Love Me Some Bike Stuff!

Always got to share bike stuff! After my hydration pack leaked all over GMR, I picked one up at Wally World the other night. Ten bucks! Well if it springs a leak, no big loss but I'm betting it lasts 5 years or so at my rate of using hydration packs at once or twice per year ha ha!

But today going to meet Gina's sister for dinner near Ontario Mills, we had to stop in at a bike shop for some goodies. Yeah, came out with some goodies. Honey Stingers and a couple of bags of Skratch for Gina. No helmet pads, my main reason for stopping in, BOOOOOO!  But did see some shorts on sale. Gina insisted I get at least two pair, then she said wtheck and suggested I get the three! Two Podium and one IN-R Cooling something or other. Regular $110 on sale for $89, hope they are worth it. I've had the Podium before and they work just fine. Decent short at a sale price of $59.

Oh yeah, needed a new derailleur cable and picked up a little glueless patch kit. Not that I have any faith in them but I have plans of riding GMR more often (now that SART sucks!) so having 2 spare tubes should be good but you never know when you might really need a back up plan!

Of course I forgot to toss in the little patch kit for the picture! But I sure have fun looking for bike stuff!

GMR - Tour De Wet Butt Crack

26.8 miles with 3,232 ft of gain. Well, kind of an odd feeling. I have a hydration pack that Gina found at Costco like back in 2005. I used it plenty to train for Ride Around the Bear a few times and Breathless Agony. I was riding to Baldy Village often but didn't want to get stuck out there with no water, so I used it. Several forum members really dissed my Sierra whatever it is but I will say, for $14.99 I really got some use out of it! They said it would explode like carbon blah blah blah! You know forum people, if it ain't high end, it ain't good enough for their 10 mile rides ha ha! Somebody said it would burst after a ride or two. I don't think so, many mtb rides, countless rides to the village and 12 years later, barely sprung a leak.

I cleaned it up real good last night as I haven't used it in a while. It was fine but arriving at GMR, it was leaking. I figured with the 73 ounces and 2 large water bottles, I could go as far as I want and not have to worry about water. Of course after 3 weeks off the bike, my body disagreed ha ha! A large bottle is 24 ounces, the pack 72 ounces. I think I took in 24 and the rest ran down my butt crack ha ha! Like I said, odd feeling but I think it helped me stay cool. Though it was a cool 85 degrees today, it felt pretty humid with the cloud cover so a wet butt crack only helped me keep cool ha ha!

Mike did very well and sure he waited on me. He has done GMR a few times now while I was slacking so he looked good. Plus he has dropped about 30 pounds, nice! I have been slacking but as a come back tune up ride, I figured if I could survive GMR after 3 weeks off, I was still doing OK!

Anyway, the plan is to do many more GMR rides now so once I get used to climbing again, I won't even need the hydration pack. Plus it should cool off some time soon!

We did cruise up with a goal to make it as most first rides back are. Along the way, I saw a couple guys go flying by. WHOAH! It was JimmyNH (NH -No Helmet). No, he will not get into a debate about it. He looked like he involved in a serious workout so he shouted, "I'LL TALK TO YOU AT THE VILLAGE!". Yeah, my heart was in it but my body was arguing so we turned back at Peacock Saddle today. Known as Point of No Return to some of you.

BTW, makes you wonder about some of the people on Strava. We heard some guy coming up from behind us. We could hear the wheels spinning fast. He rolled by us on like he was on a motorcycle. HE WAS! He had a motor on his bike. He pulled away like, he was on a motorcycle! :-O

I looked at the flybys and see one guy blowing by several riders like they are standing still on the chart. I know some real fast guys passed us today but the movement on this guy's chart is incredible. Then later he slows down and is riding with another rider. Hmmm! His overall average is high but not extremely high like a motorcycle. Makes you wonder why someone would ride a motorcycle up then post hit time on Strava. Hmmm!

