Legends in Our Own Minds

• Date: August 2, 2008
• Distance: 24.5 miles
• Total riding time: 2 hours

Today we rode with the wonderful CSBG to breakfast at Legends Classic Diner in Rancho Cucamonga. This was also my first real ride with my new clipless pedals — could I ride AND socialize with the group without falling?

Legends is a diner decorated in 50s-era style with images of famous legends and other items lining the walls and hanging from the ceiling.

Jim and I knew from previous visits to Legends that they serve very large portions and, remembering our humongous plates of French Toast last Saturday morning, we decided to split an egg and sausage burrito. It’s a good thing we did — even the half was big!

We met one of the members we hadn’t met before, a gentleman named Ernest. During breakfast, I asked him how long he’s been riding, expecting to hear the typical 10-20 years.

“About 70 years”, he said.

“70! You don’t look old enough to ride 70 years!”

“I’m 80″.

“80!!!!!! I thought you were about 60!!”

Then he explained how he got into riding. Back in the days when people like Ernest were forced to ride in the back of the bus, his father gave each of the kids a bike to ride so they wouldn’t need to ride the bus. He was about 5 years old, and he’s been riding ever since. Ernest is a great story teller and I’m still astounded he’s almost 20 years older than I would have guessed. Cycling seems to erase the years.

We thoroughly enjoyed a nice breakfast and, most of all, socializing with this great bunch of people.

The SART to Surf City

• Date: July 26, 2008
• Distance: 34.34 miles
• Total riding time: 2:50

Today’s ride was our 3rd Saturday ride with the Claremont Senior Bicycle Group (CSBG). (Our 2nd ride with them was last weekend when we rode to the Corner Bakery Cafe in Glendora for breakfast. No pictures but it’s worth mentioning the most delicious oatmeal — chilled, mixed with plain yogurt, fruit, and nuts, YUM-0! — and the great company of the small group who went. But back to the SART…)

Today we rode the Santa Ana River Trail (also known as the SART) to Huntington Beach (also known as Surf City USA). This was our first ride on the SART. As with all Saturday morning rides with the CSBG, we met at the Joslyn Center in Claremont. From there, we caravaned by car to a lot near Anaheim Stadium for a “short” version of the trail. Some of the members started at Green River for a longer (65-70 mile) version of the ride. Our leader again today was our 85-years-young member whom I refer to as “Dr. Jim” (to distinguish him from my Jim).

After not riding for a week, my legs did not feel up to the continuous pedaling for 16 miles in a head wind to the beach. However, they quickly recovered as we approached the beach and felt the cool ocean breeze. We stopped on the sidewalk at the beach for our first potty break…

… and pictures to prove that, yes, we really did ride to the beach…

… then rode along the sidewalk, dodging walkers and other riders of all types for about 3 miles, until we turned up a street and headed for brunch at the Shore House Cafe where we enjoyed a delicious meal of french toast. I was so hungry when the plate arrived at the table that I forgot to get the intended photo, but here’s one to show how much I liked it…

The ride back was much easier aided by a tail wind…. or, maybe it was the carbo-load we ate for brunch.

Another fun day and a great ride with the CSBG!

Ride to Puddingstone with the CSBG

• Date: July 12, 2008
• Distance: 32.4 miles
• Total riding time: 2:51 hours

On July 12 we went on our first ride with the Claremont Senior Bicycle Group (CSBG), a group for riders of all ages and skill levels. Jim saw a notice about the group in the local newspaper and we thought it sounded like a great group for us to join. So, the following weekend, we rode our bikes to the Joslyn Center in Claremont, their Saturday morning meeting place. This day was also their annual CSBG picnic which would take place after the ride.

Today’s ride was to Puddingstone Reservoir in San Dimas where we regrouped after riding from the Joslyn Center. Our leader this day is 85 years young!

First stop at Puddingstone

We made a brief stop somewhere along the path overlooking the lake…

… and re-grouped again for our first water break.

Taking a break at Puddingstone. That's me in the turqouise jersey (center).

Some of us rode a second loop around the lake before heading back to the park at the Joslyn Center for the group’s annual picnic.

We enjoyed a delicious meal provided by one of the group’s members and became acquainted with several members we hadn’t met on the ride.

