The ClaremontCyclist

From the Archives: City of Commerce 1991...

2012-02-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

Podium shot with Chevy-Sheriffs in 4th and 5th, just off the steps. The rider [Ernest] next to Miss City of Commerce was a Cat 4 when I joined the club, but moved up rather more quickly, so by '91 when this was taken, I am not sure if this was the Cat 3 or Cat 4 race.

My Favorite Routes VII: Bonelli Park Loop (mtb)...

2012-01-31T08:19:00.000-08:00

Back to Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park for this edition of My Favorite Routes. Start with a stat: A good 75-80% of the time I head out for a spin on the mountain bike, I'll be at one of two places - Marshall Canyon / Claremont Hills Wilderness Park, or Bonelli Park. Truth be known, I can think of better places to ride the dirt, but due to their ease of access, and thus the frequency with which I ride there, they make the list. There are some similarities, for instance riding in both areas is dominated by dirt access, or fire roads, and trail use can be heavy. Mostly, though, each area is distinct from the other. There is only one stream crossing in Bonelli, the climbs are shorter and generally less steep, there is little single track, though I would say what s.t. there is is more technical.

view from Lower Beehive Trail

someone cough up a lung? - no, just a dried up cactus pad

On with the description. The hills of Bonelli Park are criss-crossed with trails. There are some nice ones near to the south shore of the lake, but since these are quite short, you would really have to combine these with others to get in a decent ride. The route that I tend to take is basically a perimeter loop of varied terrain. Every trail ride needs a starting point, and at Bonelli you have several options. You can enter the park from Via Verde and use any one of the ample parking lots along that road, you can forgo the entry fee and use the park and ride lot near the west Via Verde entrance, you can even park at Brackett Field near the restaurant. The last time I rode the loop I parked in the lot on the north shore (it must have been a weekday, since I didn't have to pay), and that is where this description starts (note the "S" in the white circle on the map). It is easy to pick up the trail here as it runs along the planted strip between the parking lot and Puddingstone Drive. It is fun and fast through here, basically singletrack; let it run. After passing the boat launch parking area you will make a sharp right onto a road that quickly turns to mostly gravel and circles along the edge of a retention basin, before dumping you down onto the paved road that crosses the dam.

Take this paved road over the dam, checking out the view across the lake to the left and the water slides of Raging Waters to the right. Watch for the occasional auto traveling the opposite direction on this one way access road. Once across the dam, merge onto Raging Waters Drive, keeping the lake on your left. Watch along the right of the road, in a short distance you will notice an old asphalt road branching off at a spot marked by some trees, and yellow gate posts with a chain strung between. Punch it up the short hill, but make a quick right at the dirt road switchback. This is the Lower Beehive Trail, which climbs and descends gently, and offers some nice views of the lake and San Gabriel Mountains. Before long you connect to the Upper Beehive Trail, which is steeper and takes you up to the high point on this side of the park. There always seems to be mountain bikers up here taking a rest; you can do so as well, or go straight into the descent off the top. You will bottom out with an option to go left and back to the paved Raging Waters Drive, or up a slight incline. Go up. This will take you to the tunnel going under Via Verde.

Exiting the tunnel take the wide sweeping turn left and run downhill behind the park headquarters. Being near the park entrance there tends to be many walkers and trail runners here so keep your head up and eyes open. You eventually come down nearly to Via Verde with a parking lot across the way. There is another yellow post and chain barrier, but you don't want to go there anyway. Instead keep to the dirt road which starts a gradual climb off to the right. At the next junction go right to keep climbing. You will shortly reach another junction, this one signed. This is an optional side route marked in yellow on the map and heads to the fire department reservoir at the top of the hill. It looks like a giant swimming pool with a view, but is enclosed by a fence, and is of course, off limits. There are some pine trees up here and on a hot summer day is a nice place to stop for a moment. When you have had your fill of rest head back the same way to the main route.

not the swimming pool

10 - 57 freeway interchange and Cal Poly Pomona

Shortly, and after a little downhill you reach a sharp turn marked by a transmission tower. I will often stop to take in the view of the I-10/SR-57 interchange and of the campus of California Polytechnic University, Pomona beyond. Continue down, along what is now the Coyote Trail, sections of which are steep and loose. Take this as slow or fast as your ability allows. You are riding along the 10 freeway now and its roar is an almost constant companion. Eventually you reach the low point along this road; off to the left is a wooden bridge, no longer used. The dry stream coming down from the hills here probably has some water when it rains, but I've never seen it. From here the road turns up again, the longest climb on the route; the grade varies, but nothing is especially taxing. Avoid any turnoffs until you practically reach Via Verde again. At that point, merge to the right and punch it up this short but rocky (bedrock, not loose) bit and notice the wide singletrack trail heading off to the right. Take it, though you could continue on the dirt road.

This is the longest bit of technical trail you will deal with on this route. There is a lot of cactus alongside you and some rocky sections to navigate and overcome. Steel your nerves and ride as much as you can. Keep your eyes peeled for a steep section leading up hill to the left, one which I must confess to never having ridden up - too steep and loose for me. Up top, at the end of the steep, is some sort of radar [?] facility. I used to ride a circle this taking in the views, but notice that they have now put up signs warning people not to linger due to radiation exposure, so now I hop back on the bike and quickly head down the paved access road. This takes you down to an intersection with Via Verde again, just outside the parks' east entrance booth. Cross the road looking for the obvious continuation of the dirt route, or take the equestrian undercrossing, and then pick up the trail again heading gradually up around the perimeter of the equestrian center. There is an interesting rock outcropping at the top of this section of trail with some colorful lichen covering the large rocks. Might be worth a stop if you are into that sort of thing. If not, just continue down.

This next portion of the route I have seen called the Crosby Trail, or the Rocky Trail, and it does indeed become quite rocky near the bottom. The rock is good solid bedrock, unforgiving, with some challenging ruts, but is doable, even by me. If you are not into that though, soon after topping out at the lichen rocks, take the detour to the left, the Corkscrew Trail, and marked by a sign. This detour is steeper with a loose surface, but is also less of a challenge. The two trails meet back together. Which ever you decide, check out the spot light on the tower to the right near the bottom. I have never been sure if this is some sort of relic, a part of the airfield, or used to find wayward golfers on the back nine of the adjacent golf course. I am guessing a combination of the first two, but the last would be much more fun. After things have leveled out, and at the junction go left. This will wind around below the public rv park, and come out at a paved access road running alongside the airfield and into said rv park.

some of what the Crosby Trail has to offer

the Jungle

At the locked gate hit the dirt service road on the right and fly down the little decline below some camp spots and into the Jungle. The road through here is clear and smooth, but deeply overgrown along its sides, in fact so deeply that the trees and shrubs form a tunnel enclosing you. You may catch glimpses of water and think you have entered a swamp, hence this sections popular name. Sometimes fluff falls from the cottonwoods; it is almost surreally different from anything else along the route. At the exit from the Jungle you reach the one stream crossing in the park. Sometimes this is easy, others it can be quite deep with wheel sucking mud at the entrance. Either way you have to cross, so do, go right on the access road alongside a picnic area, cross over the drive aisle / parking lot at any point and pick up the trail that runs alongside Puddingstone Drive. This is the same trail you started on, so take it back to the start, circle the park again, or hit up some of the other interior trails. There is a lot to offer. The loop as described finished off at slightly over 10 miles and slightly under 1400 feet of elevation gain.

House to Eliminate Dedicated Funding...

2012-01-31T08:14:00.000-08:00

Direct from Safe Routes to School National Partnership:

It’s so much worse than we thought. Today, the House releases its transportation bill, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act. We expected the bill to be bad news for bicycling and walking, but we didn’t think it would go so far as to reverse allprogress we have made in the past twenty years.

The House Transportation Committee will vote Thursday, February 2, on whether to approve this bill or amend it to include bicycling and walking programs. Take action now—tell your representative to restore bicycling and walking in the Transportation Committee.

Why the urgency? House leaders are exerting pressure to completely cut bicycling and walking out of transportation. Lawmakers seem to have gone through line-by-line to gut programs that make streets safer. Some of the more devastating provisions in the bill include:

Destroys Transportation Enhancements by removing the dedicated funding;
Repeals the Safe Routes to School program, leaving communities without basic tools and funding to protect kids on the trip to school;
Allows states to build bridges without safe access for pedestrians and bicycles; and
Eliminates bicycle and pedestrian and Safe Routes to School coordinators in state DOTs.

But there’s still a chance to save federal bicycling and walking funding. This week, Representative Petri (R-WI) plans to offer an amendment that restores dedicated funding for Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School. Rep. Petri can only be successful if you and everyone else with a stake in safe sidewalks, crosswalks and bikeways contact their Representatives today.

This is as urgent as it gets. If members of the Transportation Committee are going to stand up to House leadership by supporting biking and walking, they will need to know their constituents are behind them. Please contact Congress today and ask them to preserve dedicated funding for biking and walking.

Cyclo-banter: Trash Talking, Jest or Jibe...

2012-01-30T18:55:00.000-08:00

Scene - the weekend group ride. You're climbing one of the many small hills along the route. You pass an older gentleman in full pro-team kit, and riding a nice bike. As you pass you put out your hand and give the peace sign, to which he responds with a "good morning". Mere moments earlier the front of your group (who had made a light further back while you did not) passed the same rider. You don't know if there was any exchange of pleasantries. There is a general regroup at the top of the hill, and as you're waiting the solo rider comes up and slows to give a quick hello to the group. One of the group quips "see you in a couple minutes." Challenge! Was it a cheap shot, or simply the good-natured ribbing that roadies frequently engage in? I know, you can't realistically be expected to answer; there is too much you don't know, or can't see from the information provided. But, if you were on the receiving end, what would your reaction be? You don't know these guys who blew by you on the climb, you were pleasant and said hello, yet one of them seemingly throws a challenge in your face, belittling your ability.

I have been around roadies long enough to know there can be an almost constant stream of back and forth trash talk, usually all in jest. It is part of the camaraderie amongst friends, battle brothers, not really meant to be taken seriously; but does this type of banter extend beyond the group? I have never known it to do so. I also know that groups like this (by which I mean the kind where you have to be seen as paying your dues, before being accepted) tend to be rather inclusive, not readily accepting of outsiders. So there you are, real event, hypothetical question. I was neither giver nor receiver; I was a stand-by witness. I'm not accusing, simply pondering a question. Like the others I momentarily chuckled, but at the same time thought that the comment was unnecessarily harsh. If you were the outsider, how would you view such a comment? If you were one of the group, could you ever see yourself making such a comment to someone you did not know? I think trash talk has its place among friends and acquaintances, but directed at a stranger it is too likely to be misinterpreted, taken the wrong way, a black-eye to the group.

Yet Another Psycho-list Ride...

2012-01-29T14:08:00.000-08:00

to close out the weekend. I understand there have been some larger Psycho-list pelotons, but today's twenty-five or so riders was the largest I have seen since I started riding with the group. This meant there were more competitors at the various KOM spots along the route. Today's route was an out and back along the foothills to the upper San Gabriel River Trail (SGRT), down to the Whittier Narrows Dam, and then back the way we came. If you know the route, you will know there are no prolonged climbs, just some short, sometimes steep, sprinters' hills. Cursed Jorge, on his single speed, was just too powerful and kept me from claiming top spot at any of the top of any of the speed bumps. I think I managed second or third on most of those hills; not bad I suppose for the extra years I have on 'em. Some fast people kept it interesting the whole day.

bunch of psycho-lists obstructing my view of the mountains

We made it over to the Santa Fe Dam with an average speed of over 19 mph which, considering some stretches of soft pedaling to allow regrouping, was pretty good. While a few riders turned off at this point, the rest of us rode on down river along the SGRT with Greg drilling it out front all the way into the Narrows. Construction on the path is still ongoing along there, but the asphalt is laid, nice and smooth and, being the weekend, it was unobstructed - no detour necessary. Turning around we found the headwind, not like a couple days ago, but enough to get the legs burning. With Greg and, I think Jorge, causing mayhem at the front again, I took a more relaxed position at the back, where the youngest rider in the group (14) was beginning to tire. Props to his dad though, for getting him out. My own 14 year old was probably still asleep at that point. Next time I secretly set the alarm in his room. The finishing miles melted beneath our wheels, and after a last regroup at the bottom of GMR there was one final split. Thing about the Psycho-lists, once they smell the finish (maybe lunch cooking at the Euro Cafe) it's every man for himself. A trio got a bit of a gap in the homestretch. I couldn't let that happen unchallenged, so I tucked in, powered up one final time, and managed to bridge up. Being able to find a nice reserve of energy at the end of a ride is something to be stoked about. Yahoo, now beer me.

nice and smooth, new asphalt. painting still needs to be done,

but the end of construction may be in sight

beautiful day for a ride

i like the colorful new signs along the SGRT, but "Emerald Necklace?" Boston's "Emerald Necklace" has been around for 100 years or so. i think a more unique name would have been better.

Searching for the Psycho-lists...

