This weekend it was back to my usual ride out of It's A Grind Coffee house. Since I had given Twain a Bottle of Pride of Cucamonga, I stopped by the Fillippi Acrerage on the PET and took a photo:
And go to day Creek before the fast guy caught me. This was a problem, as I was wanting to do the climb up day creek by myself, since doing steep hills on the Bent resembles wrestling and alligator right now. I'm getting better. After Social hour, I decided to ride by the Old Baine Winery and take some photos of the Artwork:
I got home at 11:30 - I'm definitely improving. Sunday the sun rose to make riding to 8:00 Eucharist worthwhile. so I decided to do the club's Halloween ride:
We had some socializing after wards, bit I decided to head home to avoid riding after dark. I may have been able to hang around later, as I was doing 25mph on the way home due to the Santa Ana winds so, life's a Grind
After all our fun I wanted to get an early start Sunday morning. Glenn said that the Inn would be open for breakfast at 7:30, so I drove, and there was no signs of activity aside from Glenn and myself. Daniel informed us that the place did not open until 8 , so i took a photo tour. Someone had some fun with pumpkins:
At 8 o'clock, we had Breakfast. It started as Glenn, Daniel and his wife, and myself, but JoBob and leeBob, and Steve from Canada, Nancy from Benica, andJoe Joined us. The food could have been better, but it is a captive market several folks wanted to test ride Recumbents. Ironically, I had decided to bring my regular bike. I thought about starting out, but decided to hang around Glenn on Joe's Bacchetta Ti Aero:
and head home. I decided it would be faster to cross over into Nevada. However, I ran into what my mom cals "garndpa jones" that it people driving significantly under the speed limit (as in 3.5 in a 65) while on a busy two lane road. I had lunch in Mammoth lakes, where 395 went to four lanes, but then ran into the people trying to drive 100 mph. I chilled at the Ft Independence casino, and then had to do some off road on the two lane section between Ridgecrest and Victorville to avoid a head from some one who had misjudged the passing distance. Got home about 7. Now to decide if I want to that Wild Sierra Challenge Twain's club puts on
Sometimes I Wonder about Driving these long Distance for a bike ride. A guy I "met" through bikejournal, Twain berg, had been bugging me about coming up his way to do a bike ride. The catch: His way is Markleeville, CA, about 400 miles away. Most of the time I was on US 395, Mostly desert but the Sierras on one side:
I stopped at the Manazanar War relocation center. Manazanar was where several thousand Japanese Americana were detained during World War II. I though this was poignant:
I got TO Markleeville about 6. I went to the Campsite. no one there. So I went back into tow and found my buddy from Oregon, Joe Kennan, standing on the corner. Considering Markleeville only has 100 people, I think we found my party! we had dinner, and got back about 8, well after Dark. The Campground had all kind of signs waring about feeding bears, so I slept in my van, Worked out well. Twain made a fire to us to keep warm:
Another BikeJournalist, Steve Glichirst, came down from Cardstson, Alberta, and made all of use Real Canadian Flapjacks with Genuine Maple Sryup. here he is another of my Oregon Buddies, Dave Van Gundy: We then rode into Downtown Marlkeeville for the start of the ride:
The Plan was to ride To Genoa, Nevada. We all made, but I had a flat tire, which everyone joked was punishment from the recumbent gods since I brought my upright bike. Some of us had lunch in Genoa , and others went over the Mountain to Lake Tahoe Genoa is the Oldest town in Nevada:
We had gotten a late start, so it was 2 o'clock we headed back. Steve ran into my rear wheel and the broke a spoke on his rear, but I escaped unscathed. Later on I ran into a Cattle Drive going the other way! Yes, this is definitely the west. The cattle looked spooked, and I didn't want to reach into my seatbag and throw them even more. I had also ran out water half way back. One of Twain's friends, Tina, Showed me a water Hydrant. This may not have done me much good, as I already dehydrated, plus now I had to climb back over the mountain to Markleeville. The fact that I was at Altitude(6000 feet), plus not spend a lot time with my Diamond frame Conspired against me. I walked some, and though about getting ride back to the campgrounds, but I preserved. We closed out the day with a campfire. But wait there's more tommorrow - this Jobob character told me so.!
I had some dental work yesterday, and then got some new glasses. In between the two, It knocked me for a loop. I went to bed at 7. Which left me with a dilemma. I had signed up to do a perm. Did I want to ride 130 miles? Plus I supposed to do a 60 mile with recumbent club today. I decided that a change of scenery would do me good. Riding down baseline doesn't cut it after a while, plus I wanted to do a long trip with my Rondo. I was feeling a lot better in the morning, like I could both. But I left my Hammer heed at home and only had enough Hammer Gel for about 6 hours - not enough time for a 200K, and there's not many place on the route to re-fuel. I got to the shopping center and bought some thing from Ralphs. but the stamp was off by an hout and a half. So I went to the Bank of America. I always get a kick out of this Shopping as it was used as the "Malibu Mall" in the movie "Malibu's Most wanted"
I pedaled off and the sun came out. I stopped to take a picture:
Actually, I had been fighting Recumbutt from climbing. I Finally got out of the hills and was pedaling along the coast when I Heard a rider going the other way Calling my name. It was Frank Gutierrez. I was wondering what he was doing , then noticed that most of the riders going the other way had ride stickers on their bikes. A Charity ride was going the other way. I pulled over at the Missle Museum at the Naval air Station. I thought I heard Frank's wife , Paulie,say hell, bit I did not see her. I always feel a little sticky when I wind up in the same spot as a charity ride, as the volunteers usually assume that you are on the ride, so I took off. I pedaled past some farm fields, and got some stares from the migrant work (un loco biceleta!) I stopped at the first control and had a Gatorade. I got to Ventura, and was debating whether to turn around. I decided to make it to the beach, about 50 miles, which would give a century for the day:
I then pedaled down the coast. Perfect weather Temps in the 70's, not a cloud in the sky, and Aqua water, May I should have gone on to Carpenteria. The cut at Mugu Rock:
Part of the Reason for doing the distance was I had been getting Debilitating neck pain at about 90 miles on the Bent,so I Bought a headrest. Worked out very well. I stopped and Talked to Dana at Bentup. That 60 mile ride? He and I were about the only people who were planning on showing up, so he canceled it. Maybe I should have used my cell phone to check my email at Ventura. on the plus side Dana dubbed my new Vechile the "Rando Rondo" If you've read this blog, you'll know I like hockey. Well Two of My Favorite team, The La Kings and the St. Louis Blues, were playing each other. I though I would make it home in time, but missed the first period. May be I need a DVR.....
