Southern California - The Adventures of the BEANZ

At our last adventure, while climbing Skyline, we hit this heavily rutted out area. There were three lines: left, right and middle. The Mayor took the center while I stayed on the right. I looked up and saw The Mayor’s line disappearing into a huge hole ahead.

So, I’m thinking, “Oh no, how’s he going to work his way out of this?” Before I could reach for my camera, he avoided the hole and POW WHAM ZOWIE somehow popped up in my line. I’m thinking the only way is he must have levitated himself to safety.

He’s been called a comic book hero before.

Does he actually possess superpowers?

Does he belong in HEROES?

Does he have a secret identity like Peter Parker photographer?

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Does he hang out with his woman, Mary Gina?

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Can he talk to the animals?

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Does he wear a jersey so as to not embarrass us lesser riders?

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Today, we set out to Beek’s Place and beyond.

Warm up in the parking area

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“I hope this ride is more challenging than last time”

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Going strong

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ohmygawd, not only we see Doris Famous Mountain Bike Champion, but we meet Mr. Doris!

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We go past Beek’s Place and I flat out. Good thing I have a superhero to help me with the tire.

Onward to the Main Divide, we take the climb to Little Pleasant’s Peak (Hagadon Peak) about 3800 ft elevation.

More climbing to Little Pleasant’s Peak

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Beanz was amazing, he did clean the climb.

He pretends to look tired to make me feel better.

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The Main Divide is brutal. After the Little Pleasant’s climb, there is a steep downhill and then we get to do it again.

On the way to Pleasant’s Peak.

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Again, he cleans the climb. At the top about 4000 ft elevation.

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Back at the cars, we see Mr. Doris relaxing. I think he’s smarter than all of us!

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We eat at Jimmy’s Diner in Corona. Great place, less than $5 each!

The Mayor and his meal.

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Once again, Beek's place and beyond. Yup, ran into Doris M just chillin' with the view.
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Mr. M was there too!
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Now we know Doris is a highly decorated racer but does she have to make it look so easy?
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And Mr M (sounds better than Mrs. Doris) is up there squashing the hills with Doris!
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Geez...looks like whatever pounds you lose, you put it back on with all that food...lol...j/k.

Nice ride report. :)

Doris and her hubby have a sweet little ride system going on. The two do the climb to a certain point (way up there) then one heads down to the car while the other continues to climb to Egypt and back!:eek: The rider heading to the car picks up the other at the redezvous point somewhere in France! I'm not exactly sure but it's a looooong ways!...Now I mean this with respect but I thought I was doing good at age 46 riding up these serious climbs, but to be climbing like mtn goats at a finer age, that's AMAZING!:thumb:

Steep climb! Mr. M riding steady while Eyemage just about loses his bike.
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Again, steady rider (Doris) and Eyemage, just about losing his bike! I'm not quite sure but I thought I heard Doris shout,"Sorry Eyemage, no rope for you!":D

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Now the fun part, a nail in a brand new tire!:eek: Leave a nail in a hay stack and Eyemage will find it!:D
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I couldn't leave him there crying! Crying about the new tire or because he was having a hard time with the mechanical stuff, I dunno. But after the way he was punishing me on the climbs today, I should have left him there!:D
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From there it was off to something the riders have renamed from the "Main Divide" to the "Pain Divide". Now I know why!
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Last time we rode this area, we stopped at the radar dome. The big white golfball looking thing in the center (not real clear form here). Today we climbed further, higher and some tougher climbs so I'm told and yeah I felt it!:D..But I made it!
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At our turn around point, the gate.I sw the map about 10 times but can't remember the name, I was just riding my bike!:p Eyemage pointing to our vehicles down below. Maybe not but they are down there somew!here
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Doris returning from Egypt! You know, the more I see this lady ride, the more I'm guessing she's only 20 years old. So we are heading down and Doris says,"Mr. Beanz, I will give you a 20 minute headstart, then I'm going to pass you and beat you by this much!":eek:..ok, not really, she's not that mean and very modest for having a ton of MTB edals.:thumb: Well either way, we head down, she stops for a short break till I catch up. Then she heads down again, catches Eyemage and leaves me way behind. When Doris and Eyemage reach the dome, they stop to wait for me again. I think Doris was eating french fries and drinking a Coke. No way was I stopping as she's going to catch me again. She says with a smile on her face as I roll by,"this is the fun part". "Not for me" I say and blow thru, well not blowing thru, sort of rolling thru!:p I kept going figuring she was going to blow me away again but she didn't, I held her off this time! Again, not really, she went down another descent saving me the humilitation. I think she did it out of politeness!:D
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Post ride meal. Don't worry about his weight, he only ate half! How does someone only eat half a sandwich?
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Hey Beanz, are you becoming a mountain biker?! What's wrong with you, man? ;) :D

