It's all in your head

I am winding down on my time in Panama.  I would have liked to have had more time to prepare for today's loop, but you play the cards you're dealt. I took off today just before noon under a hot equatorial sun. There were some clouds knocking at the door boiling just over the crest of the hills that separate Boquete from the Carribean Sea. The predicted that the normal heavy afternoon rains were likely to arrive sometime before my ride would be over.  I put my raincoat in my little pack along with flat supplies and my Garmin, with a plan to ride the El Salto loop. I said to myself "I'm slow, but I will finish" and with that I pedaled off.

It was a rather enjoyable ride up the hill.  No rain today, (see yesterday's ride!)

I heard the rumble of thunder within a half hour of starting, so I was mindful of taking too much time taking photos, but I utilized the stops for rest!

The coffee plantations (fincas) were much easier to get a photo of today.

I was plenty warm riding up the hill, but with the rumbling of thunder (and the increasing altitude) came a noticeably cooler breeze. It was not enough to make me cold, but was keeping me focused on getting around the loop before the downpour started. Descending on a mtn bike without fenders is not all that enjoyable.

It is obvious that the coffee plants are tended to manually, no machines.  The plants grow right up to the edge of the fields with no room for machinery to turn or travel.  And again, it is on hillsides so steep that I'm not sure how people can walk there, let alone do work.

I kept hearing thunder, sometimes sounding very close, but only had a few large drips of rain so far. I continued riding up the hill, knowing that I was getting closer to smooth pavement that tipped downhill rapidly.  I remember rolling downhill to Boquete in just over 15 minutes last year.

The road I was on was paved, but not very well.  There were places where trees had fallen across and were sawed for access, but still very obviously there. The road looked more like a trail as I got higher up the hill. I knew I was getting close to the intersection where I would be turning down hill, but was still surprised as I rounded a turn and saw the intersection!  I grabbed a couple of gears and held on tight.  I also sat up high to help keep speed under control.  I'm not real familiar with the bike.  I still managed to hit 46.3 mph on knobby tires!  They were singing a song as I rolled along.

It took 19 minutes to reach Boquete from the turn today, so I guess I wasn't throttling the speed too much.

Once through Boquete I only had the climb to the house.  Not all that steep, it maxes out at just over 11%, but most is around 8-9%.  The thunder continued to rattle the skies, but no rain so far.

12.7 miles, 15.6% maximum grade, 2212 feet total climbing.

I managed to roll into the yard just as lightning struck close and the thunder rattled the windows of the house. A little rain is falling as I type this, but still no downpour as I expected there would be.

Other than eyes burning from the salty sweat running into them, I'm none the worse for wear.
I'd call that a success!


........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0..................13....................0............13

Jan.........0.................. 0..................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0..................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0..................0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0................61....................0..............61


YTD..........0...............0.................61.....................0..............61

Out exploring

I took off about 11:30AM today.  It was already raining hard, but it is warm rain, so I still took a longer way to town.  I started riding the El Salto loop that I rode last year .  I remember that it took a lot of work to make that loop, and it took a more than a month riding around to get in shape enough to do it.  With less than 50 miles this year, and a late start, I figured I better be happy with taking a short cut.  I mapped out the only option to a full loop, and started riding. It was raining hard, as in tropical rainstorm hard. I had a few hundred yards of "gravel" to ride before I got to pavement.

It was raining hard so I didn't want to risk taking my phone out to take photos very often. The road had a steady upward pitch and there was a torrent of water coming down the road toward me.
The birds were chirping up a storm. The was the normal display of flowers, including these less common ones.

It doesn't take mastery of the Spanish language to understand that it is probably best to not cross over the fence around this property.

There were quite a few very nice homes along the road as I made my way up the hill.  The road gradually got narrower and the large homes gave way to native homes.  Much smaller, but still undoubtedly filled with love.

As I neard 5000 ft in elevation my RWGPS app told me it was time to turn right. I had climbed 934 ft in the 3.2 miles to reach this point.  I wasn't sure what the road would be like going down but had hoped it would be paved.  Alas, as I began it looked like this.

As it started down, it got worse.

It got steeper, and while it was no longer raining hard, it was still raining, making dirt and rocks alike very slick.  I rode slowly down the hill with the back wheel skidding most of the time.  When the front wheel started slipping too, it was time for me to walk. At times the slope would flatten out a bit but even then it was challenging riding for this non mountain biker.

At one point I was riding between two coffee "fincas".

