Party on the PET / CRB in May...

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.

New Years...

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

1st and Claremont realignment...

I have written about the particular intersection previously, how its alignment was a problem and safety hazard to cyclists entering Claremont via the Pacific Electric Trail to the east. I am happy to say that work is well underway with the realignment and I am looking forward to the project's completion. In fact there are changes all along 1st Street. I have already posted about the new sidewalk on the south side of the street; on the north side, new oak trees have been planted and there seems to be some additional concrete work being done. This work is all a part of the Citrus Regional Bikeway project which, when completed, will traverse the city from east to west.

view along 1st with the Claremont Blvd intersection in background,

and portion of new sidewalk on the right

the intersection itself, looking through it west along 1st. sorry, hard to see what is going on,

but curbs are being extended and lines of sight adjusted

further down along 1st and adjacent to a massive new parking structure at Pomona College. 1st is lined my majestic old oak trees, and (3) new ones have been planted along this stretch.

P.E.T. update...

The final section of the Pacific Electric Trail in Rancho Cucamonga is nearing completion. This is the portion on the border with the city of Upland, and connects with the P.E.T. through that city. The firm I work for has done the design of the various sections through Rancho, so it is doubly cool to see the trail nearing completion. The P.E.T. is a multi-use trail, mostly serving a recreational purpose. I will occasionally use it on my commute (mostly I use the streets though, they are quicker) and other riders use it for that purpose, especially in the morning.