Hey Beanz, are you becoming a mountain biker?! What's wrong with you, man? ;) :D


Back in 04, I did MTB about 2 or 3 times a week while training for the Bear. But don't be fooled, this is all a screen to convert the guy to roadie!;)..We gone MTB'ing 5 or 6 times so I keep trying to talk him into doing GMR to the village (he's never done it), but uhhhh, not yet!:p

Eyemage was nice enough to provide an elevation graph of the ride.:D


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What the heck are you looking at, Mayor???

HeeHee, too funny! It's nice riding with you guys. Well, not exactly riding with, just repeatedly meeting up. Nice to see people having so much fun out there. When you get comfortable with these hills, I've got a new one for you. I hear Harding will be opening up later this month. It's a steady 9 mile climb to the main divide, then an optional 5 more miles to Santiago Peak! Then a wild downhill all the way back to the car, yahoo!

What the heck are you looking at, Mayor???

I was looking at Eyemages sandwich! That's my, "if you don't finish it, I'll eat that too!" look!:D

It's a steady 9 mile climb to the main divide, then an optional 5 more miles to Santiago Peak! Then a wild downhill all the way back to the car, yahoo!

Wow, you are crazy!:D....As far as the downhill, I'll have to get a full suspension "AND" someone to ride it for me, to keep up with you!:roflmao2:

I thought you were going to pass me again after the fries and Coke! If it weren't for the alternate route, I know you would have.:p

What is eyemage? Your press secretary. Oh I forgot. You are the mayor.:thumb:

I can't believe you've forgot about your roadie friends.:(

What is eyemage? Your press secretary. Oh I forgot. You are the mayor.:thumb:

I can't believe you've forgot about your roadie friends.:(

Sheesh! Eyemage is the only guy with a consistent day off! Little painful after doing 100 roadie miles on the weekend, he wants me to climb like a goat on Monday after he spends all weekend in the hot tub studying trail maps.:D

I was supposed ride with Gypz up GMR on a Wed, but rained, Hillbasher on a another Wed, but I had to run to the dentist. Tried to meet up with Pinoybentr another weekday but got stuck in OC traffic. You can't make it on Wednesdays cause you have a favorite group. Been tough matching schedules. I do have to meet my 100 weekend roadie miles with Gina or LewisAClark is going to dust me on bikejournal!:p

This week, I'm sick. Yes, Eyemage got me sick!:mad:...Actualy I went to a froshman football game on Saturday. No stadium so we stood out in the grass and dirt. After the game, sinuses started acting up. Runny nose on Sunday but did ok on the tandem. Sunday night I was itchy scratchy and watery eyes but I toughed out the MTB ride anyways after Eyemage wouldn't give me the day off.:mad:

Dentist tomorrow morn then MAYBE a ride on Thurs morn if I feel better. Not sure now if it's sinuses or the flu. I'm gonna suck but miles are miles and I gotta catch LewisAClark!:thumb:

It's tough, I know about 4 riders that want to do GMR but all on differeent days.:eek:

I hear Harding will be opening up later this month. It's a steady 9 mile climb to the main divide, then an optional 5 more miles to Santiago Peak! Then a wild downhill all the way back to the car, yahoo!

I would love to do Harding Truck Trail, but when it's supposed to reopen is unclear.

Some say Spring 2010:

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/trail-conditions/32414-harding-truck-trail-merged.html

What is eyemage? Your press secretary. Oh I forgot. You are the mayor.:thumb:

I can't believe you've forgot about your roadie friends.:(

I want to make something perfectly clear. According to the authority himself, Rick@OCRR,

I am a SIDE-KICK:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=9899183&postcount=18

I want to make something perfectly clear. According to the authority himself, Rick@OCRR, I am a SIDE-KICK:

Well Eyemage, my faithful sidekick, seems to me you better get some rest on you 3 week vacation. Cause the general roadie consensus here says you will be doing GMR to the village sometime soon after your return!:D...No, they don't offer hot tubs and hot oil rubdowns at the village!

But then again, I guess the hot oil rubdown depends on how well you get along with the others!:D

Ya; what's the chance of getting eyemage out there on the road with the Mayor and his roadie budies??

