Route: link
Miles: 29 miles
Recap:
Today was a really impromptu ride. I woke up at 9 am and looked online to see the recaps of the ride I missed out on last night (I decided to drive back to Yorba Linda to ride with Katherine instead). I saw that some of the guys were actually going for a ride then, so I grabbed my bag and made my way to the Starbucks.
Only four of us showed up since it was so impromptu. It was a really nice day. Winter days are great. The sun is shining, but the heat isn't overwhelming. We decided to head over to Brea via Brea Canyon Road. Brea Canyon is the street that parallels the 57 freeway through the hills. It was a really fun stretch. One huge hill to get to the road, then it was pretty much downhill from there. A two-lane road with a few cars going. I haven't been honked at by so many impatient drivers in so long.
We rolled into Brea safe and sound. We decided to keep riding and go to Downtown Disney, but around Harbor and Commonwealth we opted to go to Bryan's place since his mom was making food. 13 more miles though, in Lakewood. We took La Palma all the way down. La Palma's a good, flat street throughout. Lots of traffic though.
So we did La Palma for a while. It was pretty cool seeing Supreme Scream at Knott's from afar, then finally riding right next to Knott's a while later. I was pretty good at keeping up for most of the ride since I didn't have to deal with hills, but by the end my legs were sore. We got to Bryan's and his mom had made a great meal. Had me some ham, barbecued beef, rice, clam chowder...great meal. It was then that we chose not to ride back. That would have been way too epic for an impromptu ride. Bryan's girlfriend drove us back to Rowland Heights. Four full-grown men crammed in a back-seat full of bike-stank...SUCKED. But better than riding back, I guess.
Route map: link
Mileage: 7.5 miles
Recap:
Was on my way to the Rollin' Rowland Ride when Katherine called me. I decided to just ride around with her instead. Short ride, overcast night, but we were only hit by a few drops of drizzle rain near the end. We found the Boeing place and took a few pictures there before heading back on the Santa Ana river trail. Not nearly a fast-paced ride, but good to be out anyway. Pictures when I get them.
Distance: 20 miles
Route map: link
Recap:
Very fun ride. Not too long, moderately hilly. Didn't fall behind too bad either! Always good.
Rode through the industrial area on the way to Grand. Big uphill on Baker Parkway onto Grand. Slowed down considerably, but I made it up. Another dude was also riding 52x17. He was having trouble too, but he made it up eventually. Wasn't easy.
We went up Grand to Amar. On my first ride with these guys a month ago, we hit that hill also. I fell behind that time. This time, I held my own and stayed near the front. There is no word to describe the happiness I felt knowing that I have become stronger since then. Feeling really good.
Stopped at the gas station to fix Francis' flat. Patched the tube, leaked again, put on another tube but pinched it. Finally got a tube on there and started rolling again. Took maybe 30 to 45 minutes...I didn't check to see what the time was when we stopped.
Up Amar and onto Lemon. Lemon was fun. Downhill for a mile, really smooth road, going a nice speed. Beautiful. Down La Puente Road onto Nogales, then Gale Avenue. It was good that most of us stuck together through this part. Safety in numbers.
We ended up at the Puente Hills Mall and took a lap around, with Daylo leading the way. That was so fun. Following the parking lot around the mall:
How does that not spell fun?
Francis took a couple of pictures while we waited for some guys who got lost in the lap. Eventually, we were rolling again on the home stretch up Colima. I didn't feel too fatigued at the end of this. I can handle 20 miles of rolling hills now. I am happy.
Ate at McDonald's...felt like throwing up, but whatever. The drive home was great. Sitting back, music playing, endorphins rushing through my head. Not a bad Wednesday night at all.
I also layered very well. T-shirt, thermal shirt, black hoodie. It wasn't too bad, although my t-shirt was soaked through with sweat by the time we hit Amar. Jeans were still uncomfortable for a bit. I need to get an outfit going soon.
Distance: 24 miles
Route map: link
Recap:
This ride was one of the goals I had set out for myself. I think this is the first ride where my final destination didn't lead me back to my apartment. I went from my apartment in Fullerton to my parents' house in La Puente.
