Jus' S'mo Exercise Tour / Lucky You Got a Tailwind 😆

  Solo 41. Just getting out though the bed 🛌 was begging me to stay. 🤣 Pico to Azusa Cyn and back. 🚲

Funny guy! I had seen him before about a year ago. I think I placed it on my blog. But as I'm warming up into my pace, the first half mile or so, some dude comes flying by me. A few years older than I am and a sweet looking bike with a race jersey. Not sure if he was in the Sea Otter Classic or just some wannabe that bought the jersey thinking others would be envious that he raced or something silly.

Of course I'm in my Crank Old Bastard jersey, not too serious a rider, just having fun. So same thing as last time, the dude goes flying by then looking back at me as if we were racing. Yeah, I race off the line with people I have no idea of how far they've come. But we all know the dude who sees some big guy out there and tells himself he's going to wipe the floor with the big guy. So remembering what happened last time, I didn't sweat it and I KNEW I'd be catching him when the road turned up 6 mile later. So like last time, the dude got about 100 yards ahead and this time, I'm just cruising cause I know I will be catching his arse on the incline.

Sure enough, about the same place as last time, he starts to fade and I see that I'm catching up with not too much effort. I think he blows his wad on the flat section trying to impress others. So I'm about 7 miles in, looking at the graph when it kicks up a little, when I end up behind him with one of the little steep ramps. Like 15 yards, nothing major or actually a climb. Just a little kicker in the middle of the road. I could have passed him 30 yards back but chose to wait for the kicker ha ha ha! So perfectly timed on the incline, I rolled around him. I figured he was going to try to keep up like last time so this time, I just lifted the pace. A little too early in the ride but what the heck, going to have a little fun with this guy.

Last time he did the same thing but when I rolled around him, he shouted, "IT'S A GOOD THING YOU HAVE A TAILWIND!". Which really didn't make any sense to me as if I did have a tailwind, so did he. He tried to keep up that time but knowing he was a game playuh, I worked hard to leave him behind. So this time, I rolled around him and kicked it up giving him no chance like last time to even TRY to take my wheel. He did last time for a bit but just couldn't handle any kind of an incline, even in it was just a little short ramp.

But this time, I just rolled around and pushed the pace making sure to leave him behind ASAP. It worked! So I did work pretty hard to the top of the trail wanting to leave him as far behind as possible. It worked. If you knew the area, you would know the final 2 miles of the trail is a stair stepping climb that tires one out. But in that distance, I got so far ahead that I went up the dam which is another 1/8 (?) of a mile ahead. I was half way up the dam when I looked back noticing he was just arriving at the Chalan rest stop, turning in for a rest. 

Oh c'mon man, I was hoping he would climb the 11% dam but nope. I looked down at him and I know at that distance, he couldn't see the grin on my face. The climb goes out and cuts back across the trail so he could see me climbing the dam. I kept looking that way hoping he could see me looking down at him ha ha ha! Either way, I was hoping he would climb the dam but nah! It was just funny remembering the guy and his attitude last time, and his comment. I know this time we didn't have a tailwind so that gave me an even better advantage.

On the final section, half way up the peak in the graph, I did feel my earlier effort. I did want to keep my average speed at this point and somehow managed to recover and was able to lift my pace a little more to the top. I was happy and felt good enough on the windy to return to turn the 35 mile ride into 40. So I'm happy.

At the top, I did roll by a guy on a mountain bike type. Big fat balloon tires. I rolled by him trying to maintain my uphill average speed. I hoped he didn't think I was an arrogant butt hole. I was just keeping my pace and actually going a little harder at this point. So when I got to the top, I decided to eat my fig bars. Nature's Oven, good stuff but I hate the raspberry with all them tiny little seeds that choke me every now and then. So much I have to worry about puking to dislodge them. So I prefer the blueberry and Cinnamon apple, non choking stuff ha ha ha!