What a fun and interesting group of people! We look forward to many more rides and activities with them in the future.

City of Angels Fun Ride

• Date: May 4, 2008
• Distance: 34.1 miles
• Total riding time: 3.11 hours

We made a last minute (actually, last week) decision to participate in the 11th Annual City of Angels Fun Ride, a charity ride to benefit Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Bloodmobile Fund. Like the Memorial Ride for Randy, it began and ended on the beautiful grounds of the Los Angeles Police Academy, a place where I spent many summers swimming in the pool and attending LAPD family picnics. Being here on this day felt bittersweet, and I wasn’t sure if I felt up to this ride, mentally or physically. However, in being here, I felt a bond with my dad this day and I knew he’d be pleased that I was going forward with it.

We parked in the lot at Dodgers Stadium located on the property adjacent to the Academy, assembled our bikes and gathered our gear. I swear, it takes about as long to assemble and check the bikes, don the bike clothes, and gather the gear as it does for a bride to get dressed for her wedding!

Jim’s ready to roll! Behind him, Dodgers Stadium is on the left and downtown Los Angeles is on the right.

Then, we rode across the street to the Academy. First, we stopped at the field to get our route slips before the ride…

… then joined the other riders waiting for the ride to begin. Here, we’re looking down toward the front of the line but the starting line is out of site.

Hey! We’re in the back… let’s move down a little toward the middle. Now, on the far right, you can see one end of the red/white/blue balloon arch that marks the official starting point.

Here’s the strategy: If we start closer to the front, maybe we’ll finish somewhere near the middle.

Here’s the view of the group waiting behind us.

Like the Memorial Ride for Randy, this ride also had rolling LAPD traffic closures the entire route. Meaning, they blocked traffic at every intersection and we didn’t have to stop for a single red light.

We were part of the “recreational” riding group that rode at a moderate pace. The advanced group departed earlier and their route was faster and longer. The plan was for all riders in both groups to arrive back at the Academy at around the same time for the post-ride festivities.

The 34-mile route took us through many cultural and scenic parts of Los Angeles and Hollywood including China Town, Echo Park, a very long dark tunnel in which I prayed I wouldn’t run over anything or fall into a pit I couldn’t see, L.A. Zoo, Griffith Park, and many other sites.

We were barely out of the gates when I noticed that my bladder was full. Great! How many miles until the rest stop?!?

21 miles later, we arrived at the first (and only) rest stop at the John Anson Ford Theatre on Cahuenga Blvd. in Hollywood.

I hurried to find the shortest long line at the porta-potties. One guy was literally dancing on his feet waiting his turn in line.

On my way back to meet Jim who was waiting with the bikes, I stopped to grab some snacks to share — oatmeal raisin cookies, orange wedges and bananas. While I was there I met ‘travelmama’ from BikeForums.net!

The rest break ended while Jim and about two dozen others were still waiting in line at the porta-potties, so we ended up near the back of the pack for the remaining 13+ miles of the ride — which turned out to be a good thing, because this enabled us to ride solo or with just a few other riders rather than in a tight pack like in the first 21 miles. A tight pack requires closer concentration so you don’t bump into the riders next to or in front of you (or, so you can avoid those who almost bump into you).

The departure from the rest break began with a nice climb, followed a nice descent. Rolling along Forest Lawn Drive (Hollywood Hills) and sailing solo down the hill while the motor officer stopped traffic on all sides was a big thrill, to say the least.

Throughout the ride, we tried to keep our minds off “the hill” at the end on Stadium Way, the road back up to the Academy. It’s a tough climb about 1.5 miles long and this is where many recreational-type riders drop out. We wouldn’t talk of dropping out, only our strategy of getting to the top. About 100 feet before the hill, I prepared by shifting into a lower gear and began my mental pep talk: We climbed the hill in February on our heavy hybrid bikes, so surely we can climb even easier on our new light-as-a-feather road bikes. As we began to ascend, I engaged my whole mind and kept my thoughts positive — I would NOT drop out. I thought of Dad and imagined him cheering me on. I reminded myself to not look up, just stay focused on each revolution of the pedals, whispering “Push… push… push…”, maintain the momentum. Suddenly, I realized that I was passing other riders! Even more shocking, I still wasn’t in the lowest gear!!! I glanced in my mirror to check on Jim — Yes! He’s still riding! About halfway up I shifted down again to conserve energy. Somewhere along the way, a group of girls dressed in cheerleading uniforms and pompoms on the side of the street were cheering “You can do it! You can do it!”. (Though I didn’t verify this siting with any other riders except Jim, I swear this was not merely a hallucination.)

