Solo & PRs on The Damn Dam Climb

 Solo 35 from Pico to the base of the Azusa mtts 15.2 average speed. Applied a little pressure today feeling good 👍 Gave a good effort up the dam climb feeling good when I arrived at the bottom. 3 PRs on the climb. Not bad seeing my old best was probably over 15 years ago, maybe more. 🤔 Found another lucky penny. Could be why I felt good both ways though being windy. Or maybe taking the day off yesterday to have fun with Gina. 😄

Feeling good after spending the day with Gina.  Was really cool Was Montclair Plaza set up a few haunted houses in vacant units.  The Spooktacular,  games, treats,  and stuff for the kids.  Saturday evening 6 pm . We went to the West Covina mall after our visit which was about 5 pm but the WC was fairly empty.  I think everyone was at the Montclair Plaza ha ha ha. 

Lucky penny.  I never used to pick up a coin but a few years back,  I heard Gina say, find a penny pick it up,  all day long you'll have good luck 👍.  Now I find 🪙 coins everywhere.  

I noticed Jimbo posted a pic of himself on Strava using my new rest stop at the SF Dam Nature Center.  OK, I guess I'll share. 😄

Just Another Dam Ride

 Just Another Dam Ride. 😄 Solo 26 from Pico Rivera to the Santa Fe Dam. Digging the new Camelback bottles. Way better 👍and nice clear nipples. The last ones got cruddy quickly and were bright red. Never a fan of cruddy bright red nipples. 🤣 And if my dam climb time is slow, it's because I did the top section with one hand while taking three 📸 pics. Well that's my excuse today. 😆😄😆 I like clouds. 👍

Your welcome! Sent a complaint online Friday.  Couches still there on Monday so I sent another with a better pic and a comment about what a shame it would be if they faced a lawsuit from a trail user because the mess was allowed to remain. 😉

OK, so it was Friday the first time taking time to coordinate the clean up but sure a second complaint wouldn't hurt.

I sure didn't feel like riding today but Gina and I did hit up the new Los Jarritos that recently reopened.  So figured I better ride it off. 

Strangely though, this is the Casa Jiminez building we frequented for years, one of my favorite places and people.  They were forced to close due to a large increase in the lease rate. Jose just closed shop and retired. 

Los Jarritos closed because they're tearing down the old strip mall to build a condo complex. So after being closed for 3 months,  Los Jarritos moved into the vacant CJ building,  okaaay.

I thought that building would be empty for years like the last CJ building. Down the street still empty after 20 years,  same issue,  left after an increase. 

But the new Jarritos building? What happened there? CJ left due to high rent but LJ moved in?

Makes me wonder if they just take in more  money or did the owner lower the rate after Casa Jiminez left? What a shame either way and maybe he figured it out after seeing the old building empty for 20 years. I sure those people lost a lot of money as they're still trying to lease it out.

But either way,  Los Jarritos is expensive now. Few years back, we at for 20 bucks for years. And yes, before Trump took office,  they prices increased rather quickly.  Last night, we spent a couple bucks short of $50. 

Potato dish is smaller,  less sauce, pay for Pico, everything is smaller and more expensive.  The building cost maybe?

Either way,  we were talking about not returning though we were regulars before closing 3 months back. 

There is another place,  cousins I think,  El Menedero by the LA fair dragstrip. Ate there 3 weeks back before finding out about the Los Jarritos re-opening. Just as good,  a mini bit different but they did serve bigger portions than the new LJ. So now,  I think when I'm in the mood for this kind of food   I'll skip LJ. I mean $50 for a little rice and beans with a Chile pepper and tortilla? 🥺

Secret Mission Tour with Sandra (video posted)

 43 miles with about 1500 ft of elevation gain. Sandra wanted to ride on the flatter side of the world but heading east on Badillo does not feel flat. She did a ride over the weekend with over 3k of climbing so I can't blame her. I myself, my third straight day of riding and I rarely do that. So I didn't complain about her thoughts of heading down to the flatter section.

But I did forget that the Santa Fe rec area is closed on Mon and Tues. What I didn't know not ever coming up the entrance driveway was that there is a big gate near the road blocking the entrance and there is NO WAY around it. Small gap in the center so Sandra hopped the gate then I handed the bikes over. Funny, after I handed my bike over, she said, "boy, you're tall!". Not sure if it was standing next to my bike or because I could lift my leg up to the top of the section she had to climb ha ha ha!

Headed east as Sandra was telling me about one of the groups she rides with does not exceed a certain speed to keep it together. Cool but she said she liked to pick it up some for a good workout. So that is what I did ha ha ha! A group ride we used to do would head west to start and everybody was flying. But once we turned and headed back east, it was a gentle climb and most of the riders would fade big time. Remembering this, I figured I would work out Sandra heading east, the gentle climb for a workout. It worked, she suffered some which is a good thing if one is looking for a good workout. She did tell me at the start of the ride that she was feeling good and strong so that's why I figured I'd pick it up ha ha ha!