The guy reaching the top a couple minutes behind me pulled up and was rather quiet. So as most times, I started a chat. Turns out his name is Frank, hey I'm a Fred. I told him that I knew he was getting a good workout with the fat tires and the mtb style bike. He lightened up really quick and started yapping along with me. Had a good conversation. Says he is a regular on the trail and rides fairly often, 70 years old, wow didn't look it at all so I hope I can keep riding into my 70s. He made it a point to state that he was just riding his bike for exercise and not racing anyone. Ah, I can tell and told him that I miss my hybrid as I used to just do some cruising rides. Not that I am racing, heck I'm just cruising most times nowadays. Being retired and just trying to stay active, I'm just getting in the miles now though every once in a while, I'll bang one out with some dude out there that I know is going to try to race me.

Frank was cool though. Growing up in LA and having seen plenty of stuff I saw and experienced growing up, it was easy to relate. Heck, I though he was old school Oldies type music, he did mention attending a Rush concert not long ago. Ha ha ha like me, growing up in the barrio, I was probably one of the only ones that listened to rock music back then. Pffft, was hard rock back then. Then into classic rock and now listening to Pandora, this stuff is now considered soft rock ha ha ha! I guess I am getting old.

                                                              Top of the trail, Azusa Cyn

Did have dinner with Gina at Sizzler again. Funny because we have some good waitresses there that really take good care of us. All the extras and special favors but hey, we take good care of them. We have had one waitress though that just doesn't get it right but tonight, she must have learned something or someone told her something.

We sat down, got extra bread though we don't eat the extra and feel bad wasting it. But it showed that she was going above and beyond it seemed at that point. Heck, got my lemons, my sweetener sub, and extra ice as usual from the others. But this gal came up today with an extra bowl and plate. We didn't ask but the others know after I finish my meal, if they throw in a little bowl for a small salad, I really appreciate it and it's a win win sit-chee-ation.

Usually they will ask me if I want an extra bowl but today, this gal just showed up with a bowl and a plate then asking if we want MORE. Oh no no no thank you, gave us more than we needed. Our drinks never went dry, just like I like it and offered far more than we could eat so it was all good.

Usually we tip her really good for just being two of us, but she stepped it up today placing herself in the BIG GIRL TIP STATUS. Gina and I were laughing thinking she must have asked the others why their tips were double of what we were giving her. Either way, now she knows and it was great today. We were both happy, I got my stuff and all the extras and she got the double big tip like the others. Hey, if they earn it, I'm more than happy to make it worth their while.

Pretty cool, one of the cashiers knows I like extra ice for my tea and thin steaks. So when he serves us, I get a cup of extra ice and he will take the time to go back notifying the cooks that I want a thin steak, butterflied medium well. I toss him a little something just about every  3 times we go in so he takes good care of us too. Even when he isn't taking our order, he will prepare the extras without asking. The managers is very cool too and he knows that staff takes good care of us. I'm guessing the word is around about our tipping standards so he doesn't have a problem with them throwing in the extras. Heck, they're trying to make a living too so I'm pretty sure they appreciate it and everybody wins!

When we walking out, she said, I appreciate it!" so knowing she stepped it up to BIG GIRL status, I put my hand out for a little fist bump. I have to say, she had a pretty good strong fist going on ha ha ha!

Solo 40 Pico Seal Beach / Another Sizzler B-day (video later)

 Solo Exercise Tour..40 miles, Pico to Seal Beach and back. Tried to go easy hoping to keep the HR down.  Just exercising but ya know,  the wind. 🤣 Steady HR , not too strenuous. 🤪 I had thoughts of stretching it to a 50 miler. Maybe head upward after returning to the golf course. But once I got there, I figured it wasn't that important. Heck, 3  rides, 40 milers this week so I am good. 120 miles per week would give me 480 miles for the month but I'm sure I'll get lazy along the way ha ha ha! I am happy to get in 300 per month and have for some time now but over 4f00 in a few or couple of months which is good. Anything is better than 0.