Jimmy No Helmet...guy on the right with,....NO Helmet! :-P

Petition (Take Back SART from the Homeless)

I saw this on a bike forum. A petition to take back SART. Too many homeless out there and exactly right! I would get fined if I were to camp out there, or build a fire, or let dogs run loose, or litter, or expose myself to passers by, or do drugs, or......well ran out of whatever's but you get the idea! :-P

Link to Take Back SART Petition

Sunday SART with Gina and Friends

I was almost dreading this day thinking Gina would be tired from the tandem ride yesterday, But she did really well! Actually better than her last trail ride ha ha!

40 miles at 16.5 average. I can't complain! I felt my legs a bit today from yesterday but once we warned up, I felt pretty good! We really need to keep riding the tandem around home in the hills. Very good workout and can only make us stronger!

Today we started with Jose at Katella, headed inland then ran into Don at the coast. Had a good chat with Louie at the coast about cycling. Then headed back with the gang and picked up a couple riders along the way.

I swear there are too many jerks in the house! At the coast, some guy heard me tell Don that we started at Katella (but we head inland to Imperial). The guy didn't know so he starts saying, "that's it? I rode from Yorba Park and I bet you can't pass me on those expensive bike!". Umm OK! I looked at his bike, somewhat of a cruiser and I have no problem with cruisers. But I did ask, so what is your average that you are so fast? He said he didn't use a computer but he knows he's faster than us and we won't catch him. Umm OK! We were getting ready to leave when he  jumped in our conversation so we headed out about 2 minutes behind the guy. Of course we were on the trail for about 100 yards before we passed him. Wow, what a dope! Gina says there had to be something wrong with the guy, mental or he was on drugs. I don't know, all I know is that we was a butt hole ha ha!

Gina drinking from a bottle

Me drinking, no hands, and taking a pic. Just figured I'd make it interesting for ya ha ha!

Jose crossing paths with Jose R. (far side opposite direction)

Louie

Everybody looked happy but Jose, as usual!

Tandem Local Course

Yeah, the trail is getting so messed up that it's not even a joy to drive down there to ride in any longer. Gina really hasn't enjoyed it much lately. Spending the gas, the time traveling, the freeway traffic home, I figured we should give some thought to local roads. I was really surprised at how many riders are really out here on the local roads. Cool! That means it's safer for us figuring the locals and traffic knows there are cyclists out here and figure they take a little extra caution while driving.

I'm glad to say that every time we ride local, we encounter mostly courteous drivers. Yeah, one or two that will race to beat you to the corner to make a turn but that really doesn't bother me. I'd rather let them go while I back off a step keeping myself safe. Plus, a little breather, especially on the tandem ha ha!

Gina said she would ride her single so as not to punish me on the hills being a slower climber than I am. But that's cool, I'd rather suffer a little more on the hills to keep her safe on the roads. Though Gina really does have pretty good handling skills, she has made a couple errors that really frighten me on the road. Maybe twice, I have slowed at a yellow light, signaled, shouted out and for some reason, she doesn't react and blows the light from behind me as I am slowing. Shouting, "Oh! I didn't realized!".

She says they are little mistakes but I really don't think there an excuse. If I am up front, signaling the stop, shouting ahead of time, how can she not know? I'm a weenie head about making mistakes on the road and it usually ends up with me lecturing her but that's OK, she'll thank me later and does when she realizes how bad the move was. Only 2 or 3 times in the 10 years or so we have been on the road but to me, 1 time is too many! I don't believe anyone should get hurt or killed for a hobby. SO! Not knowing she hasn't ridden much or been on the tandem, I don't mind suffering a little more to keep us both safe. I just have to get it in my mind before the ride that I know I am going to suffer ha ha!

But really, it was a bit tougher than the trail with the up and down profile, a few 5-6% grades here and there but I really didn't think it was that bad. Gina said she was surprised that it was not as bad as she figured as well. I'm glad as that means we will be doing more riding around home. Saving gas, time, travel time and not having to smell the homeless piss on the trail! :-(

Big variance in temperature though! High of 96 degrees (pretty sure that was on the hill ha ha!), Minimum of 78 and an average of 86 according to Garmin. Not as hot as Gina expected and she actually says we could have done more.  But today was a test ride since we have never rode out that direction. Went well!