I came to a spot where I could see the town below me.  So close, but so far away

I was walking the bike down one of the steeper sections when I met 7 school kids coming up.  School was over for the day, and just like our parents, these kids walk to and from.  They were wearing school uniforms (blue skirts for the girls, blue pants for the boys, and white shirts for both.  No raincoats or umbrellas observed. The group as about evenly split, with some saying "hola" and some recognizing me as a gringo said "hello".  I didn't want to embarrass them by asking to take a photo.

I was still among coffee plants.  It is just amazing how they can care for and harvest these plants on land this steep.  If you stood on the hillside and stretched out your arm, you'd be touching dirt.

The road was steep, and even 4x4's were rolling rocks to get up it. You might imagine my surprise when I came to what appears to be a driveway to a nicer home, though I could never see the house. I can't imagine having a driveway like this, with the only access being a 4x4 road, at best.

Before things started look vaguely familiar. It looked very much like the area I had biked into last year, only to turn around when it got too ugly to ride a bike.

Sure enough, I came around a sharp bend and found this sight.

 I let off the brakes and almost immediately reached my maximum speed for the day, 38.6 mph!
I was in this area several times last year.  Dinner with a friend, who I returned to see this year, and a lot of times on a bike as I explored the town.

I made a few turns and just that quick I reached my destination.

I finished up with 989 ft of climbing, and  7.3 miles.  I didn't measure the amount of rain that fell while I was riding, but it was considerable!

........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0..................7....................0............7

Jan.........0.................. 0..................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0..................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0..................0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0................48....................0..............48


YTD..........0...............0.................48.....................0..............48

Riding for a key

In my rush on Saturday I left the house key in the center console of the rental car when we returned it.  The facility was closed on Sunday, so I rode down to today to hopefully retrieve it.  Being a big chicken when it comes to riding on roads with traffic I mapped as much as I could on secondary roads.  In Panama that means gravel, or more correctly rocks!   I noted that the map had street names for all of them, but even in towns street signs are non existent.  I put the route on my phone with the sound turned on high, put the phone in my backpack with the RWGPS app running.

It was kind of fun riding along and hearing my "navigator" telling me to "turn right on Av 3a Oeste" in 100 yds" and knowing that I had to turn, even though there were no signs, or in some cases not even what looked like a road.

I did know that they would continue through, and weren't just an access to some coffee farm.

I had to get on the main highway with about 2 miles to go to my destination.  The shoulder was wide, so I didn't feel too unsafe as I rolled along (downhill) at just over 30 mph.  The traffic was travelling in the 35-40 mph range. The speed limit is 60kmh............and there were few opportunities for cars to turn right.

I arrived and the owner of the business met me at the door with the key in his hand.  (I had called telling him I was coming for a key I likely had left in the white Honda car)

I thanked him, took the key, and started back UP the hill.  I had a wide shoulder on this side too and just chugged my way along.

I had mapped alternate roads here too and took them as soon as I was able.

When it was time to cross the main highway I noted that it was good that I had taken an alternate road.  The main road had lost its wide shoulder prior to the point I crossed it.

I arrived back at the house and was met with all smiles!
9.1 miles, 1121 ft of climbing.  

I took a quick shower, got into some clean clothes, then rode down to my lady friend's restaurant.

I only had to ride a road big enough to have lines painted on it for about 200 ft. ;-)  The rest was on sidewalks or secondary roads, that in this instance were paved.

2.3 miles, and surprising to me was 157 ft of climbing.  It had to all came in the mid point of the ride where I was to the left of the main highway. Maximum speed on the segment was 31.1 mph, rolling down the hill right after my first right turn.  The highway at my first left is actually more steep, but I was on a sidewalk on the far side of a concrete barrier so I was keeping my speed down.

........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0.................11....................0...........11

Jan.........0.................. 0..................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0..................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0..................0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0................41....................0..............41


YTD..........0...............0.................41.....................0..............41

Riding the coffee country

I had an invitation to join some ExPats for an afternoon gathering.  I figured with some close attention to scheduling I could make it by bike.  Maritrini and I had rented a car to make the trip to David and it needed to be returned by 1PM today, the party started at 2PM.  The store in David was supposed to be open at 9AM, but being Panama, with its more laid back approach to life, it really didn't open until 9:55 AM.  Maritrini had to be at work in Boquete at noon.  This was going to be tight. We got back to her house in Alto Boquete at 11:55 AM.  I washed the rental car quickly and put the folding mtn bike in the back of her car.  We drove both cars back to the rental location, returned the rental car, then I hopped in with her as she drove back toward Boquete.  She let me and the bike out in San Francisco (not the one in California that we all know) where I rode up toward the party in Palmira in a steady rain.


