Tandem SART

35 WINDY miles on the trail today. 16.0 average which was decent I think considering we haven't ridden the tandem on the trail in over a year. Could be 1.5 to 2 years maybe as we ride singles most times riding with others.

I did GMR last week, good workout, I did a ride with Gina the week before, then one alone. So I am feeling pretty good. I have been after Gina to ride more with me but she's slackin'. So I am not sure what got into me today but I suggested the tandem. Knowing it always hurts when your stoker has not been riding much. But feeling bad for Gina facing the wind on her single and knowing the wind was kicking up, well you know me, Mr. Nice Guy!

So anyway, yeah it was tough! The wind was hurting and Gina has not done more than 20 feet of climbing in the last 10 rides. Exaggeration but close to true. So the little hills/ramps were killer today. Man, I was feeling pain in places I had not before. Like between the bones of the ankles after climbing those little bastards!

But we survived and maybe we need to start riding the tandem more often as it seems to motivate Gina to ride. Yeah, had a feeling if I did not chose the tandem today, she may have not got on the bike. Hmm, I think maybe but not sure, this way she did for sure! And again, knowing the wind was there.

I will say that today we did not see that many riders. Not as many as usual. the wind tends to do that! :-P

                 The fire station at Orangewood to the Circle K, a stretch then double back to the beach!

But yes, taking pics, one handed, on a tandem, into the wind! Talk about skill! :-P

Well at least my little rocks are coming back! They had to in this wind today!

Ron and Dixie caught us on camera leaving the coast with someone on our wheel.

Image courtesy of Ron and Dixie

Just A pic I took of the San Antonio Heights Waiting Station yesterday. Cool history and some Gina pics.

GMR, Been 2 Years (Oops! Only been one year)

To the shack with Mike, 16.0 miles. Mike did an 86 miler yesterday and was contemplating taking the day off. But the sound of GMR today sounded good to him as long as I was only doing the shack. I had thought about Peacock Saddle, another  few miles and gain while thinking about where to ride today laying in bed. I could have done it but glad I didn't ha ha! After 2 years! :-P

We did about 2,382 ft of gain. I actually felt good and did OK for not climbing for 2 years.Mike did make it look easy and left me about 50 yards back. But waited at Newman's Point for a few pics. Pretty sure he could have smoked me but we agreed to ride together knowing he did 86 yesterday. I told him to fly away if he liked but I don't think he really wanted to ha ha! I know I did GMR to the village once after a 76 mile tandem ride and I almost died. So I think he was happy that I was keeping his pace down for him.

But it was nice to be up there and reminds me of the fun I am missing. Only thing was the big groups of fast cars and motorcycles. 7, 8 at a time flying by at high speeds. On the way down, we see CHP heading up, about time! :-P

There were a few mountain bikers shuttling up to the ridge 4 miles up. One guy shouted out saying I had his jersey. Yeah, the Fat bastard jersey! :-P Another dude up in a car before Newman's Point, about 5 miles up was sight seeing with his wife in the turn out. He shouted out that he needed this jersey. We laughed then he shouted, "you're doing far better that I could do, you're doing really well!". We had a couple of chuckles that eased the sweat.

Yes sweat! Mike kept saying that the 8 mile climb was harder than a 20 mile ride on the trail and that he was sure we were sweating more. Yes we were! I was dripping sweat from my face at mile 3 ha ha!

Anyway, I need to get up there more, a whole lot more!

                                                    Before the sweating starts! :-P

Mike flexing his muscle at Newman's Point

The Shack

End of the ride, both still smiling!

Yes I rode like a Fat Bastard today. Taking my time doing my pace.

Glad to be at the top.

A little photo edit and faded image on image. A faded image of my Dad's Air Force days right over his shoulder. He passed away in August.

Another Ride Around the Hood Solo

Gina had stuff to do so I headed out alone. 11.6 miles at 16.1 average speed around the hood. Not too cold of a night, only 57 which is nice. But I did wear a windbreaker and tights tonight after the chilly knees couple days back.

I am surprised at how many people ride their bikes on the wrong side of the road at night. Pretty scary when you see a headlight coming at you and you aren't sure what's going on, walkers, bikes. wolf with illuminated eyes, could eat me! :-O

Tonight heading around a turn in the darkness when I see two lights heading my way. Thought they might be walkers then I heard a little girl's voice say,"whoah whoah what's that?!". I recognized them as bike and they took the inside so I took the out. I'd much rather take the in as they can see if vehicles are coming but meh, a little girl so I couldn't swear at her ha ha! Plus she did make me feel a little better as I approached she said, "Wow, I thought it was motorcycle!". Then we met again about a 1/4 way around the loop once again. I did 3/4 and they did 1/4 so I know I was kicking that little 11 y/o girls's ass ha ha! Then her father shouted out, "Wow, that was fast!". So I figure they're good people if they think I'm fast he he he!

