Rick@OCRR

It was right after the St. Louis Velodrome was re-paved, and they didn't do a super good job of it. I'm thinking it was mid to late 80's. I rode for St. Louis Cycling Club, though other clubs (at that time) were the Cyclones and the Spirits.

Rick / OCRR

p120ud213azn

its raining on saturday

are u guys still riding?

Rick@OCRR

Yes, we are still riding!

The high is supposed to be 64 so it should be do-able. I have a rain jacket and will be wearing wool (keeps you warm even if it gets wet). So no worries! Robert's MASI has fenders, but mine doesn't!

Rick / OCRR

tehelmo

I'm checking out the Green route on Google Maps and unsure where the "Backbay bike path" starts. Is this it?

https://maps.google.com/maps/mm?ie=UT...03455&t=h&z=18

I follow that until it ends where University and Jamboree meet. Do I continue on Jamboree? Also, where is this "R behind park"? Those two sections don't seem clear. FYI, I'm not familiar with Irvine and Backbay area.

Rick@OCRR

Hi tehelmo,

Yes, you will be riding on University, cross Jamboree and up the short hill about 3/4 of the way and you will see the entrace to Back Bay on your right (It's marked "Slow" because of a steep descent before it levels out on Back Bay). Also, University changes names to East Bluff when it crosses Jamboree, so technically you will be on East Bluff for a very short time.

I can't get a link to work, but go to Google Maps and enter:

Back Bay Dr & Eastbluff Dr, Newport Beach, Orange, CA 92660

And that will show you the intersection where you turn right onto Back Bay from University (which becomes) East Bluff.

At what appears to be the "end" of the Back Bay trail (don't climb the rise to PCH) there is a trail entrance marked by two bollards (short poles to keep cars off) on the right. It goes behind the park where you'll see tents, campers, small RV's, etc.). It ends ("T" intersection) at Bay Side (turn left).

Any other route questions, I'll be happy to answer!

Rick / OCRR

p120ud213azn

ok, so i called jess at like 7:40 this morning and asked about the weather

he said it was cancelled and asked "who is this!?!?" lol i was like... "uhhh you dont now me."

ahha quite awkward.

so is this rescheduled?

Rick@OCRR

Hi p120ud213azn,

Jess phoned me as I was driving to the start. I was ready to ride at 7:00 AM and no one else showed up. No, it was not raining at that time. I still wanted to ride a fixed gear century, but my wife thought it would be safer (in the rain) if we rode it on the SART. So I drove over to the SART, met Jackie (my wife) at Yorba Linda Regional and started riding towards the ocean.

Lots of rain and cool weather on my ride yesterday. I still wanted to ride a fixed gear century yesterday (never done that before), Jackie and I started out and got about 11 mi. before the rain hit us. Luckily we were near the tunnel that goes under the 405 freeway, so we stopped in there and put on our rain jackets.

My wife, obviously smarter, decided to turn back. I'm not so smart (plus, still wanted my century) so I kept going, We had started in Yorba Linda Regional Park and headed toward the ocean (about 25 mi. from there). Okay, no worries, but then 2 miles on I had a flat on my front tire. Found the sharp bit of rock fragment, put in new tube . . . but it was my last spare. I don't usually ride my fixed gear bike far enough to need 2 spares.

No choice though, so I kept on toward the ocean, then turned north towards Huntington Beach, now on the beach bike path that parallels the ocean beach areas. I stopped at a bike rental shop, but they only had tubes for beach cruiser bikes (huge and schreader valve), so they directed me to JAX bike shop in downtown Huntington Beach.

Bought two tubes there, took off my rain jacket (the rain had thoughtfully stopped while I was in the shop), and headed back to Yorba Linda. More rain on the way back, but jacket on, no worries. When I got back to where my car was parked I just kept going, since I knew of a coffee shop (Rio Java) just off the MUP. Had a coffee, Luna Bar, Hammer Gel, . . . then back on the more inland part of the MUP. Some slight climbs here, but nothing too steep or long.

At the far Eastern End of the SART I had just a tad over 50 mi. What to do? Further east there were several big climbs. Could I do them on my 42 x 15? Dunno. One way to find out! So I climbed the two big hills to the 91 freeway overpass (albeit rather slowly and standing a lot!), leading me to wonder if I could climb the (much longer and about as steep) Green River Drive. Green River took a lot of effort and concentration and self motivational talks to myself . . . almost all standing, but I made it.

Okay, what's next? Well, there's Ontario Hill, so after riding the rollies on the connector road (don't remember the name, Paseo de Something?) I hit Ontario Hill and actuallhy made it to the top, using the same technique, or lack thereof, as I'd used on Green River. At the top of Ontario, and the slight descent into Corona, my legs were feeling pretty dead. So I did a U-Turn in Corona (at Lincoln) and headed back. The temp was up to about 65, with bright sunshine, by this time.