We hammered and pushed to the top. Yes — we did it!!!

Jim proudly displays his medal.

We walked our bikes back up to the field for the post-ride lunch and raffle.

We found a comfy spot on the wet grass to eat our very tasty lunch: Sharky’s organic chicken/bean/rice burritos, chips, apples, and Hansen’s lime soda. There’s Jim, just below center, waving from the grass….

… and here he is showing off our lunch. His mirror is still attached to his cap… maybe he wants to be sure no one steals his lunch while he’s not looking. ;-)…

… and here’s yours truly, wearing my new Skin Cooler arm sleeves that really did help keep me cooler…

… and a few of LA’s (many) finest.

It was a beautiful day in every way… the weather, the ride, the setting, the food, the bigger purpose — an event that we’ll savor for a long time and plan to do again next year - maybe in the advanced group!

Tour de Heat Stroke

• Date: April 28, 2008
• Distance: 40 miles

The forecast for today was hot and sunny. With the City of Angels Fun Ride bearing down on us and nothing else planned for the day — except perhaps to stay inside and out of the heat, which most sensible people would have done — we decided to head out for another training ride. Jim took the Schwinn-with-a-new-chain, and we had barely left the neighborhood when he was already praising how nicely the bike now shifts. We figured we’d take another 20-mile ride.

We decided to head toward Glendora for a change and ride through the quieter neighborhoods where shade trees abound and traffic is light. Soon we found ourselves in Asuza. Unlike the wild ride through Asuza on the Ride to ‘Joe’s Place’, this time we rode through a new housing development in the foothills, away from traffic. Ahhhhhhh… we’ve finally found a route with wide streets, bike lanes, hills (for training) and little traffic!

We followed the road next to the San Gabriel Bike Trail and decided to ride up to the former El Encanto Restaurant, and then turn around and head home.

On the way back down, we found the end of the bike trail and decided to follow it for a while. Since any sensible person would have stayed out of the heat, we saw very few other cyclists.

We hung a right at the bridge leading to the Encanto Park in the city of Duarte, next to the Duarte Historical Museum, where sensible people were resting in the shade.

After some water and snack, we were still feeling pretty good so we continued down the bike trail toward the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in the city of Irwindale. On the ride around the dam we met up with a nice young couple on hybrids, training for the Tour Davita in September 2008.

Smoke from the fire behind Sierra Madre can be seen on the far left in the above photo.

After the ride around the dam in the heat and glaring sun, we decided to head back to Encanto Park for another rest stop and to cool off a bit. Hmmm… maybe I can actually get a little color on my legs while I’m at it!

Suddenly a stranger in bike shorts and no shirt emerged from the men’s room looking like he had just poured water over his body. When he saw us, he said “What a crazy hobby!” Clearly, any sensible person would be locked up in an air-conditioned house. With our own clothes and hair now drenched with the cool water from the drinking fountain, we decided to head for home. At the end of the bridge leading away from the park, we found another couple on a pair of bikes. I said “I guess we’re not the only crazy people out in this heat.” The woman replied “That’s exactly what I was thinking!”

As we headed back along the same route, we turned toward the Glendora village for a light meal of substance. We stopped at Frisella’s Roastery and shared a delicious carved turkey sandwich with potato chips and red cabbage salad. And lots and lots of ice cold water.

With our stomachs full and our bodies cool again, we headed for home. As we approached the house, the trip odometer on my bike calculator read exactly 40.00 miles. Yep, I think we’re ready to do 34 miles in 70 degrees in the City of Angels Fun Ride next Sunday.

But the best part of this ride was discovering a new route to Asuza that takes us to the bike trail. At last, a route with many training opportunities and very little traffic.

And, my arms have a tan line!

Back in the Saddle Again

Life goes on. I miss my dad terribly; there is so much to miss about him and I find reminders of him all around our house. If only he wasn’t such a great guy and a gentle, good-natured teddy bear, this grieving wouldn’t be so hard. But hard it is, and life goes on. He’d be happy we miss him, but he’d want us to get back on the saddle of life, and continue to ride.

