After Family Food and Fun

its more than time for a bike ride or two.

Bear Christmas

Robert captures an interaction between bear and santa claus.

Channel 7 is airing the video.

View of the road

The crisp cold air demanded a late start. The vistas qualified as an E-Ticket ride.

GMR closed to all forms of traffic including walk-...

GMR closed to all forms of traffic including walk-ins and bicycles

Bills Monday Ride

The photo says it all. Warm day in the upper 70s. And a great day to be outside. Click on the photo to get the full effect.

GMR is closed until further notice due to the stor...

GMR is closed until further notice due to the storm.

Rain!
CB#: 6264852439

Friday Ride

Wednesday Ride

An afternoon ride in the warm sun felt more like summer than autumn. My legs were stiff and less cooperative. My performance sagged. Then motivation caught up with me, and talked me up the hill. Scott encouraged my tempo a bit faster. The corners were sunny and hot with no wind. Fortunately it was late enough to have plenty of shade. Scott had the scoop about the latest over-the-side vehicle at Coyote Corner (mile marker 10.63). Two men stood on the berm looking down the hillside. Accessing the remaining vehicle, the father of the driver and a towing service operator surveyed the damage. The vehicle had rolled over several times. The driver was recovering.

First saddle was enough for both of us. Scott descended while I stayed and chatted with Robert from Parliament of Owls. He had tales of mountain lions from here to the Santa Monica Mountains.

The after glow of a bike ride and the pleasant surprise of friends always feels sweet.

Saturday Ride

there are some days when you crave the solitude of a solo ride. And there are days when you need the connection to friends but find yourself alone on the road.

Matt's evening ride

Matt's view from Newman's.

GMR closed Monday 11/17 8:30 am

GMR closed Monday 11/17 8:30 am. Closed due to high winds. Expected to be open 11/19/2014.

Saturday Along the Road

Skateboarders rolled down the road balancing on a thin sheet of wood. The roar of the wheels created a harmony with the pavement. Bending low they clasped the board to hug the turns, vigilant to a stray rock or an odd ridge of tar that lined the cracks of worn asphalt. They descended with a unity of wheels, road and board.

Saturday, the skateboarders put their boards aside and walked the pavement. Armed with large clear plastic bags, they bent down and grabbed fast food bags, aluminum cans, drink bottles, cigarette cartons, and high energy food wrappers strewn along the edge. The back of the pick up trucks filled with bags of trash. The forest breathed.

And for the rest of us, a simple rule holds true. Pack out what you pack in.  Throw that carton, can or container back into your car, your bike or your backpack. Put the empty wrappers in jacket pockets. It's lighter now and it crumples so it fits.

The community of skateboarders earned a mountain of respect. They stepped up to a task that few of us do and all of us can enjoy.  For those Saturday heroes my gratitude and thanks.

Thank you.

SC Velo Food Drive

San Dimas, California (November 10, 2014) – The Southern California Velo Cycling Club (SC Velo) and Incycle Bicycle Stores are conducting a Thanksgiving Food Collection Drive to help provide holiday dinners to families and individuals that otherwise could not afford one. Food items to be donated should be non-perishable, such as Canned Meats, Canned Vegetables, Instant Mashed Potatoes, Boxes of Stuffing or Turkey Dressing, Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, bags of rice or dried beans, etc. The food can be left in collection bins at Incycle Bicycle Stores in San Dimas, Chino, Pasadena, and Rancho Cucamonga ( http://incycle.com ) between Wednesday, November 12th, and Sunday, November 23rd. Anyone bringing food to an Incycle store during this food drive will receive a free Incycle water bottle . All of the donated food will be taken to the Salvation Army Regional Food Distribution Center for distribution to needy families.

Saturday with Tour de Foothills

Link to photos its late. and this reluctant blogger can't seem to get the links correct.

Sunday Ride

After the rain the Sunday ride felt very good. Bill took this photo at the top of Monroe. Baldy is hiding behind clouds. Definitely click to feel the full effect.

Upcoming GMR Road Closure for TdF - Nov 8 - 6am - 1pm

November 4, 2014 Update Road will be closed from Rock Sports LLC:

Although the road is closed due to our Special Use Permit to anyone not part of the event, we will allow non-registered cyclists to use GMR and will ask them to be mindful of our event taking place.

October 31, 2014 This statement was posted a few hours ago on the TdF Facebook Site

Tour de Foothills has made Special arrangements with the City of Glendora, The Forestry Service and CHP to CLOSE GMR to only Tour de Foothills Registered Riders from 6:00 am - 1:00 pm November 8th, 2014. Please obey all request, NO Vehicles, motorcycles, skateboarders or NON Registered TDF riders will be permitted on GMR. You still have time to register to ride the event. Only the 72 & 100 mile riders will be going up GMR. [They] will have 4 CHP officers on duty at both the start and finish for all riders safety. Thank you!

