Top A Da Trail with TC

 Good 35 miles with TC up to the base of the Azusa mountains. The San Gabriel Trail northern section.  A little more challenging than the Santa Ana River Trail that Gina and I used to ride till we moved. This one stair steps its way up to the mountains. Not to mention The Damn Dam. Short 1/3 of a mile climb topping out at 11%. Never easy ha ha ha! My legs still a little burning from a couple days ago riding with Sandra, sissy ha ha ha! So today we planned an easier conversation pace. I had mentioned 25 but TC suggested a bit further last night as we texted one another planning the ride. He figured it was going to rain the next few days so we could do a little more today.

Ok, so we chatted a bit trying to figure out where to ride, the Pico Rivera golf course start trail ride or the foothills from Glendora. I was good with either but he finally decided on the San Gabe trail. OK, no problem. He said he was up late last night thinking about the ride, which way would we go to get in what hills on what roads. So today I show up with a 10:30 meet up time, little late figuring it might warm up a bit later in the morning. 

So I arrived at 10 am for the 10:30 meet. The time arrived and no TC. Hmmm, no sweat, sometimes 5 or 10 minutes is usual with cyclists trying to mee, traffic happens!  But one minute later I get a text, damn, he went to the park in Glendora that was one of the options but he had finally decided on the trail where I was and he wasn't ha ha ha! Hey, I let him get in the final decision and he went to the wrong place ha ha ha! I guess he was up too late thinking about  the details of the ride but in the wrong location ha ha ha! I've done that before, thinking of a ride then second guessing myself, wait, where are we riding again? I'd have to look back on my text messages to clear the confusion. Part of getting old I guess. Sheot happens ha ha ha! He did look back and find that it was his text that named the spot so I'm clear of all blame ha ha ha!

But a good ride and decent conversation pace. It is strange riding one trail with a higher average then riding this uphill course with a lower average then heading down only to fight the wind slowing one down even more. Today we were doing a good effort on the way down and holding 16-17. In my experience on this trail, that is a good clip as many times I am pushing hard doing 14 or 15. Doesn't seem fair it's the usual thing for me on this trail. It's a little tougher but it is much cleaner and a good workout so I do it. 

Even though we were doing pretty good holding 16-17, TC said it is strange that we were doing a pretty good effort and only doing 17. He says to hold 17 on the other trail is pretty easy but this one is a little different, I agree!

Once we descended the dam, we headed towards that trail, stopped for the crossing light when some dude on a mountain bike pulled up behind us. We headed off then he hopped on our wheels. We were riding side by side so the MTB'er sat just behind us in the draft staying in the middle, like a triangle. After a bit he asked if it was ok that he was there. I usually ride alone and like to keep it that way but since I was with TC, I let him answer and he's more friendly than I ha ha ha! But the guy was cool and rolling pretty well. He told us that he had never had it that easy and that fast before. Cool!

But after the downhill section was over, now it was mostly flat and windy to remaining 6 miles. The dude on the MTB was doing well and I could feel my legs starting to work harder at this point but he held on. Heck, TC had the same thought I had, actually waiting for the guy to go around us maybe having a motor or something because he was rolling pretty good. Just when I started thinking he had to have a motor, he shouted thank you then dropped back. Whew, not that it was a problem but he got me thinking that I sucked or he had a motor ha ha ha!

At Encanto Park, we stopped for a break. Ran into some friendly mentally challenged kid, or guy, not sure of his age but pretty well grown. He walked by with his group and caretakers shouting Hi Guys!!!!!

He and one of the caretakers came over and started talking bike, yes bikes! The guy started asking what kind of bikes we had. Then he pointed at mine and said it was old, ok kid! Then he started complimenting TC's bike. Next thing we know, he starts chatting about disc brakes, gravel bikes, tire sizes and all kinds of stuff we were shocked that he knew. Then he said, I have bibs. I was like what? Not to be mean, but a challenged kid knows about bibs? So we chatted about bike stuff for a good while ha ha ha! Then he said, I won a claim against a drug manufacturer, he named it but I won't. He tried to explain but we were unclear and not wanting to dwell. But he was happy telling us how much money he won but thinking about it, we wondered if he had been normal before the incident or was he already a bit challenged? It was strange that he knew so much about bikes already but how unless he had experience previously. Either way, the dude knew bikes, good for him! Good guy and actually a blast chatting with the kid, guy, man, whatever he is, not sure ha ha ha! Couldn't pick up on his age, looked like a kid, spoke like a teen but a mustache like a man. Heck, more than I have ha ha ha!

