Mr. Beanz

Made a video whiel riding with the Clydes and Athena's forum. Along the way we crossed paths with a few Cali members.

I got JustRelax and IndoMikey as they rolled down the hill. Only got their tail ends so I had to slo mo the footage to see them.

Got JohnR rolling by with this friend.

& Lesper 4 slowing down to say hi near the shack

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The usual CLydes and Atehnas as well as a gang of gals out of the shop known as "The Unlikely Cylstis owned buy a forum member VintageDreams in Oops (Costa Mesa haha!).

FYI, if you like womens stuff try this shop. Gina found 4 pair of Terry shorts which is great cause she usually has a hard time finding one pair out of every 5-10 shops we visit. The Unlikely Cyclist deals in all sizes. After Gina took the 4 pair, the shop still had more on the shelf. FYI you can't make it over, at least serch the shop and check it out, good stuff. No, I don't get paid to say this stuff, just happy to have a place Gina can walk in and out with good quality shorts.

Beachgrad05

Beanz - The Unlikely Cyclist is in Costa Mesa

https://theunlikelycyclist.com/

Mr. Beanz

I was testing you!

indomikey

Wow maybe next time we will have time to stop and converse. Don't wanna be the only time someone recognizes me from one of Beanz's videos is when they see my backside.

Mr. Beanz

.......Yeah, I've only met one of you brothers, meeting both would be cool .

Gallo

Pretty sure I saw your group at the shack as I passed by heading toward Baldy Village. I remember a big group with allot of blue kits in the shade which looked mighty tempting at the time.

I was on a white wilier with a yellow Qualcom jersey with white sun sleeves

alicestrong

Looks like great fun!!

JTGraphics

I need to go up here still have not done it would like to go to Baldy Village can you tell me were best place to park is and distance to The Shack and then to Baldy Village.
Are you planning on going up soon again maybe I can follow you

Mr. Beanz

I save this image for this reason .

I park at the dirt lot or at the Boulder Springs residential area (shown in the video, where we parked). There is also an area just north of Boulder Springs as soon as you turn off Sierra Madre. Some riders park there along the curb.

If you park at Boulder Springs, you have about 1/2 mile to the GMR GATE. I mention the gate because this is where many riders start measuring distance on the road. For example, many strava segments start there (gate to shack). Before the Garmin, I started my speedometer there just so I knew exactly where I was at along the road.

From the shack, the shack would be 8 miles and just about 2400ft of gain.

From that point, there is another 13 miles of climbing to the village adding another 2000 ft of gain. Not as steep as it's rolling and over a stretch of 13 miles vs the first 2400 in 8 miles.

But there is one section from mile 14.5 to mile 17 that kicks a lot of riders' butts cause it kicks back p like the first 8 mile section. Not that it is any tougher but the acummlation of climbing sets in at this point and it hurts.

It takes a decent climber an hour to reach the shack (8 miles from the gate).

From the shack it takes about 1:15-1:30 to do the next 13 miles to the village. OF course faster climbers will take less time.

Overall elevation gain to the village an back will be about 5,000 ft as there are some short climbs on the return. If you are struggling, the short climbs on the way back cans seem like a ton of climbing.

On a weekend, if you ride GMR, you will not be alone. Back in 2003 when I first did GMR, we would ride to the village and back encountering maybe 3 or 4 riders the entire time. Now? Heck you see 20 riders within the first couple of miles it's so popular.

I have no plans to go up any time soon. I'd probably be too slow for you now anyway. If you plan on going to the village, be sure to veer right at the fork (mile after the shack). A FAST downhill then veer right and you will immediately head back up. If you go left at the fork, you will continue down to east fork. There is a gate at the fork as well, most times open but be careful as this is a fast 30 mph short downhill. Many motorcycles gather there so watch them as well. Sometimes they park in your path as well as gathering cyclist.



The dirt lot is north and the boulder side is south. Downward of the image is Sierra Madre/upward of the image is heading up GMR.

I park at Boulder springs if my truck is clean and I park at the dirt lot if my truck is dirty .


Strava link to the village with the Clyde forum. You can check out the map and profile etc. Zoom in at about mile 9 or 10 so you can see "the fork". Shoud be helpful

https://app.strava.com/activities/25073859



GMRparking by gulpxtreme, on Flickr

JTGraphics

Thanks for the info!

Mr. Beanz

Oh, most importantly, no water up there.

1 bottle to the shack, 2 to the village on a nice day if you are a decent climber. 3 on a hot day or take a camelback as well.

TrojanHorse

You need to post your companion "there's water here" image of the village.

Mr. Beanz

I think it would be a good idea if I post my "water here" companion pic so that you know where to get water when you make it to the village. ............




mtbaldyfacilities by gulpxtreme, on Flickr

psalm

Excellent idea!

Mr. Beanz

Thanks! I don't know how I do it, I just do it ok!

TrojanHorse

Son of a ...!

Mr. Beanz

My ride report

Okay, I've been busy and been lazy so I guess a write up is better late than never ha ha! This was a ride organized by TrojanHorse on the Clydesdale & Athena forum on bike forums. Had a pretty good turn out seeing that VintageDreams & Beachgrad05 invited their all female club running out of VintageDream's female cycling boutique named "The Unlikely Cyclist" in Costa Mesa. Short and sweet, if you want woman's stuff, go there. Gina walked out with 4 pair of cycling shorts in Terry and other female brand she had never heard of till the shop visit. This would have taken her a year to find in other shops.

