Riiiiiiiiiding In The Rain!

Well we set out to do a 60 miler, Green River on SART. At the start we ran into Dale who we hadn't seen in quite some time. Tall dude 6'6. Plus having Aimee with us I think we had the tallest and shortest person on the trail with us today ha ha! Dale hung with us from A stadium to Green River then back to the stadium.

I saw the forecast predict a 20% for about one hour today. What the heck is 20%? It never rains at 20%! But it was dark and somewhat cold so I opted for the tights and windbreaker. I really thought about leaving them as the others weren't wearing them but what the heck, it's along ride and you never know! While we were at Yorba Park Aimee asked Gina why we were so bundled up. Well she would find out later ha ha! About 2 miles before the coast 45 miles in it started to rain. I didn't ask questions, I had been at the front all day setting the pace so I just continued on hoping none of the others would object to continuing on ha ha! I really thought it would stop cause what the heck is 20% right? I was expecting Aimee to say something but she kept on. But by the time we got to the coast we were pretty much soaked. Figuring we would take a short break and head back before it got too wet. WRONG! Didn't stop but got heavier.

Well little Aimee had only a jersey and arm warmers. I'm wearing and under layer, jersey and a windbreaker. PI which does a pretty good job or repelling the water so I offer it to her cause she's starting to shiver with the wet cold. First she says no bu then Gina tells her to take hers and Gina will take mine. Good idea, closer match as far as fitting!

So we head back and right away I feel the wet strip up my back. Oh darn, this is going to get cold ha ha! Oh well it's better than little Aimee getting wet. But once I was pretty much soaked it didn't really feel all that cold to me so I was fine. Thighs a bit chilly but I was cool, get it he he he! Back at the cars Aimee did say that the windbreaker made a big difference and thanked Gina.You see, I always do nice things like offering up my windbreaker but Gina is always the one who gets thanked ha ha!

Joaquin did a section of the ride with us. Maybe 15 miles. But when it was at it's wettest, he flatted on the return. He dropped back and called out to Jose. We slowed wondering what was going on then Mike said Joaquin flatted. I asked the girls if we should stop. Hell NO! He he he it's wet out here! :-P

Anyway, it was a nice ride overall and happy that the others went along without questioning my authority he he he! :-P Lots of dirty faces after the ride.

Plenty of people on forums ask why we don't ride in the rain. Not that it hurts or anything but I just hate getting the bikes dirty. This one took us by surprise but usually we wait a day and can avoid the mess!

You sure that bike is the right size? :-P

Stupid Mexicans! Yeah I'm Mexican to but I don't do stupid crap like this!

Just gave up my jacket getting ready to get some wet!

Gina or Bill Cosby ha ha!

Wet and mud up the back!

A little sexy hip check he he!

Dirty face!

Poor Chuck!

Getting dirty Aimee!

One out of Five Performance Service Reps Not An Idiot!

What a bunch of idiots. Recap: Dec 19th. We paid for shorts at the store as the cashier said they would be in within 5 days. No call so I go in, they say I picked them up already. WTF! So they have me call on the CS line. Order was cancelled as they are no longer available. I have a receipt but the store won't refund the money, give me store credit or return the funds to the debit card.
Jan 4th CS rep on the store hotline phone tells me check was issued on Dec 23rd, will arrive within 7 days. I ask why not a simple return funds or store credit. Oh we don't work that way she says!
No check, so I call again from home. on Jan 12th. Uhh I don't know sir why she said that but it can take 3 to 4 weeks for delivery of the check. But yes, THE CHECK WAS SENT TO YOU MADE OUT TO YOU ON THE 24th! Wait another few days and call back if you don't receive it.
I call back on the 21st. No check. The guy says he will look into it. No call back so I go online and get an email address. I explain the situation again. Guy asks for a receipt number and says he will get back with me.
Never gets back with me so 4 days later I sent an email asking about the situation. No reply!
F it I'm calling again!
This time the lady on the phone says let me look into it as the story about the check can not be true as that is not their policy when paid with a debit card. WTF!!!!!
So she says she will ask her supervisor and get details. I don't mind hanging on the line if it settles the problem. She gets back on and says yes sir, it was credited back to the debit card number ending blah blah blah on December 23rd.
WTF!!! I was told that a check had been cut on the 23rd by 4 other CS !!!!!
She says she doesn't know why the others would say that as that is not their policy. WTF!!! So I was very polite to her and thanked her for settling the situation.

