Sunday, July 20, 2025

Feeling Freaking Great Sunday

 Solo 20 miles from Pico to City of Hope (west side of dam and 605). Average of 14.4 wanting to do an easy pace after a longer ride on Sunday. Seems to be my pattern nowadays, long day then recovery ride. But today was an awesome day, feel freaking great! Not sure why, was it the ice-cream last night? Was it the wonderful evening with my Honey? Was it just a great day?

A bit windy on the way up but boy I felt good, did I say that already? Legs were stiff for about a mile then I loosened up nicely. Kept my easy pace trying to relax on the way up thinking it was too easy and figuring I'd suffer on the return, the way down which is usually tougher than the way up on this trail. But nope, turned around and cruised back as well though a bit windy. Heart rate was steady and fine feeling freaking great, did I say that already? Ha ha ha!

Nothing eventful, just a great ride! Not to mention, the new JBL buds worked great today. Much better than the Samsung Galaxy buds that cost me twice the price of the JBL.  Having a nice pair of headphones from Sony that sound awesome, another pair of JBL lower end that don't sound just quite as good as the Sony but much better connection while playing on my laptop. Auto connect to the LT and my cell simultaneously so that's awesome. I really liked the setup of the JBL so I went out and bought a better model of JBL to match the Sony and so now, they sound great and great connections. I keep the Sony because I bought them ha ha ha! They sound good though but at times, not too often, they lose connection with the laptop and when it does, it really annoys me even if for 2 or 3 seconds. The JBL don't lose it at all either set of headphones. They sound great!

So having a beotch of a time with the Samsung buds, I'm fed up so I tried the more inexpensive JBL buds. On  yesterday's ride, I did lose connection two or three times lowering my head to the handlebars as I wiped my tires for debris.  As long as I did not lower my head that low, they were fine. But today, I used them and they were awesome, didn't lost the connection not once and I was closer to powerlines and in the area than affects the Samsung most times. So I was really happy today.

Yesterday I had trouble updating the firmware on the cell and a bit frustrated. But after the ride, I clicked on the app and the buds updated nicely, sweet! Then I god home and tried connecting them to my laptop which went well and easy today, Not sure why it was so tough yesterday. I guess the buds wanted to make sure I was going to keep them before they decided to play nice ha ha ha! So all is sweet with the JBL buds now!

BTW, the JBL Race 2 buds I got have a run time of 48 hours. On yesterday's ride, 20 miles in arriving at the coast, I still had 85% power left. With the Samsung, I usually have about 30% and have to charge them before heading back. Love it!

 After the ride, Gina and I made a trip to my hometown for a visit to a favorite restaurant of ours. Good food and for being a Mexican restaurant, they have the best ever fries anywhere! Not sure why the fries are so good but they are ha ha ha!


                                                     City of Hope in the background.


My usual breakfast before a ride.. Couple of eggs and a couple of turkey sausage. Before a 45 miler, same meal and nothing more on the ride. Maybe a bottle of Liquid IV if the temps are 90 or more. If it's cooler, too much stuff in my system will just make me feel sick.  Not sure why people need so much stuff on rides. 



Best French fries ever! Gina had a torta Milanesa with fries and I a couple enchiladas.  I did help her with the fries though he he he!




Saturday, July 19, 2025

Solo SGRT 41 (video)

 Solo ride, 41.5 miles at 16.1 average speed. Not much happening today but I did see Danny from Strava go by, fast guy. Other than that, just another boring Mr. Beanz ride ha ha ha! Did plan to ride with Sandra and Tony on Thursday but some confusion so I just said, forget it, stayed home to fix a leaky faucet in the restroom. Hmmm, fixed 3 drips and a a toilet tank in the last month, think I got them all now. Seems they all come at the sane time and boy, they seem to be more work than riding ha ha ha! Easy but more effort tracking down parts etc.