So, today was the first day back on the bikes… not just a ride to clear our heads, but a ride with a purpose. This week we registered for the City of Angels Fun Ride on May 4, a benefit ride to support Childrens Hospital Los Angeles Bloodmobile Fund. It starts and ends at the Los Angeles Police Academy and has rolling LAPD traffic support as for the Memorial Ride for Randy we did in February. If you’ve never been escorted through the city by rolling motor officers, it is an event to savor. Anyway, with only a week to prepare, we now had a goal to aim for, a reason to ride.

We headed out this morning anticipating a “short” ride of just 1 hour, just an easy spin to get our legs moving. Jim rode his mid-70s Schwinn Sports Tourer road bike and I rode my hybrid. I could feel a small loss of fitness in my legs but did well nevertheless, in spite of the warm temperatures and my severe lapse in judgment in choosing to wear jeans for a change (don’t ask).

It was a nice ride and we stopped to refill our water bottles at our favorite ice cream shop in Claremont, Bert & Rocky’s. While we were there, the local Fire Department was having a “fill the boot” drive to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy so I put a few dollars in a boot. Who in their right mind can resist a fireman in uniform?! Hmmm… I bet they are wise to that.

From there we headed home, a route we like to take along Bonita Avenue — a wide, tree-lined street of quaint older homes through the older parts of Claremont and La Verne. We turned up D Street. About halfway up the street, we both heard the funny noise.

Not funny ha-ha… funny “what was THAT??!!”. The chain on Jim’s bike had broken and was now lying on the ground. The pin was nowhere to be found. The chain was 34 years old and they don’t last forever, so this was it’s time. Not to worry — we were close enough to home, so I rode alone the rest of the way. At home, I grabbed a bag for the greasy chain, a small bottle of soapy water that my dad had made and given us a few years ago for occasions such as this (thanks Dad), paper towels, the bike rack, and the camera.

Camera? Might as well make it a ride report!

We loaded the bike in the back of the truck and took it straight to the bike shop for a new chain.

In all, I rode 19.5 miles in 1 hour, 40 minutes.

All things considered, it was a good ride, and it’s great to be back in the saddle again.

“Good Morning!”

“Good Morning!”

That’s the greeting you would hear if my dad answered the phone, any time of day. If you said “It’s not morning”, he’d answer in his cheery voice “It is somewhere!”.

On April 5, 2008, just one week after our Ride to “Joe’s Place”, my dear father — a strong, optimistic, active, 88-year-old teddy bear — passed away from major injuries he suffered from a fall down the stairs of my parents’ home. His terrible fall occurred just 2 hours after I posted the ride report. The unthinkable had happened.

The first week following his accident and in the days after his passing, I could not imagine riding my bike again, at least not for a long, long time. Cycling, I thought, is too much care-free fun to enjoy in the midst of deep emotional anguish.

By the end of this week, the unthinkable happened again. I actually thought of going for a bike ride. Not for the fun of it, but to get a little exercise, a little sunshine, a break from the sorrow. Dad would want me to get back out there, just as he would do. He was proud of my cycling adventures and would not want me to give up exercise. He’d want me to get back out there and live again, as he enjoyed life himself and tried to get some exercise every day. He would feel the sorrow, and do it anyway. He enjoyed everything he did to the fullest.

So today, I rode for Dad. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm spring day. There were many people out riding, walking, running, and skating. I said “Good morning!” to each one as we passed. I was amazed how many returned the cheerful greeting back to me. We stopped at our favorite ice cream hang-out, Bert & Rocky’s, and shared a cup of Mint Oreo ice cream. I talked to people who were hanging out wherever we stopped along the way, just as my dad would have done. He was a very sociable guy who loved people and was genuinely interested in everyone he met.

It felt good to get out on the bike again.

Thanks, Dad, for the inspiration. I miss you terribly, and your positive encouragement lives on in my heart.