2012-01-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

GMR Friday turned out to be that and more, much more in fact than I was planning on. Psycho-lists left just a bit too early for me, but I knew where they were planning to go, what route they would take. That route was supposed to be up GMR - down East Fork - down Highway 39. Assuming that wouldn't change somewhere along the way is what got me into trouble. I figured that if I rode that route backward we would cross paths, probably along Highway 39, maybe the lower portion of East Fork; I could turn around at that point and ride back with them from there. It would be a relatively easy ride, perfect since I had ridden miserably on a short ride yesterday. So much for best laid plans. I kept going along East Fork, further and further, without seeing them, finally realizing their plans had obviously changed and I was going to have to alter mine as well. I could either turn around and still have a relatively easy day, or go ahead and tackle that butt-kicking East Fork climb. If you have guessed that I chose to continue climbing, you guessed correctly. In reality there was really only one way to go once across the East Fork Bridge, and that was up.

Oscar pulling along the East Fork Road, the river on the left, and serious climbing ahead.

just past Williams and Hudsons Bay Camps. not a single vehicle passed from here up to GMR

Fortunately I had been joined further down along Highway 39 by Oscar, who had caught up to me, I am thinking easily, although he said otherwise. Oscar is a strong climber who probably could have left me behind at any time, but rode at a comfortable pace that was doable, even after my back started giving me some grief. The Santa Ana's were forecast to return today, and that they did, hitting the mountains hard. As it was they were at their worst where we made the switchback to begin the steeps of East Fork. One second they were giving us a helping push from behind, the next they turned face, hellaciously pounding us from the front. I swear during one of the sudden transitions from helpful to tormenting I was nearly blown over the side. There is no detracting from the beauty of this route, and the winds not-withstanding, the day was a stunning one up in the mountains.

And the Psycho-lists? We did eventually cross paths - I was about four miles from home, they, almost back to their start point in LaVerne (after GMR, they did GRR to Baldy, down San Antonio Canyon and back). A fine day either way - for me 56 miles, 4600 feet of climbing, 3.5 hours.

CicLAvia-style Event for Pomona?

2012-01-26T17:29:00.000-08:00

The City of Pomona was a recent recipient of a grant from the Los Angeles County Health Department to promote a CicLAvia-type 'open streets' event. Consultants will be holding a stakeholders meeting on Tuesday, January 31, 6:00 to 9:00 at the Cal Poly Downtown Center. It would be great to see something like that rolling through historic areas of Pomona. If you like the idea, they want to hear from you; all you have to do is show up at the meeting and let them know what you think of the idea. Even if you don't want to talk, simply being one of a large group of supporters in attendance will get the point across. There is a Facebook page with more info.

NBR: Historic SUP...

2012-01-26T09:03:00.000-08:00

I have a special affinity for the historic aspects of cycling, the stories and images of past times. Whether we are aware of it or not, we are a part of a long tradition. Realizing that, I think, provides a little extra interest. My uncle, who organizes several stand-up paddleboard events on Lake Tahoe each year, such as this one coming up in March, recently posted up this very cool photo from 1921.

Completely non-bike related, I know, but stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) is a hell of a fun, and complimentary, activity for the off-season. Or as a little break during the long in-season. The upcoming event seems to be more race-oriented, but another event held during the late summer is a big festival where you can try out various boards, listen to live music, soak up the sun and the blue waters. Ride around the lake, or the mountain trails. Hmmm, anyone up for a Tahoe trip this year?

Video from USA vs. Canada, Round II...

2012-01-25T12:40:00.000-08:00

Round II of the Canada vs. USA races at the Home Depot Center Velodrome took place this past Sunday, and as much as I would like to have been there, I couldn't convince myself to make the drive. I have been waiting to see some photos of the action and luckily local rider, Mark, whom I recently met on a Psycho-list ride, was at the 'drome and put together this great little video. Nice camera work; I have shot some video there in the past, but it did not come out with anything near the same quality. Enjoy it, and Mark, thanks for letting me share it.

Slow Sunday Scenes...

2012-01-24T13:00:00.000-08:00

and other random shots from around town over the past week.

simple and functional

things kept getting in my way (though i will only bore you with this one example)

keeping the citrus regional bikeway clear

passing by

passing through

hobbling along

long-stem roses?

to market, to market

to market

there's Joel Harper with push bike. if you are not familiar with his book All the Way to the Ocean, a children's book about the effects of pollution, check it, it's good no matter your age

finally, some snow covering for Baldy. if you look closely you can see

the snow blowing around up at the top. windy

the Pomello Pump House. i don't know how many times i have ridden past,

lets just say a lot (five times a day if i am doing laps) but have never turned my head to the left at the point i pass it until just today. it was built in 1913 by one of the small water companies serving the area. more recently [date?] the Southern California Water Company restored the building including matching

the original blue paint trim around doors and windows, new tin roof, and

seismic strengthening of the fieldstone walls. (info from Claremont Heritage website)

Upcoming: San Dimas Stage Race 2012 (and growing the sport)...

2012-01-23T10:12:00.000-08:00

If you did not notice it, registration for the 2012 San Dimas Stage Race (SDSR) opened, I believe, on Thursday of last week. SDSR is a three stage event falling this year on March 16-18. This will be the thirteenth edition of the race, originally known as the Pomona Valley Stage Race, and throughout its history the race has been an early season magnet attracting some of the best local talent and top professionals. You can check the list of past victors on their new website, a list which includes names such as Chris Horner, Scott Moninger, and three time winner, Ben Day for the men; Kristen Armstrong, Ina Teutenberg, Lynn Bessette, and Amber Neben who won the first edition as well as the most recent, on the women's side.

Regardless of the attraction of witnessing the professionals performing at a top level, the action tends to be fast and exciting no matter what category happens to be on the course, flashing past at any particular moment. This is no more true than during the third stage circuit race along the streets of downtown San Dimas. The crowds always come out for this Sunday race, lining the finishing straight along Bonita Avenue, and scattered along the back streets where the drama often unfolds.

Regretfully, and as was announced on the race's Facebook page, one group of racers who will not be participating this year are the women category 4's (unless I am wrong I don't believe there was a women's 4 race last year either). With many local races becoming weighted toward the older, more experienced side of the spectrum (and not that I mind having so much opportunity to be able to race) it was unfortunate to hear that there would be no women 4's race. For those of you who do not race, in women's racing, Category 4 might be described as entry level. In practice, many women do start out as Juniors and gain experience at a younger age, but for many other women who come to the sport at an older age, Cat 4 is where they begin. As someone who cut his teeth in racing in an era predominated by short criteriums, with an occasional road race sprinkled in, the annual pilgrimage to Utah to participate in a three-day stage race there, was the big highlight of my racing year. For most of us who race, or have raced, these short stage races are the closest we will get to the big-Tour experience. Three consecutive days of racing, three different disciplines, and the challenge of mastering three different courses is a thrill.

I am not sure what the reason was to withhold the women's Cat 4 race this year; whether there was one overriding reason, or several factors in combination, is irrelevant at the end of the day. The race organizers have said that the decision was out of their hands and I don't see any reason to dispute that claim. The organizers have always put on a quality, exciting race, one that has been both racer and spectator friendly. As the peloton continues to age, we need to see more opportunity to attract and hold fresh blood, so to speak, to provide a quality racing experience. It is hard to say where the answer lies. If races have to be cut, for what ever reason, where are the cuts made? Do you reward the Masters 40+, 50+, and 60+ racers, the people who have provided the backbone of local racing for the past 20, 30, or more years by cutting into their races? Do you cut into the middle groups, the Cat 3/4's, the largest block of racers? Or do you cut into the entry levels and risk losing athletes and hampering opportunities for the growth of the sport.

It can likely be argued that one race won't make a difference, that there are plenty of other races, and thus opportunities, for the women Cat 4's. The problem is there are not plenty of other stage races and the unique opportunities that they provide to experience a type of racing not available at the local weekend criterium, or even one-day road race. I would love to be able to look back on this a few years from now, and view it as a symptom of growing pains, as the sport trying to figure out how to handle and balance the needs of an aging group of veteran road warriors, a active core in the middle, and the group of newcomers attempting to make their way into the sport. The problem is, we know that without entry-level opportunities, growth can stagnate. If you look closely at the sport of cycling, there is reason to be optimistic for its growth, but the governing bodies of the sport, the smaller race organizers, and on down the line to the local clubs, need to assure that opportunities for newcomers to experience the thrill and excitement, the camaraderie and cohesion remain available.

Alright, enough of that for now. The 2012 San Dimas Stage Race is coming up - less than two months away. So, after extolling the virtues of the small stage race, will I be doing it? I just don't know; I will want to see some rapid improvement over my performance of a week ago at the season's first race, before I make that decision. Which ever way it goes, whether I race or spectate, it is going to be good. Don't miss out. See you in San Dimas, if not before.

Stuff Someone Said: Sean Yates...

2012-01-22T13:12:00.000-08:00

By now you may be well aware of how I continue to use a written journal to document the happenings of daily training rides. I have long supplemented these with apropos quotes by more famous personalities in the sport, and thought it might be worth sharing some of these here. Today's quote comes from the great British racer, Sean Yates:

"You can't participate in the bloody race if you're not at the front, can you boy." It doesn't get anymore straight forward than that.

photo from the January 1997 edition of Cycle Sport,
the Yates Special Issue in honor of his retirement from racing

This quote was brought to mind as I watched the video of the 1994 Tour de France while yesterday's rainstorm passed through. Miguel Indurain was still in his heyday, winning his fourth Tour that year, but I also remember the edition for what happened to Yates. Sean was wearing the Yellow Jersey at the time and was preparing to contest for a time bonus during an intermediate sprint. He was prevented from doing so, however, when another racer (who I had previously admired, but whose image is now forever tarnished) grabbed hold of Yates' jersey, and prevented him from moving forward. Needless to say Yates did not gain the time bonus, which instead went to a challenger for yellow, and co-incidentally, teammate of the "jersey-grabber". Yates lost the jersey that day.

An Interesting Bridgestone Step-thru...

2012-01-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

You know me, I don't really have much affinity for the "sensible" bike. The step-thru is just not my thing. This particular model, though, has some features which raise it to a whole different level of interest. The bike has many features which are typical for the type - motion generated headlight, skirt guard, rear rack, chain guard, fenders, and internally geared hub; but also has some which are a little more unique, but no less functional. Among these are a rear wheel kickstand which secures to each side of the rear axle, raising the wheel off the ground and holds the bike steady for loading and unloading; there is also a combination rear wheel / handlebar lock (see photos), and a cool child seat / basket. I was not previously familiar with the term but, I believe this is what in Japan is known as a mamachari. Not sure of the date on this thing so it may not qualify as vintage just yet, and classic is often in the eye of the beholder, but it certainly has some unique aspects to it. Check it at the Velo.

the complete picture

rear wheel view

this is where it starts to get interesting. turn the key and a bolt slides out from an enclosing sleeve preventing the rear wheel from turning. but there is more; you see, there is a cable running from the rear lock mech to another locking mechanism up front (the head tube/steerer to be exact), so when you lock the rear wheel the handlebars also lock at a 45º angle or straight ahead. the photo below shows the indicator for the front lock - you can't really tell from it, but when the indicator shows blue you are free to ride, when it shows red, it is locked. seems like overkill to me, i mean the handlebars either turn or they don't, but there you go.

the second feature of interest is the child carrier / basket. it has this rotating part - folded up, as in the first photo you have a child carrier; rotate it down and it becomes a basket. it also comes with a footrest for each side; when Dale showed me the bike we weren't sure how they attach (I just held one up for the photo), but they help keep the child's feet away from the rear wheel.

Friday with some Psycho-lists...

2012-01-20T12:49:00.000-08:00

our little group headed up into San Dimas Canyon

Nice ride with the Friday morning group - Phil and Brenda I have ridden with on past rides, also out today were Mark and Scott. Little bit on the cool side to start, and since Baseline is basically downhill heading west, there is not much chance really, to warm up. It was cool right up to the point where we turned onto Esperanza, that hill there, of course, provides quite a shock to your system and is guaranteed to warm you up right quick. That is if it doesn't shut you down entirely. The KOM there was mine, whether gifted or not I don't know, and it is not really a question you ask. Just accept it and move on to the next hill. We cruised along Golden Hills Road, down through the closed section, and then turned up San Dimas Canyon. It has been a long time since I was last up that way and is such a nice climb up that canyon; if only it connected with some other road and actually went somewhere, instead of dead-ending. Anyway, rather than continue onward in the dirt, we turned around after regrouping, made our way over to Bonelli, Mile Hill (I think that is what people call it), some more descending through the hills to Covina, and then mostly flat back home. Ticked over a little more than thirty-seven miles; as I said a nice Friday morning ride. Psycho-lists on Meetup.

over-the-shoulder shots don't always work.

got Scott and Mark anyway; only half of Phil.

shoulder proves I was there

Rest in Peace, Dave Melrose...

2012-01-19T14:21:00.000-08:00

I understand our local mountain bike community lost a good friend following his long battle with cancer last night.

I can believe that nobby tires turned silently at the moment when

Dave Melrose found final peace.

Now is as good a time as any to show some support to the cancer fund of your choice.

USA vs Canada, Round II...

