Sunday’s Sequoia Century clearly took a lot out of me; that was the longest time I’ve spent in the sun since… well, maybe late last summer? Add to that not riding to work & back yesterday (logistics didn’t work in my favor, having to return the van used to support the Secret Soda Stop on the Sequoia Century, plus dropping by the hospital to see Kevin after his brain surgery), so even starting out from the house this morning I could tell I wasn’t going to be lighting the world on fire.

It didn’t help that I show up at the start and find George, fresh off riding at the Nationals, Mark P, 7th in Saturday’s Pescardero Road Race, and, yikes, JeffZ (we later picked up another speed guy, Marcus, as we approached Kings). For a short time it seemed we’d be riding at a civilized pace up the hill, but JeffZ just rode off the front, gradually picking up speed and splitting up the group. I rode up Kings trying to minimize my losses, noting that I was about 30 watts below where I ought to be, and thinking that one of those hidden motors that gives “only” 50 watts would have made quite a difference for me on the climb!

OK, remember how yesterday’s logistics kept me off the bike? Today’s program wasn’t any less complicated. Ride, vote, ride to the shop, and later, instead of riding straight home after work, Becky and I dropped by Kaiser Hospital to see how Kevin was doing. Surprisingly, it’s not an issue bringing bikes into the hospital and up the elevators to the 5th floor. This would not have been possible in the old hospital building; the corridors were simply too narrow.

Hopefully Kevin will be coming home soon, perhaps even tomorrow (Wednesday). Our dog’s really confused on Tuesday & Thursday mornings, because as soon as he hears my alarm clock go off at 6:55am, he races over to Kevin’s door, waiting for me to tell him it’s OK to jump on it and push it open. Only the door’s already open and no sign of Kevin. It’s definitely time for things to return to normal.