jonathanf2

Wednesday I did a quick 32 mile loop and 2300 feet of climbing. I've been trying to focus not riding in zone 4/5, since I tend to do shorter rides at max effort. I stayed most of the time in zone 3 and did well not blowing up. I heard zone 2 training helps, but if I rode any slower I don't think I'd get anywhere. Anyways, I definitely felt like I had more in the tank towards the end of the ride. I guess now that I'm getting older, I need to ride smarter!

jonathanf2

18 miles of dirt on Friday in Highland Park / Mt. Washington and 23 miles cruising DTLA and Elysian park this Saturday morning!

jonathanf2

22 miles for gravel bike Monday! I took the gravel bike to meet up some non-cycling friends over at Griffith Observatory and grab lunch. After eating though I did another round up the park. Also despite being a bit slower on the gravel bike to climb road sections, bombing the rough downhill fire roads is just much more fun. I can just plow through the loose gravel and dirt with no worries.

jsigone

took the allez out for a lunch loop around 56 bike trail. 16 miles and 1k vert

I think I need to lower the stem even more to be like the soloist...hum

Eric F 

Happy Hour! 9mi MTB ride to Brown Saddle, descending via Millard Canyon and Altadena Crest Trail.

jonathanf2

Thursday I did 21 miles and 2000 feet of climbing over at Griffith. I've been focusing more on keeping a steady pace as opposed to trying to mash up the hill. Though on my final downhill a female MTB'er whizzed by me quite close. I definitely was getting racer vibes, so I decided to keep pace. She was fast, but I was able to keep up easily. I waited for her to take a wide line on a curve and I then took an inside line to drop her. If I was on my gravel bike, I probably would have been faster since I could just plow through the rough stuff!

On the final leg of my ride I saw this kid (well he was in his 20s) walking his bike, so I asked if he needed help. Apparently he flatted and had no spare tube or tools. Since I still had some free time, I help fixed his puncture with a glueless patch and aired up his tire. Sometimes I wonder what goes through the minds of young people not being prepared! Lol

Eric F 

Yesterday I joined PAA's "ShLoC" ride, starting at the Rose Bowl. It's a climbing-focused ride, with an A group and a B group. They don't always ride the same route, and apparently, yesterday's was one they don't do very often, focusing more on Altadena than the San Rafael Hills. Although many of the roads were familiar to me, the unfamiliar route made it interesting and fun. That said, it was HARD, and I pushed myself pretty deep. My body responded pretty well, and I was surprised to see VAM numbers in the high 900s, with a couple over 1000. I was happy to give a good showing of myself for my first time doing this ride in a long time, finishing in the first half of the A group on all the climbs. https://www.strava.com/activities/11483267702

jonathanf2

Are they back to Tuesday/Thursday rides for the summer? I need to hit up my buddy and ride with them again. They definitely kicked my butt last time I did the ride, but I've been working on my pacing and I'm now running an 11-34t on one of my road bikes to tackle some of those spicier climbs.

I forgot to mention, the reason I rode on Thursday was due to finding a Wednesday group ride that's supported by a local bar! I barely cracked zone 2 on the ride, but on the return all cyclists get discounted beer and shots all night! So Thursday I had to force myself to sweat it out!

Eric F 

Yes. 5:30 start. I could have used a 34 last night. My 29 got a serious workout.

malcala622 

I'm fighting off the butt end of the flu and respiratory infection so I stole my wife's electric bike to get to work.

On the SGRT I noticed some smoke in the distance and figured it was a homeless encampment starting breakfast. But getting closer i noticed it was coming from the railroad tracks.

I attempted to put it out with 2 water bottles but I believe it suppressed the fire a bit while the Santa Fe Spring Fire department arrived.

I waited till they arrived since i was the one who called it in.

jonathanf2

It was probably Doc Brown's time machine train hitting 85mph!

Feel better with your flu recovery. Getting sick sucks, because it messes up the ride routine!

diphthong

ouch.

diphthong

thank you!

jonathanf2

For Saturday I did 28 miles and 2100 feet of climbing at Griffith. I ended up talking to a young guy over at the Observatory who had recently picked up a road cycling. He asked me all sorts of fitness and cycling questions. In my head I was thinking this kid will eventually end up with a $6-10k carbon bike and he doesn't even realize it yet! Also my wife was calling me to get home to bring our kids out that day for their playdate (lost track of time) so I hauled ass riding as fast as I could. I ended up dropping a group of about 6-7 cyclists on a climb section who were struggling! I think I upped my cadence quite high and was reaching max HR, but I didn't feel like was blowing.up.

