Solo 35 Thursday Before Heading Out of Town (video) & Poor Puente Hills Mall Ghost Town

 Solo 35, pretty warm ride. But the wind made sure that it was not an easy ride as always. Another one of those, don't be a sissy rides ha ha ha! I wanted to ride the previous days but boy, it has been hot, 100+ So I sat a couple days out that I had really wanted to ride. Heading out of town this weekend, I really wanted to ride so I did. Figured at least 20 to the dam and back but once there, to the nature center, then to Encanto Park, then to the top. Watching the temp rise more and more as I climbed to the base of the mountains. Sure enough, it was 98 when I hit the top. Average 93 and high of 100, good enough for me. 

Knowing it was going to be hot, I thought about heading south to the flatter section of the trail but once at the trailhead, I opted to head north, crazy me. About 5 miles into the ride, I could feel the fatiguing type of heat in my hips wondering what the heck I was doing out there. Again knowing it was hot, I tried to go as easy as possible to get in my ride. Made it little by little while taking in a couple extra bottles of Liquid IV. Also, one of those Wally World Z bars. Boy those things are sweet but tasty and easy to eat, if I hadn't mentioned that before. So doing what I needed to do, I made it back ok. I was good! No real symptoms of feeling exhausted other than feeling the heat but at 100, I had the right to feel hot ha ha ha! Some day, I'm going to start early but .......

I figure getting out there in the heat makes it easier on any other day so when others think it's hot at 80, I'm feeling cool ha ha ha! Pretty sure though, by the time I'm heat acclimated, the weather will cool down. Oh well, part of the cycle.

I did pick up another couple pair of Black Bib shorts and the $10 socks to qualify for the free shipping. $85 for 2 pair of shorts and a pair of really good quality supportive socks, not bad. I ordered a couple pair about 2 months ago so I'm good for a good long while now.

The previous 2 pair I picked up just about 2 years ago are actually in good shape as far as the material, still strong. I hate to trash them but a couple of the fore pads came loose inside the padded area. I did get a needle and some thread to tack the pad back in place from the outside of the shorts. From the material to the center of the pad in order to avoid getting thread on the surface of the pad to avoid skin contact. Did one and seemed to work so I will more than likely  do both pair just because I hate to waste the shorts. I'm the dude who can't throw away a toothpaste tube till I've wrenched that sucker dry. Not cheap, just feel I want what I got coming to me ha ha ha!

So now I have 4 new pair, another older good pair that I rarely use to preserve being an upper model of BB's, and some Aerotech shorts that I have still in great shape not having used them much. Heck, 6 good pair and if I fixe these other 2, they will be good to go for another long while. I just might have enough shorts to last me for the next 40 years ha ha ha!

Couple more pair of shorts and Black Bib socks. Should be set for a while having bought the same a little over a month ago.  

Now for the Puente Hills Mall, wow what a ghost town! Huge 2 level multi wing mall with about only 10 open stores in the entire structure now. Once used in the Back to the Future movie, it's gone down hill and almost empty now. Few stores with some merchandise left behind, few with eviction notices that have been abandoned, and some with merchandise the looks as if the store might be open, but not. Some of the stores still operating have different hours. Like Friday from 5 to 7 pm then Sat and Sunday, 11 to 6. Pretty sad to see the mall go down like that.

But I have read that it is because most of the local population now is Asian and they don't go for the American stores like Sears, Macy's, and other big names. They prefer their Asian boutique type stores. I believe it, looking down the road and very visible from the 60 freeway, one can see shopping center after shopping center with Asian symbols all over  advertising their Asian stores. Just sad to see the mall go down though there is still some life due to the restaurants around there, Golden Coral, Chilli's and a few others.