This is Our Girl ,Angelina. So Sweet. She was on vacation the day of my birthday so we didn't see her till today. She said she had a present for me. Really cute little mug that says I PREFER LIFE BEHIND BARS, ha ha ha! I have seen the t-shirt before but didn't realize there was a mug. Now I know!

Angelina so thoughtful. She thinks she's our daughter. I guess she is ha ha ha! Funny though, I showed this pic to our coffee friend at the mall, another nice lady. She said Angelina actually looks something like Gina ha ha ha! Maybe she had a daughter I didn't know about ha ha ha! And yes, we always get the royal treatment at Sizzler with our Girl there.

video on YT. Sadly can't be viewed in Russia due to music copyrights. 🤪

Just some dude at the park with some peace signs.

Ted in the middle. Often chat with him after the rides at Pico golf course parking lot. One of those dudes that does like 75 mile rides and doesn't use a gps device. Heck, I couldn't do it. I need to know my stats, distance and speed etc. How would I know I did a 50 miler ha ha ha!?

Cool dude though. He was sadly surprised when I told him that the GC was going to close in October. Like most cyclists, his first reaction and concern was, where are we going to park?

Some cheesy selfies with the cell.

Friday Morning 

Wow, what did Gina put on the ribs last night? 😆 She made dinner about 5 PM, ribs and BBQ beanz. Putting Famous Dave's Devil Spit flavored sauce. Used to seem very hot but now I even add Tabasco Sauce to them to spice them up a bit. She also puts the sauce in the BBQ beanz for some flavor. Really good!

But then we fell asleep watching old reruns on TV. About 8 PM. Slept all the way through to morning when it was time for her to get up. Even missed my salad. Got her up at 3:30, then went back to sleep getting up at 9:30. Went to Millie's for the $6.99 special. Pretty busy, I'm thinking due to graduations as it is usually around this time. 

Maybe because of the bike ride as well but i could have stayed in bed all day. But nah! Breakfast then a visit to the mall to fart around on my computer. 😁 Hope I can get our of bed tomorrow to do another slow ride so I can get faster. 🚲

Ahhh just the way I like my steak 😋 Got a mug from Angelina of Sizzler. Late bday gift. She's the one who thinks she's our daughter. 😄

DJ Cycling Champ /60+ CYCLISTS GO SLOW TO GET FAST TOUR

  Seen a bunch of cycling tips on Facebook telling 60+ riders they need to go slow to get fast. At this rate, I'll be ready for the Tour de France in a couple months. 😆 Actually just exercising because it's healthier than staying in bed 🛌 Tried to go easy but the wind makes you work, ride or fall over!🤣

Of course there are signs at various sections of the trail but people with motors can't follow rules.  I will say far less motors on the upper section of SGRT than the lower section and SART. 

Pretty cool after my ride. I was packing up when a dude rode up asking how my ride went.  We started chatting then I noticed his pierced ear and he looked familiar.  

I asked him if he happened to be a road race champion.  He said yup, his name is Dennis,  forgot his last name ha ha ha.  I asked if he knew Bad Bob and the Legend Greg (sadly passed some time ago). He knew them then we got into some pretty cool cycling chat. 

I ran into him back in about 05, maybe.  I was in good shape coming off Ride Around the Bear, climbing event.  I was leaving Huntington Beach when I caught a pace line of about 5 guys. They invited me to jump in so I did.  

Then DJ, Dennis came up from behind us. I had no idea who he was but he was strong.  We all worked together for a few but he and I ended up dropping the other riders.  So he and I rode together for about 5 miles.  Chatting pretty good finding out who he was, a California road champ.

He ended up telling me that I was a strong rider so that was cool coming from the champ. I remember we were around Anaheim and he was riding back to Valencia,  by Magic Mountain.  Man that's a long ride. 

He was on a sweet bike I remember and I on my old Cannondale,  still riding it today,  a 1997 model. But he was telling me on the ride how, at that time,  his favorite bike was a Cannondale but he had to ride his team bike.  Cool guy and a cool chat.