Now who are the other 4 idiots that had me waiting for a checking the mail when all I had to do was verify the funds had been returned to the debit card had I known and not been told I would receive a check. This while the entire time I am asking them to simply return the funds to the card and they said no as it's against their policy!
So I get back on the email and thank the CS rep Jeremy for  avoiding any kind of response and tell him that as far as a customer service rep he is pretty much worthless if he can't even follow up on the situation.

The whole freaking time these idiots had me thinking I was waiting for a check when in fact it had been credited back to the debit card!

When I was young and fast!

Well when I played softball! I played leagues and tournaments for 10 years straight before I discovered cycling. Cycling takes so much time that I didn't have time for tournaments and traveling etc. But this is a little example of how quick I was handling the ball. I could throw the ball up, turn around 3 times and still catch the ball before it hit the ground! :-P

Who thinks I can't ????

Sunday SART & The Jose Show

Well I was looking for a way to use the rear Go Pro recorder on the tandem. I looked at those clip on bike racks at the shops and hot damn, $55! :-O I went to Wally World and found a cheapo for $15. Basic simple aluminum rack. I don't really like to remove the seat posts (slide on) unless I have to but for $55 I felt like I ha to ha ha! It worked well and did the job. I use the sticky Go Pro mount and a tether just in case the glue gave for whatever reason. Might be a little bouncy compared to my rear seat rail mount but that won't work on the tandem. Of course Gina is not one to push the right buttons so it gave me a chance to use the remote control I bought a couple months back. FTR, had to buy another battery for the recorder as well cause that Wifi thing really drains the battery whether you record or not.

So we rode the tandem today. Usually I take the lead for most of the ride but today I rotated with Jose quite a bit. I'd say he did at least maybe more of the pulling. He did pretty well but the last couple miles he faded a bit. Well I did lift the pace some just to test him he he he!

It was a real nice day too! Little bit of breeze but not much. Of course you only feel it when you're rolling! I sure can't wait for daylight savings time though so we can get in more midweek miles and tandem riding. Sure makes a difference.

Me, Mike, and Frank

Pics for now, write up and video later.

44 miles 18.0 average.

The video




                                                     Rode my 1997 Cannondale CAD3

Fabulous Frank

Look at those rocks!

When Mike could still smile!

Chillin' at the coast

The Bad Boys arrive.

Mike stripped his ribs clean!

Mike happy with his meal

Gina didn't ride but she met us and treated us to some chicken and ribs.

I noticed on the way home, some hot chick was following me!

Oh hey, that's Gina! :-P

Me, Gina, and Aimee

44 miles 17.1 MPH average speed. Well just the three of us today. I was quite surprised. The girls did really well. Maybe cause I can keep a nice steady pace at the front without burning them out ha ha! Good speed and not once did either of them look tired. We did have a little interference on the way to the coast. Right at Katella some dude comes flying down the ramp at a good speed. Some reason the dude keeps looking back. Just holding our pace we're rolling up on the guy and each time he speeds up. OH GAWD give it a break mister! So finally he fades and we roll by. We are not racing, we are on roadies and he's on an MTB. OK I get it, you're trying to show how fast you are, wow you are amazing! NOT! So we roll by and he hops the back for a few seconds. Then he sprints around but right at he passes me he swerves with a hard right and almost takes out my front wheel. WTF! I'm really getting tired of these morons who think we're racing when all we are doing is trying to hold a steady pace. So we roll by again and this time I tell him, " if you're going to pass, try not to be a dope and take out my front wheel!". He just smiled but I'm sure the moron got the picture. OK maybe not! As we pass he bumps Aimee out of her position. WTF! So at this point I signal a slow down to the girls so we can let the idiot ride off. We''' turn off at Edna Park which is about 1/2 a mile away but sure enough the dope fades so we end up soft pedaling to the park. No, I'm not passing that idiot again, he might hurt one of the girls!

So we stop off at the park for a break and run into Henry. OK so he recognizes me and for once I am at a loss. Usually it's me that recognizes everyone. Well actually Henry looks lean and mean so it throws me off. I could sweat last time he was a little heavier. Must have been that 2 month tour he and his wife did a while back. He and Nancy did a big time tour. I don't remember the specifics but it was a long one! We chat a bit then head off, good to see ya Henry, looking good!

