33 miles tonight with Tony and Sandra. Nice ride through the foothills. I had planned to ride with Sandra, we're the group outcasts. I figure the reason is, we real, know what I'm sayin'?! Ha ha ha! Really, I met Sandra when I started with the group and did a few rides before she left. I heard stories of the event but you never know. I was good with Sandra and I was good with the group. But she left and did her own thing.
But the more I got to know the group, the more I disliked that type of thing. Very cliquish. Some chick could do whatever she wanted, run lights, cut people off, show off and she was the star. OK, so where is she now? Not even riding anymore. Sad thing is the leader eats this shit up. I mean I can see that something in going on here. I heard rumors about the chick and the more I saw, the more I believed it but to others, she was the cylingzilla. I guess like a bridezilla but on the bike. Strange behavior, hmmm ok! Do whatever you want and it's ok but the leader would get on others about doing the right, thing, calling stuff out on the road etc. Of course, I like to call stuff out so that others don't get hurt. I concentrate on my ride and watching the leader who is scolding everyone, really got on my nerves. I mean he's calling stuff out but a few miles down the road, he's talking to some chick, obviously trying to pick up as usual, but not calling stuff out. Really bugs me, I'm that type of nit picking guy. If you're supposed to call shit out, then do it! Forget your macho ego, have to laugh at this one in this case, putting women to sleep ha ha ha!
But seriously, so you want to be a casanova, OK. But pay attention on the freaking bike. This is the safety of the people we are talking about. Bunch of little shit like this that bugs me. I got to ride. As mentioned with several other riders I have spoken with, seem the guys on this ride go to pick up. Makes my stomach turn looking at these guys begging like a dog without a bone loser types. Desperate if you will!
So, just too much shit for me on a group ride. I liked Sandra from the start. I remember the first time I met her, she said, "I like to talk after the rides because when we ride, I have snot coming out of my nose and it's not pretty!". Something to that effect ha ha ha! I was surprised but it's true. Last nigh when we were riding up the hills, she was putting in pretty good efforts. I could hear her breathing hard on other sections as well. I had to ask if she was ok. Was she tired, did she need a break? Nope, I always ride like this, just the way I am. Cool, I can respect that. She was panting and sweating profusely, as she put it in her own words. I thought that was cool, no sugar coating. I like that!
So I heard stories of how her friendship ended with some of the other women in the group. Really, it's like that? If me and a buddy ended our friendship over stupid shit like that, then we were never really friends. And not to mention, the group politics and clique shit had to do with it. So I have come to see this myself in the group. You don't have to like everyone but some will say, I am your friend. But the second it comes to choices of who rides and who doesn't get invited on a ride, you can bet that person that tells you that you're friends will definitely choose their buddy when it comes down to it. I joined another ride because someone told me just that and when it came down to it, we were never friends though that person acted that way. Total fake in my opinion. For example, riding with several people and friends myself, someone actually told me once that he did not like another person that rides with us occasionally. He did not like that person so he asked me to tell that other person that I did not want him to ride with us. WTF! Because you don't like one of my friends, I will not tell my other friend to not ride with me. If anything, you would piss me off and I would be more likely to not ride with you. Happened to me in the group so you know what, you were never really my friend so you and your buddy, go fuck yourselves as far as I am concerned.
So pretty sure that is the same thing that happened to Sandra. I do see it now though I thought she was crazy last year when the situation arose. So now, we're both real and don't deal with that shit ha ha ha! So maybe that is why we get along. I remember hearing the ride leader and another rider talking about her on a ride we did. I was actually kind of disgusted. What bullshit kind of leading is that?!
I do have to say though, that I see Sandra is a little sad about losing a friend that she THOUGHT was a friend. I feel for her but again, someone who was never your friend, I don't feel bad about losing that kind of a friend myself. But poor Sandra!
So I see Sandra riding solo often on Strava. WTH, she'd doing longer and better rides solo than I am. So hey, I don't know the little back streets she knows so why don't we get together? See, I'm not that bullshit guy who is trying to pick up like some of the ride leaders I've met, and most guys I've met on coed rides.
Pretty sure Sandra knows how I am so there is no threat there, no politics, no bull shit, so we just ride. Pretty cool to go out and have a good time. Tony sent me a text as I was on my way to meet Sandra. Had to rush to get there but after telling Sandra, she had no problem if we had to wait a little longer to start off. But Tony made it pretty quickly, so we got a good start.