I remember years ago talking about the ride,  to Bad Bob then he said," oh that's Dennis!". All those fast guys know each other ha ha ha! 

But today was another good chat.  83 years old, wow! Still racing with the fast guys. Told me stories about riding with Lance.  Then we chatted about some of my past rides and experiences.  He agreed with many of my bike thoughts so that's pretty cool ha ha ha. 

But a really good guy with lots of stories as well as GMR  experiences.  And, he's a really good listener to ha ha ha.  Cool guy just like he was 20 years ago. 

Oh yeah,  he was wearing a CHAMP jersey.  🏆 

Did learn a couple of things about myself yesterday. One, I could have had hundreds of women had I wanted. 👄 Read a post that popped up on FB about signs that women send when they want a man. One is that the women look at a man then look away. Had I known I could have had hundreds of women because in my adult life, I've had hundreds of women get one good look at me then turn their heads away. 😂🤣😂

Two, people think I look professional. Even if wearing and AC/DC 🎸 t-shirt. The guy that makes my tacos at the mall said I look professional carrying my computer bag around the mall. Another gal told Gina last night that she sees me most days working on my computer at the mall. She asked if I was the work from home type because she always saw me working on my computer. Gina told her that I just bring my computer to the mall to goof off. 🤪😆🤪 I guess I have a different idea of what professional looks like ha ha ha!

Taking it Easy on the Stiff Legs.

 Legs were stiff after the last ride so went easy on them. Must be getting old, all my rides have been easy lately. 😄 I'm smiling in the waffle snack not because of the yummy gooey stuff,  but because they're so cheap. Stroopwafels at Wally World.  And of course,  oatmeal with blueberries 🫐 for breakfast. 😋 

At least the water was on today at the SF Dam Rec Area. 💧 

God honest truth! I ain't exaggerating. Shower after my ride then about to put on my Muhammad Ali t-shirt, I shook it out with a flick and POP!!!! 😲 Super loud pop like Ali threw a knock out punch 👊. Kinda scared me there for a second. Maybe there's something to this t-shirt. 😄 GOAT Oooo I'm so purty. 😁 Then dinner. 😋

Saturday Ride & Stroopwafels vs Honey Stingers/ 63 The Lazy Age Tour 😄 (video on YT/ Cebax comment)

I know, jumping ahead a little bit, ain't Saturday yet but just posting this so I don't forget. 😁 

I dunno, ever since I turned 63, haven't been on the bike, all week. 😄 Don't know how but I got a couple PRs, I'll take them. 😁 Just a ride for some exercise but the wind.....AGAIN!!! Cool when you get back and others mention the wind, I know it's not just me. I'm Not Old, I'm A Classic. 😆 Not bad for around 25 bucks. 👍

Ran into some dude at the top riding a Lemond steel bike. Of course I am going to chat bikes with this guy as my Lemond was the best ride ever, well so far in my experience. Sweet geo and ride but unfortunately the frame snapped after a climb. Sure miss that bike though. He was pretty cool and I caught him later in the video. He was a bit shy with the interview thing but once I saw him on the bike, he was much more camera friendly ha ha ha. After I went around the end of the trail and doubled back, he had a big peace sign that I missed not having the GP on. But cool guy.

I did go through a rough patch, the downhill by the golf course. Pretty beat up patch and down hill so my GoPro bounced around so it snapped a plastic section on my mount connector. Luckily I saw another group of people and feeling my back pocket, it was not there so I looked down at my mount and it was not there either, OH SHEOT !!! I headed back quickly and found it laying on the trail back about 30 yards. Good thing I keep the rubber boot protector on it, not a scratch. But I had a feeling the last few rides that I should not depend on the HB mount holding it too long as the vibrations affect it, I think. Some time it bounces around then it will not go on so I have to pull over, remove the battery then place back in properly. So last few times I've barely mounted it on the HBs and it has not happened again. I guess being in my back pocket, my body absorbs the shock. I got plenty of shock absorber there ha ha ha!