Today was windy on the way but feeling good so nothing stressful. Did visit Main street at the pier for a bit. Having a fish fry so not much room. There for a few minutes then headed back to the usual spot for a few minutes. Testing out a new set of JBL earbuds, around $60 on sale. I have 2 sets of Samsung buds around $110 each but they suck on bike rides. Every time I turn my head, one ear cuts out so fed up, trying a cheaper set. Not to mention, the JBL headphones I have for my laptop connect easily and don't cut out at all. I do have a set of Sony as well, more expensive but the JBL still work better. Not so much in sound but connectivity. So I'll try the buds on the bike. Good connectivity to my cell that I use for music.  They do cut out slightly if I lower my head really low, just testing. But I never really have my head that close to my gps unit ha ha ha! The big plus is that JBL has an app so I can set up equalizer settings as well as a few presets. Nice, the Samsung have only a couple generic settings, not an equalizer. JBL has the equalizer as well as sport modes so I have a better selection of sounds. AND half way through my 40 mile ride, the power was still reading 80 percent vs the 30 or so of the Samsung. So no recharging on rides from now on, love it!

Not much happening so I did throw in an image of some cranky looking chick with a bikini top. Nothing special but I know some of my audience loves boobs ha ha ha! This is for you!

As well as a cool looking chick on a bike with aerobars. Looks much friendlier and more active than the bikini chick. She's on a bike so she must be cool. Actually smiling while I was holding the gopro so that's cool!

Nothing special in the video other than a couple of passes with other cyclists.

Edit: Ah, did encounter one dude on an MTB that was rolling pretty good. As I was leaving the coast, I realized the nozzle on my water bottle was tweaked and squirted on me as I took a drink. I pulled over on a ramp, unlike too many stupid cyclists that stop ON THE TRAIL. I corrected the nozzle then got ready to roll as he was passing. So I waited as he passed safely, unlike the too many stupid cyclists who would TAKE OFF IN FRONT OF ANOTHER RIDER APPROACHING! 

He rolled by and nodded at me so I acknowledged him as well. He rolled by then I took off and rolling pretty good but not pushing too hard, he was pulling away. Wow, good pace and I was impressed as he was on an MTB. About 8 miles down the trail, he finally faded enough that I would pass, not racing attitude macho stuff. He fell back a bit then like another 6 miles, he was still withing sight. Maybe 100 yards back and by this time, I was rolling pretty good so I was impressed that he was still around. Passing a park, I saw a group getting on and thought they would catch me. So for my own workout, I picked it up trying to stay away from the group. Then I passed another couple of fit looking guys that I thought might not like it that I was passing. They kept their pace though and so I kept pushing thinking the group from the park of about 10 riders would eventually catch me. I was trying to keep my pace or maybe even raise it a bit so I started working hard. Looked back a couple miles later to see how close the group was but they were gone. Hmm, only one rider back there so I sat up to get a good look and it was the dude on the MRB. Wow, I was really impressed at this point. He had passed all the others as well and still in sight. 

I was about 2 miles from the end of my ride, the Pico Rivera Golf course parking lot where I thought if he pulled up, I would compliment him on his ride. But he vanished at that point. Pulled off the trail I'm guessing. On an MTB but he was rolling pretty good. On the return I was doing anywhere from 17.5 to 18 mph so he had to be pushing pretty good to keep the pace on an MTB.



The youtube video






Picked it up the last few miles










Mmmm, this is good!


I ate well all week, rode today, so I'm cheating tonight ha ha ha!


Classic Gina, she freaking laughs at everything. Love this gal!


Dinner with Gina and Cecee at Mongolian BBQ again.




Last night's pre ride meal, the usual , small 6 oz steak and about a cup of potatoes at Sizzluh. Perfect size meal for my needs.



Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Ride of Miracles

 A Ride Of Miracles today. I'm thinking someone got up out of that wheelchair and walked up the hill. 😆😄😆 A miracle that I did 5 more miles than planned. A miracle that I made it. A miracle meal before the ride. They say cucumbers are a miracle food. 😁 An easy day on the bike to stretch the 🦵 and 🫁. From Pico to the SF Dam Nature Center. Easy 25 miles.