Plus, tonight was much better as that dude with the 2 big dogs was walking on the other side of the street tonight. I only crossed paths with them once tonight and the dogs were going crazy trying to get loose to chase something else rather than me. So that was good but dude, those dogs would be considered aggressive in my book and you really should be a little more concerned about it as their are people walking and jogging on sidewalks in both directions.

But it was a good ride and I had a good time spending quality time in the cool night air.

Hope you guys appreciate this shot. The ole " from behind over the shoulder to get the Christmas lights" shot ha ha ha!

First Video Long Time/ Tandem Night Ride

Just local loops around home. 11.7 miles at 15.6 average with Gina on the tandem. Cool night for us SoCal people at 55 degrees. Started out cool and the knees felt really cold at the start of the ride. I should have put on the tights but figured I'd be brave. Yeah, started cold and the knees felt chilled for the first couple of miles. But soon after that, I didn't even notice the cool air. Same with the ears, thought maybe I should have put something in my ears to keep the cold air out but again, after a couple of miles, it wasn't bad at all.  I guess coming out of the house is the hardest part ha ha!

Anyway, with the rack on the back of the tandem, it's hard to use the K Edge mount for the Go Pro so it was a bit shaky in the recording. Oh, well, just minimized the footage in the youtube video posted.

Got a chance to see a few lights around the hood during the cool down.

The tandem felt like a rocket ship with all the electronics on it ha ha! The pics don't even show the two rear lights. I'm guessing all the electronics weigh almost as much as the bike he he he! Ok, maybe not! :-P

The video!

3 Pics

I know I should have been riding my bike on Sunday but there are reasons that stop me.  Some bike reasons but hey, personal stuff as some people drive me crazy ha ha! So Instead of riding, I figured I'd play with my camera instead.

I enjoy night photography since I use all manual settings. A tripod, proper exposure time and all that stuff and I get some cool pics I think. I dunno, just an amateur but I have gotten some good feedback from guys that consider themselves pros. But I've also gotten negative feedback from a few. Of course I am going to check out their material to compare and pretty much every time I have gotten negative comments, it's some butt face that has crappy pics on his profile ha ha!

I guess it is much like cycling.  A hundred guys giving you tips on how to be faster, climb better, lighten up your bike, make your wheels spin faster but won't do anything tougher than the Palm Springs ride ha ha!

So anyway, I had to provide enough material for a post so I wrote the above just to add a couple paragraphs ha ha! But either way, those butt faces deserve it ha ha ha!

A few really good photographers out there and those seem to be the ones to provide constructive criticism rather that negative.

Reminds me of an ass hat on a cycling forum named Pamestique. Stupid as she is, she posted about some little 10 year old kid wanting to race her around the trail. I can't remember the loop by Newport name. But that loop. She boasted about kicking some kid's ass, uh OK!  Real big mouth that also liked to MTB.

I had posted about Ride Around the Bear, Breathless Agony and mentioned it was hot on Big Bear climbing Onyx Summit. Big mouth had to top me talking about 100 degrees around her training on GMR was nothing compared to her training in Georgia with humidity at crazy levels.

OK big mouth, that was the time Gina was doing GMR every week for 2 or 3 months. So I invited her. Oh no, it's too cold. Uhhh 70 degrees? That's perfect.

Join us, the temps will be 80, perfect. Uh no, too hot! Ok big mouth!

Then she goes on to boast about her custom made bike, top of the line everything. But OK, you don't ride it, you race 10 year old kids, you won't climb GMR though you have custom gearing, so you know what. SHUT UP!

One of her excused was she was too old. Uh, few years on Gina and a couple on Alyce, both of who were riding. BIG MOUTH, SHUT UP ha ha ha! I even had a couple of members send me messages asking, WTF is this Beotch?! ;-)

OK I am exaggerating, the kid may have been 12 years old! :-P

So any way, my lazy ass didn't get out of bed on Sunday till about 2 PM. Almost dark so I took night pics instead.

I need to get back to making movies to occupy my mind. Rather than sitting around thinking about people who bug the shit out of me ha ha!

BTW, I posted some Halloween pics a couple years back. Somebody from KTLA channel 5 news contacted me on FB and asked if they could use my pic on TV. SURE! I didn't get to see it (at work) but they said I would receive full credit by name on the air. :-)


This is a manger on San Antonio  and 21st street in Upland, maybe San Antonio Heights, it's all the same to me he he he! Night shot with the tripod, no flash, all manual settings as always.

The Euclid star. I have a hard time getting a good shot of the star. Every year I suck. Something about it makes it hard to shoot. Oh well, best so far!

