Solo Sunday

20 miles on the San Gabe trail. 

I woke up and asked Gina to pick out an outfit for me.  She picked the Fat Bastard jersey. 🤣

I  did a solo ride and actually felt pretty good after the longer ride Saturday.  On the return   I did see a guy ahead about 100 yards. Kept my pace then realized I was catching up.  Not racing the guy, just holding a good pace. 

About 6 miles later,  I caught him. Typical pace set by many on this trail. The upper section downhill,  many crank it up.  Many times I'll fall 100 yards behind. Once the ground levels out  hit the wind   up and down passes, no more downhill   many will fade. 

I figured the guy ahead of me would.  He actually did better than I expected. But I eventually caught him. As I passed, I  kept far left for quite some time letting the guy know I wasn't interested in having a wheelsucker behind me.  But he did anyway so I pulled over and down to about 10 mph waving him around. 

He went then I let him hang out alone for about 3 miles letting burn himself out. He did pick it up a few times but he was going nowhere and fast ha ha ha.  

So I kept back about 40 yards till the final 1 mile curved stretch.  Went down after him then passed him on the upside.  Leveled out then hammered as hard as I could to drop him. Just kept it going all the way in feeling my kidneys and liver ready to jump out the back of my ribcage ha ha ha.  

Just felt like giving it my all and making sure he wouldn't catch me. 😄

Solo SART 🌮

 A nice smooth 46 mile ride at 15.6 average speed.  Hadn't been to SART in a while so I just about missed my off ramp of the freeway ha ha ha.  

Bit breezy but nice.  The reason I did SART this time was that Jose sent a text saying he was visiting California and wanted to know if I wanted to meet for tacos. Sure!

So on the return,  I stopped to eat with him. He treated though I offered several times seeing he had done the traveling.  But hey, always taste better when it's free 😋 

So a nice ride.  Some dude was at the coast,  pictured,  who was on the phone with some techy sounding person trying to help him get his setup back on track. 

I overheard for a bit then heard something about a possible dead battery in his cadence sensor. 

Realized that was the problem so I approached letting him know I had an extra CR2032 in my seat bag.  He offered to pay me for it but I think I was just happy knowing I could make his day. 

I  carry an extra for my speed sensor and have about 5 or 6 more spares at home since I buy a bigger pack seeing it's more cost effective. 

Oh yeah,  I do enjoy having Gina make me eggs 🥚 in the morning before a ride.  Not sure if it's the eggs I like or just having a chance to look at her bubble but. 😄

Ah yes, and my employer has an outfit that comes in once a week offering us covid tests. I can get tested once per week no change. Figured I'd get tested this week just for the peace of mind.  NEGATIVE 👍

The MY NIPPLES ARE RED Tour

 The My Nipples Are Red Tour.  Easy 20 miles to spin up the legs getting ready for Monday.  Just to relax.  Used an electrolyte drink that turned my nipples red. Given to me so I'd try it on a short ride. Think I'll stick with Liquid IV.  And when the wife offers to wash the beanie but knows not to put jerseys and shorts in the dryer but doesn't think about the beanie.  One ends up with a droopy Nike swoosh.🤣

Solo Hard Effort

 Solo 40 miles today.  Just doing my thing on the way up and not many riders.  But once I got to the dam, I had caught up to some guy.   At the dam, he started the climb first but I was gaining on him the first half. 

I wasn't trying to race him but then he kept looking back several times.  So screw it,  I made sure to catch him before the top.  Once we leveled ou, he took off like he was in the TDF.  I just did my thing again but before we reached the entry booths to the park, I passed him but he hopped on my wheel. Ok  tough guy. 

So I slowed down,  way down but he wouldn't go around.  So I slowed down to 5 mph then he went around. I just hung back and let him hang out front for a few miles.  

Heading up towards the top   I thought he might exit at Encanto Park so 100 yards before we hit the turn off,  I hammered as hard as I could dropping him back about 20 yards.  He kept trying to catch up but I kept on leaving him back about 100 yards. 

Close to the top, I slowed down giving him a chance to catch up. He tried to take my wheel again but I slowed way down once more forcing him to pass.  He started doing pretty good as I saw him put his head down to hammer.  

He did surprise me a bit so I fell back some so just returned to my pace.  As I expected,  I started to gain again but when I recovered and knew I could pass him again,  I held back.  He was still trying to hammer but now I was just measuring him up for the final kill.

So about 1/2 mile from the top,  I pulled up a bit to see what he'd do. Sure enough he kept looking over his shoulder every 15 seconds.  

So I waited then put the hammer down and went around. Sure enough the clown took my wheel again. But I got to the end of the trail with about 10 yards. I sat up to make my stop but he sprinted around in that 10 yards.  What an idiot,  surprised he didn't hit the fence at the end of the trai

But anyway,  catching someone from far back then trying to sprint around at the end to finish 1/4 of a bike length is kind of silly. 

