deep bone bruise on my right quad, Galaxy Note 2 shattered in a million pieces and my camelbak's bottom pocket is broken.  =(

Take 2

I am trying it again. La Vuelta PR on a single speed bike. I have seen some rumblings of the fixed gear community looking like they will attempt it single or fix as well. I hope so, i believe many of them are more athletic and stronger than i am and would put up a good fight.

 I am going into La Vuelta after a roller coaster training year. During and after Gran Fondo NY i was on top of the world. I got over bear mountain without having to get off my bike and i almost made it over Buckberg only falling off my bike right near the top. I was confident i would be able to hit La Vuelta hard this year and make it over a few other climbs including, possibly, Camino Nuevo.

However as the year went on injuries creeped in. Some significant some painful but annoying. I have scaled back my expectations and hope to have an epic fight with the elevation in PR but mainly to just have some fun. I am looking forward to seeing many people who i rode with last year.

 Adelante!