This was last year. I just like the pic so I am posting it again. :-P

36 SART MIles

36 miles on SART with Gina and Jose. Average 16.2, Gina seemed to suffer a bit today. I asked what she thought the problem was as her average was better last couple times we rode. She said it was the wind. Couldn't find a good draft.

Headed from the firestation at Orangewood to the Circle K on Kramer, Tusin, whatever. :-P Then back to the coast. On the way we ran into Kevin who we haven't seen but once or twice in the last few years. Don was at the beach stop when we arrived. Hadn't seen him in about a year. He moved to the fancier side of town so he comes from another direction other than SART like before. So it was nice to see and chat with him again.

Strange thing, it was a day where most people we ride with met at the beach stop. People we have barely seen at all, they all showed up today!

Alex, Mark, Ron & Dixie, Herb & Alyce, Don, Kevin, Jose, Gina, and Me he he he! Well it was nice to get to see them all again. Maybe it was the homeless situation on SART that separated everyone. I did see a tent down in the middle of the river last week around Warner. Gina and I both said the same thing, I sure hope they boot them out really quick!". Must have because the tent was not there today, thank goodness!

Also saw Jose R and his group roll by. AND, ...Bad Bob! Hadn't seen that dude in like forever! :-P

                                              Somebody forgot to wait for me at the start

Jose R. and his buds!

Some Old Fart out on the trail. :-P

Kevin and Don

Gina and Mark

Typical Gina, entertaining the groups with her exaggerated stories. Once I jumped so high, I hit my head on that telephone pole! :-P

Herb and Alyce

Tandem Night Ride

11.6 easy warm up, loosen up the legs ride. Getting old, my legs were tight from this weekends effort ha ha! So I figured we would hit the streets tonight, lights, ankle reflectors and all for a few good miles.

You know, I like dogs and understand that people like to walk their dogs, it's nice! But when you are walking 2 dogs and one is a big dog (Samoyed), you really ought to pull your head out of your ass and pay attention. We rolled by in the bike lane as some guy was walking his dog around the loop. The dog lunged at us as we rolled by. The dude was on his phone, both dogs in one hand. Now I heard the dog growling before we even got there so I knew that he was going to bark at minimum.

So OK, once! Then later we rolled by again, the freaking dog just about lunged off the curb and out of his hands. The moron still on the phone. He had to see us coming with the lights and I was sure to make sound as to not surprise the dogs. Of course he is freaking paying attention so I guess we surprised the stupid owner.

F that! I shouted ,"C'MON MAN!!!". Then I said out loud that I need to get some pepper spray or call the cops loud enough so he could hear me.

OK once, second time, pull your head out of your ass! If you have an aggressive dog, get off the freaking phone and hold the 2 dogs with both hands. I knew the dog was aggressive the second encounter so yes, made sure it was safe and went wide out of the bike lane. So if your dog can get even close to us at this point, you're an irresponsible idiot!

Third encounter, I hear the dog starting even before we get there so we go wide. Finally the dude is paying attention so he holds his dogs but that one still standing on his hind legs while the idiot holds him back.

Yeah, I have that kind of mind. If you let your dog bite my wife, I'm going to hunt you down and burn your house! :-/

I swear people are idiots. I try to have a good time on the bike but morons make it hard. We're riding in the bike lane going with traffic when some moron comes around a turn on an electric bike, head on with us and a bright light. WTF! He rolled by and I shouted, "HOLY SHIT!". He did startle me as I did not expect someone to come head on from out of the darkness straight into your path. Make things worse,  he comes around a second time and there is a car behind us and I am not freaking going out into the lane with a car at my back passing at about 30 MPH.

So I hug the curb and force that idiot onto the white line of the bike lane. When he rolls by the second time, I shouted, "THERE ARE SOME FUCKING STUPID PEOPLE AROUND HERE!".

Hell yeah there is and I ain't ascared to fight any dude that rides an electric bike! :-/

Anyway, I tried to have a good time on the bike tonight!

                                 People ask me if we're fast on the tandem. You tell me! :-P

Couple of shots from our backyard looking over the fence. That jacuzzi makes me feel like getting in ha ha! Rather nice even when it's cold.

Born and Raised in Ontario Ca.

Since 1963! Felt like taking some pics so I headed off to the Town Center. Cool place where they have concerts and stuff every now and then.  Snapped a few pics and survived the journey trying to avoid being mugged by the homeless out there. Gina waited in the car as it was cold. But she did ask if I was worried that the homeless might try to jack me of my camera. Nah! Not one of my worries, I have no problem kicking some homeless ass when it comes to defending myself! :-P

 SO anyway, a few pics from tonight! Nice to see they placed a Christmas tree out there. Hope they don't destroy it like they did the Blue Man. He once had arms holding a book of knowledge with some writings in it. But of course, the idiots destroyed that. Poor blue man has no hands and lost his book of knowledge to some idiot! :-/

Gina safe and warm in her car ha ha!