2012-01-19T14:04:00.000-08:00

I've got a ton of posts lined up and it's messing with my one a day game plan. First up is the second-go-round of the head-to-head races at the Home Depot Center Velodrome between Canada and the United States. I am sure the action will be fast paced; lets hope there is no problem with the power this time.

Bicycle Film Festival...

2012-01-18T18:16:00.001-08:00

Sometimes there is so much happening in the world of bicycles that, for any number of reasons, you can easily miss stuff if you are not careful. If not for receiving an email this afternoon about this one I would have missed out on passing along this information. Bicycle Film Festival is in Santa Barbara this weekend - Thursday to Saturday. Events are taking place both in Santa Barbara proper, as well as IV (Isla Vista for those of you who did not attend UCSB, or are otherwise unfamiliar). Additionally, and though it is not on the flyer of the BFF, there is a bike swap scheduled to take place at UCSB's lot 23, Saturday morning. Check that link above for full schedule. As nice as it is to spend a day in Santa Barbara, if you can't make it, don't fret, the Bicycle Film Festival will be in Los Angeles, September 8 to 11.

Party on the PET / CRB in May...

2012-01-18T18:16:00.000-08:00

Yes, May. I am giving plenty of notice. May is a big month for cycling events in these parts. We don't go quite as far as Santa Barbara with their annual cycleMAYnia, even so there are plenty of fun events. The Amgen Tour of California will make a local stop again this year, with racers competing along a route between Ontario and Mt. Baldy on May 19. The l'etape du California will again cover the same route as the professional racers, three weeks earlier, April 28. May is Bike to Work month, and you can expect to see the Bike Pit Stop at the depot again this year. New for this year will be a special celebration of the Pacific Electric Trail/Citrus Regional Bikeway. Planning is still in the beginning stages, but the City of Rancho Cucamonga will be hosting an event on May 12; Claremont will be doing likewise. Whether the other cities along the PET step up and do likewise remains to be seen. Montclair? Upland? Fontana? Rialto? Come on. Fill in the gaps and make it one big linear bike riding party.

Look for more information as the event draws closer. Just think, people from points further west can ride Metrolink into Claremont, disembark at the depot, ride the PET (some 50 miles round trip end to end) and take the train back home. Just something to think about.

Is Censorship Ever a Good Idea?

2012-01-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

Bikes in film: The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner...

2012-01-17T08:43:00.000-08:00

Here is another that caught my eye thanks to the bike on the cover. The World is Big is a 2008 film out of Bulgaria. Following a car crash, in which his mother and father are killed, a young man (Sashko) embarks, in the company of his grandfather, on what might be called a journey of recovery. Bai, the grandfather, grown weary of the way doctors are treating Sashko's amnesia, convinces his grandson to leave the hospital, and together they travel by tandem from Germany back to Bulgaria in an attempt to reawaken memories of the past. There is more story intertwined throughout - political persecution, attempts to start over in a new country, friendships, and tying everything together, the game of backgammon. Pretty darn good with some fun cycling scenes. English subtitles didn't subtract from it at all. Now why does the lead actor (grandfather) remind me so much of Walter Matthau?

The Ontario Series GP: Let the Season Begin...

2012-01-15T17:04:00.000-08:00

I left myself an out by not previously mentioning that I would be racing this fine day, first of the year, first in - how many years has it been? I will answer that for you - ten years. February 4, 2002 was the last time I raced a local criterium (any kind of road race actually). I didn't mention my plans for the day so that if things didn't go at least moderately well, I could just pretend to ignore the fact, pretend it never happened. Who would know, right? But that is not fair to myself or you all. I have never intended to hide stuff on this blog. Cycling is often a series of ups and downs. You have some good days and some bad (of course you try to minimize those).

Jr. Men 15-16 line up beneath grey sky (as did we all)

Not only was this the first race of the new season, and my first in ten years, it was a special day for another reason as well (read that word special with as much dripping sarcasm as you can add). You see, for the first time my racing license lists my racing age as 50. Yup, I get to race with that very veteran group, and was welcomed into the fraternity with all the compassion of a pack of hungry wolves on the scent of an easy kill. Not especially pretty, from my point of view. You see, the 50+ group is not broken up by category (there is no 50+ 3/4 race for instance), so there I was all lined up with the likes of riders who had made their names on the national and international circuit twenty and more years ago, and who have been able to continue their winning ways ever since. I don't mind, really. Racing against people at the top of their game, brings out the best in the rest of us as well. Eventually. Not today.

Today was all about reacquainting myself with the whole concept of racing. I woke early this morning with ~~thoughts~~ delusions of breaking away, or at least placing after unleashing a powerful sprint. Ha. Reality had other plans, and things turned out a wee bit different. Funny thing is the race started off well, maybe too well, I was perhaps too relaxed. I had none of those pressure nerves I recall from the past, waiting for the whistle to sound. I looked back over my shoulder (there were 84 racers in the 50+ race) and there was Thurlow Rogers and teammate Roger Worthington. I glanced to my left and there was Michael Burditt, who had already won an earlier race in the morning. Were I readily able to place names to faces I would have recognized some serious competition, maybe even enough to make me nervous. But I wasn't. It is just the beginning of this comeback, a year-long process, and I really had nothing to prove at this point.

Michael Birditt claiming his first victory of the day

and Michael Birditt claiming his second victory of the day

The first few laps went very comfortably. But then a series of prime laps (3 or 4 consecutively, I am not sure which) caused the pace to quicken. Soon enough I was cast adrift. Dropped. I was not the only one, and I don't think I was the first (small victories). Being dropped, I was then able to shoot the final two laps, and while I do consider being tailed off a bad thing, the photos are at least a small plus. I procrastinated away an entire season last year, while I debated whether or not I was fit enough to join in. Well I have beaten that devil at the first race of 2012 and now have my eyes fixed upward regardless of how many national and world champions line up next to me. The bug has been caught and is firmly in my grasp. Bring on the next race. And maybe a little fast-paced training before then.

The usual photo catalogs are here:

finish sprint of the Masters 55/60+

Junior Men 10-12, Women 10-14, Men 15-16

last couple laps of the Masters 50+

Women 1/2/3

Masters 45+

Masters 30+ 4/5

Misc. portraits, etc

A Return to GMR Fridays...

2012-01-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

Quite a nice day outside, hope you could enjoy a little of it. The threatened Santa Ana Winds did not materialize, at least not where I was riding, otherwise things could have turned ugly. Instead we had to groan through another spring-like day in the middle of winter. A quartet of Psycho-list riders rode out for Glendora Mountain Road at 7:30; unfortunately I wasn't able to push off until about 8:45, so I obviously was not one of the four. Instead, I made my lonely way up the mountain in silence, relatively that is - tires humming, birds chattering, pedals/cleats creaking, an occasional plane droning by overhead, and then once I crossed over the saddle, the report of gunshots from the shooting range at Burro Flat. Didn't see any other riders out until I reached the overlook above San Gabriel Reservoir. That is when the four Psycho-lists came down. Was hoping to snap their photo descending, for the pic of the day (timing-wise, I knew we would pass each other at some point) but I was caught unprepared, and instead you get the photo below. Water level is looking quite low to me, what with the islands showing. In fact, you can't tell from the photo really, but unless we get some rain soon another island is close to being exposed.

I didn't really want to do all the work today and would have preferred a group ride so I could have sat in a bit. I've got something kind of big happening on Sunday that I want to be rested and ready for; I'm feeling ready, though not entirely rested, so maybe an easy spin will be on tap for tomorrow.

SLow Ride...

2012-01-12T09:18:00.000-08:00

Whenever I see these guys, and there seems to be any number of them out along the San Gabriel River Trail (SGRT) on any given day (last weekend, in this case), two songs come to mind. Both 70s classics - War's "Low Rider", and "Slow Ride", by Foghat. You know what I mean?

"...Low rider don't use no gas now..."

Admittedly the "Slow Ride" lyrics don't work as well in this particular case, but if you twist the title a little bit you can kind of imagine ... no, never mind, I guess you can't. They do tend to cruise though; I rarely see them moving along with much speed. Maybe it's just not their thing.

"...The low rider don't drive too fast..."

And it must be a different perspective riding so low. I held the camera down low by the pedal as I rode up behind them in order to try and catch that feeling.

"...Take a little trip, take a little trip
Take a little trip and see..."

Cotton Bar Tape...

2012-01-10T08:12:00.000-08:00

For the longest time I have been wishing to walk into my LBS and find something different, something apparently hard to find. For years I have searched for a bar tape without the sticky backing. At some point in time, foam/cork-type tape with the sticky backing became the industry standard, and good luck finding anything else. Let me step back into the past for a second: There was a period of time in my life when I was heavily into tennis - high school team, and local tournaments - and frequently had to wrap my rackets with new tape. That tape never had any stickum, and I like to think I did a quality wrapping job. Funny how these things stick with you; later, after my son was born, my official job was "burper and wrapper".

Anyway, I have always considered that sticky stuff to be a form of cheating. Anyone worth their salt should be able to securely wrap a set of handlebars without resorting to any of that trick. After all, bar tape wasn't always backed with the stuff. Admittedly I thought that first roll of stickum-backed bar tape I purchased was a pretty neat advancement. Over time, though, I have come to regard it more as a curse, an all-too-convenient shortcut requiring extra effort to remove at the end of its lifespan. So it was with great satisfaction that I noticed at my LBS - in a simple plastic bag, no fancy packaging - the rolls of cotton Cinelli bar tape you see wrapped around the bars of the old yellow Basso above. It is cool, it is classic, and I should have bought the other rolls of it they had in stock. Now I need a secure and classic way to end the wrap; the cotton bar wrap came with the typical cheap strip of tape to finish off with, the stuff that begins to fail before you have finished one ride, and it just will not do.

Tommy Godwin on the Track...

2012-01-09T14:25:00.000-08:00

This is one of those things you just feel compelled to share: 91 year old Tommy Godwin, Olympic medalist in 1948, back on the track at Herne Hill Velodrome. Original post is at the Brooks Blog (check out the story and other photos there), and I saw the link for it at Prolly Is Not Probably.

Would it not have been something special to be there for that event (or both, for that matter). I understand he is an ambassador for the London 2012 Olympic Games, so we may be seeing more of Mr. Godwin in the coming months.

The Inaugural Cycle Claremont Ride...

2012-01-08T17:20:00.000-08:00

pre-ride talking

I don't know how the first ride for the group could have gone much better - beautiful morning, large group of riders, smoothly run sign-in, and not a single flat or mechanical. I would have to guess that the ride met its target. There was a respectable mix of riders, with kids and families making up a healthy percentage of the group. Claremont's Mayor, Sam Pedroza came out with family, City Councilman Corey Calaycay, and City Manager Tony Ramos were there. Cory, of Coates Cyclery, members of the Cycle Claremont steering committee, and many members of the Claremont Senior Bicycle Group were also seen. All told, we got at least 70 riders to come out (update: ride count looks to be about 115 now). 42nd Street Bagels donated a huge bag of goodies, and Starbucks came through with the coffee. Oh, and beside those donations, I should mention (and thank) the many volunteers who set up the staging area, marked the route, drew up route sheets, etc., all the little things that add up to a complete and successful ride.

on the road - north on College Avenue

cruising along the Butte Avenue sharrows

success marked by smiles

Mel Boynton got things started with a safety and rules of the road talk, and then we were off - no mass start really, just take off when ready. Most people left about the same time though; that is the most fun, of course, riding in the big group. The short 4 mile loop through town was, well, quite run of the mill to be frank. But that is just my perspective. I was not the target audience, shall we say, for this ride. There was no lack of smiles on the faces of the other riders who I saw. It was certainly a nice introduction, a solid base upon which to build and expand over the months ahead. I would like to have seen something a little more - since the ride basically conformed to the Bicycle Priority Zone, it might have been nice to have a short regroup with a short talk about the BPZ, what it is, how it came about. That kind of thing; just a little info on the side. The BPZ is a rather unique feature of our municipality. As the ride grows, expect to see some new routes, maybe some themed rides, more challenge. We'll discuss it, and come up with something fun and interesting. Keep riders coming back each month, attract some new ones. There are more photos (slideshow) here. Unfortunately I seem to have lost my ability to take photos when stopped along Butte. That darn sun. I tried getting artsy in iphoto with some of those ones - you may like it, you may not. It's all I have this time.

it's a wrap - until next month that is

The Bike Shop Directory...

2012-01-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

I recently received an email about this and thought it worthwhile to share. Whenever I find myself out on the road for vacation, business, or otherwise find myself traveling through some distant town or city, I always scan the business scene for the local bike shop. I have gotten pretty good at locating them by this means. Sometimes you want to find them just to visit a new shop but, maybe you have your bike with you and have suffered a mechanical, as happened to me in Oregon once. Or, maybe you want to ask an expert for info on the best local trails. Knowing exactly where the local bike shops are would be a big help. To this end you may find that the Bike Shop Directory can provide a trip-saving assist. I notice that my favorite LBS is not listed and am guessing this is a fee service, and thus up to the shop owner to determine if the listing is worth the cost. Seems like a good place to start though.

Coates for Bikes, and...