Tony had mentioned some jerseys his BIL found at a Pic N Save. Didn't know they were still around so not sure if he meant Big Lots. But he found the Amgen Tour o Cali jerseys, Hincapie brand for like $3. A bin full of them. He picked up a few I guess. He was wearing one on the ride. But he gave one to me and one to Sandra. Pretty sure the XL won't fit me so Gina will have to wear it. Gina did get a couple from Hillbasher years ago after he got a few on sale as well. SO this is her third, good brand and all came with full labels and tags. SO that was cool!
So we headed off west on Baseline, planning to go up Wheeler. But Sandra knows a little branch off going up Emerald. Less cars and a little zig zag up through the hoods. End up on Wheeler, to the top then down Country Club. A nice little loop in total that takes us up and around Wheeler, then spills us on Wheeler again. Then we head to SD cyn, to the dog park to refill at Horsethief Cyn.
Then back down to rt 66, across to Amelia. Down, and up to 5th street. Nice quiet rd on Sandra's course. I did it last time on my own and found if I go all the way across to Walnut, I drop down about 50 yards to Juanita. Smooth road that drops me off on SD Cyn road allowing me to drop to Bonita pretty quietly. There we would head east on Bonita back to the start.
But, as we were on 5th street, we saw the old group descending San Dimas Ave. We were about 50 yards back when we saw them. We stopped at the intersection then thought, maybe we should go that way too just to add some mileage. 23 miler ended up 33 miles. So we gave chase and eventually caught them on Badillo. I had planned to pass them but Sandra got caught up in the mix so I just slowed and recorded them from the side. Well, till we hit a red light and I stopped and they pulled away. So I had to catch up again figuring I'd pass but they actually did something different.
Took me by surprise! They turned up another road then rode up to Covina Blvd to finish their westward section to Glendora Ave. We continued west on Badillo. A road I have been avoiding because I think it stinks. Nice terrain but lousy pavement now, just too beat up. There were only 3 of us so not a big threat like in a group. So I was actually surprised that the ride leader took them up another road.
You know, I posted earlier that someone was posting a link to my blog, or something, I don't even know what was going on. But maybe someone linked it to that fake profile in facebook. So "maybe", that fake profile does belong to the person I would suspect and maybe they did read my past posts and maybe, just maybe he fucking learned something and decided to take his group a different safer path.
I sure hope so, save some skin and bones and it doesn't add any climbing to the usual ride that seems to be geared towards the climberphobic types ha ha ha! But anyway, again, if so, he should be thanking me for teaching him more that I already have ha ha ha!
So on the way back, we hit Bonita from the west side of the San Dimas strip but climbed back up Walnut a bit to show Sandra the road I found, Juanita. It allows us to go around that ratty section by the apartments on the SW corner of SD Cyn and Bonita. Man, that section just sucks. Parked cars, ratty pavement. If one falls, more than likely falling into traffic. I'd rather climb a few more feet and feel safe.
Heading back, Sandra says she always wanted to try Foothill Rt 66 from Mountain in Claremont to Monte Vista. Are you sure I asked. The traffic there is fast and up a little higher, it's tight and the cars are racing for position to beat the green arrow heading east on Baseline just west of the on/off ramps to the 210. Nasty area if you ask me. She said if I thought not, then OK.. But you know what, just to show her she ain't missing anything, we did it. Though once we hit the area on Foothill, did remember that Claremont goes up and curves around to meet Monte Vista. SO we did it and sure enough, holy cow, the traffic is fast and tight. Not to mention the bike lane very narrow and full of rocks, sticks, gravel, not worth it at all.
But now she knows and after she said, "I'll never do that again!" ha ha ha! But we made it all back safely so no harm, no foul.
Sandra seemed to enjoy the ride as did Tony. So she asked if we were going again next Thursday. Sure! Though Sandra said she wants to explore more climbs. OK, so maybe SD Cyn, maybe Golden Hills (freakin' steep). But sounds like something I have been wanting to do, include more climbing.
Probably another factor that seems we have in common. She likes to mix it up on the road, different courses, some climbs, something different. She may feel the way I do about the group ride, Same course week after week, after week with no variations. No extra climb, a different street, something to mix it up. Heck, we throw in Wheeler and meet nice roads than going down south. But again, that would involve a few little hills that seems to be a no no on the group rides.
So we had a good time on our ride. Tony and I sat a spell at the Dog Haus after the ride. Down the way from the group. Heck, I didn't care, just stay the fuck away from me if you got a stick up your ass ha ha ha!
But I am happy that they finally changed that god awful road to a safer one. Doing 25 on a ratty road with 25 riders lumped together can just not be safe for anyone.
The video
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