My Cycling Diary: This is why I am her, Veleta, Siera Nevadas Spain 32 k 2:35 ,minutes

I am ready to ride today. I have had the last two days off from riding. I feel like a horses ass, because I have been laying around. hehehee.

Days off, not by choice, but rain has followed me to Spain again. Of course, it was not bad to have two days off in Granada with my buddy liz. We got into different types of culture; flamengo dancing-shopping-dancing-tapas-discoteca-more tapas.....

So today my legs should be rested when I do the climb that brought me to spain. The snow capped mountain in the clouds-The Veleta. My tour guide was very reluctant for us to do the climb today. He was worried about the chance of rain and snow and his inability to be van support for me and liz with our difference of speed. He meant well. However, we both refused to stay another day without riding. This climb is why we both came here. I was going to the top no matter what and Liz was happy with just making it half way to the visitor´s center. A huge accomplishment in its self. You go girl!!!

We started off together in a little village outside granada. We had 7k before we started climbing up the 28k climb into the clouds and snow. You can see it the picture above looking down from the visitor's center.

I could see where I was going to end my climb, into the clouds on the snow capped moutain peaks that seem so far away.

I am supprised to find that the climb was not hard compaired to theMulhacem climb that I did 3 days ago. It is differnt type of climbing. What was hard was the elements and the distance.

It is different today becuase it is rainy and snowing and I know I cannot stop or it will be over for me. This means that I cannot stop for anything-no pictures-no stopping to get water-no bathroom-do hot drink at the visitor center....If I stop I will get too cold.

I soon became irritated with my tour guide and his inability to have water ready for me. He was really into taking pictures, retrospectively I am greatful. He seemed to be getting on my nerves with all the shouting in his mumbeled brittish accent from the van about how I was goign to die. He was also continously complaining about how Liz and I were too far apart. Negative energy that I try to seperate myself from. I would just tell him to piss off.. Do not worry he could not here me..because he has 80% hearing loss due to a antibiotic reaction when he was hit by a car...cycling. This makes riding with him very interesting and a adventure in its self. He does not hear cars and he seems to travel in the middle of the road, he cannot hear when I make group comands, he also has problems with his balance; making a straight line impossible. So telling him off just really makes me feel better, did not help anything and would be against my nature. I do not like to hurt anyone´s feelings. Actually, he has my blog address and will be reading this more than likely. I think he knew I was irritated. So sorry Paul :( You are a talented athlete that is continuing to make cycling your life even with barriers. Props to you.

You see, I am a grown woman that knows herself, knows her body, has cycled in all kinds of weather from extreme cold and hot temperatures, cycled at all altitudes from sea level to 12,000 ft, knows when I am putting myself in danger, knows how cold I can get, knows how hard I can push myself, on top of this I have 2 degrees in exercise science, trained at the olympic training center, raced at a high level for over 5 years, I have 5 National Championship, and one state championship. So I feel I have the knowledge plus the experience to know what I am doing. It boils down to the fact that I do not need a tour guide. I have cycled the past month by my self, If anything people should pay me to take them cycling. That may soon one day become a reality in my life. If Liz has anything to do with it :)

So yes- through the rain and snow I made it as far a I could go. All the way to the snow barriers. I decided to take the van down with the heater on full blast. 40-50 miles per hours screaming down the wet and snow covered mountain roads with my clothes soaking wet...would not be smart. But ohhhhhh the descent on a dry day... I get excited thinking about it...arm bump....one other day...I will be back.