Marshall Canyon with Nat

Nat is up for riding around town.

Lately Nat and I have been riding around town in the afternoons. This week we rode up Thompson Creek Trail to Padua Park. It was mostly paved but I did take her on a few dirt paths to see how she handles them. A few days ago we rode to the base of Marshall Canyon and up a couple miles to the swing just before you enter the golf course. Natalie handled the contours of the trail just fine. She had to hike a bike a few sections but I have no doubt she'll learn to navigate through water crossings and the steeper climbs

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Montrose 8 am

If I don't listen to Tai I'll be okay

Okay, so I planned this week's rides around Montrose. After last weeks fiasco (I got dropped), I wanted to make sure I had enough legs to hang with the 8:00 am group. I rode Monday to Thursday and purposely left Friday off so my legs could recover for the Montrose Showdown. Is it a showdown if no one knows I am racing on a "friendly group ride"? Truthfully there is nothing too friendly about Montrose. You want in, NOPE, you got a flat, TO BAD. You're tired, OH WELL. Of course people know each other but it's just a different type of group ride.

Last week just riding out with the group to Montrose was a struggle, today not so much. I felt good and there was a number of people riding out to rotate pulls on the front. Mike O and Manny (from Two Hubs Cycling Boutique) did most of the work up front but I helped a little as well. We made it to the meet up destination with about 10 minutes to spare so of course we all used the bathroom and then took a group photo. The take a leak then group photo is important. I just hope my bicycle friends washed their hands before putting them on my shoulder for a photo.

Once Montrose got underway the pace was fine. We had a lot of red lights this time and no one surged too hard at the green. The group itself was massive. The sunrise comes earlier as we head into the summer and along with it brings much warmer temperatures. It's easier to get out of bed when its not freezing cold in the morning. Hey, at this point, I sleep on top of the comforter because its so damn hot at night. So the group was massive, I swear it's time to bring back the 8:30 am group. The further you are from the front the more pronounced yoyo effects, sudden stops, and general chaos are felt. Of course with 100s of riders on the road at once, we bleed into multiple lanes and frustrate vehicles.

I tried to stay "closer" to the front. Maybe the front half of the group but definitely not ON THE FRONT. When I passed Tai he yelled to, "get up there," but this time I ignored his advice. Not this time! No need to blow up before the Kitchen Sink. The group's pace was tame and I made it over to San Dimas Ave. without totally killing myself. The Kitchen Sink is generally painful but this time it was manageable. After San Dimas Ave. my ride is done and I head home. Another good day on the bike without flats.

Location	Day	Time	Pace
Trader Joes So. Pasadena	Every Saturday	8:00 am	20 to 30 mph

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Beach Century

Ricardo R is back!

On Thursday Ricardo and I decided to ride from Euro Cafe to the beach and back. This was my first ride with Ricardo since he got back from his month long stay in Mexico. It was nice riding with him again as he is always up for adventures of the +100 mile sorts. Since he's been back, about 10 days, this is his fourth century. Ricardo is booking big miles to get himself up to speed. In Mexico he spent more leisure time than time on the bicycle. I can't blame him, I'd probably spend most of my time eating, eating and more eating.

We started from Euro Cafe at 6:30 am and headed down to SART. Once on PCH I was lucky enough to get yet another flat. Actually, two flat tires. I am so on a roll this week. We patched the flats and headed to our favorite rest stop, The Crema Cafe in Seal Beach. Crema has the best chorizo burrito, you know healthy food to fuel the body for the ride back home.

After leaving Crema we jumped on SGVT. We kept a pretty consistent pace and stopped at Pico Rivera Golf Course to grap gatorade and ice. It was about 11:30 am and the day's temps were warming up as we made our way on SGVT to Ramona Blvd. I am glad we stopped at the golf course. Sometimes we just continue on SGVT without stopping and by the time we hit San Dimas I am tired. Stopping at the golf course helped keep me feeling good on for the last several miles home.

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Glendora Mountain Road to Mt. Baldy

Clouldy and Wet until Mt. Baldy Village

Today Michael and I left my house around 6:30 am and headed up GMR. It was fairly cold and misty on GMR. Once we got to GRR it was even cloudier and wet. My poor glasses get so fogged up on these rides. Once we got close to the village the sun started poking though. Michael described the scene perfectly. The landscape would move between black and white from the clouds and shadows to full color when we moved into the sun.

