Rick@OCRR

Hi All,

This Sat. 3/30/13 I'll be doing a ride up Glendora Mountain Road to Glendora Ridge Road to Mt. Baldy Village and back. All the details are in the note that follows (i hope). This GMR/GRR ride is a bit different because I'm encouraging riders who have never done it to give it a try.

Some might think you have to HTFU to do this ride, but really, it's not that tough. As follows is the ride announcement. Let me know if you have any questions. And yes, I know most of you aren't in SoCal, but for the ones who are (or might be visiting here this weekend):


Okay . . . I know a lot of you have heard some of us talk about “GMR” but until you’ve ridden it, you don’t really understand what it means. You may have told me, “No, that’s too difficult, I could never do that!”

But guess what . . . you probably can. It’s not that tough. It does sound tough on paper, “44 miles with 5,000 feet of climbing.” That can seem a bit intimidating, I agree. However, once you get out there, and are actually on the climb, it’s not that bad. The vast majority of it is 5 and 6% grade. Short bits go down to 4% and up to 7%, but big picture – 5 and 6%.

Plus, there is no risk. If you get tired, you can stop and rest. If you go up a certain distance and just can’t go anymore . . . coast back down the mountain. Best of all, you can’t get lost if you remember this simple instruction: When you get to an intersection, go up.” Easy, huh? No route sheet needed!

We start at Boulder Springs Road in Glendora. That’s the only traffic light on Glendora Mountain Road.
The first climb is 7.6 miles, then you get a short descent and it’s a bit more climbing until you get to “The Shed.”

Re-Group is at the Cal-Trans Maintenance Shed at 9.5 miles. A couple miles later is the intersection of East Fork Road, but just go up and you’ll be fine. At this point you are on Glendora Ridge Road, and as the name implies, you are riding along a ridge, up , down and around.

The next real climb starts at mile 14 and goes to mile 17.5. This is the part that’s most difficult, mentally, for GMR/GRR Virgins. Physically it’s no more difficult that the first 7.6 miles, but then you do have those climbing miles on your legs already. Still, it’s quite do-able and the altitude at the summit of this climb is right at 5,000 ft. of elevation.

Again, if you get tired, stop and rest awhile. No shame in that. Have a GU, have a Clif bar . . . then carry on!

From this summit it’s up and down again, but nothing difficult and then you have a mile long descent beginning at Cow Canyon Saddle which drops you into Mt. Baldy Village. A left turn (up, remember!) and ¼ mile later you have arrived at Mt. Baldy Lodge for a wonderful breakfast (before 11:00AM) or a tasty lunch (after 11:00 AM).

Additional helpful GMR/GRR notes:

1. Bring 2 full water bottles plus add a few of your favorite snacks in your jersey pockets for a snack at The Shed and beyond. There are no services between Glendora and Mt. Baldy Village.

2. Bring a camera, the views from the mountain are fantastic plus you’ll want a photo of you and your bike at Mt. Baldy Lodge, just to show the kids back home that you did it! If you are tired and want to stop and rest, a photo opportunity is a great excuse (not that you need one).

3. Bring sun-block so you don’t get burned and bring a jacket in case it’s cool (it does get cooler at altitude).
About 70% of the climbing is on the way out, so only 30% (and no long climbs) on the way back.

Meet at Boulder Springs and Glendora Mountain Road at approx. 7:30AM so you’ll be ready to depart at 8:00AM sharp. Arriving later is okay if you are a quick “get ready to ride” kind of cyclist.

Approx. time for GMR/GRR Virgins is 2.5 to 3 hours from Glendora to Mt. Baldy Village and about 1.5 hours to ride back. We take the same route out and back. As counter-intuitive as it sounds, the rule about going up applies equally well on the return trip.

John Nguyen will be at the start (and on the ride) to help answer any last minute questions.

Biker395 

Aw, that ride is for wimps! You need to do the Stefan Sufferfest!

Sorry about the inside joke 50+ers. Rick and I have a friend who's planning a 200 mile 25-30,000 foot climbfest all by himself on Saturday. Oy, he is an animal!

Seriously ... I might join you all for that, but I think I might try to make it a trip to both Crystal Lake and the Baldy Lifts. I've not done that yet. So I might start at Encanto and meet you at Boulder Springs from there.

Rick@OCRR

Okay Victor, Whatever is good for you is fine with me. I just want to get some new cyclists up on GMR / GRR so they can see how beautiful it is up there.

Should be fun and maybe a chance to meet some of the 50+ forumites from SoCal.

Rick / OCRR

billydonn

Wish I could join you guys. I went up past the east road intersection on July 4 and it was loads of fun but too hot to go further up. It isn't easy but it's doable and coming down was a real blast.

