Cross-training

As part of my recovery effort, I am building back up the fitness in a much different approach than previous years. B/c I was hit by a truck and unable to ride on the road for 8 weeks with several fractures, Shawn, my coach, is working up a different plan for me. We need to get my body all healed up before we shoot for high intensity training. Over the next month I will be doing a lot more off-the-bike type training. This morning I went for a nice hike in Montara State Park.
http://www.bahiker.com/southbayhikes/mcneeranch.html
I decided to go hiking last night because I told the boss that i wouldn't ride mtn bikes today. The hike was definitely well worth it. I started out pretty early to hopefully capture some nice photos and get on the trail before anyone else. The hike was 8mi total, 4 up, 4 down with over 1800 ft of vert! There were some sick pitches. I had not gone "hiking" in so long. It felt really good, and I am looking forward to some more exploring of Beautiful CA. The state park was just 20mi south of my house and was right up against the ocean. A few surfers out but I think they were checking the sets which didn't look too favorable b/c they hadn't bothered to take off their hoodies and still had cafe in hand. Unfortunately I didn't see any crazy wildlife. Unlike last year on my first mtn bike ride in the Marin Headlands where I cam across a mountain lion. As I learned later on, these things can kill you and will attack if provoked. I told a riding friend about it and he said that it was only the 2nd case he had hear of in his life of actually seeing one in the Headlands. So I considered myself lucky to view such a vicious beast =)

Overall the hike was awesome. About 3 hours total which included several photo stops and nature calls. Some the steeps on the trail were so steep that I was sliding, over 30% gradient! When i came back to the city, I rolled on my bike over to Crepes on Cole for some lunch. I went with a spinach-feta-roasted red pepper omlette. I always seem to go with that and although good, I was dissappointed I didn't go with the crepe. Next time! When i was rollling through Golden Gate Park on my bike I saw some nice rollarskating skilz. I guess every weekend the former stars of roller derby come to GGP to show off their artistic skating side. They were drawing quite a crowd. I knew it was serious business when i saw a dude carrying his skates over his shoulder in a black leather shoulder bag. It actually looked like purse, but this guy skated so he must be cool so it had to have been a shoulder bag. His neck bling definitely set the tone for the show he was about to put on. Unfortunately i didn't have my camera to take his picture so I had to find an online copy of his wicked cool neck bling! Here is copy. Now you just have to picture it on some big black dude carrying a leather shoulder bag with his skates in tow. I feel like such a wimp in my Patagonia Critical Mass bag...

Also some nice shots of Montara State Park...