A miracle. Someone got up out of the wheelchair then walked up the hill. 😆



Breakfast, cucumber and a few grapes. Oh, forgot to get a pic of the 2 turkey sausage links. 


Another Miracle, surviving this sheot! Seen the Two Hands corn dog stands at the mall, Montclair. A little curios so I tried it. Oh my goodness, way too gross, so mushy and nasty. Tried to eat it thinking it couldn't be that bad, but it is! Ate about half then tore off the Cheeto crumb cheese drizzled coating and ate the hotdog alone. Dang, how do people come up with this gross stuff and why do people buy it? I'm guessing most are curious and first timers. Repeat customers? How could you? Ha ha ha!


Little park made at the Santa Fe Nature Center. Nice water fountain and bottle filler. It's about time! But really appreciated by cyclists I'm sure. Sadly though, probably won't be long before it's destroyed by the homeless idiots that live throughout the nature forest type area.




Kept an easy pace and easy HR about 120 for most of the ride. But as always, passed some dude from a mile behind. As soon as I passed, he sped up trying to take my wheel or race me, not sure but he jumped behind me pretty closely. Ah you moron, can't you do your own ride? So I figured I was mess with him.

About 2 miles left and he was trying to catch me so I put my head down and hammered his ass. Ha ha ha, dropped like a bad habit. Then later I sat up to get a sip of water, dude tried to catch me again. Finished my sip then hammered him again. He was now about 75 yards behind. The last stretch and he was still trying to catch up. I picked up the pace and he actually did well to keep the gap about the same till I hit the last 1/4 mile or so. I dropped down again and hammered hard. He dropped way back at that point. Too bad he wasn't on Strava ha ha ha! Just always funny how riders get the ego thing when you pass them. I don't, heck if a dude passes me, I congratulate him and pat him on the back for being a strong rider. I don't feel the need to take his wheel and let him carry me, or whatever.


Nice heart rate around 120-130 bpm till the end when I hammered the clown. up to 155-165'ish.  Got hammered by a Fat Bastard ha ha ha!



Saturday, July 12, 2025

Solo Fat Bastard SART 46 (Paul and George video)

 Solo 46 at 16.2 average speed. Not bad considering it was pretty windy, imo. Not a whole lot going on other than running into Paul and George at the start. Good bike chat as always, comparing heart rates. George wins ha ha ha! Not sure how these guys get out there and finish up while I'm barely starting. Early birds I guess, not me. Actually today was early for me seeing Gina had a baby shower to attend in Palm Springs, her great grandson's shower.

Of course me, I'm going to ride my bike ha ha ha! Good day and ride but not a whole lot as mentioned. Other than the two dudes and seeing Alyce go by. Of course I didn't capture her in the video, she always sneaks by me when I'm not expecting her. But a good day.


                                   Paul caught a pretty cool pic so of course I stole it ha ha ha!


The youtube video




Stills from the video



Like I said, not much going on but a few people at the beach. Early I guess but only very few around.



Friendly guy



Not sure if she is friendly but I sure hope her saddle is ha ha ha! That would kill me, riding in a bikini.



 

And the heart rate wasn't too bad. A little lower than usual but felt good almost as if I had put in harder efforts with the wind but it's all good. 



In other news, the brother in law dinner.  Invited him to dinner and of course,  he chooses the bigger better dinner.  Gina and I usually get the senior special totaling $41. BIL chooses the $32 steak and a fancy drink.  41 to 82 bucks? Umm OK, I guess when you tell someone to get what they want, you got to expect they will get what they want. 😆😄😆






That was yesterday but today,  Gina and I at Millie's. Fajitas chorizo flat bread tacos for me and Tilapia for Gina.  A rather party dish.





Of course,  I save money to pay for the BIL's meal by saving money cutting our hair for us. Don't worry,  her hair looks more even when it's dry. 😄



AND..... Sunday I got lazy so I stayed in bed then went to lunch with Gina.  And of course she had the New York steak like her brother. 😆😄😆







I usually have Gina place her pony tail in front for the picture but forgot I cut ✂️ it off. 😆😄😆