But we both had a good ride and Sandra did ride strong as always. Really improved from when I first met her in a group. Once we reached the secret destination, she offered a Frappacino as appreciation for tagging along.  Vanilla Bean that was actually pretty good. OF course we all know anything that is free tastes better ha ha ha!

So we headed back and she went into beast mode once again. When we head east, she thinks she is wiped out but I know it's the incline and remind her. I figure we can burn it out then when we head back, it will be easier if for any reason we suffer too much. But Sandra has this thing about recovering really well. Very resilient and after riding with several of the female riders in the past, I think she is one of the strongest. A couple that are just flat out awesome monsters on the bike but Sandra ain't far behind. Never complains about climbing like some of the others and when it comes down to it, I'd place money on her making it to the top first. And as always, when I think she's cooked, she recovers and starts to punish me a bit on the bike. I have to remind myself that it will only hurt for a little bit ha ha ha!

On a good but sad note with Annette's passing, I had sent an email to Hillbasher (of the forums). We used to ride GMR together till he moved up north. I had sent an email but he did not respond then I remembered, he was 61 back then, I think 10 years ago? Notifying him of her passing and no response, I started to think, uh oh, maybe he's gone too! So I sent a text while Gina and I were having dinner and he responded rather quickly.  Whew! I was starting to worry that maybe I had lost 2 cycling buddies. But not, thank goodness! He did say that he hadn't been on his bike in some time and our of shape. Heck, aren't we all. I guess at this point in our lives, if we're still alive, we're ok! So it was cool chatting with him if even in a text message. Brings back memories and I still look back at our rides on my blog.

So still riding, alive and kicking, I'd have to say that I'm doing ok myself ha ha ha!

Youtube video

Easy but Sleazy & I HATE Polar Bottles

 Solo 26 miles, Easy but Sleazy Tour.  Tried to go easy but Mother Nature was blowing on me all the way back,  and not in a good way. 😂 Pico Rivera to the SF Nature Center and back.

Saturday and Sunday heart rates. Pretty cool using the monitor to exercise a little smarter. It can be a little difficult to make yourself slow down and maintain but that's discipline. Something I have noticed many cyclists don't have or can't follow. 

Saturday vs Sunday

BTW, as mentioned in my video yesterday,  I hate Polar bottles.  Just ordered a couple more Podium bottles from Jenson. FORTY BUCKS! It's amazing how expensive bottles have gotten but to be honest, Camelback are more than likely worth it after having to deal with these slop Polar bottles.

I'll have to send another complaint.  Sheot is still there but who knows,  maybe they didn't get around to it on Friday.  But better pics this time. 

And  a mostly nice post ride dinner with my Honey. Avolio's, great salad and the pasta has been really good the last couple times. We usually get the pizza but a hankering for pasta lately. I got cannelloni and Gina, stuffed shells. She was quite happy with them today.

But sadly, some ignorant loud people sat nearby. Wow, a little baby with them, The conversation was like....Aww, say thank you baby, awwwww that's so cute.  I TOLD THAT MOTHER F#@KER THAT HE NEEDS TO STOP BEING A B!TCH AND GROW UP, STUPID MOTHER F#@KER!!!  Awww, the baby just said pizza, so cute.....SO I'M GOING TO CALL THAT A HOLE RIGHT NOW AND TELL THAT MOTHER F#@KER THAT HE BETTER NOT BE THERE WHEN I GET HOME. I'M  TIRED OF THAT PIECE OF SH!T.....awwwww, the baby just took a bite of her pizza.

Wow, so loud and obnoxious ignorant  people. I can't believe people talk like that with a baby around. I mean, not even quietly, pretty much shouting across the dining room, no class at all. I felt like shouting...WOULD YOU SHUT THE F#@IK UP?! 

Solo SART and Annette Video Mention RIP

 Solo 46 miles at 16.2 average speed on SART. Pretty windy today. Big headwind to the coast and thought I would have a tailwind on the way back, nope! Not much really going on, just a couple of little kids showing me how it's supposed to go ha ha ha! Cool when Dad takes the kids for a ride. They did look strong making me feel a little wimpy ha ha ha!

Did mention Annette in the video, sad news. Ran across Ron, PinoyBenter on the trail.

                                                                         The video

                                                                            Ron, PinoyBenter

OMG....GMR Sad News

 Browsing around Facebook,  I stumbled upon Bill's profile.  Annette, GMR'S husband.  Thought I'd take a look seeing GMR hasn't posted on her blog for years.  Last I heard she wasn't riding much having a good time taking care of grandkids. 

But I saw this. A post saying Annette came home but not in the way he wanted.  So sad, my heart dropped with the news. 

A wonderful friendly intelligent lady known to many in the cycling world.  Wow! About all I can say losing another cycling buddy. 

Taken way too early.  Bill mentioned battling a brain tumor over the last year. He was her caretaker.  Wow, all I can say, just wow. She will be missed.