2012-01-06T14:04:00.000-08:00

As if checking into all the shiny new bikes and components were not enough reason to spend time at the local bike shop,

now there is coffee as well. Coates Cyclery. And that nice padded bench - might just be long enough to put the old bike motto to practice - you know, "never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down". Could an in-house team/shop masseuse be next?

Bike Bells for ... Pedestrians...

2012-01-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

Repost (just means something is worth sharing).

Too clever not to do so.

My wife got a new bike bell for Christmas; little did I realize they don't necessarily require a bike for use. We could just attach it to a finger, since she actually walks more than she rides.

The clip, as seen at Seattle Bike Blog:

Seems to work pretty well where this was filmed. I wonder if it would be as effective here. As a fairly fast walker, there have certainly been times when a bell would have come in handy.

Sun-day...

2012-01-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

Winter, oh winter, where are you?

I post the above photo, not to show that I can ride upside down but, rather to show what I wore this morning. No knee warmers, no vest, no arm warmers, not even full-fingered gloves. Things I would typically expect to wear this time of year. I don't like it. Our window of cold wintery weather is pretty short as it is, and it is getting shorter every day this year. But that is not what this post is really about.

No, this post is about Sunday. Sunday, SuNdAy, SUNDAY! January 8th. The day of Cycle Claremont's inaugural community ride. The balmy weather is predicted to continue at least that far into the future, and though I may like to see some cold temps at this point of the year, most others seem to favor temperatures at the warmer end of the Fahrenheit scale. Or so the sizable crowds out this morning, walking and running, and cycling, would seem to suggest. So, come on out, this Sunday. Meet down at the Depot, before 10:30. (If you haven't joined the Cycle Claremont Facebook group, go ahead and do so, there is a map there now, and updated information). Get there early enough, and you can enjoy some complimentary bagels and coffee. Bring out your bike. Bring out the family, and have them bring out their bikes. A short loop around the Bicycle Priority Zone is planned. Ride as slow and relaxed as you want. It is going to be that kind of a ride. Not racing, not training, I would categorize this as a social ride. Cant' go slow? Well then, see how many laps you can do in the time it takes everyone else to do one. Or tack some more miles on at the end; maybe head out to Bonelli. I understand our mayor is going to ride to Covina afterward. Have some post-ride lunch in the Village. Oh, and this weekend is the Cable Airshow in Upland. There will be vintage military planes flying overhead all weekend, aerial acrobatic shows, etc. Make a day out of it. Hope to see you there; I'll be the one with the camera. Oh, and Cycle Claremont also has a new website up and running here; bookmark it for the latest info on upcoming rides.

Grape Nuts Supports Cycling...

2012-01-03T08:42:00.000-08:00

I have always liked Grape Nuts cereal. Something about that crunchy goodness, and those John Denver commercials back in the day [1980s?] Some things you just don't forget. Anyway, USA Cycling just this morning announced a new sponsorship deal with Grape Nuts. Grape Nuts has long promoted a connection to the outdoor, active lifestyle, so this new partnership looks to be a natural one.

Anytime a partnership can be made outside your traditional field, in this case cycling specific or cycling related it tends to be a good thing. It shows that there is some strength in your product, in what you are trying to sell. For USA Cycling, and for Grape Nuts, the product is the active and healthy lifestyle which both advocate either through direct participation, or as aided by good nutrition. From Team 7-Eleven, through the eras of Greg Lemond, Lance Armstrong, and todays upcoming young guns, competitive cycling has long been instrumental in initiating bicycling boom periods in the United States. Through their sponsorship, Grape Nuts is set to tap into that and in turn, increasing the exposure to cycling in mainstream markets. It is about time for a grocery run; I will be picking up a box of Grape Nuts, that much is certain.

New Years...

2012-01-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

When I began racing bicycles my ambivalence toward New Years became exacerbated. It always seemed like an arbitrary date to begin with. I mean, why December 31/January 1? I guess it is the closest monthly change to the Winter Solstice when the days begin their gradual lengthening, but since racing took over my life (back in the 1980s) October 31/November 1 has seemed a more appropriate date. The racing season has traditionally came to its closure in October, riders might take a little time off, and then begin their winter training and preparations for the new season. There is also some precedence, the autumn harvest marking the end of the growing season, for instance. Of course it is rather meaningless when you are the only one who follows a certain calendar. So HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone. I hope you all have a year long series of cycling adventures and trouble-free rides.

a lot of small family sized groups on the Trail

and one large group (Cycling Connection?)

I, as I am sure many of you did, began 2012 with a ride. Mine was with the family and took us along the Pacific Electric Trail through Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, and Fontana, a good 46 mile ride from home, and the longest my son has completed. Normally we would do the SGRT to Seal Beach, but with sections of it closed for repaving, we selected a more local alternate. It felt like summer out, didn't it? Sunscreen was mandatory, and we shared the way with many others, two-wheeled and afoot. This is not a ride I would normally do on my own, and though we turned around before the final Rialto section, it was my first time on the trail since they opened up the Foothill bridge; the trailhead park there, which design I worked on at my previous job, has come along nicely, though still has a way to go before completion (we also designed all the street crossings along the trail through Rancho, Fontana and Rialto). Anyway, it was a nice change of pace and a good first ride of the year.

trailhead park in Rancho Cucamonga has references to Route 66 and the Pacific Electric Railway, note the railway themed walkway, section of the old PE bridge over Foothill, and monument wall in background with plaques noting each stop along the railway through Rancho. The multi-use trail runs up the hillside along the white fence

more families

last of the Pacific Electric stations in Rancho, this one is Etiwanda Station. attractive and in good condition, hopefully it gets rehab'ed as something useful

if you click to enlarge, you might notice the forward bike is an adult tricycle with trail-a-bike attached

other than this portion, which passes by the Steelworkers Auditorium and the Public Library in the civic center complex, i didn't care much of the section of trail through the City of Fontana

the old Fontana Pacific Electric Station. look closely along the edge of the path - notice the black bumps? they are raised surface lighting. not a good idea for a bike path; a crash waiting to happen, i would say. better to move the lighting completely off-path

the Fontana section, long straights, not especially attractive close up, but great views of the mountains

From the Archives: Manhattan Beach Grand Prix 1990...

2012-01-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

Back to Manhattan Beach for this edition of From the Archives - Cat 3's (I believe) racing down the back stretch and into the 180º turn before the sprint to the line. I was probably focused on that Chevy/Sheriff rider in second spot, and judging by the shadows on the pavement, there was at least one other rider out front. According to the SCNCA racing calendar, the 2012 Manhattan Beach Grand Prix is scheduled for July 8th, and is the 51st running of the prestigious race.

From the Library: Team 7-Eleven

2011-12-31T17:18:00.000-08:00

Two icons in bicycle racing during the 1980s ushered in a surge in American presence in the professional peloton at that time, as well as over the succeeding years - Greg Lemond, and Team 7-Eleven. Both, in their own ways, are regarded as setting the stage for American racers and team organizations who have made the jump to European competition in the years since. This book, by Geoff Drake, is a quick read and fascinating look at the development of Team 7-Eleven and many of the team's top riders. Highs and lows, anecdotes, triumphs and tragedies; it is loaded with tidbits of information, and insights into the sport. It is a wonderful account of a historic period of cycling when Americans (as in North Americans - Canadians and Mexicans, as well as riders from the United States) were beginning to make their presence felt on the international scene. A worthy addition to anyone's cycling library.

Drake, Geoff with Jim Ochowicz Team 7-Eleven: How an Unsung Band of American Cyclists Took On the World - And Won Boulder, CA: Velo Press, 2011

I'm Back (from Death Valley)...

2011-12-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

Well, that was a fun few days. My little family trio has been doing this Death Valley trip every other year during the Winter break and this was one of those years. I don't know how many of you visit the Park, but it is so big that you could visit for years (this was our fourth winter trip) and still only see a fraction of what is there. Between the natural wonders, the mines, ghost towns and mining camps, and other remains of human activity, we'll be busy for years to come. Anyway, I will get a little post up on my other blog in a couple days rather than here, since I simply did not turn a single pedal during the four days there. There were plenty of people doing so, but not me. So it was fun, it is now done, and I am looking forward to getting back to the bike.

Light up the Night...

2011-12-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

To all of you, however you celebrate,

Enjoy the holidays

(and thanks to my sis for providing this years holiday photo of one fully decked out

rider and bike up in the Seattle area)
I am going to enjoy a week without opening up the computer.
See you back online on the 30th.

Virtually Traffic-free Travel...

2011-12-23T17:30:00.000-08:00

Well, a few of us did not want to contend with Village Christmas traffic on the last full day of shopping, and chose to ride into town instead:

rolling a nice looking Moser up Yale Avenue

it would have been really impressive if he had been

strumming some Christmas carols while riding down the street

Cycle Claremont...

2011-12-22T18:46:00.000-08:00

It is coming up quickly, and you can now rsvp from the Inaugural Ride Facebook page.

Bring your family, bring your friends, don't forget yourself.

It will be the start of something big.

Wind in the Morning, Riders Take Warning...

2011-12-22T18:29:00.000-08:00

Claremont generally seems to miss out on a lot of the high winds that periodically punish the cities a bit to the east. The big windstorm of a couple weeks ago was an exception, as was this morning. I was getting pushed around the little bit of road I occupied. The winds may be back tomorrow morning as well; if so, be careful out there. Thing about riding into the wind - it will make you a stronger rider - but I am glad we don't have to deal with it all that often.

Claremont Safe Routes To Schools: Safety Training...

2011-12-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

Received an email today about a bicycle safety course being offered by the BASE+Birge Engineering Claremont Safe Routes to School Team. The class is geared for adults and is being offered free to Claremont residents on two consecutive Saturday's at the end of January. The program, approved by the League of American Bicyclists, will provide classroom and practical on-the-road training relating to rules of the road and safe riding practices. Classes such as this also help communities raise their bicycle friendliness rating (Claremont currently has a bronze rating). Bicycle friendly communities tend to have higher standards of living and, as we hear more and more, increased levels of bicycling provide increased economic benefits. Click on the flyer for additional information and contacts.

If Frame Stickers Were Collectable...

2011-12-21T17:53:00.000-08:00

(which they are, especially sets) this one would be near the top of my wish list:

The sticker was added to Bianchi frames to celebrate the 1986 World Road Race championship, won by Moreno Argentin. This particular one is the Sport SX model, I think manufactured in Japan, rather than in Italy, for export to the United States.

End of Year C&V: Peugeot Canyon Express...

2011-12-20T13:28:00.000-08:00

For your viewing pleasure:

A Peugeot Canyon Express, dating to somewhere between 1986 and 1990 from what I can tell by looking at the Peugeot catalogs. In 1986 Peugeot started placing the rear brake below the chainstays (as you see in this example) and by 1989 had apparently received enough complaints about that placement, that they gave up on the idea and brought them back up to the seatstays. This is a nice clean frame, a beautiful example of what was being produced in that era. It is built with Shimano Deore derailleurs, Suntour roller cam brakes, and Suntour AX pedals, which are pretty sweet for flats. If you are in the area, check it out, it is at the Velo.

A Return to Griffith Park...

2011-12-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

There was a period of a few years when I lived in Burbank. During those years I could often be found riding around Griffith Park, either during one group ride or another, or solo after work. The Wednesday Night Training Race and the Bicycle Doctor shop ride, both extensively used the roads of the park. I probably rode so many miles there that I knew each crack in the pavement, pothole, or root-raised ridge of asphalt, heck even every newly-fallen pine cone. In the past nine or so years I have only ridden in Griffith once so, since I was there this past weekend for Santa Cross I figured I had to ride some of those old familiar roads. From the Greek Theater I took Commonwealth Canyon Road, Vista del Valle Drive and Mt. Hollywood Drive down to Griffith Park Drive in Oak Canyon, then back the same route. It wasn't long, but I laid down a lot of riding memories along those roads; it was kind of like a homecoming. Some amazing view of the city from up there - take some time these next couple holiday weeks to get some riding in and enjoy the views where ever you ride.

Not sure how this relic from the '84 Olympics made it here

Los Angeles

from the hills to the sea

Burbank and the east Valley

top of the Short Hill, beginning of Trash Truck Hill, curving away to the left (technically Mt. Hollywood Drive branching off from Griffith Park Drive)

I know this point as "Look-back" for perhaps obvious reasons - it's a switchback where you coan look back to see how big a gap you have on chasing riders.

Pinecone Turn with its view of the Valley

The Summit; I think the sprint was to the second gate.

A view of Glendale on the way back down.

Santa Cross 2011...

2011-12-17T17:46:00.000-08:00

A little taste of Santa Cross on Saturday. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays all you crossers. Time to take a break before Crossing into 2012.

there were plenty of santa hats in view throughout the day including this one in the days second wave, master men 'b' 35+ CX3/4, 45+ CX3/4, and 55+ CX1-4. slideshow here.

using a little body english to get through the deep sand

the victor of the master's men 'b' 35+ race

to find out what her smile is all about, check the slide show for the elite women

(hint: sometimes things can be more fun when they go wrong, than when they go according to plan)

the day's elite women's victor, Christina Probert-Turner, smiles at the heckling by the Cadence boys

the day's Junior 15-18 victor, and series leader, Tyler Schwartz of Surf City Cyclery.
more juniors and kids race photos, including podium shots, here.

the third wave takes off in an almost perfect 'v' formation. other photos from wave 3, men 'c' cx4, master's women 35+ and 45+, and the women 'c' cx4 are here.

finally, a podium shot to end things.
notice especially that someone couldn't wait to get at that podium brew.
a few photos from the singlespeed race are here, and some misc. photos here

Colorful Caps all in a Row...

