On the road to Baldy

The ride started early under thick morning coastal clouds with a predicted temperature in the 90s. Bill and I started out together, and separated at the electronic sign. Quickly gaining ground above the cloud cover at mile marker 11.39, the brightness of the sun brought a perfect day for a long ride.

Bill captured the morning mood with his panorama at the first saddle. He reached the shed with stronger legs this week and ran into Matt on his way up the mountain.



Back to my ride, a sheriff parked his vehicle in the dirt turnout by the shed. A bit unusual, but a welcome sight. Willie caught up with me as I took a moment at the shed. We rolled together on Glendora Ridge Road. We chatted about last Saturday's adventures, Juan's two flat tires, prices of cycling gear and unpaved roads to East Fork. The heat of the sun bore down on us on GRR at mile marker 7. My cheeks grew hot, water doused on the jersey helped cool my core temperature. Tom a relative new comer prepped for the Ride around the Bear next week. Spotted the search and rescue helicopter flying away from Baldy Village down the valley towards Claremont as we descended from Cow Canyon Saddle. Willie the super domestique paced me to the Village in record time.

The post office thermometer registered 80F. Hot for the village at 4000 feet elevation. The shade, water and a spot to sit in front of the post office was a welcome relief. Mandy and Francis of Adobovelo.com arrived from their first lap to the ski-lifts. Matt and Juan arrived and cooled their heels in the shade. Lots of decisions, go on, go back, go down. Juan and Tom opted to try the ski-lifts with Mandy and Francis. Willie was keen on getting back quickly. A Caltech group stopped for water on their way to their lifts. Their next adventure was SR39 to Dawson and then back highway 2 to La Canada/Pasadena. There are those who do the loop down Baldy Road to Baseline, Route 66 to Glendora. I prefer going back the same route. Matt and I rode back.

On the way back caught up with two GRR regulars ...Ray



and Brian





Check out the images in Matt's glasses.



A good day to be above the cloud cover that turned into a thick grey-brown layer over the metro area. It was cooler in the village. It was 95 when I arrived home. Hot, happy and hungry. A great day for a ride.