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Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Mt. Baldy road or GMR

So after riding both Mt Baldy AND GMR to the village, I am not sure which is easier? On one hand, Mt. Baldy road from my house to the village is shorter but steeper.  From my house to GMR to the village is longer but not as steep.

Hmmmmm ...

I want to say GMR is easier, although Fork plus 8 is a hard climb. 

Trans Andes Challenge

Escape to the Andes, race 250 Miles, riding thru volcanoes and mountain passes. What a great epic race, although who really does this race? Corporate sponsorship is a must along with a reliable mix of "do it all" racers. Required, Racers who can work on bikes, speak multiple languages, and problem solve using surrounding resources. Whoa, wait a minute. This sounds like just the right race for "The Professor" on Gilligan's Island.

Flat tire no problem, a concoction of Maqui Berries, banana leaves and volcano pumice and your are ready to race! Broken carbon frame, no problem, there's got to be some Chilean bamboo laying around.

Who does this race? The field is limited to 200 teams. There are registered racers from 5 continents and 13 countries present. According to the website the early bird special registration is closed. The first 20 teams get a 15% discount. Any takers (So how do I tell my wife)?

Trans Andes Challenge 2012, More info ...

Trans Andes Challenge from Team Jamis on Vimeo.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Pomona to Mt. Baldy Lodge

I had a grand idea of riding from my house in Pomona to the Mt. Baldy Lodge at 8,600 feet. Everyone seems to end their ride at the ski lifts. I wanted to "one up" everyone and ride to the Lodge.

To attempt this feat one must either ride a mountain or cyclocross bike. About 1/4 of a mile before the ski lifts is Falls Rd. Falls road is the only access to the lodge and after about 3/4 of a mile Falls Road turns into a fire road.

My plan was to get out by 6:00 am but I decided to do some work before I left the house. By 9 am, my work was done and I was geared up and on my bike.

I decided to ride my Kona CX bike. I figured this would be the best bike for paved/dirt road riding.

The ride up Mt. Baldy was hard and by the time I entered the village, I was BONKED! I rested, and re-filled my water bottles at the post office before heading up the switchbacks to Falls Road.

The switchbacks were lonely and brutal. Its hard to believe just last week the mountain was teeming with people for ToC Stage 7. Faded Messages in Chalk be-speckled the road.

By the time I reached Falls Road, I was cramping and down to half a bottle of water. I decided to rest for 5 - 10 minutes then walk/road up Falls Road to the waterfall. At the waterfall, paved road becomes dirt. I road up about 25 feet before I could go no further. My legs were done and the dirt road was just loose enough to break my pace. Defeated, I turned around and headed home. Total trip, about 35 miles round trip.

Is Taylor Phinney our Next Great American Hero?

As Lance Armstrong's era closes and he steps away from cycling, who will be America's next hero?

I took these pictures of Taylor at Stage 6, ToC. He had a full train of news cameras and support cars following him as he made his way through the streets of Solvang. He finished 21st that day and 93rd overall.



Sunday, May 29, 2011

Time Keeps Moving Forward ...

In 1993, I got my first real MTB. It was a Cannondale Delta V700. I remember being so excited and I rode that thing everywhere! In the early nineties, your Cross Country Race bike was also your Downhill bike.

The first picture is Ryan, my younger brother, holding my Cannondale. The second is Adam, my son, holding my Kona.



Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Status Update: Tall Bike, Can You Guess the Part

This is a part for my tall bike.  Can you guess what its for and where it goes?


Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Beach Ride (as told by Kevin)

A few weeks ago, Kevin and Meme rode to Newport...

Kevin Wrote:

There is nothing like an upcoming Tour of California to get the cycling juices flowing, so Meme and I choose to click off 44 miles along the Santa Ana River trail. In addition, this ride was chosen to put to rest the spinning vs stomping debate that that has been plagued us over the last few months of riding.

For me it's been 25 years since I took my last engineering class. Yet, I am pretty sure Meme doesn't have it right when he quotes Bernoulli's and Newton's laws about aerodynamic's and forces (I shoulda kept those textbooks). He claims that stomping on your pedals, while in the highest gear is the best way to ride. Ride really hard for a mile or so, then back off and recover. I, on the other hand, prefer to spin in a lower gear, while trying to maintain a steady speed.

About 10 miles into the ride I got really nervous when Meme jumped onto a train of young bucks with matching team jerseys cruising somewhere around 22-23 mph. In less than a minute he was out of site. A mile or so down the trail I was joined by Cliff, a retired 60-ish gentleman, on a vintage 50year old ten speed. We matched each others pace and took turns pulling, until we surprisingly reeled in Meme, who had lost his young bucks.

The three of us rode for several miles, taking turns cutting through the increasing head wind as we neared the beach. The steady pace may have proven to be too difficult for the stomping style of Meme. With about 3 miles to go we dropped Meme, who latter complained to me that we weren't going fast enough for him. I am still trying to wrap my head around that logic.

At PCH I thanked Cliff for the ride and waited a short minute for Meme to catch up. I figured I had proven my point "nice and steady wins the race" as Meme paid for lunch, the true sign of concession. We ate a quick bite, took the obligatory proof photos, watered up, and started home.

I hoped Meme's youthful exuberance had got the best of him on the way down. Seemingly it had, as I was easily able the keep pace with him to the about the 18 mile marker. It was then when his inner machismo kicked in, as once again he kicked hard and jumped on a train of three speed deamons as they passed us.

I was too tired myself to even try, so I hoped he would lose steam once again. It was not to be the case as he greeted me as I returned to the truck, with what I continue to believe to be misquotes of the famous physicists. Can anyone remind me about Newton's first and second laws?

Oh well, looks like we didn't settle our debate. I was a good day nevertheless, as I finished with my BEST time. Thanks to Meme, Cliff, and the SART for another great ride.

Fanatic

Calo y Calo, 33rd Floor. What's on the 33rd floor?

FANATIC from Paul Robinson on Vimeo.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Amgen ToC Stage 7, the first KOM ...

The scene at the first KOM was crazy. Cheering fans were everywhere. It truly reminded me of Summit finishes I've seen at the Giro or "Tour" where maniacal fans crowded every inch of the road. The energy up there only intensified as the racers drew near and in an instant our Heroes sped past ...



Go George Hincapie!

Amgen Tour of California, Stage 6, Solvang







Amgen Tour Of California, Stage 6 Solvang

Dave Zabriskie wins Stage 6 Time Trial in Solvang.





Amgen ToC Stage 6, Randomness

Kleen Can Man!



CANIDAE Pet Foods Demo Booth