There were reminders all the way up that I was riding in coffee country.



It was a 2.7 mile ride with 300 ft of climbing.




I arrived just a little bit early, but used the time to put on the dry clothes that I had brought along in a backpack.  The yard had Red Ti plants growing outdoors.  They grow like weeds here, not at all like the great amount of attention they need in NW Oregon.



We were treated to a wonderful 4 course lunch, prepared by a professional cook. http://latinamericancook.blogspot.com

It gets dark here just after 6PM local time, and the party was supposed to go from 2PM to 6PM.  I planned to leave a bit early so I would be off the busier road (relative term) and on to the rock road by dark.  I was happy when the gathering started breaking up just after 5PM.  I pedaled out under a heavy rain.   I had my Showers Pass raincoat on, but had all the vents opened up, and the front open.  With all the steep hills and warm tempuratures the battle was going to be keeping cool enough.  I had nylon shorts on and wasn't bothered at all by the warm rain.  It was just getting dark as I got back to Maritrini's home.

3.7 miles, 592 ft

Total for today was 6.4 miles with 892 ft of climbing.  11.4% maximum grade



........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0..................6....................0............6

Jan.........0................ 0................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0...............0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0..............30......................0..............30


YTD..........0...............0.................30.....................0..............30

Far enough

I did some home wiring trouble shooting this morning.  It was raining pretty hard so that was fine with me to be working indoors.  Once I determined what I needed to make the repair I took advantage of a break in the rain to ride bike down to the nearest hardware store and make a purchase. I got the parts and got back up the hill just in time.  The tropical downpour returned just as I got back to the house.

1.3 miles
232 ft

Since this was an out and back, that 232 ft of climbing occurred in 0.65 mile.

........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0..................1....................0............1

Jan.........0................ 0................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0...............0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0..............24......................0..............24


YTD..........0...............0.................24.....................0..............24

Well, that was a ride!

I accepted an invitation to join a group of ex-pats on their weekly Sunday ride.  Today's ride began  from the tourist center about a mile....downhill...from where I am staying.  As it ended up, over half their folks were either out of the country, or had other plans today. As I rolled down to the tourist center,  David was waiting on a carbon bike with disc brakes and 32mm Gatorskin tires on.  Before 7:30 AM (local) rolled around, another cyclist arrived.  John was on a knobby tired E-bike.  Here I was a terribly out of shape gringo who's only biked 9 miles, mostly downhill, since last November, riding a heavy mountain bike that did not shift well.  I was going to have my work cut out for me.
They assured me that they were in no hurry and wouldn't drop me.  I assured them that I had two GPS devices tracking the ride today and I would be able to find my way back home.

As it ended up, we took a better route through Boquete, less traffic, than I had taken before, but once out of town we took the road out toward the 3 Waterfalls Trail. This was a road that I pedaled several times when I was here last year.

True to their word, they did not drop me.

With Dave on a lighter, easier rolling bike, and John on a bike with electric assist, I was definitely having the toughest time of it today, and it certainly didn't help that I was by far the weakest engine.
It was still fun to share their company, and see some sights again.  It had been a year since I was out this way.

It was a steady climb away from Boquete.

Our first stop was at some basalt outcroppings.  Common in Oregon, but rare in Panama, where they only have one volcano............the one we were riding on!

When we got to San Ramon waterfall a few miles in they gave this old guy a longer rest. Though to be fair, David is 70 and I think I remember that John was 60, that puts me just about in the middle of these two guys.

Shortly after this stop David turned around and went back.  He had some other commitments, and while not stated, I think I had delayed them too much. 

 I had ridden their intended loop several times last year, and knew that I was in no shape to do it now, or at least if I did it would be painful!  I told John that I would pedal with him for a short distance yet, before I too would turn around. John and I continued on by ourselves.

It was a nice day for a ride.   I continued along at my snail's pace. It helped that there were many sights to take in.

John reminded me that the "castle" was just a short distance up the road and that might be a good goal for me. I agreed and pedaled to the abandoned home.

A sad story of broken dreams accompanies this derelict home

John continued along, crossing the river and climbing ever increasing grades to make his loop. I was at 4900 ft elevation and knew there would be a couple more thousand feet added to that if I continued on.  I also remembered that I would have an equal distance to ride back, plus a 300 ft climb in the last mile or so.

