Burning some Calories 🔥 (video)

 Seal Beach 40 miles to the beach.  Extreme heat warning but wasn't all that bad. Just riding for exercise. Seems bikini season is near, or maybe here and I just arrive a little too early ha ha ha! Seal Beach is not like Huntington where we used to ride. Smaller and arranged so that the ride access points are nowhere near the action and bikinis. Oh well.

Sadly,  spoke with an employee of the golf course,  maybe a manager.  She said that some of the employees are gone already.  Since the golf course will close October 1st. Not planning to replace them being so close to closing.  She said that the property will be leveled as well as the building to improve the dam. Saying it is planned to take 5 years.  

From the lot entrance gate to the dam,  it will be destroyed.  She said she's not sure what they will do to route the cyclists around the mess. Who knows? Im thinking they could fill the river with water then let us take a fairy upstream. 😄

what puzzles me is, improve the dam for what? There ain't no water and even at the Santa Fe dam,  it's huge,  miles long and rarely ever water in it. The times I've seen water there,  seems like only enough to fill 3 swimming pools. 🤣

I will say though, as I always have is that the biggest danger to me on my bicycle is other cyclists. One reason I hate reading about drivers against cyclists. Very hipocritical if you ask me. Cyclists are just as stupid as auto drivers, maybe even more. Maybe a lesser chance of dying but still the common sense mentality is lacking. Doesn't make a difference whether one is a driver or a cyclist, stupid is stupid.

Today, as soon as I got on the trail, doing about 10 mph spinning up the legs, 50 yards covered, I hit a gate where one has to ride to the opposite side of the trail to continue. At the gate, a group of about 6 riders re-entering the trail. They ride through the gate as I slow to yield but they spread out like and echelon. The person in the back, a little gal about 5 feet tall and not even 100 pounds swings to their left but is in the middle of my lane. WTF!!! They are going about 10 mph as well so it's not like she is going to fall off the back and lose the draft. So why TF did she think she had to challenge me by going head on. A little shout to make her think, hopefully she learns something. One of the bad things about group rides, stupid people do stupid sheot.

Then 1 mile later at the dark steep tunnel, locals will know what I'm talking about. Dark, steep, narrow with the gutters angling down so it's pretty tricky and very unsafe to race through knowing cyclists are heading the opposite way. Many riders just skip the tunnel and cross the busy street after waiting for traffic to clear on a busy blvd.

Right before the tunnel is a snaking left turn heading from the south, Covered and hidden by shrubbery so the rider can't see too well what is coming up. Pretty much a blind turn but snaking S shape to add a little more danger. I approach and slow as one should to look for opposite cycling traffic. As I snake to the left rounding a set of bushes, some moron is on my side, my lane, in the center. Luckily he is only going about 10 mph as it is a steep little ramp up. As I round my turn, I am startled by his presence and he almost jumped out of his bike shorts when he looked up to see me heading at him. Now, WTF, what kind of idiot goes into the opposite lane on a blind turn knowing it is a very dangerous area and surely there had to be some kind of an idea in his stupid head that another cyclist could possibly be approaching. I guess I just don't understand stupid people. And there are far too many of them!

Video on YT

Madone rolling smoothly once again! Once I started riding the Cannondale, I didn't miss or even think twice about the carbon Madone being smoother on the road. The Cannondale feels very responsive. Now just putting my hand over the stem cap and walking with the bike, like un-racking it to prepare it for a ride, it feels very plush vs the thin quill stem of the Cannondale. I do feel it smoother on the road as well. Especially since the trail down to the beach really sucks on the SGRT. That's why I ride up toe Azusa Cyn most times, like 98% of the time now. But the heat lately, I did ride to the coast 2 times which actually surprised myself ha ha ha! I do feel the Madone smoother and more plush but it feels like a damper as if I am being held back. Not that I am, not that my speeds are any lower, maybe it's that feeling that many have stated, feeling like dead wood. Maybe it will save me on longer rides but it just doesn't feel the same as the exciting Cannondale. But who knows, maybe my nutty buddies will thank me down the road somewhere ha ha ha!