Ride to “Joe’s Place”

Today’s ride was meant to be our typical “short” 20-mile ride, just to get some miles and time on our new bikes. We set out around noon with no particular destination in mind. We decided to head west for a change and ride through Glendora. Shortly after we left I told Jim about a place I read about called “Joe’s Place“, located in Duarte. It sounded like a bike-friendly place to stop and rest and get a bite to eat. Jim agreed to try it, but it meant riding on Huntington Drive through Azusa. <Insert scary Hitchcock music.> Now, Asuza is on my way to work. Nicknamed “The Canyon City”, I’d like to recommend a new name — something like “The City of Very Bad Drivers and Way Too Many Red Lights”. There seems to be a phenomenon that causes many of the drivers in that town — or at least along this stretch of road — to suddenly and inexplicably slow down to 10-15 mph BELOW the speed limit and drive with one arm hanging out the window and weave around in the lane as if looking for an address in the dark. Adding to that aggravation, there’s a stretch in town where the city blocks are very short and the lights at each corner always seem to be red. I knew we were in for a harrowing, aggravating ride ahead.

The ride through Glendora was pleasant as usual. Heading in to Asuza, the road conditions turned from decent to gravelly and pitted. Suddenly…… ka-BOOM!! Jim, who was about 50 feet in front of me, thought he heard a gunshot. Thank God, it was only my front tube! Upon examination we noticed that the huge hole blown through the tube was blown from the inside out — meaning, I didn’t run over anything sharp. Whew! After a quick change of the tube and a drink of water, were on the road again.

We decided to bi-pass the even more harrowing San Gabriel River bridge on which the lanes are just wide enough for a car to pass, let alone a car AND a bike, and, given that we were in Asuza… oh never mind. Suffice to say we took a detour just before the bridge and headed up the San Gabriel River bike trail.

At some point along the trail we turned left to cross a bridge. Along the bridge we stopped to take a picture through the fence, facing south. The bridge we bi-passed is in the distance.

At the end of the bridge we turned into a nice park. We made it to Duarte! After all the excitement I was famished so we stopped for a snack and water.

We left the park and turned back onto Huntington Drive and rode for a short distance to Joe’s Place. As we rode up in front, 2 guys and a gal were sitting at a table in front and gave us a warm greeting. One of them was the owner, Joe, who invited us inside and said we could take our bikes with us. Wow, what hospitality! We parked our bikes in a corner near our table .

The main room is like a homey coffee house. We immediately felt at home.

We shared a generous turkey sandwich on good whole wheat bread with cranberry sauce spread, cole slaw, pickle spear, and water. While we were eating our sandwich, Joe offered each of us a cup of their albondigas soup, on the house. YUM!!! In addition to delicious sandwiches, soups, and salads, Joe’s Place also serves coffee, espresso, and “to die for” desserts. We think Joe’s Place is going to be a regular stop on our rides… whether by bike or by car.

There’s Jim (left) with Joe (center) and Joe’s business partner Matt.

Back on the road we headed up Buena Vista to Foothill Blvd. in Duarte and rode along the trail that separates Duarte on the south from Bradbury on the north.

At the end of the trail, we rode the Asuza river trail for a while, then headed for home.

It was quite an adventure of twists and turns, surprises, and a very pleasant experience at Joe’s Place.

Total mileage: 41.8 miles
Total actual riding time: 3 hours 38 minutes

So much for that “short” 20-mile ride!

New Road Bikes

Now that we consider ourselves “serious” cyclists (snicker), we decided to treat ourselves to some “serious” bikes. Today we brought home a pair of Specialized Roubaix road bikes that we purchased from Don’s Bike Shop in Rialto, CA. Scott, the owner, allowed us to borrow three different bikes for three different weekends to take on long test rides — at no obligation. After months of deliberation (I test rode a Roubaix in the middle of last year, and loved it then), we chose the Roubaix for its comfort, smoooooth ride (bumps? what bumps?), and its ability to climb without effort — I mean, it seems to want to go all by itself. It is nimble, fun to ride, and half the weight of our hybrids.

L-R: Me, Scott McAfee (owner of Don’s Bike Shop), and Jim.

The photo above doesn’t do justice to the true beauty of the frame. In the shop, it stopped men in their tracks as they gazed at it and said “That’s beauuuutiful!” This close-up of the top tube reveals the detail in which you can see the carbon fiber beneath the clear-coat finish.

With these lighter (and, therefore, faster) bikes, we’ll be able to keep up with others in group rides and not fall to the back of the pack or struggle to keep up as we would on our heavier hybrid bikes.

