Southern California - PHO Ride Photos

Before BikeForums, I use to ride with a wonderful, eclectic group who called themselves The Brutos. This was the group in which I met Il bruto (Alan) and TDF (Francis). Over time, due to schedules and what not, the group dispersed, and I went on to join this forum and well…the rest is history. Lucky for me, I reconnected with Alan of late, he joined this forum and I was treated to having several of the members of The Brutos join today on the Pho Ride. They may all join BF, so I will let them reveal their names and I will just use initials, except for Sassy as I already know the handle she’ll use.

We took off from Alhambra park into beautiful weather today, perfect for riding. It was a good pace and other than a few mechanical issues with Tom’s bike, no incidences to report (which is a good thing). We had one encounter with some very friendly sheep, that I pet, and who all baaaed at us in unison (only in LA can one find sheep within ¼ mile of a Mini Mart).

La Tuna was much shorter than I remember it from three years ago. Not too much traffic, but certainly some fast moving cars. I passed a sweet gal on a mountain bike hauling butt up that hill. She asked me if she could join our group on a future ride and I gave her the BF info and my number. Amazing how lone riders are always looking to find friends to ride with. I hope she joins.

After cresting La Tuna, it was a sweet descent and then back to the park and off to Pho! Yummy! Alan is so cute and insisted I order #46. It was fantastic, although there were some items in the soup (tendons and balls?) that I just couldn’t eat. Okay, I did consume the balls…(add your own dirty joke here as I’m too tired to do it). We laughed, caught up and had a wonderful time.

Il bruto, thank you and M again for treating me to Pho. You’re the sweetest! :love:

Here are some pics from the day…


Heading out with D. and Il bruto in front:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/10-8.jpg

G. in full kit, who drove up from Pawndale to join!
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/9-8.jpg

Perfect weather to ride in
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/8-8.jpg

D. and Sassy - nice to ride with them again!
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/7-9.jpg

D. in action
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/5-11.jpg

Il bruto all smiles as usual
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/4-9.jpg

Sassy and G. while waiting to take off for La Tuna
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/3-9.jpg

Me and Sassy - I've missed her and the other great gals from the group
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/2-9.jpg

The friendliest sheep (and most talkative), I've ever met.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/20-5.jpg

They let me pet them and were so sweet...but they stunk to high heaven!
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/19-5.jpg

From left: D., Sassy, G. and Il bruto
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/18-5.jpg

Robncircus and M.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/17-4.jpg

Tom, who genuinely seemed to enjoy La Tuna...he was my excellent climbing company.
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/16-4.jpg

Sassy at her finest! I hope she joins this forum...that girl is a blast!
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/15-5.jpg

Tom and Il bruto climbing the tuna
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/14-5.jpg

And up we go
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/13-5.jpg

At the top
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/12-5.jpg

And almost back
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/11-6.jpg


At the Noodle World, which use to be a Bob's Big Boy
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/25-4.jpg

Pho!
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p27/merider/24-5.jpg

u ordered that?

wow

u ordered that?

wow

No, Il bruto ordered it for me. It was delicious. :D

i get #1 everytie i go to this pho place

i dont know what it is

but it owns

Don't care for the food but nice pics and looks like fun!:D

We have a Noodle World in Old Town, good stuff!

Don't care for the food but nice pics and looks like fun!:D

u dont know quality

Looks awesome! Nice pics.

Excellent Pho-tos!!

Excellent Pho-tos!!

And where are yours from the "camera" ride? :D

is so cute and insisted I order #46. It was fantastic, although there were some items in the soup (tendons and balls?) that I just couldn’t eat. You can ask them for just chicken.

You can ask them for just chicken.

No, no, Grumpy...that isn't PHO. Thats FOWL. :p

No, no, Grumpy...that isn't PHO. Thats FOWL. :pEverybody's a comedian.

Everybody's a comedian.

No. I'm a comedienne. ;)

Hey thanks for the ride today ME. It was great to meet everyone and good to be back on the bike after 6 weeks of beer and sloppiness. I hope to ride again with everyone soon.

Cheers

Rob

And where are yours from the "camera" ride? :DI've got them!
We had a group of eight for the ride this afternoon and we must have snapped over a thousand photos collectively. I'll post some tomorrow.....:D

ME, sorry to miss your ride. I went up into the mountains outside of here, it was great. The hills everywhere were covered with wildflowers. Poppies are coming up in large areas. The weather couldn’t have been better, 70 with blue skies and a very light breeze. You know me, I don’t have a camera so I don’t have any pictures. Anyway your ride sounded like fun, I’m going to have to make a date to ride one of them

Dante, I can't imagine you driving down for a 30 miler. :rolleyes:

But, I'm glad you had a great ride. :)

Dante, I can't imagine you driving down for a 30 miler. :rolleyes:

But, I'm glad you had a great ride. :)

I did on the Bagel ride ... :roflmao:

^^^ I thought your dad lives here, yes?