So a group of 11 women, few Clydes, and some guests, we had a good number of riders heading up. Alyce & Herb, JeepSeaHawk, Aimee, iTrek and his wife Debbie, TrojanHorse, & PhotoJoe. Right away the women took off as I lagged behind with the first timers. Not knowing where they were going or how they were getting there, I stayed with them. Couple miles up we stopped to regroup as the ride had blown apart. Blown apart, just something I picked up watching too many TDF videos ha ha! So anyway, we stopped to rest allowing the tail end to catch back up. Lisa and a couple of her riders had stopped to remove layers or something on the lower slope. Just then Matt rode by them and made some comment about riding topless. For those forum members that don't know, Matt is one crazy funny guy with a good sense of humor and a very friendly encouraging rider that we've met him before on Clyde rides. He is also real good friends with the GMR blogger and a faithful viewer of my blog so he is A-OK in my book!

We speak with Matt for a bit as riders catch up and some just keep on rolling. Mrs iTrek got her groove on and boy did she roll up the mountain. iTrek had stopped to wait for her but she kept a rolling! So did the tail end of the gals from the club. Herb stayed back with iTrek and I for motivation and support. iTrek looked a bit worried a couple of times but I gave him the it'll get better speech. I know he was thinking that I must be nuts but somewhere in his soul he found it to trust our words. Couple more stops along the way. Maybe more because he did not know the road. You know the feeling, stop her cause it hurts only to find out the next section is a strip good enough to recover and catch your breath. But hey, that only comes with knowing the road.

I pointed out to iTrek how relaxed his wife was looking on the road. She was actually a little slower than he was but very relaxed. I figured he'd catch back up to her even if we let her slip a way a bit. Okay so we get further up the mountain and I can see Mrs iTrek up and around the switchbacks. Soooo just how relaxed can she get cause she's pulling away big time. At this point I knew she was gone and we would not catch her but so what! My hat is of to her for doing so well the first time up GMR. I'm not sure I've ever seen another firs timer ride up so comfortable the first time up since Alyce made her GMR debut. iTrek actually looked pretty happy about it and to tell you the truth, so was I. That was only down to earth close to home proof that it can be done. e were far up the mountain now that iTrek had completed the most difficult part, his wife was making it and so would he.

At one point we ran across IndoMikey and his brother JusRelax from the SoCal forum. I turned around to see if they'd stop but they kept going. Then on the steep section before the shack we were caught by Lesper 4. A brief chat and some encouraging words then he flew up the mountain THERE IS THE SHACK! He's made it! iTrek just had to relax now and complete the last little section. Funny though how other riders shouting, clapping and encouraging another rider can lift their energy. iTrek who had at one point shown some doubt in his eyes actually lifted his pace on the last stretch to the shack as the gang from The Unlikely Cyclist hoot and howled, other members and friend cheered and clapped as he completed the climb.

Yes! He made it! We all made it, and really without much trouble at all. The gals from the club are strong. Even the gals at the tail end floated up once they found a rhythm. Of course Alyce the GMR vet made it up no sweat, Aimee, PhotoJoe, JeepSeaHawk all made it up no problem as well. Each has his own obstacle but those obstacles really no longer exist. Even the guys that think they have obstacles like PhotoJoe. He's telling me how he struggled. Umm OK, dude, you flew up the mountain and set a PR! Be proud!

Although in my mind, I felt iTrek struggled up the mountain, I could be wrong. I call it as I see it and for good reason. Not to show who was the last one up the mountain, not to show that I was a gentleman escort but as I told iTrek that riding with a rider that goes against his advantage and helping him is an accomplishment in itself. At one point iTrek suggested we ride ahead without him so that he didn't ruin our ride. I could have gone ahead, I could try to impress myself with a PR but to me, watching a rider dig deep, muster up some courage, then dig a little deeper than before and deeper than he thought he could is quite the experience. Heck, these are the heroes in my eyes! Yeah, those 120 pound guys with 10 lb bikes are bad but let me see a Clyde make the climb with every disadvantage you can throw at him, and he's the Bad Ass! This made my ride. iTrek said thanks for talking him up but I must thank him for showing others that what I say is true. If you want it, you go take it no matter what anybody else says! Just Do It! ;-)

Lesper4

Beanz, you are chalked up full of information...so I was thinking if i wanted to ride from Azusa canyon and little GMR to the village the only water is at the bottom of Azusa Canyon, Camp Williams and the Village. The question I have is what is available and type of payments at Camp Williams?

Mr. Beanz

The only thing I know about that area is the spigot outside of the little cafe. It's free so I mix gatorade powder there.

Lesper4

Works for me, there is always the water at the ranger station up 39 but that is going the other way.

TrojanHorse

The spigot is hidden in a planter at camp Williams, although i suppose you could go inside and order something... I never would have seen it if somebody didn't point it out. I went that way for the first time ever last Saturday. going 13 mph downhill... yeah, it was windy.

Mr. Beanz

Get used to it! That road is always windy and that downhill is not a downhill!