TC blasting off on the 11%

My face trying to climb 11% with one hand taking pics ha ha ha!

Aww, my Honey tonight after dinner at Sizzler and a visit to the mall for coffee. So sweet and wonderful, the most beautiful person on this earth. How can someone not love this girl?

Sandra Strong as Hell Tour (video )

 Sandra did 76+ from Encanto Park area to Seal Beach and back. I joined just above Pico but lost about 2 miles forgetting to restart after a rest. But who's counting?😄 Sandra is strong as hell but needs a little education on ride tactics.  I  explained a lot to her today about drafting position, when and where to recover that she didn't know.  I  let her make some mistakes today so she'd get toasty then I'd tell her,  now let's do this and she would.  By the end of the ride she was like, whoah I see what you mean.  I think she understands a lot after today's ride. Like I told her, she's strong as hell but if she learns when and how to unleash the beast, she's going to be that much stronger.  Determined and with a little Mr. Beanz discipline,  she's going to shock the cycling world. 😄 Did stop in Seal Beach for a sandwich 🥪 and another Starbucks frappe compliments of Sandra. Cruised around town a bit looking for a rest place. Did I mention, Sandra is strong as hell? Next time I'll do the entire 70+ so we can work on strategies some more.  Good job Grasshopper! 👏 

                     Sandra and her Starbucks.  I  offered to pay but she insisted.  Who am I to argue? 😁

Gina's brother Sam. I heard he was looking for another set of headphones 🎧 so I gave him a set I had laying around.  Only used 3 or 4 times. Hooked him up as well as the JBL app for the equalizer.  JBL-NC670. He was one happy MOFO. 😄

Sunday was just a day off the bike to enjoy Gina. Breakfast at Joanne's Ontario then Sizzler in West Covina.  No wonder I decided to do 45 instead of the entire 75 with Sandra 

😁

                                                           Post ride meal with Gina 😆

I wish WE , COULD stop TRYING stuff!😳😵‍💫😳 Last few times and quite a few times over the last few months Gina says "I wanna try this!". I get the usual, stuff I know I like and can eat. Again tonight Gina orders some weird dish. Sweet ham sandwich with some weird sugar syrup as a bread spread. 🤮 And again she says she can't eat it. So I offer some of mine and try to eat that nasty stuff. She eats part of mine and I try to force down the nasty junk SHE HAD TO TRY. I wish "WE" could stop TRYING this stuff. 🤣

Solo Drunk Bastard Tour

Solo 40 miles at 16.4 average speed. Just looking for a good steady old man ride. TC mentioned before our GMR that us old guys 60+ shouldn't ride to hard for our own well being. So today was just a ride to get out there, keep it going. Just wish he had said that before we planned the GMR ride. 😄 Did feel good going this direction with cool air seeing the last few times I did it, the temps were HOT. 🤣 Set some PRs as well, I'll take it. 🤗

Dinner this eve, tried a different dish at Millie's. Gina picked something off the holiday menu, Turkey Stack. Some weird thing, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy stacked on a sour dough bread slice. It was ok but she said she should have chose something different. I went for fish and shrimp since not riding tomorrow. Don't usually eat fish if I'm going to ride as it has upset my stomach in the past but today, thought I'd give it a try. Like Gina, I should have tried something else or stuck with my usual. The potatoes there are really good though. Home style potatoes that usually go with breakfast but I did the substitute since their fried actually suck ha ha ha! I earned the cheesecake today! 😁

Solo 31 Recovery Post GMR / Watch ? & Blog Stats

 Solo 31 miles aiming for 20 but just felt so good, I kept going. Went for a nice spin to relax the legs 🦵 after GMR. Not sure what happens on GMR but felt like something woke up my muscles because after 5 miles or so, felt great! But I'll take it , always a good feeling 👍 great! Who knows, maybe the 2 eggs 🥚 and a 🌽 corn tortilla. 😄

Ha ha ha I got 3 Local Legend medals on Strava.  I don't try,  just riding but I guess that makes it funny.  I got an alert couple days back saying someone took my LL but after today's ride,  I got 3. 😄

Always A HOLE cyclists. People worry that the golf course will stop cyclists from using the lot but in return,  do they follow any kind of rules? No and they go in to use the facilities, at no price.  These people piss me off. Always crying how nobody respects cyclists but the A Holes can't even return the courtesy.  2 guys riding their bikes right up to the door, I wanted to bitch slap both of them. 😄