How to bike with five of your closest friends

Last wed ride

Last wed ride

Saturday Ride Remembered

Saturday Road buddies:

Tour de Foothills 2013

There is a Norman Rockwell feeling to this Tour de Foothills 2013 moment. Perhaps an elephant or a squirrel to round out the frame. From the left are Matt, Bill, GMR and Mark. Thanks, Tony for spotting this photo of me.

The 2014 Tour de Foothills is coming November 8th. Registration for the event and the GMR timing chip is here.

Kai and Shorty at the Tour de Foothills 2013. They are regulars on GMR and Shorty is decked out to ride.

1...2...3...4...Mountain Lions!

Just when you thought it was safe to go into the forest, Robert from Parliament of Owls has captured an amazing scene of four mountain lions strolling through the canyon as if it were their home. (hint it is!). Stunning, Robert. Kudos.



Channel 5 coverage:

Channel 7 coverage.



Matt took this photo of the Channel 5 News Team conducting the interview with Robert.

SC Velo Honorees

Wow. When I grow up I want to be like Megan and Venessa. Megan is US National Champion for her age group for Road, Criterium and Time Trial! What a cool jersey.

Venessa is California State Champion with Al (left) and Demi (right).

Sunday Ride

Bill and I rode up the road and met Kirill and Louda on touring bikes. Glendora Mountain Road was easier than Mount Diablo. Photos are coming.....

Saturday Ride

Sleeping in to 6:18 am felt glorious this morning. It also meant starting the Saturday ride a bit later. Besides it IS getting cooler and it IS getting darker. Time to adjust to a Fall riding pattern.

Heather arrived and we launched around 8 am. We shouted at Matt's house as we cycled past. Met up with Shane at the corner of GMR and Sierra Madre. My muscles definitely needed their warm up time in the cooler air. Getting past the ranger station was the warm up. Go Slow Legs. Save some for later. How nice that they behaved.

Saw Donna, Cindy and Doug on the way to the shed. I was motivated to ride. I shut off the higher thinking and put the muscles in gear to spin on the pedals. And they responded. I see some nice peaks on the power numbers. The cooler weather helped my performance. It was my fastest time to the shed this year.

Rick was enthusiastic about my arrival. I met his friend Yuri from Eastern Europe. Yuri says there are not enough trees on our hillside to be a forest. Rain is essential for plant life. We are happy with the few that we have.


Rick. A card carrying member of GMR.bike.


Yuri. Where are the trees?


Cindy and Donna. We met in Baldy.


Doug wants more stories.


Matt with his rayclone.com jersey.


Heather. The proud archer.


Shane. Better breathing will improve your performance.


Bill. Start prepping today for the March 2015 San Dimas Stage Race.


Little Dalton Canyon. Cooling clouds over the valley.


Bill. Headed home at first saddle.


Overlooking the city of Glendora. Every day on the mountain is a beautiful day.


Heather. A bike ride before work makes life all the better.


Matt. Cheers.

Daylight fades and me want to go home. Day-o!
CB#: 6264852439

Weekend rides

The heat of the week dissipated Saturday morning under a morning layer of low level clouds. The greyness cooled the air and the darker sky dampened the spirits enough so as to question the wisdom of the 7:15 am departure time. Heather arrived by 7:30 after successfully navigating surface streets avoiding the freeway closure. (Heather, check out http://sigalert.com for smooth sailing.) The heat of last Saturday's ride still fresh in our memories, the 15 degree drop in temperature made the morning ride down right enjoyable.
Bill's photo of the valley.

With the cooler air, my muscles definitely wanted their warm up time. I intentionally held back getting all of the body on board before charging out and was rewarded with energy later in the ride. I concentrated on working on the lifting of the legs during the pedal stroke to give the ham strings a work out. There seems to be more energy there and the training tips from Shane are providing more power.

Matt caught Heather and I before Newman's. It's odd how you can travel the road without seeing a soul, then on a blind curve, six people all converge in the same space and time. A white porsche, two motorbikes and three cyclists.

At the shed, people arrived and everyone had a story to tell. Mark and Shirin opening up CyclinSanity in LaVerne in November. Rick and Greg in a comeback ride to Baldy Village. Shane on his way down "north" GMR to East Fork better known as a Yo-Yo ride. Matt, Heather and Bill. Lots of connections.

Mark Sherin
Greg
Rick.
Shane
Mark
Matt. Beer?
Heather
Bill
Baldy (Sunday Ride)
Glendora under the fog (Sunday)