So I headed back down to Encanto Park but decided to keep going back up. To some canyon road with a rock quarry.  Lousy road   wasn't worth it. Trying to take it easy going slow was enough to bounce out one of my bottles. Won't be doing that again. 

At the end of my ride,  packing up,  Salvador stopped by to say hello.  He had ridden by but then doubled back after noticing me at my truck. 

Had another good chat about bikes and life. Always good chatting with Salvador. 

Gina didn't ride,  but she enjoyed my rewards once again. 🤣

Solo SGRT

 Solo 40 miles on San Gabe.  Cold and wet. The trail was wet but not raining. Not many out so I could use both sides trying to stay on a narrow dry line.  But a very very slight drizzle for a couple minutes here and there so no biggie. 

At the top I ran into a guy I had met before couple weeks back. Really cool guy Salvador.  We chatted about bikes, cycling and non cycling. We had some laughs.  😆

He mentioned riding up to Camp Williams last week and having his legs freeze up so bad that he couldn't stop 😄 He asked me if I'd like to try it with him as he'd like to make it up to Crystal Lake someday. I haven't done that in a while do why not?

I've been thinking about getting some climbing in again as it's been a while. This is my chance.  He's a couple years older so we agree on a lot of things, like riding together and not making a race out of it. . Hoping it goes well when we get it together. 

I have to say   this is the opposite side of hard work  too much easy work. Heck, I'm getting spoiled already.  I was in the sun, the heat  steal toes, on my feet all day.  Getting tired and feeling it on the bike at the end of the week.  But yet feeling strong. 

I noticed on Thursday,  sitting at the CMM measuring parts, I had been sitting for a long while when I stood up and felt my legs tired. Are you kidding me? 😄

Yeah,  legs getting tired from sitting. 🤣 I had to get up and do some laps around the metrology lab. Just realized I wasn't going to be getting the exercise like I was so I'm thinking I'll have to change my diet. 

With a physical job  I could eat what I want and still trim up. With this job, nice and cozy but I better watch it. 😁

Well.. I rode and Gina tagged along for the post ride meal 😋 

Having A Good Time

 Working on a couple CMM machines,  Smart scope  Micro Vu and a few other measuring machines.  No sweat! 

Heck,  I was sweating crazy but now I get a little chilly in here ha ha ha. 

Pretty much becoming a computer wiz and a measuring machine dude.

Much much better and loving it!

https://youtube.com/shorts/-7ja0EGmbR4?feature=share

Was the 10th..... 60 !!!!!!

 October 10th, no not me, GINA!!!!

Happy birthday to the kindest sweetest most loving soft hearted person in the 🌎 world! 🥳 

Took Gina and her Mom to Black Angus for her birthday 🎂. 

Had a good time and some good stuff 👌. 

Mostly solo Old Fart

 20 miles on the San Gabe trail. Feeling good but on the way back   about 2 miles from the end of my ride  some strong guys went by. I was doing 17 or so but 20 when I hopped on. Pretty good for a big wind. 

One of the guys, seemed to be the strongest was doing little tricks seemingly wanting to put little gaps on me to see if I'd fall off.  He created little gaps but I closed them every time.  The other two guys were steady. 

Seemed as if they didn't mind I was there then the last little climb up the Pico dam, they tried to kick it up.  I passed one of the guys who looked surprised ha ha ha.  

I thanked them there and that's when one guy said they parked at the golf course. Cool.

We pulled in together as the stronger guy kept on. I guess they weren't all together after all.  Speaking with one of the guys, very friendly.  Both guys were. They didn't know the third rider at all   they had just hooked up along the way. 

I  don't usually draft or hop on strangers but this just looked so inviting. So much easier and faster   had to enjoy it a bit. 😄

Solo Fat Bastard

 34 miles. Started out feeling good on the way up to the base of the Azusa mountains.  Met a couple cool guys to chat with. One last week as well.  Riding during the heat and earlier this year,  seemed like there wasn't many riders around.  The last couple of weeks I've actually ran across far more riders. .

But heading back down?? Man it sucked. Not fair when you head down but the wind makes it feel as if you're heading up. 

Starting at Pico Rivera golf course   it's all up hill to the end of the trail.  Guess that's why wimpy guys like Eric Pippin head up. This section of the trail is tougher than the Santa Ana trail if you ask me. Look at he underpass image. Not just an underpass but like doubles.  A series of little upty do's that really tire out a rider. Oh yeah  I had about 19 PR's, most heading up to the end of the trail. 

I think I have to say the riders on this trailerare stronger as well.  Maybe because more of them are climbers it seems. That's my opinion and I'm sticking to it. 

Well anyway,  I was hungry after the ride so  I took Gina and her mom out for fajitas. 😋

And yeah, that's me at work creating reports on the computer sweating in the sun. 😆

Strange because I started feeling tired on the return but turned out a gang of PR's. Must have been the pasta dinner at Spaghetti Factory. Hadn't been there in a while but it was good 👌 

 Still haven't got Gina back on the bike but always think about what she said.  Said someday she wants to ride her bike to the beach in her bikini top.  I'm hoping she does. 👀😄