Oh, we’ll keep the hybrids (Giant Cypress SX and Trek 7500). They’re great recreational bikes for trails and such and for solo rides. Mine is set up for night riding with dual headlights, tail lights, reflective rims and reflectors on the spokes so it will continue to be my night-riding bike for winter months. They’re just really heavy bikes and require a lot more energy to push uphill and keep up with faster riders in group rides.

There’s a bike for any kind of ride!

Memorial Ride for Randy

LAPD Memorial Ride for Randy Simmons

• Date: February 16, 2008
• Distance: Almost 51 miles

When I learned about a memorial ride planned for fallen LAPD SWAT officer Randal Simmons, I immediately knew I wanted to join. The Police Unity Tour Southern California Chapter announced that their regular training ride on February 16, 2008 would be a “Memorial Ride for Randy”. Having never ridden in a group before, and never further than 30 miles, we wondered if we could do it. But my friends in the Fifty Plus forum at Bike Forums assured me that we could. With no time to train, we made the decision to ride for Randy just a few days later.

We met the other riders at the track at the Los Angeles Police Academy where we got our route slips and instructions. We guessed there were about 250 riders.

Shortly after our early arrival at the Los Angeles Police Academy.

New police cadets in training on the field at the Los Angeles Police Academy. Lord, please protect them!

Ready and waiting to roll…. this is where we got our instructions and route slips. LAPD motor officers led the way out the gates of the field, along Academy Drive, and down Stadium Way to Riverside Drive.

The entire ride was escorted by LAPD motor officers. About a half dozen of them rode with us, a few in the front to keep the pace and a few others who took turns stopping traffic at every intersection and keeping the stragglers in line. People honked, waved, and cheered from cars, corners, curbside and over the fence in front of their homes. What a joy it was to ride 50 miles from beginning to end without having to make a single traffic stop.

Our first rest stop after about 19 miles was at the Van Nuys Station and Government Plaza.

The flag was still at half staff in front of the Van Nuys Station.

Jim (in green jacket) and Tom who is also a member of Bike Forums. In the background are some members of the LAPD cycling police, who rode with the group.

There I am, on the right, preparing to eat my food bar.

One of the motor officers who escorted the group (and more in the background), and some of the members of the LAPD Bicycle Patrol who participated in the ride. There is nothing like riding 50 miles through the city, in traffic, while surrounded by police officers in uniform!

Our next stop was at the West Valley station for the wreath dedication ceremony for Randy. Speakers included the station commander, a city official, a pastor, and the team leader. It was a somber but very nice tribute to Randy.

Reserve Officers were ready and waiting on horseback in the adjacent park to guard our bikes while we viewed the ceremony. Snacks and drinks were served inside after the ceremony.

There’s Jim again (on the right) wearing his 50+ Bike Forum jersey, and Tom.

Some of the members of the LAPD Bicycle Patrol who rode with us, and their bikes.

On the route back, I had the immense pleasure of riding with Sgt. Brian Morrison for a short distance. Brian is one of the captains of the LAPD Cycling Team. Periodically he and some of the other team members would circle around to check on the riders near the back. He pulled along side of me and asked me how I was doing and how I learned about the ride. I told him about my dad (LAPD class of ‘46), and he told me about his (LAPD class of ‘56). Brian works out of the Metropolitan station where Randy Simmons worked.

The last rest stop was at a park about 6 miles from the “big hill” at the end of the ride. The park is across the street from Forrest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). This is where the SAG (support) wagons joined us for the ride back, just in case any of the riders had to drop out.

The hill at the end….. well, it wasn’t pretty and I knew what it would be like based the many countless times I’ve driven up that hill in my car to Dodger Stadium. The Academy is located in a beautiful setting at the top, just a left turn away from the entrance to the Stadium. Afterward, we visited with Tom and Alice (also members of Bike Forums) who rode with us much of the way. I ran into Brian Morrison who gave me some riding caps which say “LAPD Cycling Team”.

Back at the Academy parking lot with Alice and Tom. Whew - we made it!

Jim ‘n Jen, after we caught our breath from our ride up the hill.

It was an unforgettable day in every way, and a wonderful tribute to Randy Simmons.