The weekend started off right with a happy hour with my WP project manager friends/colleagues at LadyFace Brassiere in Agoura Hills. They serve delicious food such as fresh fish and carry an assortment of craft beers on draft. The outside seating along the hills makes for relaxing place to join friends. 
Sandy has been my mentor for a few years and I've known Tracy since I started at WP. Despite the distance, we manage to reunite.
B4T9 RACE REPORT:
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| Team B4T9 representing at the Serious Cycling Jail House Crit |
Saturday was the Serious Cycling Jailhouse criterium (crit) race held at Castaic Lake. It's called Jailhouse criterium because it was located at a prison and the course circled the prison living quarters. The course had a slight riser and the road had some bumps that were well marked. We watched the Men Cat 5 racers and a few of them went down after turn 5 and I was nervous due to the crash that happened during the Women Cat 3 race after turn 5. Crits are my least favorite races because I never feel warmed up enough to race and these races hurt! Lucky for me, my B4T9 teammate, Amy, supported me in a 45 minute warm up prior to the race. We had a great start, with my normal advice to Amy , not to work so much initially. I attempted a few sprints to make the girls work and add some "excitement" to the race. Twenty minutes into the race my chain stuck and I wasn't able to pedal. I had hit a bump in the road causing my wheel to come loose and I lost the group. I did join the group after one lap and decided to finish the race, after all I needed a good workout to burn off the beer calories. I continued the race working with a first time racer and made her work on a good sprint section. My body continues to learn to accept the burn in the legs as well as the slight stomach cramps from breathing hard. I was disappointed in myself because I didn't place my wheel on properly, lesson learned. Overall it was a great race. All the Cat 4 women raced safely and kept their lines. Amy took 1st place and made B4T9 proud. Thanks to fellow B4T9 teammates, Anne and Sue, for their outstanding race support and Deanne for hosting me. My B4T9 sisters spoil me!
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| B4T9 , Amy, taking 1st place! |
Saturday afternoon, I trekked to my old town of Ventura, where I had lived for 5 years, to spend a relaxing evening and ride with Ventura group on Sunday. My first stop included a wine and cheese purchase at Paradise Pantry. The employee recommended a Piedra Sassi Syrah from Lompoc and Spanish cheese - she made the perfect recommendation. I stayed at my friend's house with an amazing view of the ocean and my old friend/neighbor, Lorena came by for a visit.
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| Simple, fun, relaxing evening in Ventura |
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| Lorena- we met when I lived off the Avenue in Ventura |
On Sunday, I rode with the Ventura group. I stopped at Marie Shannon Confections to pick up a coffee. Shannon had just baked "healthy" muffins with egg whites, zucchini and walnuts. I couldn't resist the freshly baked and warm muffins straight out of the oven. The Ventura group headed up towards Capinteria and several of us rode up to Montecito including the Toro Canyon climb with a Cafe Luna stop. Ventura is one of my favorite cycling places in the world.
Check out my Ventura Sunday ride:
On my way back to Encinitas, I made a stop in Long Beach to visit with my love, Barkley, who belongs to my friend, JP, and willingly shares him with me. It's nice to have my dog fix. We had dinner at Spazzy's, a gastropub on 2nd street. They serve great food, nice seating with open windows and serve one of my favorite things: craft draft beer.
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| I truly enjoy my craft beer from draft |
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| Barkley, my love |
Grateful to have spent time with my B4T9 sisters and great friends. Love weekends filled with friends, good food, good beer/wine and of course cycling!
Next on the calendar - I may attempt a few more criterium races in the L.A. area. My big race is Nationals in Bend OR come September.
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