EriktheFish

Hoping you post some photos after the event. I grew up in Anaheim/Brea and sure miss those mountains.

eja_ bottecchia

You may wish to post this on the C&A forum. A few of the guys and gals there are GMR regulars.

Dudelsack 

*sigh*

Rick@OCRR

Yes, EriktheFish I know . . . photos or it didn't happen. Will try to remember to charge up the batteries in my camera and take some photos. It is a beautiful area and very few cars so perfect for cycling.

Good suggestion eja_bottecchia . . . it is now done!

Rick / OCRR

RickBlane

If it was closer I would be there.

billydonn

Thread needs a photo I think. I hope the guys that go will take some.

Rick@OCRR

Thanks for adding the photos billydonn!

I haven't been taking photos recently since Victor (Biker395) and Stefan are much better photographers and are always taking lots of photos. However, for this upcoming GMR/GRR ride I will take my camera along and post some post-ride photos on this thread.

Who is that in the photo with you? Just guessing it's someone from this forum!

Rick / OCRR

eja_ bottecchia

Invite M. Beanz, he loves to records all the rides up to Mt. Baldy.

I already have aride planned on PCH for Saturday.

I would love it if you planned another ride up GMR for the Fall.

Biker395 

There is a view of Glendora Ridge Road snaking along the ridgeline with Baldy in the background, but I don't have a good photo of it.

Here's a colorful one of the GRR climb on a warm day.

Rick@OCRR

Here is a shot from GMR on a foggy morning. As we gained altitude we climbed out of the cloud cover into a brilliant sunny morning.
Here is the view from the brilliant sunny morning! Clouds still visible, of course, but below us by the time this was taken. Both of these photos are by Chuck Bramwell.

Hopefully all of these photos riders are posting will inspire more riders to join us! Click on photos to enlarge.

Rick / OCRR

Focused1

Billydonn
Is that a Buenos Aires? I rode one just like that for a long time (tho mine was red). Really liked that bike, but eventually I got a Scott CR1 and the Lemond became my wife's bike

Rick@OCRR

Another photo for everyone, this one is Glendora Ridge Road near the San Dimas Experimental Forest.
Click to enlarge.
Rick / OCRR

Biker395 

That's the view I was talking about!

BikeWNC

I highly recommend this ride! I met Rick at Cow Saddle up on the ridge one day back a few years ago while I was out visiting some BF folks. It's a beautiful ride, challenging though not a killer by any means, unless you continue up to the ski lifts. SoCal is so varied in terrain, and the Mt. Baldy area is one of the gems. I'm so jealous of those that make this ride. BTW, Rick is a nice guy and I'm sure he'll make sure everyone is well taken care of. Just one note from experience. Stay away from the margaritas after the ride. Jut ask Jason or M.E., I'm sure they will concur.

billydonn

Rick,
That is Volosong (Steve) who lives over in Lancaster. He'd probably be up for a GMR ride with you guys. Hope he sees your post. We also saw Beans at the shed that day. I'll find some more pics. I'd love to do GMR on a day that isn't as hot as July 4th. It was great fun.

BluesDawg

Have fun. Wish I was joining you.

Rick@OCRR

Thanks billydonn, Will look for Steve tomorrow morning!

Thanks BikeWNC, Yes I rmember that day, you were wearing your Mt. Mitchell jersey! Hope you can do this ride with us again sometime!

Yes Bluesdawg, I wish you were joining us too. Let me know if you're ever out this way so I can show you this ride.

Rick / OCRR

billydonn

Videos of my ride down GMR from the shed. Road closed to cars on July 4th. I was in the top 1000 Strava times at the time!



Another pic at the shed.

billydonn

Focused,
It's a 2006 Victoire... Titanium and CF combined. I call her Old Reliable.

Rick@OCRR

Great ride today, lots of cyclists showed up and the weather couldn't have been better.

Here's my Garmin, photos to follow:

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/290927193

And here it is on Strava for those of you who prefer Strava.

https://app.strava.com/activities/46561483

Here's my Strava rating on the Ski Lift Climb only: 659[SUP]th[/SUP]/ 1292
. . . not that good. Joe Dombrowski (a young skinny pro with SKY) is in first place for this climb!

However, among those in my club (OC Rebel Riders): 1[SUP]st[/SUP]/ 7
So I like that one better!

Times wise, Joe Dombrowski went up at 12.1 mph whereas I was a snail-like 5.2 mph.

Here's a link to Joe talking about the climb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3I1WY-jjSc

He rode for Livestrong last year, rides for SKY this year.

Rick / OCRR

BikeWNC

Here's Rick, in the yellow, up near Baldy Village.



Looking out towards the big hill.



These were taken a few years ago!