31 with Gina and New Friends

 32 miles 16.6 average speed with Gina and Jose. Just doing our thing till we stopped at Edna Park. Some dude wearing a cool pair of shoes. Caught Gina's eye so she asked me to ask him where he had gotten them.  The internet of course, Ali or Ali, something like that, I'll have to search it to remember the correct name. Turns out the dude is Miguel and his buddy, Junior. 

They were on a 20 mile ride but when we started chatting, they decided to ride with us to the beach making their ride about 43. I felt like having encouraged them to go the entire distance with us, I stayed at the front and just set a steady pace. Felt it would make their ride a bit nicer having added on extra mileage on a whim. Miguel was pretty happy with the pace when we got to the coast. He liked that it was steady and easy to follow. Of course, I'm Mr. Beanz, the Master Pace Setter ha ha ha!

Turned out to be a couple of pretty cool guys. Rising up into the ranks of cycling life. Seems they have gotten some pretty cool outfits and equipment so far. 

We were talking about bike shops and my buddy's shop, Mark's Bike Shop in Rancho came up. Turns out these guys come from the east IE to visit Mark's shop. That's pretty cool, small work it is!

The shoes that caught Gina's eye!

Nice little line to the coast, couple other wheel jumpers along the way.

Gina holding strong with the boys!

Junior and Miguel

45+ with Joaquin and Sum of Alex

  Good but windy 45 with Joaquin at 17.6 average speed today. Ran into Alex at Yorba Park. We were all heading to HB so Alex rode along with us. Really helped with the wind, having 3 guys. Actually picked up a fourth guy to help out. So windy but still a good ride.

New Tire on the rear of my Madone. The other night it seemed good but when I was loading up to come home, I noticed a big blister type of scar. Was flattening out already so I guess that means I have to change it ha ha ha! Joaquin was behind me and mentioned the new cassette. Yup, new cassette, chain, and now a tire, I'm set!

So to record my new tire, monitor the wear, I will say today is 5/29/2021. New Tire, so I can search next time I replace my rear tire. :-)

Madone has 17,344 miles at time of rear tire change.

                                                                   Joaquin's machine!

Trying to balance in the wind and take a selfie.

Alex looked like he meant business today!

Post ride fist bump.

Joaquin wanted to test his photographer skills.

Jim leading a group of his own. Nice guy I met on the group rides.

Just an updated pic of my truck with bike racked now that I washed it ha ha ha!

Solo Night Ride BLSB

 Solo 23 miles tonight, tried to go easy to relax the legs, 14.0 average speed. Bit early so not much darkness today. I tried to stall at the park hoping it would get dark, but a little too much daylight. Night is better! 300 miles so far this month. Hope I can get another hundred over the holiday weekend. :-P Across Baseline, up to Sierra Madre, then down to Bonita and back to Claremont.

2nd ride after rear helmet USB charge. Testing ride count on one charge test.

Whaaat, daylight??? Too much today!

Up Indian Hill near Baseline. Nice evening and almost dark. No added color, just a nice eve.

Alright, thumbs up for the darkness. I stalled at a park hoping it would get dark but too much daylight ha ha ha!

Solo Over Stuffed Fat Sausage Ride (Night)

 23 miles at 15.7 average speed tonight. Felt really good the entire way. Cool refreshing ride and not much else to say, just feeling good!

Marvelous night!

                                                                Lights ready and strapped!

A bit of daylight!

Liking this XOSS thing.

Easy 31 with Gina and the other Fat Bastard (video Monday or Tues)

 31 smooth easy miles with Gina at 16.2 average speed. Gina did well but started to struggle the last section to the coast where it got windy. Then the last mile or so on the return. But overall, did well. I was going to use Team Bastard but Jose just sat at the back then entire ride ha ha ha!

Funny though, seems everybody on the trail is there to compete. We rolled by the horseshoe turn at the Honda Center. Some gal was stopped there. Then a mile down the road, somebody is going by us. As she passes, she says,"I'm only passing you because I was at the back, so let's see how long I can stay ahead of you!". Ooookay! I felt like telling her the only reason she is passing me, is because I'm letting her.

