Took the bike to I Martin Imports to have the tires and tubes changed.  I really wanted to get slicks on the bike to help me with a little speed.  Also, the other tires were original to the bike as were the tubes, and both were now four years old.  The tires were not showing any cracks but the nubs were quite worn down - and there's a big difference between bald tires and slicks!  (I will keep the old ones as a backup because you just never know, or I may donate them to the Bicycle Kitchen.) The slicks had actually been transferred from one of the Helen's Cycles stores to I Martin Imports for me since I Martin didn't have them in stock.  I just left it in their capable hands to do what needed to be done, and they did it.

When I picked up the bike at the end of the day, I noticed that the tires seemed slightly bigger.  Not that they don't fit the bike, just they seemed bigger.  Turns out they are Bontrager H2 plus, which I think is the hardcase tires, and their tread is exactly like this (image taken from Google):

So with these tires, my chances of getting a flat are very slim.  These will last the bike a loooooong time.  I asked for thicker tubes as well because although I've never had a flat, I don't want one either.  When I got the bike home, I rode it around the block to test the feel.  Although I can't say they made me faster, I can say that the ride is smoother.  It is similar to riding with the other tires on the sidewalk.  These tires just glide over the surface of the road whereas the others were like velcro to the road.  Total cost for the tires/tubes/labor was $88.82.  I really need to make some chocolate chip cookies for the crew there.  They have just been so good to me.

Pet Smart Errand

On the way home from work today I ran an errand on the bike to Pet Smart on La Cienega/4th Street.  The only place to lock the bike to was the rack where you return your shopping cart to in the middle of the parking lot.  It seemed fairly quiet, and I felt like maybe I could lock the bike to the rack for just a few minutes and run the errand, so I did, just using the U-lock on the top bar.  I pulled off all the important stuff and did my shopping, and when I returned, lo and behold, the bike was still there.

I need to be able to take the bike on more errands and just get to feeling more safe about locking it up, but I also have such a fear of having it stolen.  I must get over it.

Heating Up!

We're not having a TERRIBLE heat wave yet, but certainly it's a lot warmer than normal.  I carry about 2 liters of water with me at all times, so I'm all right that way, but the sun can still zap you even on a short ride.

I've been buying/watching tons of cycling films lately.  With that recent big cookie order, I have been treating myself to a few cycling things.  First up were the two cycling films by Stephen Auerbach - Bicycle Dreams and Race Across America.  I have wanted to see them for so long, and they'd been on my Ebay wishlist forever, it seems.  You can buy them directly from the the filmmaker on Ebay :

Bicycle Dreams/Race Across America 2-pk  

Auerbach even friended me on Facebook.  So, very cool!

I have also purchased The Flying Scotsman, American Flyers, Breaking Away and Ride the Divide.  I'm still waiting on the latter two to arrive.

I also purchased 3 books on cycling which I am working my way through:

1.  Bicycling Magazine's Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills
2.  Bicycling Magazine's Complete Book of Long-Distance Cycling
3.  The Cyclist's Food Guide - Fueling For the Distance

I'm going to make a special place on my bookshelf just for cycling books and films.  Yes, the films should go in my DVD library, but I think I'll keep them separate.

Last month was a dismal month for adding mileage to the bike.  From the time that Lisa left until yesterday, I only managed to add another 100 miles.

I added about 38 of those miles over the weekend.  I just had to get out, and I had a little break between some cookie orders and shipments, so I decided I would do an errand on the bike and take a trip down to Gloria's Cake and Candy Supply on Washington Blvd./Colonial (1 blk west of Centinella).  It is the first bona fide errand I've done where I locked up the bike and went shopping.  I had to lock the bike to a street lamp, and I was keenly aware of how long it took me to do it and how vulnerable that made me as a prospective target.  Not that I was in a bad neighborhood, but thievery can come from anywhere.  Just something to be aware of and try to get better at.  Good reason to carry the pepper spray I just purchased.

While I was shopping I received a phone call from the national touring company of "The Book of Mormon" - and they wanted 60 photo cookies, so I've managed to squeeze those into my cookie schedule also.

It was just shy of 18 miles RT to Glorias, a good ride, and then on Sunday I rode to church and aded a few extra miles so that I could break the 1400 barrier.  Another good ride.