So later down the road we roll up onto another couple. We can see them from a mile away but we catch up just holding our pace. Again not racing anybody! We roll by then the couple and another dude hop on the back of our little train. OK coo! But as we hit that short steep little ramp after the 405 (heading South), the 3 of them all get dropped. OK now for Gina to drop somebody on the little climb? He he he! But we go up and they fall behind. We just continue on our merry way. then I hear them on the back again. OK cool! But a minute later the girl goes sprinting around the left. Uh oh! then a few seconds later her man goes around too! Ok now they are like 40-50 yards ahead and the lady starts bopping her head and swaying side to side. Now this is funny but Gina who never says anything says, "do you see that lady?". Yup, we'll be passing her in another minute or two ha ha! Wow this lady is digging into her bike giving it her all and going nowhere, fast! Her man is trying to pull her with a draft but it ain't helping. I'm not sure what Orange County puts in their water nowadays but it's hard to just go out for a ride and do your "thang" without men and now women trying to race you ha ha! Of course we just roll right by her a couple minutes later. Her face beet red and that smile of shame on her face! Quite entertaining though. Later at the beach stop they roll by (once they arrive). Her man shoots a quick wave but the gal just keeps her head down ha ha!

Well at least we are at the coast now, 32 miles down, 12 to go! then Jordan rides up and we have a good little fun chat! Jordan's cool, funny dude, always something funny to talk about. I wanted to take a pic of his all purpose bike but then he jumps in and insists on being in the picture ha ha! So I end up getting this Mario Brothers/Shriner looking pic for my blog ha ha! Jordan, too funny!

Lean Mean Henry!

Jordan's all purpose bike. Fat tires, ghetto blaster, lights, hope chest........

The Mario Brothers/ Shriner Pose! :-P (ref nose and shoes)

Missing My Buddies!

It's amazing how many people we have met over the years cycling. I was laying in bed last night just searching pics etc when I came across Robert's picture. It was a ride we did back in 2010'ish. He posted on a forum as Mad_One (he rode a Madone). He rode with Gina and I on the trail for a couple of years. He ended up getting a brain tumor. Received treatments then recovered but later developed another kind of cancer. He would never tell us saying he didn't want us to feel sorry for him and that he would again someday ride with us. Then I saw on his FB page friends were saying goodbye. What? I did a search and found he our he was driving home from treatment, passed out and ran into a tree. 43 years old, had just bought a new car and and a new condo across from Angel Stadium. Died May 2012.

Then Boyd who we met back in 1996. Rode with him and visits for years at the beach stop. Got cancer then somewhat recovered. Showed up for a few rides then got a letter form his wife a couple months later after realizing we hadn't seen him for a while. He had been on and off the bike for about a year. Died March 2012.

Wow, just so sad when you get used to seeing your friends out there all the time then one day , they are just gone. So strange to look at their pics and it's almost as if you can still hear there voices.

                Boyd was so cool! Never said one negative word about anybody or anything!

Robert on the Damn Dam! (SGRT forum ride)

Performance Bike Sucks

Being a customer of over 20 years I doubt I will ever buy there again with there being so many options out there now. Funny thing is I have never had an issue ordering online from other sites. I've never ordered Performance online. This purchase I am talking about is a walk in purchase (Ontario Mills store). Well order since they did not have the item but said they had it and I could order it through the store.
I purchased a pair of shorts as they had one pair in stock. Gina says I ought to get a second pair but out of stock in the store. So the cashier says we can order them and pick them up when they come in. We will get an email when they arrive. A week goes by and nothing, no email. So I go into the store and ask wassup! Where is my shorts or my $65?!

The dude says that the customer already picked up the order. WTF! I am the customer and would I be her if I had picked them up already? I have him look it up so he says sorry made a mistake.
So he can't figure out what's going on so he has me waste my time hanging out on the customer service line they have there. He says the order may have been cancelled. OK first, you took my money, WTF don't you just give credit the money back to the debit card. Sorry can't do that!
So I go through 2 customer reps then the second one says they mailed a check to me on Dec 21st. WTF! She says it mailed out Dec 21st when they cancelled the order. WTF didn't you send an note, they said they did, BS! Then she says allow 7 business days for delivery.
So now it's the 12th and still no check in the mail. So I call tonight to see WTF going on. I go through another 2 reps and finally the guy says it takes 7 business days to process in their system then a couple of weeks to deliver which should be right about ....now. WTF so he tells me to wait till Saturday and if it doesn't come back, to call again. WTF!
I told the guy, that's BS! We paid for the shorts up front in good faith after the salesman said they could get them. Then I looked on their website and the item still says available online. So I pretty much tell the dude, you guys are screwed. I've been buying things from their store for over 20 years, then they day you guys screw up, I have to wait a month for my money? We paid in good faith after your boy said you had the item in stock.
WTF don't you give me store credit so I can a different pair of since I have my receipt, just walk into the store and get my money back? Sorry sir but once the check is cut we can't do that!
WTF! It wasn't my mistake and I have to wait a moth to get my money back? I doubt I will ever buy anything at Performance agan!


