jonathanf2

I did 28 miles Thursday morning doing a mix of road and dirt. I then took the steep uphill trail going up towards the Angeles Crest Hwy from the Brown Mountain Dam and then did the fast downhill on the highway. Even though it was early and traffic was light, it was still a bit sketchy riding the descent. I was going about 40mph on my gravel bike, but as you ride closer to the residential areas towards Foothill Blvd., there are cars pulling out trying to make the turn and every single one of them do not pay attention! Any ride I come home safely is a good ride!

diphthong

very wet but not too windy 30-miler on fiesta island in the mission bay area of san diego. had approx 10 cars roll past me low-speed in 30 miles so it
was waay uneventful. had the place to myself for obvious reasons. s'ok. love riding in summer/warm rain.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7781900747

diphthong

40-miler in the carlsbad, oceanside and vista area. a little coastal but mostly inland. traffic on a saturday not too bad.
scattered big raindrops but the roads never got totally saturated so the bike stayed relatively clean.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7787794619

diphthong

47-miler in the carlsbad, vista, san marcos and encinitas area. hotter than yday up there and just as muggy. zero rain tho.
pretty quiet on the roads...everyone watching football americano. too bad it's not 7 days a week...

https://www.strava.com/activities/7793818971

jonathanf2

Today I did hill climbing intervals at Griffith Observatory which is my usual weekly routine. I arrived at the foot of the climb and there was another cyclist there. I took a water break and let him get ahead. Once I started I took it easy, but decided to see if I could catch up, so I raised my pace. I caught up right before the fire road entrance of the next climb. I took another water break and let him get ahead. I had no intention of racing him, but at my usual climbing pace I eventually caught up. It's awkward situations like that where you either ride slow or up the pace. I decided just to climb as fast as possible and I ended up dropping him. I reached the top and put good distance between us. I took a quick breather and still didn't see him. Anyways, I rode the descending fire road towards the observatory and that same guy eventually caught up and was coming in hot passing me! Since I ride these same descents at least 3 times a week, I use fast lines while clipping the corners and memorized the braking points, plus I'm only 5'7 and ride a small 51cm frame, so keeping up with tall riders on big frames is easy for me. I think he thought he could drop me on the downhill, because he kept looking back, but I kept up with him the whole time!

We arrived at the last climb before the observatory and I ALWAYS sprint climb here as fast I can. I know where to mash the pedals and how much effort I need to put in. Anyways, I dropped him again and he eventually caught up to me a minute or so later. Not even a wave or smile, the guy just sneered and rode off! Again I wasn't trying to race him, he just happen to be riding at the exact time I was riding! Nothing like the competitive spirit of cycling! lol

Eric F 

Happy Hour! Quick and dirty up Fern TT to Brown Saddle and down via Rising Hill Rd. On the climb, I passed a guy riding a fully-rigid singlespeed and wearing a kilt. I don't know that I've ever seen a more resplendent display of proud manliness on a bicycle. His riding partner (wife, I think) was pretty fast, and provided a nice rabbit to chase until she took a pause on the middle plateau. I haven't felt that good on a bike in a while, and it showed with a new PR on the climb. At the saddle, I chatted with the kilt-clad gentleman and his lady for a bit, and admired his equipment (SS bike, not kilt contents). They are very nice folks who know a lot of bike-people I know. https://www.strava.com/activities/7804772982

roadcrankr

My route from Glendora (near the base of GMR) took me to Rancho Cucamonga, with a return thru the hills above Upland.
I briefly contemplated a climb to Baldy Road, followed by the fast decent back to Route 66,
but scrapped that idea due to a later-than-desired morning start.
My sole entertainment involved getting passed by an electric bike rider, and continually passing him with my expert timing of lights. haha
The return trip presented me the usual headwind from the southwest. Leaving an hour earlier abates this significantly.
Finishing stats showed 40 miles, 2,000 climbing and a 15mph average. Not terrible, considering my laidback effort.

SoSmellyAir

Finally, riding weather again! Yesterday I did my usual 25 mile loop to Irvine and back on my new 12-28 cassette.

Too few people wave, but sneering after losing is definitely uncalled for, especially after losing.
​​​​​
At first, I thought this was a rant about someone else in a full kit, until I slowly re-read this sentence. Sigh, I need reading glasses for sure.

I don't know about the use of "contents" here; a kilt barely covers, never mind contains. Although I suppose if one has the lungs to play a bagpipe, one has the aerobic capacity to climb on a single-speed.

bowser29

thanks again ooga-booga . I did a modified version of your suggested route and it was really nice. Phil Gaimon zoomed past our group going up Coronel then we saw him afterwards at the Yellow Vase

https://www.strava.com/activities/7749288734

Eric F 

In my experience with riding a SS MTB for a while, you develop a kind of fitness that is largely about brute force. It's different than roadie fitness, for sure.

diphthong

bowser29 glad you enjoyed. clicked on the link but it wouldn't work because your activities are not public. all good. maybe i'll run into you up there or elsewhere in socal some enchanted day.