People taking all kinds of motor vehicles on the trails. Last week I saw a full on doon buggy on the trail. More stupid people.

Brings me back to this image once again. Always good for a good laugh. First of all, there are signs that say NO MOTOR VEHICLES OR BICYCLES WITH MOTORS ALLOWED ON THE TRAIL. but once again, stupid e-bikers think they're above the rules. Maybe too lazy to pedal, too lazy to read the signs so this one always cracks me up!

Couple of riders with a friendly nod. Oh, the last one is me and yes, I am friendly if you aren't stupid ha ha ha!

Testing My Mechanical Skills Tour (video tomorrow)

 Testing My Mechanical Skills Tour...Solo 30 miles. Got my Madone back on the road.  New mid chain ring, shifters, all cables,  and a good cleaning.  Replaced the ring as it started acting up & having to remove the crank. The hood ripped, had been replaced 2 times but couldn't find more and not paying $150 on ebay for a used junk one to get the hood. So gave Sora a try being the only new 9 speed around.  Good reviews and it actually worked great. Reviews said Sora now is better than 105 from 2005 which I had. Thought I had a cassette in my stash but only a new chain so ordered the cassette but after today's ride,  I don't think I need them yet but good to stock up. Also cables are routed under the bar tape so no more extensions for the gopro mounts. 👍 Worked flawlessly but I'm thinking cables will break in a bit soon. Oh yeah,  I got more sore doing the work than riding it bending in ways I haven't for a while ha ha ha. 🤣 The red thing is a top cap screw given to me by TC on a psat birthday.  Good to have the Madone back on the road but I was having plenty of fun riding the Cannondale over the last year and a half.  Finally found the time to fix the Madone.  😄

91 degrees with a high of 100 according to my device. Everything worked really well considering I was getting very impatient while doing the stuff. I had this idea that I should go to the park to work on the bike. Started in the shade but a few minutes later, the sun was all over the place and it was hot. Heck, my hips, thighs, and back muscles are really sore. Not used to those movements I guess and being out there from 10 am to about 4 pm, it was nothing but hot. I get so involved that I didn't eat anything, just a small pack of crackers, 4 squares and one small bottle of water. You know how it is when you get involved.

So I thought that I had gotten everything close to perfect but was ready to call it a day. So I was not sure just how well I adjusted everything having gotten frustrated a bit. Heck, I read that I could just remove the middle ring without removing the crank but that internet info was incorrect. I had to remove the entire crank to work on it so that took more time and effort. 

I did place my cell out there with a small wifi speaker to play some music while I worked but heard my phone make a strange noise. An alert that it was overheating, sitting in the sun I guess after the sun moved. So I turned it off then restarted it a while later. Tried to look up a few things on the net but the stupid phone disconnected me somehow so I could not get the net, text, or make a call. So some of the things I wanted to look up, I couldn't. But I got it right anyway because when I went to go ride it, it was perfect. I was actually surprised thinking I was in the ballpark but nope, it was all dialed in perfectly.

The only thing I missed was setting the low gear limit screw a little so the low low gear was hitting the front derailleur. I realized it as soon as I rolled the bike around the parking lot for about 30 seconds testing the gear combos. A 10 second adjustment and I was good! I'm really surprised I had it set that well. But hey, someone who hates taking his bike to the shop for reasons, I guess I can see why it was that good ha ha ha! Heck, TC had asked if I wanted to do a ride in the foothills this day but I told him that I was going on the trail for sure and a short ride to test the bike. Doesn't matter who worked on my bike, I wouldn't trust the first ride on the road, with cars and buses, and trucks unless I know everything is perfectly tuned. All I need is to lose a brake cable in front of a semi ha ha ha!

But all was great, much better than I expected and I would have been good but I'm the better safe than sorry type.

I do have anew chain and thought I had a new cassette but only the chain. So I ordered a 105 cassette on ebay but hard to find new stuff. I did but it took a while as well as the SRAM stuff, hard to find in 9 speed. But ordered the 10 9 speed cassette. Thought that if the bike was rough, I would change the chain and cassette but nicely, everything was very smooth. And Gina did insist that I order a Sunrace cassette as well just to try it out so that I would have more options if I ever need another. Good reviews and a bit cheaper so hopefully. I'll be getting both either way so I should be set for a while.

