Southern California - my usual route: NW Pasadena, St. Katherine, Emerald Isle

I'm posting my "usual route" to see if anyone wants to join me:

http://www.toporoute.com/cgi-bin/getSavedRoute.cgi?routeKey=SDIJHKXVDTDUKNF

I ride on Saturday and/or Sunday mornings at about 9:30-10:00 am, but am flexible. I can usually add an hour to my route every other week, so I usually add on a Mountain-Kenneth-Sunland-Las Tunas Canyon loop.

I've been riding my road bike for seven months. My usual route takes me seventy to eighty minutes. I want to get better at climbing, and eventually, I want climb Mt. Wilson (not sure I'm ready for that yet.)

Thanks in advance.

TJ

That looks like a nice route, which way do you go, clockwise?

Looks a lot like my favorite route. Try this for fun, as Lida is a very popular "little" climb around here.
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/pasadena/1079619535

Nice route, Doppelg. I ride up in those canyons as well and know St. Katherines well (great climb). Once I'm back up and riding again, I'll be using those hills once again to get back in shape and can maybe join you one morning. Also, if you can, check out Glendora Mountain Road (if so inclined). It's great hill training and sustained - perfect for your prepping to ride to Mt. Wilson, IMO. :)

which way do you go, clockwise?


Yeah, I go clockwise.

urbanknight: I'll have to try climbing up Lida. I've only gone down it. Your route does look similar. I like Emerald Isle Drive because it's kind of steep, and there's usually not much traffic up there...

Also, if you can, check out Glendora Mountain Road (if so inclined). It's great hill training and sustained - perfect for your prepping to ride to Mt. Wilson, IMO. :)

Cool. Thanks for the suggestion, merider. Is there cell phone reception on Glendora Mountain Road? Can I ride it solo?

I also incorporate many if not all of those same roads in my riding. St.Kats, Emerald, Mtn., Camino San Rafael, Verdugo, Lida, Chevy Chase, Foothill, La Tuna, Berkshire, Highland, Glenoaks at Scholl Cyn., etc. All very good for your goal. Angeles Crest is one of my all time favorites. It can be taken in bite size chunks or all at the same time. Good riding to you. See you on the road.

Cool. Thanks for the suggestion, merider. Is there cell phone reception on Glendora Mountain Road? Can I ride it solo?

Forgive me, but are you a guy or a girl? I ask because if you are a female, I would not suggest you ride it solo unless you know there is a large group up there riding. That is my opinion, one that some might disagree with. There are just too many uncontrollable variables about riding out in that area alone, and I make it a habit not to.

If you are a man, I would still not suggest riding out there alone. We had a rider on here badly injured of late, jpconrad, and he is perfectly self sufficient and an excellent rider. Still, had he been alone, he might have tried riding down the mountain and could have ended up injured far worse.

Just my two cents. There are always groups going up (like this ride - http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=381427. Very friendly group of riders!) You could join or if you wanted to go in a smaller group, just put the feelers (a thread) out and I suspect folks will join. I will once I've recovered as I love that ride. :)

Nice route, Doppelg. I ride up in those canyons as well and know St. Katherines well (great climb). Once I'm back up and riding again, I'll be using those hills once again to get back in shape and can maybe join you one morning. Also, if you can, check out Glendora Mountain Road (if so inclined). It's great hill training and sustained - perfect for your prepping to ride to Mt. Wilson, IMO. :)
You forgot to ask if he was single or not.

I should try Emerald Isle some time. I ride by it all the time but haven't bothered with it.

You forgot to ask if he was single or not.

I should try Emerald Isle some time. I ride by it all the time but haven't bothered with it.

:mad:

Number one, I don't know that HE is a HE. And number two, believe it or not, I'm not always on here looking for single men. Most of the time, yes, but not ALWAYS. :p

I am a guy (and happily married.)

Thanks for the link to the 2/23 Glendora Mountain Road ride. However, I think that's the day I'll be checking out the end of the Tour of California stage 6 up in Valencia. I'll definitely take a raincheck for the next one, though.

Number one, I don't know that HE is a HE.
I went out on a limb and figured that someone who signs a post "TJ" is a guy.

I am a guy (and happily married.)

She'll still ride with you, then, but that's it.

I wonder if people ever answer that question with unhappily married.

...And number two, believe it or not, I'm not always on here looking for single men...

Sometimes you're looking for single women?

Sometimes you're looking for single women?
Finally, someone's mind is deeper in the gutter than mine!!!

Cool. Thanks for the suggestion, merider. Is there cell phone reception on Glendora Mountain Road? Can I ride it solo?

You should also try Santa Anita Rd to the top, it's a short ride but pretty nice. From you're area you'd probably go East on Woodbury to El Molino to New York, left on Sierra Madre, left on Baldwin, left on Santa Anita. It's probably about 28 miles round trip, somewhere around 2500-3000 ft. It's only about 3.5 miles up Santa Anita to the top at Chantry Flats, btw.


Cell reception is spotty, as it is on GMR.

Finally, someone's mind is deeper in the gutter than mine!!!

Hey, I didn't say what she was gonna do with them! She's only looking for riding partners, right?

Hey, I didn't say what she was gonna do with them! She's only looking for riding partners, right?
Oh right. I guess it's just me with the sick mind :D

jpconrad, thanks for the recommendation of Santa Anita Road. I went up to the top on Saturday afternoon, and I liked the ride so much I went up again this morning. It took me about 100 minutes round trip, with a 7 minute rest at the top of the hill. It's windy up there this morning!

jpconrad, thanks for the recommendation of Santa Anita Road. I went up to the top on Saturday afternoon, and I liked the ride so much I went up again this morning. It took me about 100 minutes round trip, with a 7 minute rest at the top of the hill. It's windy up there this morning!

It's one of my favorites, once I'm riding again I'll try and go up there at least once a week. How weas the descent, was there much dirt on the road?

Yes, there was dirt from the rains over the road on the last mile. It's not that thick, and it's still kind of wet, so I didn't have any problems skidding or sliding.

What took me by surprise were the winds up near the top. They must have been 40-50 m.p.h. gusts.

Also, the temperature-- on both of my rides up, it felt like it was warm (I was really sweating,) then on the descent, I was really cold. Especially my fingers.

Yesterday, there was a sheriff in a patrol car sitting in the top parking lot. I thought, "what's he doing up here?" But it must've been because of this:

http://cbs2.com/local/Woman.Body.Recover.2.645658.html

I asked him if it would be okay to lift my bike over the guard rail if I got there before 6 am, and he said it wouldn't be a problem. Have you ever done this?

I've lifted my bike over the gate once when the road wasn't opened, they close it occasionally for damage, fire danger, and other reasons. Apparently, though, this was quite stupid, I know of a group of riders from the Pasadena Tri Club that hopped the gate recently when it was closed for fire danger and were caught by Sheriff's and ticketed for trespassing.

I think they can ticket you if you hop it in the morning if they want to, so it depends on the Sheriff.

That's interesting. It must depend on the Sheriff. Guess I won't be hopping it pre-dawn.