Here is the review I posted on their Google search page.

Mr. Beanz here: They Suck! A one star because they don't have a ZERO!!!! bought a pair of shorts there for $65. Wanted a second but not in stock so the cashier said they could get them within a few days. So we pay up front. No email saying they came in as promised. So I go in and the dude tells me we picked them up already WTF! So he looks into it and finds he's mistaken. So I end up on their CS line for about 20 minutes trying to figure out where my $65 is. They cancelled the order but didn't say squat about it. So where is my money? Lady says they cut a check on the 21st so it will take 7 business days to get to my home. 14 business days late I am on the phone again talking to another 2 CS reps. Now they tell me it takes 7 day s to process in their system and 2 to 3 weeks to deliver my money back to me. WTF! I have a store receipt and I paid up front, just give me my money back or store credit. Sorry can't do that! WTF! They screwed up and I have to let them have my money for a month? I've been an in store customer for 20 years and bought a ton of stuff. they can look on their computer system and verify that! I also ordered from other online sites like Ribble and Pro Bike Kit and NEVER HAD A PROBLEM! Funny thing is if you look online, the shorts on which they cancelled my order stay says available online so someone else will probably get screwed too, BEWARE! So I've spent literally thousands of dollars over the years at Performance but I swear I will never buy another item from them. I paid in the store,have a receipt but they can't give me my money back or credit the debit card. If the store clerks didn't have their heads up their asses, this never would have happened!Goodbye Performance!

Saturday Tandem

Gina and I headed off on the tandem alone today. Jose didn't show and didn't call so we don't know what happened to him as the day before he said he was riding. Mike said he would be a little late so we headed out alone. Wow, sure am glad cause ti was real tough to warm up. Us Cali people aren't used to the cold ya know! My Garmin says average of 61 but it sure felt colder. Must have been the threat of rain that made it feel cold. Glad I decided to bring my wind breaker and tights cause it sure felt cold when we started rolling!

Mike caught up with us at Yorba Park. Then we headed off to the coast hoping it wouldn't rain. We caught a few little drops near the coast but it couldn't have been any better timing ha ha! Gina and I stayed at the front till maybe Warner. Mike got in the front at that point then later we ended up catching some dude riding alone. Mike rolled by him but once we got around the guy, he speeds up and rolls around us on our left. I can never figure out why a rider doing his thing feels he has to speed up and/or pass you once he gets passed. For whatever reason this really bothers me. Like really? We can't just do our thing without some dude feeling threatened that we passed him? If we passed you from miles behind, I guess we should be impressed that he can lift the pace for 1/2 mile? Give me a break ha ha!

So when the dude rolls around our left I shouted out to Mike, "careful, there's a racer passing on our left!". Ha ha ha just then the guy looks over at me and says, "well I don't know about a racer" then he continues to speed up around our left. Our plan was to hold 17 MPH to the coast so we were doing about 17/17.5. But the guy rolls on ahead and Mike holds our pace. Just after the last underpass we roll around Mike and retake the lead. Uh oh! Look ahead, that dude has really blown his wad ha ha! So we're rolling by him again holding 17. I know the game, if I pass him, he'll hop on our wheel and probably shoot around at the end like Lance. BUT!!!! I ain't gonna let that happen this time cause right at that moment, it starts to rain, very lightly but I feel the drops and see them covering my lenses. So right as we are passing the guy I shout back to Gina, C'mon let's lift the pace so we can get under shelter before it really starts raining. So we hammered to the coast. Sure enough the dude couldn't hold on ha ha! Oh well, he said he wasn't a racer but it seemed he wanted to race us he he he!

                                                                    Yorba Park

No riders at the rest stop so Mike and I posed for pics ha ha!

Dang sure proud to say I am Mexican at times. Bunch of idiots!

California Winter

Nobody on the road nobody on the beach........I should write a song!