No problem until I got back to the steep little rollers on Paseo de Something, where near the top of one rollie my chain snapped. Not good. Many miles from my car, no chain tool, no bike shops in the area. Game over. So I got out my cell phone and called my wife, who was about 40 min. away in the town of Brea (yeah, Circuit City sale). We agreed to meet at the Green River / 91 Freeway intersection. I headed off, walking the ups, coasting the downs and kind of "scooting" along, one foot pushing on the ground, over the flat bits. Felt pretty stupid, but whatever.

Fortunately, all those climbs I had done meant there were many miles of downhills. Our timing was good though, since we both got to the intersection at the same time.

Overall, 68.6 miles in 4 Hours, 57 minutes, with a miserable average of 13.8. So the fixed gear century will have to wait. Today, Jackie is off for another ride with her friends, while I sit here drinking hot coffee, posting to bikeforums, and will eventually put a new chain on my fixed gear bike.

So yes, will reschedule and will advise here when we do. You should have just told Jess you were from bikeforums.net, but whatever. Good to surprise him sometimes!

Rick / OCRR

p120ud213azn

lol wow i am too noob to do what u did... i have no rain jackets nor spares... ahhah

and being a noob that i am... what is MUP and SART?

Rick@OCRR

SART is the Santa Ana River Trail

MUP is Multiple Use Path, i.e. cyclists, runners, dog walkers, little kids running about or in strollers, in other words, darn near anything except motor vehicles.

Therefore, SART is a MUP!

Rick / OCRR

p120ud213azn

i c, what about san gabriel river?

ive been meaning to ride it up and down, since i live in lb, i can just on it near wild oats and just go 10 and 10 back. but im not sure how far up it goes

Rick@OCRR

The San Gabe trail goes a long way, all the way to Azuza I think. Not sure how many miles, but a lot. Of course, you can turn around anywhere you like.

I live near start of the Coyote Creek MUP, and I often ride that on my fixed gear, down to Seal Beach. About 4 miles from the beach, Coyote Creek intersects with the San Gabe trail.

Rick / OCRR

dddave

dang, rick. kudos. set this up for another weekend and i'll try my best to make it.

ballin

Well thats too bad that it was canceled, me and a buddy drove out there from Burbank and got there around 9. We couldn't find anyone so we used the map and went on the ride ourselves. We rode about 5 miles on PCH and just got tired of the rain, we were soaked. We ate at a little place called "Beachcombers." The french toast wasn't really french toast but my friends buttermilk pancakes were great. The rain cleared up and it was mostly sunny skies on the way back. Back Bay trail was really fun, we were able to cruise with no hands for most of it just enjoying the sunshine. We got a smoothie from Juice it Up at the end. It was our first long ride on our fixed gears, I think we went about 30 miles. We loved it, can't wait to do it again.

p120ud213azn

^^^

nice dude!! maybe i shouldve went anyway!

i called jess and he said it canceled thats why i didnt go.

so is this rescheduled for this weekend rick?

Rick@OCRR

Yes, the ride is rescheduled for this weekend, but I have to go England on business, so I won't be there. Instead, I'll be in a place called "Birmingham" but not in Alabama. I think it's central England (the Midlands as they say) and I'm flying into there, instead of having to go through London, like I usually do. Not that I don't like London, but the commute-through I'm happy to give up!

Since my century attempt failed, I will be trying it again myself. Good to hear you got some miles in and were able to follow the route (and had fun on Back Bay). I also discovered, it really doesn't need to be all that flat. Yes, I was totally used up when it was over (after only 68 miles), but I wasn't eating smart either.

So, as in all good failed attempts, I learned something. Or a few things, really:

A. It is possible to climb pretty steep and long hills on a 42 x 15 fixed (about a 75" gear).

B. It is possible to ride a fixed gear in the rain; no big deal.

C. I should be eating regularly as I ride, since this is supposed to be a century and the fact that I'm riding fixed really doesn't change my calorie requirements . . . well, it may mean that I need to eat more since I'm never coasting.

D. Most SoCal riders, fixed or not, don't like riding in the rain. Okay, I'm from St. Louis (note: not Seattle), and I've done my share, but really, it's not that bad.

I have a double century (not fixed!) on Feb. 21, so maybe I'll try on Feb. 28th. May do the Jess route from last Sat. or may come up with my own. Will advise on this forum (and SoCal) when I decide.

Rick / OCRR

PS: Put on a brand stinkin' new Ultegra 9-Speed chain. That chain that broke was as old as dirt, maybe older, I don't remember. But I have 1/2 x 3/32" chainring and cog, so that's why I didn't go 1/2 x 1/8".

spinerguy

Hi Rick, I just assumed it got canceled since we had a 90% rain chances but if it gets rescheduled, I'm there.

Rick@OCRR

Okay spinerguy,

Officially, it's rescheduled for this coming Sat. Feb. 14th. Check the Rebel site at: www.ocrebels.com but it should be a go, unless it rains again. I will do my fixed century later, and I'll post it here when I do. Still, you are welcome to join the Rebel ride at whatever distance you like.

As noted above, however, I won't be there. I hate it when my job gets in the way of my cycling, but whatever. Gotta have money to live and buy bike stuff, right?

Rick / OCRR