Then some other guy who we rolled by went around after her. They ended up teaming up and working together to stay ahead, I guess. Funny when you catch someone from a mile behind then they try racing you after they suck wheel for a while. Pretty silly, not sure what they were trying to prove.

Then around Warner, we're catching up to a little chick on the bike. She looks like she is working hard, losing composure and form while trying too hard. So we catch her then pass her/ She hops on the back then a couple miles down the road, she races around shouting something about my jersey. She gets about 75 yards ahead then fades again. Ok, so this time I did lift the pace just to mess with her. She fell back some so I slowed the pace for Gina to recover. The gal catches back up and I'm just waiting for her to go around and sprint off. But screw her, I told Gina I'd meet her at the beach. So I just kicked it up as hard as I could the last couple hundred yards to see if the chick would chase me. Nay, she didn't. Not sure what happened but she didn't even pass Gina.

Too funny, these people out here! Did run into Jordan at the coast. Had some entertaining fun chat about the fools on the trail. Ran into Tony and Thai as well. Should be on my video Monday or Tues.

                                                                             The video

                                 Kristy, Rick, and Al. We know who does all the work in this group!

Al loves to wave for the cameras.

Practicing my Elvis lip on the bike and video ha ha ha!

Mom teaching her daughter how to rollerblade with a little butt cheek showing. Have to see how the video comes out in slo mo ha ha ha!

Nice Easy Ride to Sierra Madre

 22 easy miles tonight, 14.4 average speed. Claremont up to Glendora and a little on Sierra Madre. I was planning to do the ride that the Ladies & Gents do but wanting to start a bit earlier tonight, I ran into the group as I was pulling out at the start. Saw Ricky and another guy going pretty fast but the group was slow. I wanted to ride and not join the ride, or interfere so I tried to slow down but they were not pulling away so I had to really try to go slow. 

Finally they pulled away some so I was able to pedal again without riding with them. Ended up passing a couple of riders anyway as they got stopped at the red light. One guy would stop, or slow down, then pass me. OK, kind of weird but he's know to ride like that. One of those bust their butt guys then stop for no known reason. IMO, it's a sign of arrogance. Some guys like to pass you then stop, pass you again. I guess it makes then feel good to think that the other riders think they're fast. Quite the opposite with me. I look at the guy like a dope and usually the overall average is lower or the same if he's lucky.  So he did this a couple of times the I just said F it! I saw him blow by then fade so I stepped on it. Left him behind but I got stopped by a red light on Baseline. So as I was starting out he stepped on it and blew by me. Like it was some feat to pass me as I was starting out from a red light and doing like 6 MPH ha ha ha! So I picked it up again and waited till I saw him fade in the wind. So I gained some then planned to give him a taste of his own medicine. I stepped on it an blew by him as he looked like he was struggling. Well, that's what he gets for intentionally losing his group that was pulling him. Well, if you're going to try to show up The Beanz, better make sure you can maintain  your pace. Because I won't really flat out chase  you. I'll wait till I see that little weakness when you fade, then I'll stomp on it. So yeah, if you try to show off, make sure you can maintain because even my grandma can kick it up for a minute or two.

So I was planning to do that course but saw then group still right in front of me so I kept straight and went to Lorraine and Sierra Madre. I knew if I went the regular course, I'd have a clown or two trying to show me up.  OK whatever ha ha ha! 

You know, I stole the course from the group. Called Ladies and Gents ride. Honestly, I like the course so I use it myself. I won't lie, I stole it but I'm thinking about naming it the Overstuffed Sausage Ride. I guess that would be because the ride leader who is about my size, wears a 2 XL when I wear a 3XL in shorts and he wears a 2XL in jerseys where I wear a 4XL or 5 XL. Not sure what his deal is, thinking he's Brad Pitt but many have commented that he looks like and overstuffed sausage. So, since I stole it from him, I just might name it after him ha ha ha! :-P

   A bit earlier than usual since I had mechanicals last time. I fixed the problems so I wanted a little daylight just in case something was wrong with the parts. New parts, you never know!

Just barely getting dark about 3 miles before the end of the ride. I like more dark myself. 

