Wet Weather

Saturday December 13, 2008. It's amazing how the city and the valley stays dry yet as one pedals up Glendora Mountain Road into the cloud cover the damp drizzly rain turns into distinct rain drops that blur your spectacles and limit your vision with a visibility of 5 feet. It was the kind of cold wet ride that after its over you need to peel off the soaked clothes and just cuddle with another nice warm body. Since that didn't happen a long hot shower warmed my bones and my icicle toes into functioning units again.

One lucky squirrel descending a steep hillside ran onto the road. Barely missed my wheels and then ran between the front and back wheel of Matt's bicycle. It is amazing that the three of us were in tact after this close encounter.

There were a few die hard cyclists today and very few motorcyclists. One young fellow from Azusa Pacific had to stop and get warm on the way down. He rode to Cow Saddle where it was near freezing. He was dressed a bit too light. The goosebumps on his legs were noticeable. His plans included more riding this week. However weather forecasts even wetter weather with snow.

This was an awesome ride today. My SDSR time was the best ever at 35 minutes 35 seconds. Yeah! Average Speed 6.4 mph. The power average is a bit suspect as it didn't provide consistent readings. I added morning walks this week followed by core training with plyometric star jumps between the indoor cycling sessions. Yes it was a good ride although too short! I dried off the bike before me, but now its time to do a more thorough job.

35 minutes and 35 seconds. I am quite pleased!

False Start

Sunday December 7, 2008. It was a cloudy morning with interrupted sleep. I woke up groggy, I think my knees were having nightmares not my brain! Saturday's ride was long on a beautiful day. Sunday was cold, gray and wet. My brave words of I go riding when it drizzles a Portland dry mist evaporated when garage door opened to rain. I went shopping at the hardware store. By the time I got home it had dried up. I left late at 9:45 am. Saw a fire engine 86 headed up GMR at 10:25am responding to a vehicle over the side at 30601 GRR between Sunset Ridge & Mt Baldy Road. It wasn't long before I saw the engine heading back to their station at 10:47 am. It was a short ride and other riders were stopping on their way down to warm up. I had my warm jacket, ear band, and snow gloves. There was little traffic going down.

I ended up napping through the end of the Phillies vs NJ Giants football game. Phillies won. The Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers was a frustrating game indeed until the last 10 minutes of the fourth quarter. It was amazing when Townsend on the Steelers team intercepted the ball and scored the winning touchdown.

It was a full house with my son's friend over playing video games and my daughter's friend from UCI.

Glorious Day

Saturday December 6, 2008. A glorious day indeed. It started off clear and cool. It warmed up to 51F by 8:10 am when I headed out. My time to the 10-mile marker was 38:10. Two minutes slower than desired. Still a good time for me. The vehicular traffic was light. I wondered if today's USC vs UCLA game at the Rose Bowl meant all of Southern California was preparing for football festivities.



With the winter sun hanging in the southern sky, the road was shaded along the route and the temperature wasn't too high. I felt good as a coasted down from mile marker 4 the "point of no return." I headed up the "wall" from mile 5. Greg S. said hi at mile marker 6.2 just as I was ready to turn around. I stopped and ate a Mojo bar. With the weather so nice, the traffic light and the body willing, I reversed directions and kept going up, the mind was in control and 8.3 was only a few minutes away. It's been three months since I have made it this far. So I am pleased with the ride today. Miles 38.1. 1908 Calories

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Here is my Christmas cheer at work.

Long Weekend Rides

November 27-30, 2008. I baked apple pies for the Thanksgiving festivities which meant I left the house late around 10 am. Everyone else on a bike seemed to be hightailing home as I was pedaling upstream. It was an excellent feast. The eldest sister brought three delectable veggie dishes: beans and cucumbers, papaya/mango salsa and broccoli mix. The youngest sister prepared the sweet potatoes and pumpkin pies. The turkey was juicy, moist and hot.

View to the south on Thanksgiving:


View to the north on Thanksgiving:



Friday was a rest day. Chatted with Montana relatives. Took in the James Bond movie, Quantum of Solace.

Saturday. Rode "Fork plus Four". It was a quiet ride for a Saturday. I dressed warmly as the early morning temperature was 46F. But it warmed up. I did meet an eight legged friend on the road. It was shoo-ed off the road after the photos. I didn't want to see a splat when I came back.



The storm left snow on Mt Baldy:




Sunday. Much warmer it was 54F early and warmed quickly to 57F. On the road the temperature ramped up to a warm 79F. Road to the Maintenance Shed. Bike riding and socializing. Good to see old buddies and I met someone new on the road, John of Claremont. He referees AYSO soccer games.

November pictures

Here are some panoramas from November 22, 2008. It was warm and I did 34.5 miles or fork plus six miles.

Pre Turkey Tuesday

Rushing home from Santa Ana/Irvine on Tuesday to get my daughter from UCI to a dental appointment the sky was filled with perfect overhead clouds. It looked heavenly and it was surprising warm. I still wore long sleeves and brought a warm jacket for the downhill ride.

Here is the view from the first saddle into Glendora.



The vehicular traffic was certainly different on a week day afternoon versus the weekends. More car traffic. No motorcycles. More teenagers.

Cheers from a mountain bike ramp atop a hill alerted me to one of the attractions. Coming down the mountain I managed to be behind the slowest hunter in a white truck. I caught the truck three times.

Beauty of the weekend

The beauty of the mountain is equaled by the dangerous wilderness it belies. Respect for the road, respect for the centerline, respect for the physical laws of nature are imperative for those who wish to survive another day to enjoy the curves, enjoy the scenery, and enjoy the wildlife.

There are different groups of recreational users of the road and the forest. Motorcyclists, hunters, runners, hikers, skate boarders, mountain and road bikers. Rarely do they intermingle but today on my way up the first climb by the ranger station a motorcyclists in an orange down vest with a wide frame stopped me. I recognized her first by vest and then by her large ass, it was my sister atop her newly acquired Honda Shadow Aero.




She told me not to tell mom and dad. sigh. I told her to ride slow. The rescue workers recently pulled off a woman motorcyclist off the mountain.

SGVTribune -- 10/18/2008

GLENDORA - A woman was flown to an area trauma center in critical condition Saturday after her motorcycle drove off the road in the Glendora foothills, officials said.

The crash occurred about 10:15 a.m. on Glendora Mountain Road, just north of Big Dalton Canyon Road, according to CHP logs.

The injured woman was identified as Kathleen McGraw, 37, of San Dimas, CHP Sgt. Jesse Holguin said.

She was conscious and able to speak when taken to the hospital, Los Angeles County Fire Department Firefighter and Paramedic Bill Hailey said.

The 2008 Suzuki motorcycle flew about 100 feet off the roadway, he said.

A rope was lowered from a helicopter to lift McGraw from the roadside, Hailey added.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash, officials said. The cause remained under investigation.

It was a long week and the need to escape the ugliness of the work week was greatly rewarded this weekend.




Saturday: Fork plus seven miles
Sunday: Maintenance Shed
People: Sister, Cathy, Jason, Tammy
Updated 2008.12.29