CAT7RDR

West Rd and the feeder streets in the area are being repaved so I had to get out of the Puente Hills and ride up to the Santa Fe Dam and the end of the SGRT.
Great day for a ride on the SGRT. Only saw one homeless encampment under the Pomona Freeway. Encountered a herd of goats between Beverly Blvd and San Gabriel Parkway clearing the weeds and grasses along the trail.

Took a pic at the end of the NSGRT of my rig and was photobombed!

60 miles and 3K of climb. Mild on-shore breeze today kept the heat away. Major win.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/40956854

diphthong

awesome news. you should have more riders visiting you up in your neck of the woods anyway. whittier/la habra/puente hills fairly accessible for much of la/oc county and a blast. if you haven't, you should.

joesch

Phil is still a climbing monster.
Love his youtube vids showing many of his crowns

TakingMyTime

That is one HUGE front disc you have on that thing.

TakingMyTime

Nothing to brag about this week. Just 3 rides up and down PCH to various point. Maybe 100 miles total.

CAT7RDR

203mm with Deore dual pistons.
Stops on a dime. Too many close calls with coyotes and deer.

jsigone

80 miles in the lower mountain/foot hills of San Diego, 5800ft of vertical fun for this Clyde. Modified eeer extended version of Great Western Loop Def better weather today vs the past few weekends.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7824859287

diphthong

57-miler from aliso/woods canyon area in laguna niguel and up the aliso creek trail to moulton pkwy. right on el toro and
through the freeway interface fun until grabbing the el toro bike path up to cook's corner. scr (mostly) down to jamboree
then left on portola and a quick right on peter's canyon (or creek?) bike path to irvine blvd. irvine blvd east/south until it
turned into trabuco in lake forest and another hookup with the aliso creek trail. exposed roads like el toro, moulton, irvine/trabuco,
scr and jamboree were surprisingly mellow. cook's corner was (not surprisingly) pumping. there was a vintage cars get together at
lake irvine that let out while riding scr so that was a nice touch to the afternoon with dozens of < 1966 automobiles cruising fairly
slowly and respectfully past. there were a few late-50's chevy bel-air's and mid-60's gto's that were outstanding. beautiful day in southern oc.
roughly half the ride on bike paths/closed to cars areas.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7830772391

Eric F 

Saturday...Dirt Therapy. 19mi from JPL to Glendale Sports Complex via Flint Canyon and Cherry Canyon. Felt really good and set a new PR on one of the main climbs of the day. I can feel my fitness starting to take some really positive steps forward. https://www.strava.com/activities/7824102209


Sunday... 36 mi solo to Santa Fe Dam. Seemed like I was battling the wind no matter which direction I was riding. Taking it pretty moderate overall, with one decent effort on the return trip climb to Sierra Madre. Good ride. https://www.strava.com/activities/7830159378

SoSmellyAir

Rode Santiago Canyon Road on Sunday afternoon eastbound, just missing ooga-booga and the vintage cars. Having a 28T really helps compensate for my lost fitness this year.

Alphabet

Plaza Bonita to Old Town San Diego and back. Almost 29 miles. Construction on Harbor Dr. from 32nd to about past NASSCO is still going on. Kind of dicey with those big rigs. Beautiful day.


https://www.strava.com/activities/7851245597

jonathanf2

I've been riding 4 days straight. Mon thru Wed I did interval hill climbing at Griffith Park. Monday I ran into some wild deer, Tuesday I rode next to an older Australian guy on a gravel bike who was super chill and on Wednesday bumped into a riding buddy of mine who was also hill climbing. On Thursday night I did 33 miles with two local ride groups and there were probably 50 riders at one point. We did a big loop from DTLA to Culver City and back. I also had to gun it back to DTLA because my car was parked at a garage that closes and luckily I made it back with 10 minutes to spare!

CAT7RDR

Putting around the Hacienda Hills. Four climbs adding to 3.2K in 25 miles.
Finished at 88F in the shade. Heat is on for the weekend.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41021947


Top of Gotera. Gate closed but you can lift your bike over the gate to get to Skyline Trail.

diphthong

actually wanted to go ride/visit CAT7RDR land in the whittier hills/la habra heights wonderland but it woulda been pretty scorchy by the time i got there today (11:45am)
so opted for pee vee. north side of the peninsula was 5-7 degrees warmer than the south/ocean side but still less than the low/mid-90's inland la/oc at midday. wanted to do an
el gain ride but the first muur revealed multiple weaknesses in the climbing defenses so halved the anticipated ride. still, a nice getaway if even for a few hours.
ended up doing a few roads/connecting trails i hadn't been on/done in nearly four decades so there was plenty of blast from the past flashback action.
la/oc basin somewhat hazy altho east end of angeles nf (baden-powell, baldy, 3t's, bighorn pk, cucamonga pk) was unexpectedly clear given the temps and lack of winds.
view of the sammos (and beyond) from pee vee was absolutely popping and the best i've seen in a long, long time.

https://www.strava.com/activities/7861667977