I did go to a shop to look for a hood but nope, nothing. So I asked about the Sora shifters but nope. Matter of fact, the dude asked why I was still messing with 9 speed stuff. Well, I still  have 2 perfectly fine running 9 speed bikes, not sure why I would spend more money just to say I have 10 or 11 speed. In other words, why spend $5000 plus for something that isn't going to make much or a difference? Same feeling towards disc brakes, do I need them? Nope! Would be a big waste of money for me. All I need is a bike to run smoothly so that I can continue to exercise.

The YT video. Funny, Gina watched the video and when it got to the downhill section of the damn dam, right before it shows my turn, she shouted, "Oooooweee!" ha ha ha!

I did ask her too, if I showed myself a little too much. She said, "no, it's your video." Okay, good! I usually turn it towards my face after crossing paths with other riders often thinking that I'm not going to use the clip or the shot of my face. But then I notice that I turn the recorder to my face most times a little quicker than I expected without waiting to end the scene so it would look awkward ending the scene so abruptly. So I leave it on and a little extra footage  and like she said, it is my video ha ha ha!

Encanto Park

Nice! No more front cables out front so the gopro will be happier not having to use an extension. Less hardware and less connections. Now the gopro will sit right under my gps. Looks clean too!

Fat Bastard top cap screw ha ha ha! A bday gift from TC last year.

Real test, climbing the 9 and 11% grade, the damn dam climb in the 39 ring and NO SKIPPING. Worked really well and smooth shifting.

A little warm today. Cleaned and polished it up before the ride. Sure enough, the heart rate strap was wet as soon as I put it on ha ha ha!

Boy, Gina and I went to Sizzluh having a good time with Erika. Then to watch The Odyssey at the movies. Ate some caramel popcorn and paid the price. My stomach ain't used to the sheot ha ha ha! Thank goodness for Pepto Bismol ha ha ha!

Descent but looooong movie.

Another one of our friends from Sizzler. Great service and all the perks!

I eat the senior petite steak with rice or potatoes, a bowl of soup, but I always seem to get the extras like a salad bowl cause they all like me because I'm so nice ha ha ha!

Gina is usually the salad bar or steak with a one time to the salad bar.

Solo Seal Beach

 41, felt great.  More later.

Trek bar tape and grease can only mean one thing. 😁

Seal Beach SGRT

 As usual,  setting out for a mellow ride but the wind never let's it happen,  as usual.  A little dizzy yesterday into today so hoping a ride would make it go away. I think it worked. 😄 Trying out the new Phoenix jersey.  Felt good 👍 

                                        

                                                                          Youtube video

Sometimes life ain't fair. Look at these scumbag lowlife fukkers.  Free recreation, free living, no taxes, and all the bikes one can want, or steal! I guess it bothers me as so many take advantage of situations. Like these people get to litter, destroy, and take whatever they want with no recourse. Can't really see the mess they have there, the trash lining the gutters but it's there. 

Not to mention, there are some bleeding heart establishments that give free food to the homeless at the mall. I mean really, there are mentally challenged people, a lot of them there paying for their food. A whole lot of seniors paying as well. But there are a few homeless that go in there and get free meals EVERY FREAKING DAY, AND EVE!!! Seriously, at least two guys I see regularly walk up and order but don't pay taking advantage of the vendor. I mean it is sweet of them to do so, give a free meal but it is very discouraging for us that actually pay. I mean I walk up and pay every time I eat there but these 2 guys eat free all the time. Day and night! Both healthy looking guys, one younger than I  and looks to be in good shape. Fit muscular dude in a tank almost every day showing some muscle. As well as carrying nice luggage and back pack type items. Today he showed up with a very nice LEVI brand  carrying sack. Heck, I can't afford Levi's but this fool can afford to carry some pretty nice accessories. But he doesn't have to pay for his food, but I do. I'm almost tempted to tell them that I am homeless too.

                         Free foosball, and table. How in the F do these morons get this sheot?