Yes, he does ... that's my excuse for driving 360 miles for a 30 mile ride ... :p

You guys didn't eat the best part, the tripe and the tendons!

You guys didn't eat the best part, the tripe and the tendons!

They did, and I ate tripe, but skipped the tendons. I'm whitey-white-white...what can you expect? :p

Dante, I can't imagine you driving down for a 30 miler. :rolleyes:

But, I'm glad you had a great ride. :)

My son lives in Santa Clarita, so coming down to do a 30 miler is not out of the question.

Nice pics M.E. and a terrific time. Il bruto is a lot of fun to ride with. Sorry I wasn't able to eat with you guys afterward.

I'm so glad you came, Tom! I look forward to trying the mountain bike path you mentioned.

They did, and I ate tripe, but skipped the tendons. I'm whitey-white-white...what can you expect? :p

Awesome! Most white people I know can't stand tripe.

Awesome! Most white people I know can't stand tripe.
Tripe was okay, actually. And the fish oil fantastic. The beef balls were...um...interesting.

Tripe was okay, actually. And the fish oil fantastic. The beef balls were...um...interesting.

Your white taste buds just need to get acclimated to asian cuisine :D

Your white taste buds just need to get acclimated to asian cuisine :D

I put some Asian meat balls in my mouth on Saturday. What more is there to acclimate to? :p

I put some Asian meat balls in my mouth on Saturday. What more is there to acclimate to? :p

Just do it more often, and more importantly, enjoy it!

If you think beef balls are weird wait till you have some fish balls.

hi m.e.!

thanks for posting the pics! they are so cool! mind if i use them for my flickr account? it was nice to ride and slurp up the pho with you. haha! :D hope to see you on another ride soon! ciao!

sassy

hi m.e.!

thanks for posting the pics! they are so cool! mind if i use them for my flickr account? it was nice to ride and slurp up the pho with you. haha! :D hope to see you on another ride soon! ciao!

sassy

Hey, Sassy! :) I'm so glad you joined. You absolutely may have those pics for you flicker account! I can't wait to ride with you again too.

EDIT: And we have to get your avatar up and running. ;)

Sassy, it was great to ride with you.

Sassy, it was great to ride with you.

You missed the Pho, though. Now, that was an experience. And the frog/turtle stories...:p

You missed the Pho, though. Now, that was an experience. And the frog/turtle stories...:p

Couldn't be helped - I had a date with my spouse. Next time, pho sure. And happy birthday! Thanks for your friendship.

Couldn't be helped - I had a date with my spouse. Next time, pho sure. And happy birthday! Thanks for your friendship.

Oh, that's right! Did you have a nice time, Tom? :) You had a reason to skip the Pho for sure!

Yes, we spent the rest of the weekend in Oxnard. Had a great time. :)

Tripe was okay, actually. And the fish oil fantastic. The beef balls were...um...interesting.

Unless you are Polish:rolleyes:

Awesome! Most white people I know can't stand tripe.

OK, let's try it again.
Unless you are Polish. I love tripe soup and even though I am really a not so great cook I will cook an excellent tripe soup from scratch.

OK, let's try it again.
Unless you are Polish. I love tripe soup and even though I am really a not so great cook I will cook an excellent tripe soup from scratch.

Yes, but how are you with the balls? You know, being Polish and all...:p:D

Yes, but how are you with the balls? You know, being Polish and all...:p:D

Beef balls ........... I am not too sure I must admit. Are they made from ground beef or what?:eek:

Beef balls ........... I am not too sure I must admit. Are they made from ground beef or what?:eek:

The balls I sampled the other day weren't beef, no matter what they called them. I just ate the Pho. You know...when in Rome. ;)

Oh my Goodness, you got me lost here Girl. Maybe I am loosing my Polishness

Oh my Goodness, you got me lost here Girl. Maybe I am loosing my Polishness

:lol: No, I just think that the restaurant we went to called them "beef balls" - I think there was nothing beef about them. They were all...um....ball.

:lol: No, I just think that the restaurant we went to called them "beef balls" - I think there was nothing beef about them. They were all...um....ball.

I am going to get some PHO tonight but I think I will skip the balls (who needs them anyway):D

I am going to get some PHO tonight but I think I will skip the balls (who needs them anyway):D

Well, I think I got authentic Pho mixed up, cause the one I had before last Saturday's bowl had chicken, veggies and a hard boiled egg in it. I will say - this last Saturday's Pho was better. ;)