Phase 2
Santa Monica Mountains

Phase 2 of my training is in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu. While Phase 1 was used to log a lot of base miles on average (4% to 7%) climbs, Phase 2 starts to prepare me for the European climbs with much more difficult grades (8% to 20%) and longer climbs (up to 63 miles of solid climbing in a single day).

And starting my Saturday climbs on cloud-covered mountains alongside the Pacific Ocean doesn't hurt the morale, either.

Click on any of the thumbnails for larger images.

 

It's hard to tell in this still, but the clouds aren't just passing over the mountains, they're a mist waterfall, flowing over them. An absolutely amazing sight.
Cloud Waterfall
Los Flores

The descent down Los Flores Rd.

In all these photos, if you see a road I probably had to climb it.

The start of the climb up Piuma Rd.

Piuma is the longest of the Malibu climbs. Fortunately, it is has the lowest average grade.

Piuma / Los Flores
Piuma Rd

The reverse view of the previous photo. The rock formation in the upper left is the rock face along the right of the previous photo.

If you use the house at center top as a mark, you can make out the road snaking along the mountain.

A view of the Piuma Rd. climb through the main pass.
Piuma Rd 2
Piuma 3
Just a random, cool view from one of the Santa Monica Mountain climbs.
The final descent of the Piuma climb.
Piuma 4
Pepperdine

An amusing side note...

I didn't realize it before I arrived, but a pass on the ride up Piuma Rd. overlooks Pepperdine University and the Pacific Ocean. The first day I rode the climb, the university was hosting the hearings on Floyd Landis' doping case. So as I prepared for a stage in this year's TDF, down below they were still trying to figure out who actually won last year's TDF.

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