I had decided I would do the ride late Monday evening. I left around 9 AM, calling my mom to expect me for lunch later. I didn't tell her I was riding. :-) I started off going through campus, then up Associated and into the park. The only part on my whole ride where I walked the bike was up the steep little entrance into the park. I don't think I've ridden the hills in the park since I've gone fixed. It was a little tough, but not a bad way to start the ride.
There wasn't as much traffic because of Veteran's Day, but still enough to get me mad at cars. I did my best to stay off to the right as much as I safely could, but the cars wouldn't grant me the same courtesy. At one point, some asshole kept shooting straight through without giving me room to pass the RV parked in front of me. After that, I did my best to take the lane. Unless you're an emergency vehicle or someone in your family's about to have a baby, I doubt anyone's life will be drastically affected by having to slow down for a few seconds to pass me. I'm all for giving people the benefit of the doubt, but really.
I kept waiting for a 7-11 to show up. I only passed one, but it was on the other side of the street, there were hella cars, and I had a green. I finally gave up on passing another one and stopped at a Circle K on Beverly well into Whittier. Painter Avenue sucks. I didn't remember it having all those rolling hills. A nice moment: when I wanted to turn into Circle K, I signaled to the guy in the truck next to me and he slowed down even though cars behind him honked. Thank you, mr. red-truck-driving guy.
Workman Mill was a nice ride. Not too busy today, wide lanes. I was finally rolling into the Avocado Heights area! I made it home around 10:50. 24 miles in almost 2 hours, so a little bit faster than 12 mph. I'm shooting for being able to hold 15 mph for two hours. I really wish I had brought a map or something so I could see how fast I had gone in the first hour. I think I did 10 miles in the first hour...I just have to keep working.
Stayed home the rest of the day, ate, watched tv, played with my brother, then my dad gave me a ride back around 6:30. Not too bad. Maybe next time I'll ride back as well.
Distance: 30 miles
Route map: Original route I had planned (and I rode), but what some of the other guys ended up doing.
Recap:
So fucking horrible. This was the first ride I've ever been put in charge of. I really fucked it up. The ride was set up to hit every In-N-Out in the area. We did it, but I fucked it up at the Baldwin Park In-N-Out. The route I had set up had us turning left onto Vineland from Francisquito, heading to Valley. There were really two distinct groups in the ride: chill riders and hustlers. At this point on the route, I was right in between the two. When I got to Vineland, I immediately noticed there were ABSOLUTELY no street signs signifying that the street was Vineland. I rode a bit forward and saw the hustlers' blinkers going off into the distance and said "shit."
I headed to the In-N-Out on Gale and 7th, hoping that they'd eventually show up. Not a good time. Sweaty, waiting, cell phone battery dying. I got the number from one of the guys in the chill group and he was on his way back. The hustlers eventually showed up too. All of those guys ended up doing about 40 miles tonight. I felt so bad. Luckily, most of them seemed cool with it.
The ride didn't start off too awesome either. I had us hit Grand Avenue from Colima. IT SUCKED. Really steep uphill, with 2-6% gradient up. I walked most of the way up, taking a 15-minute and 7-minute break on the way. I wasn't the only one, but fuck. AND THEN DOWNHILL. I love downhill, but that was just terrifying. Dark, narrow, winding roads, 40 mph speeds, cold winds, eyes blinded...scary shit.
As far as the rest of the ride...after Grand, I was able to maintain a good speed. Not fast enough to hang with the hustlin' group, but holding my own. After 7th and Gale though, I sucked pretty hard. Very tired, out of shape, and completely disheartened after ruining my first route. Not good enough. I have to keep riding and work my way up. I have a lot of ground to cover.
Lessons learned:
- Never, EVER use unmarked residential streets.
- Fuck Grand Avenue.
- I need warmer riding clothes.
- I really, really need to get a new gear soon.
- Warmer clothes are a must. I need to figure out what I can buy that won't put me in the poorhouse or leave me rashed and miserable for days. Shop shop shopping til I drop.
- I'd like a cyclocomputer again. Just so I can keep track of statistics. I am, in my heart, a number whore.
- I need to get a water bottle cage on the bike too. I'll miss the clean look, but I gots to hydrate.