Greetings... I'm a bit tired and more than a bit sore today, after having completed the Grand Tour Double yesterday.  It wasn't as tough as the Heartbreak, and wasn't nearly as tough as the Eastern Sierra (for one thing, it didn't snow :) but there's no such thing as an easy double, and with 8,500' of climbing, this one was not easy.  Compounding the difficulty, I was tired (once again, failed to get enough sleep the night before) and sad (still carrying the loss of Smokey) and just I don't know blah.  But I did it - yay, me! - and I have the pictures to prove it:

http://pics.eichhorns.com/pics.cgi?A090627-GrandTourDouble

There were a few high points, first, since this ride goes right by my house, I was able to do a pit stop mid-race and say "hi" to Shirley and the dogs, and I pretty much knew every inch of every road.  I flatted twice so I was able to perfect my fast-tube-change technique.  And I was so sore that I spent the second half of the ride out of the saddle most of the time, so I got some great exercise (how many times are your arms more sore from a ride than your legs?)

the route - Malibu / Port Hueneme / Thousand Oaks / Simi Valley / Moorpark / Santa Paula /
Ojai / Carpinteria / Ventura / Port Hueneme / Malibu - a grand tour indeed

early morning fog shrouds Mugu rock

always photogenic Grimes Canyon

Lake Casitas

this got a smile out of me at 135 miles

an impromptu jazz band added to the flavor of the post-ride chili :)

Next up - the Death Ride (dum dum dum) - on July 11 (yikes, that's in two weeks)...