Southern California - So, How Long Have You Been Riding SART?

Just thinking after reading some of the "back in the day" statements in EU's thread.

I first rode the SART back in 1992. I knew nada about riding or bikes. I bought a big heavy Huffy MTB at Target ($150) started at Yorba Park, rode to HB, across to Balboa, eat a piece of pizza then rode back. 60 miles on a Huffy!:D

Continued for a month or two then bought a Miyata hybrid. Ahhh much better! I rode about 10 times a month including around home off and on for a year or two but still playing ball so never dedicated my hobby time to cycling alone.

At the end of 95, I bought a Trek Roadie and that was all she wrote. So I've been on SART since 96 religiously. Maybe 2 or 3 weekends a year at most without my dose of SART unless I was doing GMR rides.


Gina, she's been doing the hybrid thing since 94'ish. Roadie in 97'ish, then fairly consistent till donating a kidney to her son in 2001. Some riding but nothing to long or strenuous for about a year then it was back on the road.:D

A little off and on for a couple of years but since 2005, she's been there just about everyweekend.;)

I was told by another poster that he was the original SART Mayor cause he had been riding the trail much longer than I.:eek:


What's your story?
My thoughts? MOVE OVUH SUCKUH CAUSE YOU'VE BEEN UNSEATED!!!!!:roflmao2:

You started your riding career by doing 60 miles in one shot? Nice.

You started your riding career by doing 60 miles in one shot? Nice.

In coach shorts ,no biking stuff.:D

I was trying to score points with my future father in law (pinoy benter) so I got a road bike about that 3 years ago. I was excited to get a real road ride in and asked him to take me. Well, my first real ride was 66 miles through SART, Irvine, Newport, etc. I thought I knew what exhaustion but when I got on that ride, it hurt!

Three years later, I am now a bike shop manager haha.

I've been riding on the SART since 1985. In 1987 it was the first part of my ride from HB to Parker AZ.

Rode it a few times in the mid 80s when i lived in O.C. Moved to the Hi Desert rode a little MTBs. Just bought a roadie in july and try to get down to SART a couple times a month.

Early 80's for me on a Lygie frame w/ Campy Nuovo Record Group.. I am pretty I had a 5 speed regina freewheel at that time..

My first ride on the river trail was back in 1974, I rode my Shwinn Super sport from Anaheim Stadium to the beach. Damn I'm old.

Thanks to this forum, I just found out about it. :O
Going to go on a ride up it pretty soon.

I lived in Old Town Orange when I moved to CA from MO in '95 and rode the SART to work and back when I worked at GT. Yeah . . . back in the day.

Rick / OCRR

I first started when I came down from NorCal to go to school at UCI. First rode it probably about '84. We'd cruise the beach and head inland to ride some more. I also commuted for a summer to my job (beach lifeguard) on my beach cruiser.

Discovering the SART in 1985 was a huge relief to me. :twitchy:

It was the summer of 1984 when I'd finished my freshman year Rowland High School and I decided that since 3 years was too long for a Southern California boy to go without seeing the ocean, but I still had no car. So I would ride my bike to the beach. I ended up riding on busy, smoggy, stop-n-go traffic on Valley View all the way to Huntington Beach. And since my BMX bike had the stylish/unpadded plastic seat and I was wearing OP corduroy shorts, (yeah those ones), at least I was riding into hell in the proper uniform.
http://ny-image2.etsy.com/il_430xN.41184274.jpg

I pretty much stood up the entire way. I was exhausted, starving, sun-burnt and flat-broke when I made it back home to Walnut that night. I was surprised when I bragged about it the next day to my older friend Ronnie; instead of being thoroughly impressed, he laughed & laughed.
When he finally caught his breath, he told me about the SART and San Gabriel River Trails.

The next weekend, I borrowed my mom's boyfriend's rusty 10-speed (with the handlebars turned upside down) and rode with Ronnie on the SART.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/105204794_080e90c7c5.jpg?v=0

Even though Ronnie's handlebars were set in the correct, 'racing' position, he had toe-protectors on his bike, AND he was going to be a senior that year, I was still faster than he was toward the end of the day when we were getting tired.

I was supremely encouraged, and I even rode from Walnut, to my father's muffler shop in Long Beach. That Christmas, he gave me my first real bike, a Schwinn Voyager with the toe-protectors. Man could that bike FLY!
http://i.pbase.com/o6/83/635583/1/73984459.u99u70ex.SchwinnVoyageur_11.8.jpg

Being a clever man, my father turned the "2" into an "8" on the price tag, so I believed he'd spend $865 on that bicycle. Even though it didn't have water bottle cages, I started riding with a team from Pomona, and eventually racing as a USCF junior.

Being a clever man, my father turned the "2" into an "8" on the price tag, so I believed he'd spend $865 on that bicycle. Even though it didn't have water bottle cages, I started riding with a team from Pomona, and eventually racing as a USCF junior.

Was the team you raced for in Pomona the Cycles Olympic Team or one run by Mark Fletcher (can't remember the name of that team)

Well Mr. Beanz, uhhh, I mean, Mr. Mayor, those stories are all nice and fuzzy but, what about those riders out there that have NEVER done SART? Blasphamy you say? Noooo, there are those that have never done it.I keep trying to count the times I myself have ridden it, and you know what? Never, never, never, keeps coming to mind. So I am off for the mountains yet again. The hills are for those that want a good workout. The flats are for, well, for those other type.

