Week in Review

Spring time in southern California meant wonderfully warm 80F temperatures for the Monday Night ride. Warm enough to enjoy a fast smooth flowing descent with sunlight to see the road, avoid the tire busting rocks and the gentle breeze of downhill speed cooling the skin. The Wednesday night ride contrasted Monday in every way. Clouds threatened rain all day long, then lifted enough to encourage only the brave and fool hearty into an evening ride. I being apart of the latter group, ventured out into the relative dryness of the road. Cold succumbed the knee into complaint loud enough to stop me at a stone wall overlooking the reservoirs before Newman's Point. The afternoon sun sparkled weakly on the water as the wind rippled the lakes. A hawk launched itself in a steep arch over the canyon reached its apex, then dove straight down plummeting towards the canopy of oaks. I spied it two days later:




The Wednesday evening clouds enshrouded Crystal Lake and I thought about Ray riding from Baldy Village along Glendora Ridge Road. He encountered hail, lightening, thunder and snow flurries in less than 12 miles. His photo collage captured his bone thrilling ride.


A rare Friday noon ride, the sun was out and meagerly warmer than Wednesday. There was a pleasant assortment of folks on the road. On the way down a shadow hovered over me. A turkey vulture with a six foot wing span circled over head. I did ride slowly that day, perhaps this was incentive to ride a tad bit faster. This coyote decided to check out what the aerial support was after.



Saturday ride was a bit faster than the Friday "active recovery ride". My knee was mostly quiet, I used a smaller gear and faster cadence.

Sunday afternoon hike behind the Forest Ranger Station and then along GMR showed spring in its glory.



The rains of the spring have brought color to the forest.








And Happy Easter.