                                  The profeel! Not bad on paper but sure felt tougher than that ha ha!

Sometimes I can't decide between pics so Gina says post both! Up Mills

The motor! :-P

East on Baseline.Trucks aren't as bad as I expected. I can still smile and take  a pic in traffic!

Up Euclid to 16th

Ahh, end of ride and a little shade.

Happy it's over and really early. Finished at 11:30 vs the getting home at 4 pm traveling to the trail.

BTW, been practicing and learning my photography. I thought this was pretty cool. Saw it on youtube. Low lights, slow shutter speed, (10 seconds). I was swinging around one of the red tail lights (see it it cycling related :-P). I was moving around so I am just a blur but the light comes out! I think with a little practice and a plan, this could be some cool stuff!

I am in the picture, you just can't see me!

I was moving as much in this one, so I left it so you could see me, a bit.

Just messing with pics. This is Gina's whistle. I placed it on a mirror and took a shot to see how it would look. I might start marking my pics because there are a few people on facebook who end up with my pics, then send them (me or Gina in them)  to me saying they thought I might like to have it. Well yeah! I took the picture ha ha!

Makes You Wonder..Stolen Bike ???

Just in case anyone is missing a Cannondale Super Six. This guy posted on a forum asking about the model of the bike. I found a similar model selling USED for $4200! :-O

Makes you wonder how this guy gets a hold of this bike and doesn't even know what it is!

Seems he joined yesteday 8/7 and asking questions about the bike.

Hey you never know just in case!

Maybe it isn't stolen, hoping criminals aren't dumb enough to post serial numbers.

I have no idea where he is form, no location listed. But if I were missing a bike like this, I'd be calling on the forum people. :-P

Saturday SART with Gina and Friends

41 miles at 16.3 with Gina today. Started at Orangewood cause Gina said it is an easier return than Katella. Hmm, OK! I think it's all mental but what can I say?

Later Ron and Dixie caught up with us so we rode together for a bit. Pretty much most of the south direction after Edna to the coast, the windy section. So it made it easier on us and I was not fussing about it ha ha! I did take a couple of turns at the front to help out the Ron and Dixie tandem team. I always feel it's just right and hate to think of myself as a blood sucking wheel leach ha ha!

Gina did very well though I was worried not having many miles in her recently. But she did great imo. She later said she was working hard but did very well.

Then we ran into Don at the coast. Ron and Dixie headed back before us. Great for us because with any kind of tailwind, Ron and Dixie would probably hold 35 ha ha and Gina ain't having that! :-P

But we did head back with Don. Gina did pretty well till the last mile or two. Don took the front but by this time Gina was pooped so he ended up slowing for us. Not having ridden much with Gina, I'm pretty sure he didn't know that when she gets pooped, she gets pooped and has a hard time making the little underpasses, well the steep ones. I kind of think he may feel cheated out of taking his turn at the front helping us out but like I said, when Gina is pooped, she is pooped ha ha!

I thought this was funny though. Gina and I were heading toward Imperial just warming up on the beginning section of our ride. I was holding it down to about 16-17. I think our average on the first 7 was like 15.6 (?). Some guy caught us about 1/4 before Imperial. As he passed he said, "wow, you guys were really hard to catch!". :-O Not being rude we just said, "oh ha ha ha!". After he rolled away and we stopped at Imperial, Gina said, "wow, we weren't even trying  he he he, just warming up!". :-P

Wearing her halter top so she can even out the tan on her back.

Uh, oh! Look who's catching us!

Poor Dixie has to peek around to be seen!

OK, I'm tired of looking at Ron. Let's look at Dixie for a while! :-P

Heading back with Don

Hang loose!

Don busting out the tris!