2011-12-16T20:43:00.000-08:00

The modern peloton, when in full flight, has long appeared as a blur of colors. I can't think of another sport that has so many teams in competition against one another at the same time, on the same field of play. After having the interior of the place painted a week ago, I was faced with a stack of cycling caps taking up a bit of needed space, so swiping an unused hat rack from the boy's room, I got them up on the wall and out of the way. And all those colors are no longer a blur. And yes, I like one enough to make it the new banner for the blog.

Contrary to Velominati's Rule #22, I wear mine all the time - on and off the bike. Don't like it, tough s**t.

Epic Rides...

2011-12-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Hang out with a group of cyclists for long enough, or at least within earshot for an extended period of time and you are, sooner or later, bound to hear the term epic ride entering the conversation. What is this thing of which people speak with reverential tones, a note of awe in their voice, and a certain gleam in the eye? Ride for a few years and you may begin to accumulate a list of epic rides of your own. It is likely to be a fluid list though, at least at first; a ride that you regard as epic one year, may not be looked at with the same regard a few years later. The memory of a truly epic ride, though, is likely to stand out across a lifetime, no matter when in that lifetime it took place.

The idea of an epic ride has been on my mind for some time now, largely I think, because I have to look back many years to find the last ride I was on which I consider to have been truly epic. Anyway I have been compiling a list of characteristics of the epic ride, a list of tangible and intangible elements which, together or perhaps separately, constitute a description of what makes a ride epic. Prior to working out any kind of list I had to overcome the possibility that attempting to define epic ride would be futile. The dictionary might provide a clear definition of epic, one that uses words like narrative and heroic, tangible elements which should have made a definition combining epic and ride easier, but which fails to consider the subjectivity of individual experience. Could a term like epic ride even be defined? After all, what a novice might consider epic would likely be regarded as an easy Sunday cruise to a more seasoned rider.

The list:

This first characteristic has to do with that bit at the end of the paragraph above. Epic rides transcend ability levels, they are not limited to one or another. One need not be a seasoned rider to experience an epic ride, they exist at the moment in which they take place. In other words an epic ride that someone experiences as a novice remains epic even many years later when the rider has become more seasoned. Epic rides are defined as such at the time they take place. Consider it this way - think back to your youth, and the first time you hopped on your bike and rode outside your immediate, familiar neighborhood. Really, that is about as epic a ride as they get. That kid is crossing a boundary, leaving behind everything familiar, everything they have known up to that point in time, and traveling into a realm of the unfamiliar. Twenty years later, that ride might look like little more than a spin around the block, but at the time it was monumental, it was in fact, epic.
Epic rides are based upon the individual experience. This may seem obvious but, though the group does play a role (as I will show later), it is ultimately how the individual experiences the ride which determines its epic nature. As an example, at some point in the mid-1990s I participated in one of the 'Mark Rich Invitational Rides' (I don't think they had a formal name really, that is just what I call them) which rode out to distant points from the San Gabriel Valley every so often. This particular one went out to the Agua Dulce area, via Little Tujunga Canyon, the back over Mill Creek Station on Angeles Forest Highway, and on home down the Angeles Crest. I was pretty much at my cycling peak those years and normally this ride would have been pretty run-of-the-mill, long but standard stuff. Well, for what ever reason, I really struggled with the climb up Little T, and then fighting the wind into Agua Dulce; I was dreading the second half of the ride, and not really sure I would make it. Thankfully, after replenishing my energy at a local store, I recovered and rode much improved the rest of the way. For most of the others on the ride, it was a pretty typical training ride. But because I had an obstacle to overcome, did so, and finished stronger than I started, the ride makes my epic list. Not the top of the list, but up there.
Epic rides tend to also be unsupported, self-sufficient rides. It is no surprise that history tends to bestow the term epic to stages of the earliest Tours de France. There were no teams following the race to support their racers, each man was a team of one, improvising when necessary, but otherwise self-sufficient. Calling for a ride home during what might otherwise have been an epic ride, negates that ride being added to an epic list. Limping home with a busted bike, patched together with bits of whatever found alongside the road or trail, or in a jersey pocket - epic. That said, once the ride proper is done, it is okay to accept a ride home.
Epic rides are not limited by length in distance, nor duration of time. The likelihood of a ride becoming epic increase with distance or elapsed time, but circumstances can make shorter rides epic as well. True, the likelihood of a ride becoming epic increases with length, and distance and time often become contributing factors in turning a ride into an epic one, but they are not hard/fast requirements. Of the numerous 100+ mile rides I have done, only one of them stands out as worthy of being termed epic; of the rides on my epic list, most have been shorter, some far shorter.
Weather often plays a factor in making a ride epic. The more extreme weather conditions are, hot, cold, rain, snow, wind, all can be contributing factors in making a ride epic. At the same time, extreme conditions are not a requirement; epic rides can take place under perfect conditions. There is no doubt that Andy Hampsten's ride up the Gavia during the 1988 Giro d'Italia, with snow falling all around, obscuring the view any more than a few feet ahead, was an epic ride. One might even argue that Andy's ride that day moved beyond the realm of epic and into the realm of legendary. But that is another story. Extremes of weather can be all it takes to turn an everyday ride into an epic one. Rain is a relatively rare occurrence in these parts, and snow even more so. Rides that I have taken during during storms, therefore, tend to be more memorable and epic in nature.
Epic rides are hard rides, but it is not a requirement that they be difficult. Look, if you are having a great day, so much the better. There is nothing wrong with riding an epic when everything clicks.
This may be stating the obvious but, epic rides must go beyond routine. I don't believe those laps we race during training at the Rose Bowl twice a week, no matter how fast the peloton goes, nor how many professionals are there pushing the pace. A particular night may be memorable, but epic? No.
At first glance this point may seem to contradict point number 2 but, epic rides are usually also group rides. I say this based on the idea that the epic aspect is enhanced by the shared experience that takes place on group rides. I think several factors come into play here. First, on most any group ride rivalries and competition usual conspire to push individual riders up to, and maybe beyond their normal limit. A second factor surrounds the camaraderie amongst riders. Bonds created through the shared experience are some of the strongest connections we make during our lives. I was on a team training ride once through a mountainous area with a lot of ups and downs in the road. One rider broke his chain and no one carried a tool to repair it. He could coast down the hills just fine, but going up was of course another matter. We ended up trading off turns pushing him up each hill. We all were able to share in that experience; overcoming that incident, shared by each of us in turn contributed toward the creation of an epic ride. That one 100+ mile ride I mentioned in point number 3, was an organized century I did with a small group of buddies. On a ride of such duration it is unlikely that one rider will be the strongest for the entire ride, and as such riders end up helping each other out, contributing individually to a group effort. The concept of being a part of something bigger than ourselves is very often one of the main facets of an epic ride.
Challenge. Simply put, every ride on my epic ride list involved a challenge to meet, or obstacle to overcome. Sometimes that means excelling, and exceeding expectations, other times it may mean simply surviving. I feel fortunate enough to have lived my entire life within close proximity of numerous mountain ranges and, as a result, mountains figure into every one of the rides on my epic list. Now, of the various factors I have listed this is the most problematic for the reason that not everyone is geographically situated within striking distance of a range of mountains. I have no doubt that people who live in the middle of the Great Plains, or the steppes of Russia, have epic ride lists which do not include miles long climbs. I am also sure that, were I to transplant to such a region, I could easily slot a flatter epic ride into my more mountainous ride list. What this says is that you don't need mountains for challenge; challenge can come from any number of directions, any of which could be a valid building point for an epic ride. An epic ride can never be an easy spin through a park - ease is one factor that has no role in the definition of epic.

This kind of brings me back full circle - that original dictionary definition: A narrative of heroic proportions, or that contains aspects of the heroic in the telling. The narrative part is pretty clear; every ride is a narrative, the story unfolding as the miles pass by. The heroic part is met by overcoming a challenge which takes the rider beyond the norm.

Alright, so what is at the top of my epic ride list? It was supposed to be a group ride, but the day dawned grey and threatening rain, so at the appointed time only a trio of us were committed. We rode from Griffith Park to Santa Monica via Mulholland Drive; it rained from the time we clipped into our pedals, to the time we arrived at Ye Olde King's Head for lunch where air conditioning made things even more uncomfortable. It rained the entire way back through the city center and Silverlake, where my front wheel found a gap in the roadway and decided to lodge itself in there rather than keep rolling. It was a sudden and hard hitting, but thankfully temporary stop, and we were rolling along again soon enough. The conditions were poetically miserable, our bikes had to nearly swim through some intersections, pouring rain and spray back up from the road blinded us, it took days to completely dry out, people who saw us thought we were absolute nuts. But it was the most fun I have ever had on a ride.

So there you have it, I have given you my opinion about what factors go into making an epic ride. Assuming you have read all the way through, do you agree? What about you, in your mind what makes a ride an epic one? Can there ever really be a true inclusive definition, or is it too subject to the vagaries of individual perspective? I have left the list off at 9 characteristics,round it off for me by providing a tenth.

Snow, and an Unsolicited Plug...

2011-12-13T12:38:00.000-08:00

Look what we woke up to this morning:

I know it is not the same as waking to it on your doorstep, or covering your roads, but it is usually the best we get. Literally. We still get to ride, while enjoying it from a distance. Anyway, the point is that the morning was cold enough for me to put on most of my winter gear. That meant a cycling cap (just in case there were any lingering drops of rain) and a cycling (Domo-Farm Frites) beanie over that for warmth. It is a bit thick cramming both into my helmet, but I make do a few days each year.

Now what would really be nice (and while this is mostly directed to those people who know me and may be buying me a gift this Christmas, it could also apply to anyone who knows or loves a cyclist), yes, what would really be nice, would be to own one of these beauties:

A cycling cap with adjustable ear flap all in one. Luxury and simplicity. Fellow cyclist and blogger over at Cycling Art Blog and his [I think, wife] at Galstudio, make these by hand, just north of the border where they know a little bit about cold winter weather. Hopefully someone who loves me will read this and make me a proud and very happy recipient this year. By the way, those top two photos are in reverse sequence; the sky started out cloudy and turned progressively more blue.

My Favorite Routes VI: Bonelli Park Loop (Road)...

2011-12-12T06:57:00.000-08:00

Puddingstone Reservoir with Mt. Baldy in the distance

I imagine that pretty much everyone who lives local to eastern Los Angeles County, or the western edge of San Bernardino County, has a loop that takes in Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park. It is such a year-round attraction, that it is only natural to include it as some midway point in a loop, or out-and-back ride. The park is a standout jewel in Los Angeles County's park system.

As is typical of all my local favorite routes, this one starts from my front door, but to make the route more relevant for everyone else, I will use the Euro Cafe start point at the corner of Mills and Baseline as the staging/kickoff reference point. Start out by heading west on Baseline, a mostly down grade through Claremont, La Verne and into San Dimas. The easy grade gives your legs a nice chance to warm up; it is also pretty fast, the last time I rode this route I averaged over 21 mph into the park. At the end of Baseline briefly merge onto Foothill and then make the left onto San Dimas Canyon Road and take this down to Bonita Avenue where you make a right, riding along this street to the edge of old San Dimas, where you make a left on San Dimas Avenue. You will take San Dimas Ave around to Puddingstone Drive which you reach after descending into a shallow wooded canyon; you will make a left on Puddingstone - there is no traffic control here and cars can move fast, and while I have never had any problems, you should be aware when you go to make your turn. This section of Puddingstone has a gradual upslope; after a quarter mile look for a yellow steel pipe gate and turn right.

This is Raging Waters Drive, and a back entrance to Bonelli Park. This used to be a two way road, though normally closed to cars. Now it is a one way road and you will be riding against traffic across the dam - when there is traffic that is. Occasionally local residents use this as a short cut, but it is quite rare, just be aware of the possibility. The one exception is during the summer when Raging Waters is open, I don't recommend riding this route at this time of year. Anyway, you will cross the dam at which point the road will become two-way again. Continue along to the stop sign at Via Verde, turn left, ride past the entry booth (bikes are free) and you are now in the main part of the park. It is amazing how quiet this part of the park can be, even on a weekend morning. Continue along, pushing up some low rollers and then freewheeling down, until to get to the one big obstacle of the day, the steeper side of Via Verde hill. Whether you are or are not, people will think you are hard core when they see you going up this side rather than down it.

