Beautiful weather these past days has allowed good training rides.   Took one on Saturday and on Sunday.  Saturday, I rode down to San Ramon and back in an easy pace all the while worried about my achilles tendons which had been acting up now and then.  A memory from times long ago on trips such as the one we are getting ready for.   Rode Diablo with Bob from his house in vallejo.. 65 miles and a big piece of elevation.    A couple of things were true for us after the ride on Sunday:  

1. stashed water and food along the route is key.   I went through 100 oz. of water before finishing the summit ride on Diablo.    Sue and I were thinking about strategies for those stops and we have a couple of ideas.  She, rightly, said that she could simply double back at the end or each day and scoop up the little bags with water and food in them so that no one has to pack them out.   We kicked around the ideas of using a bit of camoflage tarp and putting ice, water and food inside at some hidden spot along the road.. designated at a predetermined spot prior by some form of unmistakable marker.. balloons, signs whatever.  and that each stop would have some sort of marker where the boys would leave a note for the others.   last man sort of thing. 
2. My feet hurt today as I was riding Diablo.  Seems related to long periods of pushing, high temperature and likely too tight of shoes.   more to work on that today, and also saw that my peddles were not tight enough for me... I put on new cleats and somehow, they aren't properly adjusted to the peddles.   making annoying clicks every rotation towards the steepest part of the climb.  
3. I ordered my bike rack and top carrier for the car the other day.   Nice Thule stuff.   didn't get a hard case top rack cause it was an extra 300 bucks and figured that we could just take the bag down and put it inside the back when were cruising normally.   The bag is basically for trips where all of us are in the car heading home, or between stops first day..     makes sense I hope. 
4. Sue had the idea of getting some miles under our belt on the last riding day.   Like 3 or 4 to minimize the pain of the trip home on the last day.   Makes good sense I think.   Panguich then west young men.   
5. I really think we need to get some more food chemistry experience.  Light stuff which fills that gap, and gets us ready for the next day..  will have to speak more to the DOC Gabe Jenks on that one. 
6. 100 miles is coming up Thursday.  That is my target day for my own little century.  Will be figuring out the route in the next few days.   That will be a challenge for sure.   Wont be doing too many rolling hills, but will need some in order to feel the burn baby..