Monday Crazy Legs

Monday Morning Crazy Legs with the Psycho-List

So the plan was to head out early and get some extra miles before the start of Monday mornings ride. Unfortunately I went to bed later than usual (way past 8 pm!) and slept in until about 5:30 am. This messed me up because I planned to leave the house around 6:30 am and head east to Fontana before coming back to Euro Cafe for Crazy Legs. 5:30 am to 6:30 am (1 hour) just isn't enough time for me to get ready. I need at least two hours. The first hour is just to drink my cup of coffee slowly and in perfect silence. Then I need to play around on the internet, FB, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Finally I need to eat then prepare for the ride. One hour isn't enough for proper "me" time.

So I finally get out of the house but its past 7:30 am. My daughter needed to be dropped off to work. I head to Euro Cafe and had just enough time to ride up to the end of Mills. At Euro we had Barry, Michael, Jennifer, Liz, Beth, and Warren ready to go. We headed out and soon after Stew caught our wheel. It was nice seeing Stew, he's been busy but it's summer now so hopefully I can convince him to do weekly centuries with me.

Overall the ride was great. There were definitely more cars on the road. Once the ride was done I rode back towards Fontana with Stew until Hellman. Along the way there was another rider heading in our general direction. This guy liked to blow through every red light. It's was a bit unnerving and yet comical. Here's some older guy totally disregarding the lights and his own personal safety to save a few minutes or not lose his momentum or whatever. It was crazy. I'd expect this behavior from some fixie fool, not an old man.

Around Hellman, I turned off on the Pacific Electric Trail (PET) and headed back to Pomona. On PET I crossed paths with Ricardo and Larry. Ricardo has been off the bike for about a month or so on vacation. We talked for a while. Ricardo likes 100+ mile rides so it looks like I am doing a century in the near future. Around Indian Hill I flatted. $%^*!, this is my second flat in two days! I guess when you're hot, you're hot!

I patched my tire and headed home. Good times, even the stupid flat wasn't bad considering it was at the end of my ride.

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Ride Name	Location	Day	Time	Distance	Pace
Crazy Legs	Euro Cafe/Claremont	Every Monday	8:15 am	Apprx 25 miles	Moderate 15 - 18 mph

Foiled Bagel Ride

I planned on doing the Bagel Ride today but a piece of metal had different plans for me. The loud hiss of air escaping ain't music to my ears!

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Camping in Carpinteria

Carpinteria 2021

This week the family and I camped in Carpinteria. It's become an annual tradition and I have to thank my father-in-law for setting this up year over year. He's a great planner and this trip wouldn't happen without him.

Camping in Carp was great. It was overcast most of the days in the morning and would later burn off in the late afternoon. We spent most of the time in the camp site but the kids did go to the beach everyday. Nat was playing in the water and saw a jellyfish. Fran and I walked the beach and found numerous jellyfish stranded in the sand.

If you are interested in making reservations for Carpinteria SB then Click Here

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Montrose 8 am

Getting Dropped Sucks!

Well I guess it happens from time to time. I headed out to meet Demi at Lonehill and Route 66 around 6:10 am today. I was a bit off and had to turn around to get my gloves and rear-tail light. Once on Foothill, I knew I was in trouble. I was tired. I spent the previous five days completely off the bike. The family and I were camping in Carpinteria. Camping always includes relaxing, and eating a lot of food. I should have been recovered and well rested, but that wasn't the case. A few days over-eating and lounging around makes it hard to get on the bike and hustle.

On the way to the meet up, I was already struggling. I was struggling to keep up with Alvin, so I dropped back and let Demi pull me along. Yeah, once we start up with the group ride, I was done. Heading back to San Dimas with the group hurt and I tried to stay mid-pack until Tai gave me crap for tucking in. I moved to the front for a little while then dropped back. On Gladstone, Tai noticed I was mid-pack again so I moved up and that was it. Soon after I blew up and chased just behind the group until turning off at San Dimas Ave.

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