Gina's always telling me that I should get another GoPro or Garmin. I don't need it and with the modern GP tech, I can easily cover front and back while holding it on a small 5 inch tripod with my hands and panning. Of course I would like a new one just because they are cool but I wouldn't want a new one this way ha ha ha! I'd cry if I lost my GP because the new ones are about $400 and my GP 10 isn't much different from the new stuff. Noticed the price of a GP13 is less than a 12. Same tech but the 13 has a new mounting system added on which is the same as the fixture that I bought for about $25 to accommodate the style of the Osmos recorders. I'm already ahead of the game ha ha ha. I looked it up and the new GPs are less in price in order to promote the new system. Cool, but I got it covered already and the GP10 I have is just about the same so I'm good.

But loving the jerseys from the China people. Pretty cool customer service and good contact. So I've had good service and the prices are good as well as the actual jerseys. Pretty nice in color and materials. Smooooth zippers so I am expecting that they will last a good long time, as long as my Primal and other jerseys that I've purchased.

Plenty of silly funny and team stuff.

https://www.ebay.com/str/cyclinglife777

The youtube video

Always cool to get comments like this on my videos.  Too bad he moved away as we had a pretty good little group going on. He even went on to work at Performance bikes for a while. 

I'm not old, I'm a Classic 😆😁😆

Some cool dudes out there on fixies. I like this dude's chrome fixie, looked real clean.

8 pack for less than $5 or 6 pack for $10 ???? I'm one of those budget cyclists. Hate paying $10 for something I can get for $5 if it's about the same. Or $200 for something I can get for $50. Well, found these Stroopwafel things on a cycling post. Looked them up and sure 'nuff, almost like Honey Stingers. They actually have MOR CARBOHYDRATES than the Honey Stingers. Same fat, a little less sodium but a little more cholesterol. Only thing is they are not individually wrapped so I'll have to take it along in a baggy. No big deal. More carbs, less money is good!

Stupid E-Bikers on the Trail, Huntington Beach 5/23/26

These are the idiots that will sooner or later hurt somebody or maybe even cause loss of life. I was leaving Huntington Beach when a group of kids on e-bikes decided to take both lanes not paying attention. I had to scream at the first idiot hoping to catch his attention. The other guys were just plain idiots. Speed about 17, enough to kill someone. Not to mention they leave rubber marks all over the trail in some areas and parks just to make things look ugly. But of course, the parents will cry that their kids need a place to have fun and don't do any damage. Hope the authorities do something as the idiots are even riding wheelies through indoor malls placing the elderly and toddlers in danger. Yes, I have pics of that too. But hopefully, a parent sees this and realizes their kids are not little angels having fun as they may claim. Who knows, saving one life is worth the effort of posting a video showing stupid kids doing stupid sheot. Not to mention, these kids are a little more tame than some that have aimed at female cyclists just to put a scare in them, for no reason. Wake up people!

Edit: Sunday afternoon, Gina and I stopped at a 7/11 in San Dimas to get a tea. Two kids rode up on e-bikes. One got off and walked his bike into the store. I don't think it should be allowed but the second kid, about 11 years old RODE HIS BIKE into and through the store. Pfft! If I was the cashier, I would have cussed his sorry ass out and thrown him and his bike out of the store. WTH is this world coming to? Don't the parents teach these stupid little idiots any kind of respect?  Gina was in the store and I was in the car waiting but I felt like getting out and letting the kid hit me in the store just so I could sue the F#@k out of his parents. 

     Fucking idiots on video. Video recorded on May 23, 2026 right at the end/start of the trail in             Huntington Beach. I know plenty of people who hate these groups with good reason.

OF course the parents will argue, not my little Billy! Sorry, your little Billy is a fucking idiot too!

They do stupid stuff like this for no other reason to damage and deface property, nice property that is there for all to enjoy.

And today, Wednesday May 27, I was going to ride but still tired from the Birthday Weekend ha ha ha! So instead I went to breakfast and created the video with the footage I had taken on my birthday ride.