Did run into a dude I met before at the course patio. Last time he was cycling,  this time hiking.  We had a good chat last time and another good one today.  Plenty of etiquette talk and helping other cyclists on how to be a good rider. David,  cool guy. He must have said today that I took the words right out of his mouth.  I would say something then he would say he was just about to say that.  Then he labeled me as a competent rider saying he could tell I knew my stuff, what matters as far as safe habits,  riding,  and earning respect.  I'll take it! Must be a cool guy if he's wise enough to realize this ha ha ha! 

Of course we were talking about how cyclists earn their respect when those two morons rode up and into the golf course area. 🙄 

I asked if he participated on cycling internet platforms and he said no. With the explanation that I've heard from several other good riders, the net is filled with fools who really have no clue. 😄

Mt ⌚️ watch

Cool deal! Hanging out at the empty mall, I came across one of the very few shops still open. Little jewelry/watch store. Saw a sign saying battery change $8 and up. I walked in to ask about my Casio I got like 20 years ago. Always paid about 10 bucks for a new battery, then $20 last few years, inflation. 🤣 

I returned today with the watch and yup dude said $10. Quick and easy. Quiet kind of grumpy guy but I got him laughing. Like 5 minutes and that included a few jokes. Sadly the mall is supposed to be closing but nobody really knows when. So he gave me his personal number in case itcdoes close, I can still get service. 

One of the things we talked about, few weeks ago I asked a shop at the other mall but they wanted $65. 😵‍💫 Are you freaking kidding me?!😠 So I put it off. I do have like 7 watches but this is a simple practical every day watch and glows like a mothuh in the dark. 😄

So its done, $10 but I gave im $20. Hecwas happy but so am I. But the mall dupposedly closing but who knows when, he gave me his number just in case. Cool older Asian dude who says he works cheaper because he doesn't have to pay fancy people to run his shop. 

Little history on the watch. I saw it about 25 years ago, $55. Just liked it. I thought about buying it but didn't. Saw it again a year later, but $75. Hmmm. Then a year later, Gina saw it at Costco for $55 again. So she bought it then brought it home to surprise me. 😊 Everybody needs a wife like this! ❤️ 

20 years later, actually about a year ago, I saw the same model on eBay, used, no strap selling for $200. What?! 😲

Turns out thiscwatch is called The Arnie. Arnold wore it in a couple movies. Kindergarten Cop and Denzel wore it in a movie as well. 

SCORE !!! 😁😁😁

Amazing to me viewing my stats that people in other countries view my stuff. Thousands in places I would never expect. I can almost hear what they're saying in other languages, "that freaking Mr. Beanz!!!" ha ha ha!

GMR with TC and Sandra

 18 miles with 2500 ft gain. Haven't been up in years so it's about time. Just a ride to test the waters, see what we have been missing. Will do it again real soon. This was just a reminder on what it's like to hit The Shack. Tour type ride having fun. Turns out Sandra is a really good descender. I think she lead the way most of the way down without batting an eye lash ha ha ha! Took some pics at the Wall saddle before the fork. I usually pick the best one but all of the Sandra pics looked pretty good.

Funny, now looking back on the video, the section where I was joking about Sandra offering a date, she said, "no, the kind of date that you eat." Uhhh after further review, uhh yes, there are some dates that a guy would like to eat. 😆😄😆

Om another note, TC posted on his strava about posting his worst strava time ever on the climb.  Looking back, my best was 10 years back as far as strava times. This ride was mostly at a relaxed pace. I stopped 3 times with TC, back tracked 3 times to regroup but only 17 minutes off my best. Heck, after a few times to get acquainted with the climb again,  I might not be too far off challenging my best. Not bad for an old 62 year old.  But actually my best in 2005 is 56 minutes and that was heading to the village,  another 13 miles not having gone all out on the climb to the shack 8 miles. But hey, good to know that in the last 10 years,  I might not have lost too much. 

Heck, I know plenty of riders that wouldn't even do it t 35 years old ha ha ha. 

A good day! Bike ride, lunch and chatting n laughing with TC over a chili cheese burger and onion rings. Then street tacos at the mall for dinner. Then a coffee ☕️ and soda with my Honey. I probably undid everything I gained from the bike ride but that's cool, it was a fun day. 😄