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Ya; what's the chance of getting eyemage out there on the road with the Mayor and his roadie budies??

I mentioned it to him after our MTB ride. I figure after 5 or 6 MTB rides, he should do a GMR to the village ride with us! He's been to the shack but never the village. I think he's in for a treat if he agrees after ALL the rides I've done with him on behalf of the roadies!;)

I'm thinking a Sunday (his day off). I'm sure we can get a large crowd!

I do blieve he said he's out of town for 3 weeks. Pretty common response when I mention GMR to other riders!:roflmao2:...I'm just sayin'!:p

Hey Beanz, I'll be up there with a buddy. We'll start at Sierra Madre/GMR around 7AM. If we're feeling good, we'll go to the ski lift.

Does Eyemage do road?

Last weekend evening, I, the lowly side-kick, journeyed on a road ride quest to seek The Mayor within his vast domain known as SART.

I rode to the Mayor’s bench at the beach.

Not there.

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I rode to the 22 fwy.

Not there.

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I rode to the leaky fountain.

Not there.

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Rampart Not there.

Yorba Not there.

Weir Not there.

Gypsum Not there.

Featherly Not there.

91 Not there.

I was there, on my road bike, but

NO Beanz.

bad sidekick!

Looks like mayor Beanz is being derelict in his duties.

oh my bad.

good sidekick! bad mayor!

oh my bad.

good sidekick! bad mayor!

Whatta ya mean? What kind of sidekick rides when he knows the man aint gonna be there?:eek:

That's cool! He'll be up on GMR to the Village sometime soon!;)

His first time to the village so we will call the ride "Eyemage, Welcome to The Village"!:D

I think GNR should do a song about this one!:roflmao2:

Does Eyemage do road part 2?

Went to Big Island Hawaii looking for The Mayor:

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Not there.

Rode to the Black Sand beach:

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Not there.

HeeHee, too funny! It's nice riding with you guys. Well, not exactly riding with, just repeatedly meeting up. Nice to see people having so much fun out there. When you get comfortable with these hills, I've got a new one for you. I hear Harding will be opening up later this month. It's a steady 9 mile climb to the main divide, then an optional 5 more miles to Santiago Peak! Then a wild downhill all the way back to the car, yahoo!

Looks like Nov 10 2009 is the official re-opening date!

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/forum/trail-conditions/32414-harding-truck-trail-opens-tues-nov-10th-merged.html

Today, I am a sidekick without a superhero as I turned roadie on GMR.

At the Gate
No Beanz!

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Up ahead, I saw a group of riders. I spotted a yellow jersey and was hoping to find a superhero amongst them.
Summoning all of my strength, I pretended to be BEANZ and stepped up the pace.

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I caught the first two and met a couple of nice guys. Channeling The Mayor, I took their pics.
From left: Tim and Chuck

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Further ahead, we met up with their friendly group: Chuck, Phil, Guest, Jack and Dan.

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You're looking in all the wrong places! If you want to see me on GMR, you've got to ride to the village. Pick a day and we'll do an "Eyemage To The Village" forum ride.:D Must be soon before it gets cold.;)

Once again, Beek's place and beyond. Yup, ran into Doris M just chillin' with the view.

Now we know Doris is a highly decorated racer but does she have to make it look so easy?
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Anyone know that jersey that Doris is wearing is? I saw a bunch of kids last week with them on the SART in Riverside, but couldn't make it out.
Looks some kind of 50 mile race or something.

BTW I think I met Doris last year at the Holy Jim Trailhead. She was in the Warrior's Society event and I was riding to the summit with my friend for his B-Day.

The jersey is from the Rwanda 50 mile ride event. It is an annual event starting 3 years ago to raise money for special bikes for farmers in Rwanda to transport their coffee beans to market. Although I am capable of riding 50 MTB miles, I do the 25 mile option because it is lots of fun and doesn't completely wear me out or take all day. The 25 mile ride starts/ends at Cook's Corner and winds around O'Neil Park and area.

The jersey is from the Rwanda 50 mile ride event. It is an annual event starting 3 years ago to raise money for special bikes for farmers in Rwanda to transport their coffee beans to market. Although I am capable of riding 50 MTB miles, I do the 25 mile option because it is lots of fun and doesn't completely wear me out or take all day. The 25 mile ride starts/ends at Cook's Corner and winds around O'Neil Park and area.

Thanks for the info, I've heard of the event, but didn't recognize the jersey.