The lives of a blue bike

I've had so many cookies to make in the last couple of weeks, and I've had to use the car so much that my cycling has taken a back seat - only 20 miles in 2 weeks, and 12 of them were today.  It definitely felt good to get on the bike today and do a little extra.  I have to make cookie dough tomorrow and then make cookies, but I hope I can get in some riding too.  Then I hope to ride to church on Sunday.  That would be nice.

I delivered the blue bike I purchased for Lisa's visit to its new home in San Gabriel. Here is the happy new owner! Before I delivered it, I took it over to the guys at I. Martin Imports because the brakes had been squeaking terribly during Lisa's visit, and I also thought perhaps the crankshaft needed lubrication.   One of the mechanics took it and said to come back in a half hour, so I wandered the store and dreamed about a nice road bike, and when I returned to the service area, the bike was ready and they didn't charge me a thing!!!  Maybe he just lubricated some things, but that was a true blessing from the Lord!

Also, I had given Lisa the blue double pannier when she left and I immediately ordered a replacement from China and it arrived in one week - in time for the bike delivery.

La Brea Tar Pits and LACMA with Lisa

Today Lisa and I rode our bikes from West Hollywood over to the La Brea Tar Pits because it was an easy ride (4 miles each way) and because it would present some good picture opportunities for her.

She was fairly recovered from our 40-mile ride on Friday, and I was ready to go anyhow as I was long recovered.  We walked our bikes through the park, then visited LACMA next door to do some more picture taking.  On the way home took 6th to Hauser/Martel, then north to Willoughby, then west to Croft.  On the way home, I passed 1300 miles for the year on the bike.  Perhaps I can get it up to 2500 for the year....

40 miles with Lisa

Lisa and I left the house about 10:30 to begin our journey down to Venice Beach.  Because I wanted to avoid any part of Robertson, I routed us primarily on Shenandoah all the way to Cattaragaus, then under the 10 freeway to Regent, then Curtis, then Venice Blvd.  I led the way down to the beach, and when we hit the bike path, we decided to go down to the Venice Pier first. 

She went out onto the pier to take a bunch of pictures and I waiting with the bikes, and when she returned we headed towards Venice Beach.  I told her to stop and take pictures of anything she found interesting, so we did stop a lot.  We were thinking of possibly going up onto the Santa Monica Pier, but when we got there decided we would make a decision on the way back down.  We were feeling hungry and had our stomachs set on corn dogs from the Watch By the Bay eatery at the bike path end on Temescal Canyon.  So we trudged on, glad to finally make it.

When we got to the path end, we met a man who was probably in his 60's and not in the best of shape, but he had his bike fully loaded and was headed either up to Sacramento or San Francisco.  I wish I had taken his picture and interviewed him a little.  He said he wanted to go across the USA next year. Good for him.  He did realize, however, that even for this short journey he had over-packed and was looking to off-load some of his stuff when he got to his sister's house on the first night.

Lisa and I each ordered a corn dog plus shared some chili cheese fries, and we took a rest, being 18 miles into our journey.

Lisa taking pictures at Will Rogers State Beach at the the north end of the bike path by Temescal Canyon.

After a good rest we swapped bikes for a little while to give her sit bones a break, and we headed back down to Venice Beach.  We decided not to venture onto the Santa Monica Pier, but I did talk her into a little detour to Marina Del Rey and the marina.

At the marina 

We didn't ride the bike path through the whole marina, just the first part where there were some boats to see.  Then we turned around and headed home.

We stopped at Essential Chocolate Desserts on the way back for some French macarons and drinks.  She got a Sprite and I got a vanilla malt.  Her macarons were pistachio, lemon, and chocolate.  I got a blueberry lavender and a pistachio.  Pistachio is still my favorite.

One pistachio macaron left.  No, it's not macaroon like those coconut things. 

We made one other stop on the way home because it was only a 1-block detour - to Surfas Restaurant Supply on Washington/National, where she waited outside for a few minutes while I went in and got some purple food coloring gel.  After Surfas we made our way back to my apartment, a total ride today of 40 miles.  I was not very tired but she was quite exhausted.