 Pics for now. Digging the new XOSS GPR for less than $50 including the rubber baby buggy bumper, plastic HB mount. Basic info but light goes on auto when it gets dark. I can see it! It has settings as well so that you can place it on always off or on. Supposed to have a 25 charge life so that will be sweet. I think my Garmin dies after 10.

I did buy an alum HB mount for less than $18 on ebay. Nice beveled edges, jewel like, alum action cam adapter included. And a couple of GPS adapters, Garmin and Bryton (?).

I like the alum hb mount so much the day I got it, that I ordered a second. Got two now!

Nice cool eve and really nice ride. Needed to spin up my legs. 23 miles tonight, just enjoying the ride.

46 with Joaquin 18.3 Average Video

 The Joaquin Show! :-P 46 miles, 18.3 average speed according to Strava. Worked well together today.

Oh yeah, there was the guy at Yorba Park. I was talking to Joaquin when this guy asked if I had some kind of a blog or posted videos on youtube as he recognized my voice ha ha ha! That is like the second time in a couple months someone asked if I was the guy  ha ha ha! He goes by Yankee Clipper. He carries a pair of clippers around and trims trees and bushes that interfere with the trail. Pretty cool!

Well Darn, forgot Thurs Nite & Sat is a new Ride

So Thursday totally sucked ha ha! Everything went wrong. I headed out to the start but forgot my video bag so I turned back after a mile. Got it, then at the start, realized I forgot to toss my bag with my tools and tubes in the equipment bag. Well dammit! So I headed out with fingers crossed hoping I don't flat or I'll have to call Gina ha ha!

So after about 4 miles, I am not sure how I shifted but I had to do a quick stop and somehow turned my pedals backward catching the chain between the frame and small ring. Had a hard time getting it out but finally had to use some brute force. Got but after 20 seconds on the bike, click. The bike kept clicking about every 20 seconds. Somehow twisted a link and now it will not set properly on the rear cogs. 

SHIT! Should I turn back after 4 miles, or go for it? I went for it thinking the chain may straighten out some rolling on the gears. It did so now it was clicking every 2 minutes. Actually got to a point where it was happening every 10 minutes, sometime 2. But I made it and no call of shame!

It was cool though as I found this GPR unit on ebay for $50. 25 hour battery life with every charge. My Garmin is only like 10, if that now being 10 years old. I bought this XOSS GPS after seeing it somewhere on the net. Wow, pretty cool little deal. The unit, rubber case, plastic out front mount ( I got a new alum mount on ebay for less than $20). Cool stuff. The new GPS is pretty much basic info which is pretty much all I use. Has the ability for cadence and HR sensors but that ain't my thing. So I'm really liking it. For night riding, it has a setting that the light goes on automatically and stays one once it senses that it is dark outside. I really liked it on my night ride.

So that was Thursday. Joaquina had wanted me to ride last week but I got lazy. So this week , I asked if he was going to ride. Yup! So we did a really good ride today, Saturday. 

46 miles at 18.3 average speed. We worked really well together and only the 2 of us. I did a 5 mile turn at the front to start so that I could warm up at my pace. Then he took about the same to make it equal. Then I suggested that we do 1 mile turns at the front so that neither one of us gets too tired. Worked really well!

I would say about 3 miles from the beach, he was looking strong and lifted the pace so I let him stay up there till he felt he wanted to switch. So I did take advantage of that and on the return. Doing well both of us but one point, he just started pushing hard so again, I let him stay up there. I was tired so I was pushing just trying to stay on his wheel at that point. So hey, I am always willing to let someone take more than their turn if they feel like the want to go ha ha! But it worked well for the both of us and he was happy that he had someone to work with. Me too, made for a good ride!

                               After the ride Thursday night, nothing went well but I made it!

Saturday ride with Joaquin, good ride!

Easy Spin Tonight

 Nice easy 10 mile spin at about 12 mph. Just trying to go easy to keep the legs warm for Saturday. Going to ride with Joaquin and Alyce. I'm thinking they'll try to rip my legs off so I wanted to keep them spinning tonight. Little recovery, relaxation, and stretch type of ride. And some posing! :-P