At the top of Via Verde, just past another entry shack, make a left and continue climbing for a short way. Notice the nice little single track trail off to the right and running above the equestrian trail - that is part of my mtb loop which I will cover at a future time. After you top out on this climb you will descend a short ways to another entry shack, this one for the public ~~campground~~ rv park (sometimes you will see tents on the grassy verges, but mostly you see massive rv's, and we all know that is not camping). Go around and continue down into and through the ~~campground~~ rv park; at the store make a right and then an immediate right again on a road into the lower campground. This is a fast descent, but there are speed bumps so watch out. There is a stop sign at the bottom where you make a left. Continue through the campground until reaching a service road going to the left and take that through the narrow bike / pedestrian access opening. Enjoy the views over the reservoir to the San Gabriel Mountains beyond all along this stretch - eventually you come out at the East Shore area where, chances are, there will be people fishing from a couple piers or from the shore, or picnicing. It is a nice place to take a moment or two to enjoy the views.

a quiet cove near the campground

view out across Puddingstone from the service road after leaving the campground

the East Shore

Where the service road you have been on comes out at the East Shore make a left onto the East Shore access road and take it a short distance back to Via Verde and make a right. You will be at the bottom of the big hill you climbed up a few minutes previous and will now head back, retracing the route along Via Verde and Raging Waters Drive through the park, over the dam, and back to that yellow gate at Puddingstone Drive. Turn right here and punch it up a short rise. Puddingstone is a mostly quiet road, one of those roads that feels like you are out in the country somewhere rather than in the middle of a city; I love this road and wish it were longer. Puddingstone eventually runs alongside Brackett Field, and at the first actual street (Wright Avenue, which is just past the airfield tower) make a left. This little detour takes you through a business park, but more importantly allows you to bypass a lengthy section of Fairplex Drive which I dub the Speedway for perhaps obvious reasons (see photo below for more). When you do come out at Fairplex make a left and continue back into La Verne, the road changes its name to E Street after crossing Arrow Highway.

Make a left on Bonita, which you will take all the way back into the Claremont Village. When you cross into Claremont this route becomes the Citrus Regional Bikeway. Who knows maybe someday the Pomona, La Verne and San Dimas sections of Bonita will also carry the same designation. Once back into Claremont there are any number of ways to get back to the start point, in fact I don't think I ever take the same route twice in a row. But, for the sake of directness, you can make a left on College, a right on 12th which takes you through the Colleges, and then a left on Mills, which you ride back uphill to finish the ride. You will end up with about 25 miles (assuming you don't stray from the path) and about 1400 feet of elevation gain. Riding time is about 1 hour, 20 minutes, maybe 1.5 hours; stops to take in the view, for coffee or whatnot can add to that. Honestly, Bonelli is so beautiful any time of the year that it is hard not to stop at some point.

even the inland areas away from the lake are nice, with shaded grass expanses,

play areas, picnic tables and barbeques

park roads are about as quiet as you can get

you will never not see riders in Bonelli

autumn colors (still) and fisher folk

Puddingstone Drive, outside the park, but still quiet

Fairplex Drive, aka the Speedway, and not just due to the NHRA speedway along the one side there. with just one light (which rarely turns red) cars drive super fast along here and rednecks in pickups are unwilling to give even an inch of roadway.

Others of my favorite routes:

My Favorite Routes I: the Palmer-Evey

My Favorite Routes II: Mountain Junction Loop

My Favorite Routes III: Highway 39

My Favorite Routes IV: Guardians of the Canyon

My Favorite Routes V: Marshall Canyon / CHWP Loop

See You at Santa Cross...

2011-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

Southern California cyclocross season is drawing to its inevitable end, with a handful of weekends left on the racing calendar. If you have ever wanted to check into what all the cx hype is about, next weekend (December 17 and 18) would be a good time to do so. Santa Cross will be two days of racing and other assorted fun at the Greek Theater and Griffith Park. That is two days of bike action, two days of costumes, there will be live music, food, vendor expo (think Christmas presents for all the cyclists on your list). Fun rides, canine races, kids races, a Sunday toy ride are also scheduled, and since it is Griffith Park, you can bring your bike for a loop through the park (in between taking photos, that is my plan for Saturday). Bring your favorite Santa or elf hat, your holiday spirit, and have some fun. Racing starts at 9:00 both days; for more info check the So Cal Cross website, here.

A Bit of Sean Kelly at An Droichead Beag...

2011-12-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

All across Europe fan clubs of professional cyclists, no matter how great or mediocre, have a long history of showing support for their favorite rider. These clubs are often formed by a family member, a neighbor, or just a dedicated follower from the riders' hometown or wider home region. A pub will often serve as a meeting place for the club, whose owner will likely be a member, perhaps even founding member. There is no obligation on the part of the rider, it is more a kind of unwritten rule, a show of appreciation, that at some point during the year, the rider will hold a get-together with the fan club as thanks for their show of support over the year long season of racing.

the jersey at An Droichead Beag

Riders will often leave artifacts or mementos, things like photographs, framed jerseys, trophies, medals, etc, until over the years some pubs can resemble a shrine, or at least a museum, dedicated to a particular rider. It is one of the great old traditions of the sport; the rider, no matter how great in stature, no matter how lengthy his list of victories, meeting personally with his dedicated supporters. Now I don't know if Sean Kelly ever had an official fan club in Dingle, Ireland, but that is where I came upon this framed jersey during a trip to to the isle in 1997. It is from the 1990 Tour de Suisse, a race at which King Kelly won the general classification. The pub is An Droichead Beag (the Little Bridge). Needless to say it is quite a fun surprise to stumble upon things like this when you are not expecting to.

typical seisun night at An Droichead Beag, standing room only

Woman on Bike with Jack Johnson Bag...

2011-12-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

I was out at lunch today, sitting in the sun, and an especially bright sun it was. None of the photos I took came out very well, it was just too bright, and I couldn't convince myself to get up and move to a better location. It did give me another one of those opportunities to play around a little bit with one of the pics:

From the original photo I cropped out everything but rider and bike, adjusted the contrast, highlights and shadows, which gave me the image above. Kind of interesting texture to it. Then I turned it monochromatic, adjusted the exposure, and came up with something negative-like. The background became more nondescript, while the rider and bike, especially her back with that dark outline, stand forward. Not the greatest photo, I probably would normally have tossed it. Instead, playing with it gave me something with a little interest.

L'Etape du California 2012...

2011-12-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

Registration for l'Etape du California 2012 - Ontario to Mt. Baldy - is now open.

Click here, and add it to your calendar today.

Occupy All Streets: A Carfree Video...

2011-12-07T08:56:00.000-08:00

Many of you are likely already familiar with the ideas of livable streets, over-dependence on automobiles and all the associated problems, and have perhaps even considered what alternatives to our current transportation system might look like. Even if you have already considered this things, I thought this new video, by J. H. Crawford of Carfree.com, a worthwhile one to share:

If you prefer to view this in HD, the video can also be viewed on Vimeo: Occupy All Streets.

Some Signs of Early December...

2011-12-05T20:11:00.000-08:00

Was able to get a little mountain biking in today - Marshall Canyon and Potato Mountain via the Evey-Palmer. A spectacular day; just enough of a tailwind to make all the climbing a...wait for it..., you guessed it, made all that climbing a breeze. Alright, no more puns. A good ten other riders had the same idea, and were enjoying a ride beneath the oaks. Even though the nights have been cold lately, there has also been a noticeable lack of rain, so no snow on Baldy, but there was ample evidence that we have reached the month of December - a frosty rime alongside a stretch of trail in Marshall Canyon, for instance, or the now bare twigs of poison oak. A couple more sure signs are below:

if you can see out over Claremont, across the Pomona Valley to the Santa Ana Mountains from this low in the San Gabriels (Claremont Hills Wilderness Park) it is likely to be December

blue skies and toyon berries - December

knobbies, barbed wire, and Potato Mountain

those winds which caused so much havoc in the foothill communities last week, also scoured unsheltered sections of the Evey-Palmer down to hardpack

David Meredith of One Ghost Industries...

2011-12-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

I have been following the growth of a relatively new bicycle manufacturing company called One Ghost Industries for a couple years or so now, but never was I aware that a co-owner of the company is current Claremont resident, David Meredith.

There was a terrific article in the Daily Bulletin Inland Empire edition, which thanks to OGI on Facebook posting up a link, I was able to read. One Ghost Industries makes range of mountain bike models, and have recently introduced a commuter model, the Proletariat, which would also make a fine single speed monster cross bike. I really dig that green color Proletariat frame. If you have never heard of them check out their website, or like them on Facebook to keep up on all the latest news. There have been some local demos, and you are starting to see them in SoCal shops (I understand Coates is a dealer, or soon will be). As for that article in the Bulletin, you can jump to it here, if you didn't read it already.

Toy Riding, With a Side of Belgian Frites...

2011-12-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

The Kevin Unck Foundation, with the support of Coates Cyclery and Claremont's gastro-pub, the Back Abbey (of whom I have previously written), held their toy ride this afternoon. The ride had a good turn out, good enough that we filled the bin twice over. Never let it be said that cyclists have anything other than a generous spirit, and as a result a few more children will have a Merry Christmas. The ride turned out to be a blustery one, the winds choosing this afternoon to reappear. Thankfully though they were not those 75+ mph ones of a few nights ago which knocked down trees all over the place in the foothill communities. A quick 20 mile loop though Bonelli Park, Covina and San Dimas brought us back to Claremont and the Back Abbey, where the staff had cordoned off a section of their outdoor dining area for us. Warm frites, beer and other drinks were soon being enjoyed by a pack of appreciative cyclists. I still don't know what happened to my glass of Delirium Tremens; I guess it got lost in the crowd. Sorry I couldn't stick around to the end; I had promised to take my son somewhere in the early evening. Things were just getting started and I am sure more fun was to be had (as long as you brought something warm to wear).

gathering outside the Back Abbey

just about ready to roll

on our way. heading along Bonita (Citrus Regional Bikeway)

through Claremont

still rolling a bit later in Covina or San Dimas,

i'm not sure which exactly

once again, back at the Back Abbey

good company. some of those generous spirits of which i earlier spoke,

a trio of Psycho-list riders

From the Archives: City of Commerce Criterium 1991...

2011-12-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

Here are a few from the City of Commerce Criterium, of 1991 - same podium group in each, just different perspectives. Don't know the names of all the women, not even the one wearing the National Champions jersey (anyone know?). However, I believe the Chevrolet / LA Sheriff rider on the top spot is Alicia de Campos.

Drifts of Fallen, Crunchy Leaves...

2011-11-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

Leaves fall late in this part of the world; though the calendar says the Autumn Equinox arrived two months ago, the season is just reaching its peak. Although gale force winds over the next few days may speed things up, the leaves are likely to continue falling well into December, maybe even January. Much as the Giro d'Lombardia, the so-called Race of the Falling Leaves held way back in October, signals the end of racing season, our own falling leaves signals a change of pace. It is a time of more social-oriented riding - long mileage rides, sure, but at an easier pace. The type of ride for which the ol' yellow Basso is perfectly suited. Pedals, saddle and seatpost get transferred over from the singlespeed, and my old friend is ready, complete again. My racing bike still gets its miles - being top dog in the kennel does come with certain advantages but, more than at any other point during the year, now is the time for old steel.

The past few mornings now, I have been crunching through drifts of leaves hued in yellow, red, orange, and those faded of all color but dried brown. Much like a kid in a Frazz comic jumping into a pile of freshly raked leaves as some metaphor of an incident in life, I often find myself leaning toward the deepest part of the drifts. Who knows what those deeper drifts hold, what surprises they cover. For most, maybe all, of my life I have been a meticulous planner, trying to anticipate every potential eventuality, living up to that old scout moto that we were required to learn for one advancement or other - Be Prepared. Being prepared though, does not mean we must fore go all sense of adventure. And so I lean into those deeper drifts relishing the once-a-year moment, the crunching of leaves beneath my tires, on an otherwise quiet ride.

Bike to Hike...

2011-11-29T12:30:00.000-08:00

If you are local to Claremont you already know, if you are from further afield, you likely do not. Our Claremont Hills Wilderness Park has become too popular for its own good. As the city ponders user fees as a way to generate funds for the park's increasingly demanding upkeep, residents at the top of Mills (rightfully) decry the assault of noise and traffic, and city staff daily combat the scourge of trash blight. Wouldn't it be great if people could just do what they know to be right, without being told?

For some time now, the great debate has centered around what to do with all those cars. It seems that in order to walk, people must first drive. Yes, I know, it is bassackward. That is motor-dependence for you. Included in the latest plan for the CHWP is the idea of converting some of the existing open space near the park entrance into parking. Parking that will accommodate three hundred vehicles. 300 motor vehicles. What are you going to do? Here is a partial answer:

Two mornings in a row now I have seen this gentleman riding up Mills to the Wilderness Park. Wears his hiking boots, hiking stick secured in a carrier, self-made from a length of pipe and a couple clamps. Simple set-up, simple answer. Bike to hike. No one wants do discourage others from using the park, doing something good for their health and well-being. But honestly, if you are going to the park for fitness, driving to and from defeats the purpose. Just do what is right without being told.

A Happy Birthday to Stephen Roche...