Also the great thing about the gravel bike is the just the flexibility. I hopped curbs, cut through the grass and rode the bike like I would back when I was a kid. In someways I feel faster on a gravel bike (compared to a road bike) in an urban setting just because I can take shortcuts!

diphthong

36-miler tapping live oak canyon rd and scr along with a silverado rd. nibble. nice day out there in the foothills of orange county. as green as it’s gonna get and always best ridden in spring.

https://www.strava.com/activities/11513569689

Eric F 

Late to report...

Saturday - Short and quick 16mi gravel bike ride to Cherry Canyon and Glendale Sports Complex. Mediocre motivation, but that melted away in the first couple of miles. Felt pretty good on the bike.


Sunday - My regular Coffee Ride (40mi). It pretty much played out like usual. Easy tempo from So. Pasadena to Duarte, and some spicy efforts from Bradbury to Sierra Madre. As has become my pattern, I hit the Winston kicker pretty hard and continued pressure over the top, through the twist, and out on to Foothill. One guy followed my move, bridged up to me, and we took turns trading hard pulls for the next 5 miles to the end of the ride. I'm enjoying where my fitness is right now.

jonathanf2

No riding Sunday. Monday I did a quick 18 miles in the morning climbing Elysian Park. Quite a few cyclists out as well. Tried catching a cyclist on the climb, while putting 80-85% effort, but this dude was flying. I totally lost visual of him even in the far off distance. I said screw it and just returned to normal pace!

Anyways, got home and I was cleaning my bike, when I accidentally dropped it on the RD. Spend the next 30 minutes having to straighten the hanger and re-tune my electronic shifting!

cweb99

gorgeous Allez.



I have a 2015 Comp such a fast bike.

Eric F 

Tuesday Happy Hour - 9mi MTB ride to Brown Saddle. I had intended to do the climb at a very moderate effort, but found myself keeping pace with, and catching, a guy on an e-bike, which had me working a little harder than intended. After passing him, I put in a bigger effort for a few minutes to try to put some space between us. I guess he stepped up his e-power because he stuck on my wheel until I had to dial it back, and then disappeared up the hill at his faster pace. I added one more deeper effort in the last steep section before the top plateau. My strength is doing well, but I felt the unmistakable feelings that I need to back off my intensity for a little while and let my body recover. I enjoyed the warmer temps and sunshine, but I'm not looking forward to the coming summer heat.

cweb99

Quick 15 mile ride around town

inspiration. From jsigone to take out my Allez

jonathanf2

Wednesday I did 25 miles and 2100 feet of climbing. Today I decided to climb around the hills in Pasadena. Before climbing I did 1 lap around the Rose Bowl and tried catching a cyclist who was going at a fast pace. I caught up to his wheel, but I was out of juice to pass him!

After riding I grabbed a beer and tacos! 🌮

diphthong

really did not need to happen upon a pic of delicious carnitas tacos at this stage of the night dammit!! triple grrr!!!

jonathanf2

I have to say, tacos make an amazing ride fuel! Seriously, it should be the official snack for Southern California cyclists!

malcala622 

Critical Mass Los Angeles tonight with my children. The wife had a work conference this week in Arizona so I went solo. About 18 miles and tacos afterwards.

90% leg and 10% motor use on my wife's ebike.

Eric F 

Sunday...Mt. Lowe - Wilson - Toll Road loop on the gravel bike (25mi, 4800'). I've been wanting to do this ride for a long time, but have been trying to find a time that is not too hot or too cold. We started out under cool and grey skies, up the steep pavement of Chaney Trail and the lower part of the Mt. Lowe Rd. Once on dirt, the grade eases up, but are some sections that are loose and chunky, requiring that you keep on the power to maintain progress. Shortly before reaching Inspiration Point, we got above the cloud layer, and enjoyed the sunshine and blue skies.



We continued climbing the Mt. Lowe Rd until the short descent through the tunnel, and connecting to the paved Red Box-Mt. Wilson Rd.


A couple more miles of climbing brought us to the top of Mt. Wilson, and a stop for a tasty hot dog at the Cosmic Cafe.


The 8 mile descent of the Mt. Wilson Toll Rd. was rough and demanding, particularly on a gravel bike, and there were a couple spots where landslides has made the route unrideable. I was happy I was on 48mm tires.


Further down the descent, we hit the cloud layer again. The temperature dropped significantly, and things got damp. My friends and I had all made the choice to put on our arm warmers and vests before starting down the hill, which turned out to be a very good decision. Below Henninger Flats, the foot traffic got pretty thick, and we slowed our pace a bit.

Overall, it was a really excellent ride. Hard and demanding, but really enjoyable, especially being able to share the adventure with a couple of my best friends.

I've been calling the ride to Mt. Wilson via Angeles Crest Highway the "Hotdog Ride". Sunday's ride was the "Dirty Hotdog".