It was a fast roll back down to town, only punctuated by a brief photo stop as I crossed the Rio Caldera.

And I would be remiss if I rode bike in coffee country and did not get a photo of coffee plants clinging to the hillside.

Coffee plants on the hillside in the center of the photo

I had both my Garmin Edge 305 along, as well as the RWGPS app on my phone enabled.

Garmin says 14.1 miles, 1767 ft climbing
RWGPS says 15.1 miles 1942 ft climbing
Maximum speed was 38.7 mph
Maximum gradient was 17.2%
I obviously was using some brakes coming back down since I'm not famiiliar with the bike.

It seems I timed by return just about right. Within 45 minutes of finishing up a tropical downpour started that is continuing as I type this 3 hours later, and my "saddle interface" can feel that it was riding on a wide "tractor seat" style bike saddle.

Thanks John and David for letting me tag along, and thanks to Murray for allowing me to ride his bike and also for hooking me up with these guys.


........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0..................14....................0............14

Jan.........0................ 0................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0...............0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0..............23......................0..............23


YTD..........0...............0.................9.....................0..............23

2 in a row, but only 2

Well, I made it out on a bike for the second day in a row, but only 2 miles.

I had video meetings to attend mid day so I did not get out early. By the time I was ready to go it was raining.  I do not have foul weather cycling gear along, heck, I don't even have fair weather cycling gear along.  I brought pedals, a helmet, and flat tire fixin's along just on the chance I could find a bike here in Panama.   I did bring some tek t-shirts (they kind that won't absorb water and dry very quickly.  I put on one of those, and a quick dry pair of shorts, put a nylon pair of athletic pants and a raincoat on over the whole works, fashioned a blade style rear fender out of a fly swatter and kitchen garbage bag, and was out the door.

As I started down the hill I realized that I forgot to take into account the amount of water a 2" wide knobby front tire could throw up in front of a fast moving cyclist.

At least the water was warm!

I made it down to town just in time for dinner.

Thanks Maritrini!



........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0..................2....................0.............2

Jan.........0................ 0................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0...............0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0..............,7......................0...............9


YTD..........0...............0.................9.....................0...............9

Woo Who!

I  got back on a real bike today........quite by accident.

I was on an extended walk today near Boquete Panama.  I was about 4 miles from where I am staying, looking over a bridge at the river below with the many flowers blooming when I heard a voice from a vehicle that had stopped.

 I turned to see a guy in full bike kit driving a small pickup with a bicycle in the back. He had noticed my Monster Cookie Metric Century t-shirt and decided to stop and strike up a conversation.  He is from Boston, but has lived in Panama for the last 6 years. He is a pretty serious cyclist and couldn't understand why I was not riding a bike.

He soon remedied that situation by lending me one of his 6 bikes, over my protests.

So I found myself back on a bike for the first time since November.  He invited me to go for a ride with him, but I remembered the terrain around here from last year when I was biking around the area.  I figured I'd be lucky to be able to ride back to town where my lady friend would be meeting me.

I pedaled back and took in the sights.  Here is a coffee processing facility tucked into the hillside.

I rode 7 miles with a net elevation loss, but with 900 ft of climbing.  It wasn't easy for this old out of shape guy, but it was nice to be back on a bike.

........Road Bike........Rollers.......MTB..........Lifecycle......Total

Today ......0.................0..................7....................0.............7

Jan.........0................ 0................0.....................0..............0

Feb.........0..................0................0.....................0...............0

March.......0.................0................0.....................0...............0

April.......0.................0...............0......................0...............0

May.........0..................0..............,7......................0...............7



YTD..........0...............0.................7.....................0.............,,7

I am in Castroville Texas, 25-30 miles west of San Antonio. I am crew chief for Chris Davies as he challenges the 512 mile Texas RAAM Challenge. The race begins at 5am local time (3am Pacific) on Saturday. You can track our progress HERE.

Update

I have not been riding a real bike following the most recent incident with an inattentive driver.  It just takes the fun out of riding when there is a real possibility of being killed while out there, and the drivers aren't even cited.  I have been riding the pretend bike in the gym a bit, but it is boring and isn't worth blogging about.  I am approaching bike race season, and will be crew chief for Chris Davies as he competes in several races this year.  The first race will be the 500 mile Texas RAAM Challenge beginning on March 23rd.  I'll be posting satellite tracking info and other race details for all races this year as the dates approach. Stay safe out there folks!