2011-11-28T10:07:00.000-08:00

"I am convinced that long after I have stopped riding as a professional I will be riding my bicycle. I never want to abandon my bike. I see my grandfather, now in his seventies and riding around everywhere. To me that is beautiful. And the bike must always remain a part of my life." - Stephen Roche

History will remember Stephen Roche for his three podium ascensions in 1987, I have written of this record year previously, but the efforts that Roche made during his final two years of racing will always be equally strong in my mind. Roche long suffered from knee and back pain. Sometimes that pain became too much to bear, other times the champion pushed on. I know that back pain; sometimes I suffered through a race, too proud to quit. One time, though, it was too much. At some level I can relate. Images of Roche attacking during races in his final two years remain with me after nearly twenty years. I, along with many fans, hoped this was a signal that Roche would continue on for another couple, maybe few years, but it wasn't to be. Roche knew when he was finished and went out with an attacking style that indelibly marked his career.

Here is a short clip of Roche winning in the deep mist at La Bourboule during the 1992 Tour de France:

A longer Youtube clip of the same stage can be seen here.

Happy Birthday Stephen Roche. And here is to riding in our seventies, Slainte.

Update: If you are visiting this post for the first time, you get a special treat, one which those who have already viewed it may miss. I imagine very few people in the cycling world know of this, or remember it, if they happen to have heard it once before. For sheer novelty listen to "Get Outta That Saddle Stephen", a song written in 1978 by Dermont Morgan, as posted at the Irish Peloton. And while you are listening on the website check out that Sean Kelly board game, pretty collectable as well.

The Thanksgiving Day Ride...

2011-11-24T11:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I am glad to have made the effort of getting out on the Turkey Day ride this morning. It would have been easy to sleep in, as the rest of the household did; instead I was greeted by a good sized group of Psycho-lists, Cycling Connection riders, and plenty of others as well, who had heard of the ride from one place or another.

the gathering (i just now noticed you waving Trish, hey)

Over thirty (at one point I heard the number 34) of us rolled out under cloudy skies, but were never really threatened with rain, so the conditions were pretty much perfect for riding. We followed a route which was a kind of tour of three campuses - Mt. San Antonio College, Cal Poly Pomona, and then back through the Claremont Colleges. It is a nice route with plenty of hills for me to stretch my legs and attempt to put up a challenge for the KOM. I did respectably, never less than 4th on any of the climbs. Sorry, but if someone takes off on a climb I've got to go after them, and if no one takes that initiative, then I've got to take up that role of instigator. But then this was a Thanksgiving social ride, so I am sure there were plenty of riders simply taking it easy, and other those hills, that is exactly what we did.

setting the pace along Barranca through Covina

the long straight of Barranca, one place i could get the whole group.

the rider in front was on a nice vintage Peugeot

I got to see some folks I have ridden with recently, others I haven't seen in a while, and yet others I rode with for the first time. I saw Mike, aka Pain Freak, who I had previously one seen on an mtb, although I knew he was a long time roadie too. Shout out to Erik here, a reader of this blog, who is one of those I met for the first time today - sorry not to see you at the end and wish you a good Thanksgiving, I guess the group got split at that last light, and then I turned off for home while heading up Mills. Fun stuff. Bring on the turkey, or ham, sweet potatoes would be good too, and some pie afterward.

A Golden Sport Zebrakenko in Baby Blue...

2011-11-23T17:42:00.000-08:00

The longer I am around cycling, the more bicycle manufacturers I discover, and which I was previously unfamiliar. Such as this one - Golden Sport Zebrakenko. The interesting headbadge at first suggested, to me, that the company was perhaps of European origin, what with the lion and the crown. But no, apparently Golden Sport Zebrakenko was/is a Japanese company, formed in 1901. During the big bike boom in the United States of the 1970s, it became profitable enough for many overseas manufacturers to begin importing here, and in about 1974 Zebrakenko got in on that action as well. I have seen one reference that the company ceased exporting to the US in the mid-80s, but this is all hearsay, and I am yet to find anything really substantive about them. At their peak, the company produced about nine different models with names such as 'storm' (the model shown), 'thunder', 'lightning', 'wind', etc. This particular one is a nice, solidly-built steel beauty, very small (48 I believe). It will be interesting to see how the guys at the Velo will build it up, and hopefully I can snap some more photos before it's gone.

Hope all my readers have a terrific Thanksgiving Day and long weekend (assuming you have one). Get out and ride; I will hopefully wake up in time for the Psycho-lists ride in the morning, and I can't think of a better way to start the day.

Slainte.

The Less Riding = Less Writing Correlation...

2011-11-22T18:13:00.000-08:00

If you start to see fewer posts around here, it is not because I have lost interest in doing so, or have less time to more my fingers across the keyboard. No, instead I have come to the conclusion that the lack of frequent posting is a direct result of less time spent in the saddle. Even though we tend to have pretty reasonable weather around here during the winter months I, like so many others, find my mileage totals slipping away this time of year. Just list the usual excuses - inclement weather (there is always at least a little), shorter days, holiday preparation and the holidays themselves, off-season indifferent attitude toward training. All these various reasons accumulate and I may be riding half the distance at the end of the year as I was doing just a couple months previous.

So what does less frequent riding have to do with a lack of writing? Well, for one thing, if I am out on the road or trail less, I have fewer opportunity to accumulate tales of adventure, or even incidental happenings. It is a pretty direct correlation in this case. Of course I have years of those that I could fall back on. What I have decided is even more important is the correlation between physical activity and mental acuity. "Movement and exercise increase breathing and heart rate so that more blood flows to the brain" (the Franklin Institute); riding (as a form of physical activity) is effective in "oxygenating the brain" and one reason fellow cyclists often talk of using riding to clear our heads, or think through problems.

It was once common belief that people were born with a set and limited number of neurons, or brain cells, but now know that, not only can we produce more neurons, but that physical activity stimulates the regeneration of them. Studies show, time and again, that there exists a very real connection between physical and mental health, that an active lifestyle increases mental acuity. In fact I would suggest that the evidence is so conclusive that researchers might as well move on to another topic, or narrow their focus. There you go; if in fact you do notice a decline in content here over the next couple months, it is not for lack of trying (or more to the point, desire), blame it on lack of riding. That's my excuse and I am sticking to it. If it's good enough for Albert, it's good enough for me:

Gitane Kilo...

2011-11-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

Remember this one from back in August? I was not satisfied with the photos I took at the time - well I finally got around to take some better ones. BTW, contrary to what I wrote in that original post, the bike is for sale. Let the Velo know you're interested; there is no reason not to race this sleek whippet around the local track. Saddle up and enjoy the ride.

USA vs Canada: Showdown at the 'drome...

2011-11-18T07:13:00.000-08:00

If you can cut your way through the freeway traffic on a Tuesday evening

this event looks like a lot of fun. Maybe, since it is a holiday week

traffic will be light? Please.

Random Shots in Town...

2011-11-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

I've taken a bunch of photos from around town in the past few weeks that never made it into any post. The saying goes that variety is the spice of life - well, there is sure a lot of variety rolling the streets on any given day. While on a ride this morning I was stung on the lower lip; I don't think that picture of my fat lip is nearly as appealing, so instead:

ah, yes. have coffee, will ride.

single,

in pairs.

ritte racer,

giant commuter.

ladies in lycra,

ladies in skirts.

we don't need no stinkin' motor, legs get the job done.

finally, this past saturday while hundreds (or is it thousands now) of riders braved the not-quite-as-cold, or rainy, or windy as was forecast weather, and rode one of three routes during the Tour de Foothills, the best i could manage was a donut run for the family. i did make a brief detour up to Baseline to get a few pics as everyone went on by back to the ride finish.

The International Element...

2011-11-16T17:50:00.000-08:00

Years ago, say the early to mid-1990s, while racing at the Manhattan Beach Grand Prix, the announcer made mention that there was a rider entered in the race who had come all the way from Switzerland. Suddenly the race took on a whole new meaning; it wasn't just a battle between the usual locals anymore. Even twenty years ago it was relatively rare to see racers from Europe here in the States, except for the larger events - the big one day races on the east coast, or stages races like the Coors Classic, Tour du Pont / Tour du Trump. In the years since then, foreign faces have become more familiar, even on domestic squads who only race the circuit across the lower continental 48.

This past weekend, at the Velocity Cross, the Mens A race was graced (I don't know if that is the right word, but nothing else is coming to mind right now) by Greig Walker of Velo Club Moulin, direct from Scotland. Now cyclocross is, or course, a big deal across the pond, but to find a European at a local West Coast race is still undeniably rare, and it was kind of exciting to have that foreign flare this close to home.

In 1990 I made my first trip to Ireland, and figured it might be a one-time chance to race over there. I had planned ahead, at least enough to have taken out an international racing license for that one year. Unfortunately, I left the matter of bike transport until the last minute, but did manage to secure one of those big plastic cases from a local bike shop and packed everything up. Then I started thinking: What happens if my rental car is really small (which it was)? What will I do with the case? Can I store it at the airport? What about the various transfers I have to make? Blah, blah, blah, and I ended up talking myself out of bringing the bike. Too bad, it means I will likely not have the opportunity to race in Europe. Anyway, back to the Scotsman; this reporter was not so intrepid, and failed to track Mr. Walker down after the race to ask the important questions. Did he plan on this race? Did he bring his bike, and finding the race was simply coincidence? Whatever the case, he made the effort and that is what is important. And that international aspect just added a little extra flair to the race.

For a second year in a row now, Dorothy Wong and SoCalCross have brought / are bringing UCI rated races, with international ranking points on the line. The first UCI race this year was at Spooky Cross in Irvine; the second will be in Griffith Park in early December. Last year's race brought some big name American riders to the venue; who knows maybe this year they will be joined by an international element too.

Anywhere, Anytime...

2011-11-15T14:55:00.000-08:00

You know, I think this sign has been up for a while, but I can't recall seeing it until last week when I was out on a night ride. Maybe the way my light hit made it stand out, or maybe I am tricking myself and it actually is new.

Whatever the case, I have previously shown examples of the many different cycling related signage to be seen around Claremont. There are the ones revealing that bikes may use full lane, others marking the Citrus Regional Bikeway, reminding everyone to share the road, and watch for bikes, or noting the boundary of the Bicycle Priority Zone. Then there are the other on-ground markings signifying the location of a bike lane, or a sharrow.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Blocking out the scenery, breaking my mind

Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign

Ooops, sorry about that, mind wandered for a minute there - thinking about all those signs. Anyway, I think my favorite bike sign of all has to be that one shown above. It is non-specific, it does not relegate bikes to a certain area, does not limit them to one place or another. Instead it seems to unequivocally proclaim - BIKES - expect them anywhere, anytime.

Velocity Cross 2011, at Prado Regional Park...

2011-11-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

This weekend's cyclocross races, part of the So Cal Prestige Series, took place at Prado Regional Park in Chino. Nice place to visit, though I always find that area curious - big feed lots right next to newly constructed business parks and office buildings. A full day of racing on tap, and though I did manage to snap some podium shots of the victors, there was one set of races I completely missed - the Juniors.

As I was walking over to the venue from where I had parked, about the first thing I noticed was how spongy the grass was. The thing about cyclocross is that any course can throw a whole range of difficulties at you; some of those are constructed, while others are part of the landscape. Pedaling on grass can be hard enough under normal conditions. When the grass is just short of an Irish bog, well, lets just say it was the obstacle of the day. When you weren't trying to power through that, and you found a stretch of firm ground, the bumps would shake your arms apart. If you ever thought to get used to all that, there were some nice smooth sections through the baseball infields, as well as the paved section through the start/finish to throw you off. Anyway, the second wave, comprised of the Men's C, and the Master Women 35+ and 45+, was well into their torture when I arrived, so I only got a few photos - two below, more here.

Jason of the blog BicycleFriends. i am sure he will have

some photos up as well, if not already

Wave 3 was all Masters Men B, 35+, 45+, and Men 55+

Quotable Link: Gauchos Ride Bikes (UCSB Cycling)...

2011-11-11T07:21:00.000-08:00

I love it when I come across some story relating to cycling and the ol' alma mater. I thought this was just a great quote, putting training in perspective:

“Training is more than just going out and riding for hours and hours a day, head down, like many think,” Murphy said. “Training is spending 10-16 hours a week chatting with friends, seeing awesome sights, exploring the area, carving switch-backed descents, challenging yourself and watching the progress you make. It's not always easy, but it is always worth it.”

You can read the entire story about the UCSB Gaucho cyclists at the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships here.

Cycle Claremont Update...

2011-11-10T18:33:00.000-08:00

Last month I made mention of a new monthly ride around Claremont which will take place beginning in January. Tonight the steering committee held its second meeting, and even though the flyers have been out for about, what, a week or two, this was the first I had seen one. So, here you are:

Kind of makes it official. The flyers will be posted on the various bulletin boards around town, and I am sure you will be able to pick one up at other places too. Additionally, if you are on Facebook, Cycle Claremont does have a group page up and running. Click here for that one. Go on over and become a member to keep informed. For anyone not on Facebook, we will soon have a dedicated website as well. Our next meeting, in December, will be to make final arrangements for the ride. It is all coming together quickly, and January 8 will soon be here.