Was the team you raced for in Pomona the Cycles Olympic Team or one run by Mark Fletcher (can't remember the name of that team)

MARK and Becky Fletcher!!! God, I've been looking for them with no luck! I joined the killbot factory out of high school and never saw them again. I used to ride with them and raced with Iggie & Louie--I have so many fond memories of riding with them, watching the LeMond/Hinault Alp-d'Huez finish on their couch while their cat, Pumpkin was nuzzled on my lap and nursing off me. (?) Really! He was purring loudly and had his face stuck in my belly as if nursing. (Poor guy musta been taken away from the teat a little too young.)

As far as I know, we never had a name for our team. Are you in contact with them? The last time I saw them, Wesley (Junior Birdman) was a baby whose eyes couldn't focus on faces yet.

If so, how about Donna? She was an older lady rider I had a massive crush on.

I road it from 1986 to 1994. I miss it. I remember that there were times when parts of it were under construction in that time period. I miss the Back Bay path also. The only thing I don't miss about riding in Southern Ca are the rollerbladers.

So I am off for the mountains yet again. The hills are for those that want a good workout. The flats are for, well, for those other type.

I don't think you realize how much those little 5 yard uphill underpasses help improve climbing!:D

The SART, as opposed to the Santa Ana River MUP, not until 03/08/03.
http://www.spokejunkies.com/forum/uploads/1260684244/gallery_35_32_75051.jpg (http://www.spokejunkies.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&img=5039)

I've been riding on the Santa Ana River MUP since the early 70's, but not often until the mid 80's. Now I ride on it daily and especially enjoy it when the weather is threatening because I have it all to myself.

I go back to the early 70's. There were a lot more horses on the trail back then.
I approached a horse and rider and when I squeezed the brakes they squeaked a bit.
The horse was startled and rider almost fell off. I was only 13 and I got a ear full.

A few weeks later my frame broke in half while riding in the same area. I slid chest
first into horse manurer. I still remember than pain when my dad used Bactine and
a toothbrush to clean out the wound. :cry:

Today you'll find me on my TT bike once or twice a month.

I have been riding SART since 1993 start riding with a Costco M/B from Corona to SART at first only to Yorba park. First time I made it to HB usual stop was back in 93 continued riding for about year than bought my first road bike a KSH with steel frame & continued riding SART every weekend till I bought the new Trek that I'm still riding. Unfortunately recently I miss to be video by Mr Beanz

There he is
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_32FBLgSV4uM/Sangb6Cwe2I/AAAAAAAAALM/hO_KpZSWKeE/s640/IMG_2273.jpg

SART picture taken by Beanz
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_32FBLgSV4uM/SWvlOY9IjZI/AAAAAAAAABg/kgSrgLdCfsU/s512/Abbas1.jpg

Well for me probably for 16 years now.....The SART on the other side on backyard wall....

Not to be a wet blanket here, but is there any place on bike forums that gives a listing of approved TLA's (three letter acronyms), commonly used on the Southern California Regional Discussions side of the forum? When I was new to the forum it took me a month to figure out that "LBS" was "local bike shop" and SART was "San Antonio River Trail". Still not sure what GMR is, (Grenwich Meridian ??, Green Mountain Ride??). I know, I know, not the sharpest tool in the shed, right? Any help from the Mayor or any of his disciples would help!!http://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/thumb.gif

What about the four letter acronym's? (FLA)
BTW SART is Santa Ana River Trail.

Glendora Mountain Road

Some of them took me awhile, some I asked; some I figured out in context.

Does this make me a disciple?

When in doubt, just ask. You will get the occasional smart ass answer,(like this one), but most responders will help you out. And as far as the Mayor goes, don't stroke his ego, it is big enough already.
Ooopppppsss. Sorry Fred, I mean Mr. Mayor. LOL

Not to be a wet blanket here, but is there any place on bike forums that gives a listing of approved TLA's (three letter acronyms), commonly used on the Southern California Regional Discussions side of the forum? When I was new to the forum it took me a month to figure out that "LBS" was "local bike shop" and SART was "San Antonio River Trail". Still not sure what GMR is, (Grenwich Meridian ??, Green Mountain Ride??). I know, I know, not the sharpest tool in the shed, right? Any help from the Mayor or any of his disciples would help!!http://www.bikeforums.net/images/smilies/thumb.gif

Ha! I've been on the trail since 92 and never hear SART till I joined this forum in 2005.:D

What is up with the link to smileys at the end of the post? You should be able to click on the smileys so tht they post automatically. Before you post, click on "go advanced" at thebottom right of the reply box nest to "post quick reply", it will show the smiley faces to the right of the reply box. Just in case you didn't know!;)

When in doubt, just ask. You will get the occasional smart ass answer,(like this one), but most responders will help you out. And as far as the Mayor goes, don't stroke his ego, it is big enough already.
Ooopppppsss. Sorry Fred, I mean Mr. Mayor. LOL

Hey, don't use my real name, somebody might figure out who I am!:D

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

Ha! I've been on the trail since 92 and never hear SART till I joined this forum in 2005.:D

What is up with the link to smileys at the end of the post? You should be able to click on the smileys so tht they post automatically. Before you post, click on "go advanced" at thebottom right of the reply box nest to "post quick reply", it will show the smiley faces to the right of the reply box. Just in case you didn't know!;)

Why you learn something new everyday!! Thanks for the info. on the SART Hillbasher and Mr. Beanz!! I appreciate it!!:D