… and today was mine. I haven’t felt this good in a month! 75+ miles with more than 6000 feet of total climbing, I felt I was the strongest in a large group of 40+ people (most of whom didn’t do the entire 75 miles). The Fat Lady (yes, that’s her name now) performed admirably. I believe the last time I felt this good was on that beautiful second day of the Monterey Tour last July 2nd. I did 80+ miles that day, fully loaded. I may be about 80 pounds lighter today, but I think it was rewarding nonetheless.

The Fat Lady’s name stems from her characteristic ’singing’ (yes, I hear voices in my head when I ride … sheesh!) when cruising at speeds above 40 mph, and when I brake hard into a corner. Remembering Wagner’s trademark ‘fat lady’ opera singers, I felt that the name was quite appropriate.

Today’s ride made me feel more comfortable with the handling of the bicycle, and further familiarized myself with the gearing difference from Mellow Yellow’s triple crankset. I feel that the compact double allows for a wider range of available gears than a 42/25 combination allowed (I seldom used the third 30-tooth chainring on the triple). It is also a simpler design with less gears to fuss with. Initially, I could not appreciate the stable handling of the new bike, but after a few miles, I must admit, this is the best ride I’ve ever owned.