Oh, and now that I think about it, there was one concern raised tonight, that maybe I can clarify a little here for readers outside of Claremont (it may sound funny, but most of the readers of this blog fall into that category). This ride is not just for Claremont residents; it is more like, Claremont being the base of operations. If you live in Upland, LaVerne, over in Pomona, or San Dimas, heck if you live in some far-flung corner of the region and want to spend a day in town, check out the Bicycle Priority Zone, meet yours truly, or whatever, by all means join in. Cycle Claremont is not exclusive.

Tops, Drops and Hoods...

2011-11-10T07:14:00.000-08:00

I have imparted words of wisdom, or at least conveyed that infamous roadie arrogance of which all us who ride the pavement are guilty (or so I have read) on various topics before. Who knows how many riders now turn, or attempt, perfect circles when they pedal, or sit upon saddles with the least padding they could find at their LBS, and look on those fat, cushy saddles with new-found and righteous disdain, thanks entirely to my turning them on to the truth. In that same true spirit of roadie arrogance, I am now going to talk about handlebars and tell you just where to put your hands upon them given different riding situations.

Handlebars. There are a plethora of different styles out there in the cycling market these days. You've got your typical road bars, most commonly known as drop bars, which themselves come with slight ergonomic-inspired variations. Then there are the moustache bars, flat bars, bmx bars, bull horns, triathletes have their own varieties of bars, cruiser bars, the rare ape-hangers, etc. The type of bar you use will most likely depend on your bike and the type of riding you do. For instance you won't realistically expect to see a drop bar on a beach cruiser, nor aero triathlete bars on a mountain bike. Admittedly, those are pretty extreme examples, but in general, you expect certain bikes to come with specific bars. However, there is some leeway. For example my single speed; when I bought it used, it was set up as a fixed gear bike with bmx bars, which had a rather shallow rise to them, and big red rubber grips on the bar ends. They were fine for a while, but I eventually traded them out for drop bars. Why? Well, that is the gist of this post. Road drop bars, with their typical curved "drops", offer advantages which other flat, or swept-back style bars, cannot match.

The advantages of which I speak are about variety. Drop bars offer a variety of different hand positions, which in turn affect body position. Now if you only ride shorter distances, and have no desire to try anything longer, or faster, this may not matter. For the sake of argument I am going to assume it does matter. Why? First, being able to hold the bars at different places allows you to react effectively to different conditions. Second, being able to adjust hand, and body positions, especially as the miles add up, helps to ease fatigue, muscle and joint stress.

Take the photos shown below; what do they tell you? Yes, they tell you that I use black electrical tape to finish off the bar wrap. I know this is a strike against me according to the arrogant roadie rules of conduct; two more and they may revoke my membership card. Regrettable, but so be it. That is not exactly what I wanted you to consider though. The photos are meant to show the different hand positions typical of drop bars, which I will now explain.

In this photo I am holding the top of the bars, what I usually just call the tops. I suspect that I may be a bit unusual in that I do not wrap my thumbs around the bar. I don't recommend doing this, it is just how I have always done it. Yes, I have had my hands fly off the bars after hitting a bump; once while descending Sepulveda Pass - that's why it's not recommended (thanks to my superior bike handling skills, I did not crash). Anyway, griping the bar tops is the most relaxed position, your hands are closest to the body, so you sit relatively upright. Or, you can bend your elbows more, absorbing road shock - good for riding on cobbles, or beat-up city streets. I ride in this position a lot, especially if riding solo; if I am climbing while seated, I will grip the tops at least 90% of the time. It has been said that the more upright position allows you to breath deeper, more effectively fill your lungs, a definite advantage on those long climbs. Don't be fooled into thinking this is only for a slower, relaxed pace though. There have been plenty of times when I would grip the bars on the tops, bend my elbows and pull them in close to my body, while trying to power away from a group. You can get surprisingly aero while resting on the tops. Just don't let me catch you doing anything out of the saddle, either picking up speed/sprinting, or climbing. I will call you out for the error of your ways.

Next photo, riding the brake hoods. If I am on a group ride, you will usually see me here. It is probably the most versatile position for some obvious reasons - braking and shifting is right at your fingertips, it also allows you good leverage when picking up speed, or climbing out of the saddle. Gripping here provides improved control over gripping the tops. I will often go into pursuit mode when gripping the brake hoods, you can generate a lot of power while seated and holding the hoods.

This is a slight variation to riding the hoods; you'll notice my hands pulled back a little from the actual hoods, for which I am generally forced to apply a little extra pressure with my fingers to keep from sliding forward. Your arms are a little less outstretched, so it is somewhat more relaxed than riding the hoods. I have noticed that I favor this hand position when there is a crosswind and I want some extra control and stability, but don't want to be stretched out. There is one additional variation to gripping the brake hoods, but I forgot to take a photo - I will put my palms flat on the top of the hoods and wrap my finger around the tops of the levers. It is kind of reminiscent of the position you get from using bull horn bars; it is as stretched out as you can get using drop bars. I have successfully broken away from groups using said position.

I pretty much limit riding on the drops to two situations. First, descending. Second, sprinting. I may also ride in the drops during group rides when some knucklehead up front is really pushing the pace, and sometimes if I am chasing a breakaway. You see something common there? Speed. The higher the speed, the more likely I am to be in the drops. Every once in a while I will notice someone climbing in the drops; makes me want to yell at them, but I never have. It is their choice, I guess. You won't catch me climbing like that though.

Well, there you have it, everything you ever wanted to know about holding those drop bars. You may be saying, "well that is great Mike, but it sounds like that applies to racing, and training, and that is not the type of riding I do". True, that is how it has been written, but keep in mind that many of the same advantages apply, or are adaptable, to your daily commute, or errand runs. At some point everyone has to take off from a stop, pick up speed, fight their way into a headwind, or battle to keep from being blown over by a crosswind. Our backs, and muscles can become sore and stiff, from even shorter rides sometimes; shifting position will help to minimize the likelihood, and can help relieve these aches and pains, when they occur.

Small Gripe...

2011-11-09T18:53:00.000-08:00

So, there I was riding along this morning when all of a sudden there is this great racket emanating from my rear wheel. Seems a broken piece of concrete had been kicked up into the spokes. No immediate damage done, but never a sound you want to hear. A few miles later and I find myself dodging chunks of chopped up roots littered across the lane, and not exactly easy to see in the dappled sunlight / tree shade. What do these two incidents have in common? They both happened adjacent to where crews were demolishing sections of sidewalk, extracting offending roots, and replacing the concrete. Who ever the contractors are (no markings on the vehicles) they are doing a crappy job of cleaning up after themselves.

Mid-week C & V: A Steel Pinarello Treviso...

2011-11-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

Pinarello is one of those grande names of Italian bicycle manufacturing, enjoying a glorious history spanning more than fifty years. Among the highlights in the company's palmares are Alexi Grewal's Olympic victory in 1984, Pedro Delgado's Tour de France victory in 1988, Miguel Indurain's five consecutive Tour de France titles, all ridden on Pinarello, follow-up TdF victories by Bjarne Riis, Jan Ulrich and Oscar Pereiro, and the Gold, Silver, Bronze triumvirate during the 2000 Olympic road race.

This 1980s Treviso model Pinarello, while not particularly old as far as bikes go, is never-the-less, a Classic and Vintage dream. It is fully Campagnolo equipped, except for the stem and bar which are Cinelli, though with the Pinarello imprint on the stem. I forgot to check what the wheels were, but obviously they are for tubulars.

The Pinarello Treviso (at the time this one was built) was the company's second tier bike, behind the Montello SLX (the Treviso model is still being manufactured in aluminum). I have read that the Treviso had chromed chainstays; this one clearly does not. I have also read that the original stickers/decals were defective, and quickly flaked apart; many owners purchased better quality ones from the company as replacements, and considering how unblemished these one are, I would assume that to be the case here. This is one beauty of a bike, worthy of a place of honor in just about any peloton or group ride. As is typical, I spotted this one at the Claremont Velo.

What Do You Think, Claremont Bike Swap?

2011-11-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Semi-good minds were pondering weighty matters over at the Claremont Velo today. I had stopped by to catch up on various bits of dirt and, of course, check out any new C&V that happened to be showing (I will have a post about a beautiful Pinarello for you tomorrow), when I asked Dale whatever happened to his idea to hold a bike swap? One thing led to another, and those things, in turn, led to this post. I am putting some feelers out here, to see what kind of interest there may be for such a thing as a Claremont Bike Swap and Autumn Tweed Ride. The swap meet would be sponsored by, and held at the Claremont Velo, Worlds Smallest Bike Shop in the morning and early afternoon hours, and would be followed by the Second Claremont Tweed Ride. I agreed to take on some organizing duties. There have been some great swaps recently in Los Angeles and San Diego; we need a local one so that we can all sell something old and/or buy something new, just get some extra cash for the holidays, or clear some space around the house. Like most swaps, there would be a small seller fee, with prices for premium spots in front of the store being a bit more than the spots behind the store. Both the swap, and the ride are likely to take place on a Sunday. I can't tell you much more right now - details still need to be worked out.

Whether or not this thing becomes a go, may depend on the response we get so, if this sounds like it would be of interest to you, either the swap or the ride, or both, take a moment to answer the quick poll located in the column to the right. And if you have a semi-good mind, or a great one for that matter, and have something relevant to say about all this, you are more than welcome to leave a comment here.

Update: So this thing is a go! Just not a go before the holidays. Most likely Stuper Bowl Sunday in January, since that is when Tweed Ride 2010 was run and it had a good turn out. I will put together a little flyer when the date is finalized. We are thinking $20.00 for a full size space in the parking lot at the Velo, for those of you who have a load of stuff to sell; if you just have a few things and don't need a full space, $5.00 to sell. Ride will follow the swap, and you will still have time to head home and watch the game if that is your thing.

The Long Beach Cyclocross Races...

2011-11-06T19:54:00.000-08:00

Not your typical So Cal Cross today, the rain made sure the racers had plenty of the European, or East Coast flavor, to deal with. So yes, besides the usual obstacles there was also a lot of mud and slick grass, especially in the corners and on the little risers, which turned them into a challenge in their own right. Some photos here, and click on the slideshow links for more.

I think the first wave, the Juniors, may have received the worst of the rain. By the time I arrived at El Dorado Park, at the beginning of the second wave, it was starting to ease up, and before too long, the sun broke through the clouds. Of course no one had it easy as all those churning wheels continued to expand the mud pits throughout the day. Anyway, the second wave consisted of the Men C, CX4, and Master Women 35+ and 45+. Slideshow

Amy Hutner of Herbalife La Grange

Willard Ostrander, men's C victor

Seemed as though a number of racers finished afoot due to broken chains and flats, and unusual number of flats in fact. Masters Men 35+B, 45+B, and 55+ comprised the third wave. Wave 3 slideshow.

Wave 4 saw the Masters A (CX 1-4) race for 35+ and 45+, and the Men B (3/4). If you notice a few more portrait-type photos (close-ups) than I normally take, you would be correct. Muddy faces make for some interesting subject matter, so I hung out in the start/finish area a little more than usual. There are still plenty of race images though in the slideshows, such as this one of the 4th wave.

The Women, A, B and C comprised the 5th wave. Wave 5 slideshow.

one of the few during the day who was able to

ride all the way through the circular sand pit

the gap may have increased some by the finish, but here are 1 and 2 of the

women's A race, Allison Mann leading the way ahead of Christina Probert-Turner

Next up were the singlespeeders. Patches of blue were starting to show in the sky, and the sun was making a few of the mud patches somewhat tacky, less slick. The most vocal of the spectators were congregated at the sand pit, and no one who rode by them was safe from their abuse. All in the name of fun, of course. Wave 6 slideshow.

Amanda Schaper negotiates a tight turn right before the sand pit

Kyle Kelley

Brody ahead of Alan, Brad and Kyle

There is also a slideshow of a few misc. photos here.

Cycling Claremont: the Claremont Senior Bicycle Group...

2011-11-05T08:54:00.000-07:00

First off, don't pay too much attention to the name, Claremont Senior Bicycle Group (CSBG), is kind of a misnomer. Put the idea of codgers wobbling along from your mind, in the first ten months of 2011, the groups' members have logged more than 70,000 miles. Besides that, they are technically not all seniors, ranging in age from 40 to 90. I have known of the CSBG for a number of years now, they are highly active. Honestly speaking, when I am riding the streets of Claremont, it is a rare day that I do not spot riders, sporting the club's familiar jersey, out and about. CSBG volunteers have also been instrumental in ensuring the success of various cycling-related functions which have taken place within the city - educational efforts such as Safe Routes to School, Bike to Work Day, Claremont Day of Champions, the Moving Planet Ride. Their volunteer efforts with the new monthly Cycle Claremont community rides will no doubt be welcome and necessary as well.

The CSBG hosts regularly occurring rides on Mondays through Thursdays, and on Saturday, organized for riders of differing abilities. Check their webpage for the ride schedule and descriptions. Beside these daily rides, there are also special occasion rides, such as a New Year's Day ride to view the Rose Parade, and local events like this year's L'etape du California, and the yearly Tour de Foothills. All these different rides mean that there may be one for just about anyone; if you are a newer rider this may be a good way to learn some local ride routes in the company of experienced riders.