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.

Back to back longer rides

Last Friday, June 22, I ride my 25-mile route to the beach and back.  Then on Saturday I went back and rode the 36-mile trip to Temescal Canyon and back.  I was planning to do the Temescal Canyon ride again on Sunday, but that's another story.  What I wanted to know was how my body would feel after two days of longer riding, since this is something I need to know when I'm on the road long haul. As it turns out, I felt perfectly fine, and in fact, my legs felt really strong afterwards.

Anyhow, after I had had my little break at Temescal Canyon, where I discovered that the name of the little eatery is Watch By The Bay and it only takes cash... I was approached by a young man and his friend asking me how much further it was to Malibu. They were were cycling from Huntington Beach to Sacramento. They'd already done 70 miles. Quite frankly, I thought it was about 17, which is what I told them (was more like 11-12).  When I told them, they were very excited... perhaps they thought it was further than it was. 

I told them I wanted their picture for my blog and for everyone here. Nice young men, Michael Troyer and Ryan Snider of Huntington Beach.  

Michael Troyer and Ryan Snider at Temescal Canyon/Will Rogers State Beach.  Good luck, guys!

They think it will take them 2 more days to reach Sacramento from Malibu. I think they're dreaming, but who knows what youth can do???  I think Michael is the one on the left. BTW, they will never make it in two days. A week, maybe.  So, I'm assuming that by the time I post this that they will have made it and discovered a great adventure along the way.

Strange that my encounter with them was so brief and yet somehow they just made my day!  I think these two ought to try a bike trip across America some day.  Michael and Ryan, if you read this some day, please comment below!

Road ID gone AWOL

So yesterday after suiting up to ride my bike to work, I realized about half way there that I hadn't put on my Road ID. I would say that it's extremely rare for me to forget it. Like maybe only twice ever. When I was starting to suit up to leave work, there was my Road ID, the velcro snagged to the edge of my safety vest. I guess it had been flapping in the breeze like a yellow tail during my earlier ride. Just glad it didn't fall off!

Brentwood to Hermosa Beach trip

On Saturday, June 16, I met up with a friend at 7:00 a.m. in Brentwood.  I motored the bike over, which worked just fine although the bike was strapped down quite heavily to keep it from moving around too much seeing as the trunk rack was broken when I purchased it.  Ugh.  What an idiot I can be.

The ride basically started from about Bundy/San Vicente, and I had a sinking feeling right from the start that the gal I was riding with was going to seriously kick my butt.  Riding down San Vicente was exhilarating - got the bike up to 22 mph, which is the fastest it has ever gone... but it made me nervous that going back up San Vicente would be a real bear if I could get to that speed going down. Plus, San Vicente going up would be at the end of the long ride.  Yes, she was going to kick my butt.

Our goal was to reach Redondo Beach, and I'm sure that if she didn't have me tagging along, she would have made it, but she was on a time constraint - when it got to be 9:15, she wanted to turn back.  We stayed together pretty well through Santa Monica and Venicedo until we got to the Marina, and the she pulled ahead and waited for me at the Ballona Creek bike path entrance.  I followed her through some back streets to an access road, (was grateful not to be on the bike path)  but eventually we were forced onto the bike path.

When we got to Hermosa Beach pier, which is the farthest south I've been, she snapped this picture of me before we turned around and headed back. I was feeling the need to eat something as we'd gone 20 miles and I could feel my energy waning.

What I have learned is that I need to eat even just one bite of a fig newton every 10 miles, plus have plenty of water.  I had plenty of water with me, but we never stopped!!!

We turned around and headed back.  We stopped at Urth Cafe on Pico/Main and I got a vanilla milkshake and an almond croissant, and she got something, and we sat for a few minutes and talked while I gave my body some fuel, but I could feel that the damage had been done.  I was already exhausted, and the sun wasn't out, and the ride hadn't been particularly difficult, but the fuel issue had been fixed too late.  I just need to put my foot down in the future and say "I have to stop ever 10 miles for fuel.  Period. And if I have to stop more for water and it slows us down, so be it."

Well, the climb up San Vicente, which didn't seem like it was steep or anything, was a real drag on me.  I was wasted for energy.  Sometimes my speed was only 7 or 8 mph. 

So, 40 miles round trip and I was exhausted.  So exhausted that I couldn't hardly do anything for the rest of the day.

I'm not sure if I will change out my tires to slicks.  Certainly I won't do it before my friend comes on July 5. The bike I got for her doesn't have slicks either but the tires are probably a little slicker than mine, but regardless, I will be leading her down to the beach but will not let her get out of my sight.   She will be within a bike length or two max of me.

New Brake pads....after 4 years.

Well, I put the trunk rack on the car, secured it down tight and loaded on the bike, securing it down it the excess straps, and I drove it down to I. Martin Imports to have new brake pads put on.  Even though the brakes were adjusted recently, they were already very worn and I was told to bring the bike back in within a month to get them replaced.  Well, the rear brakes already had almost no tension left, and I figure that with a big ride tomorrow with a friend, I really wanted to have the brakes taken care of.  I also asked if they could put on a kickstand, and the mechanic said he would see if there was room.  I told him not to worry about it if there was no room.  After all, I've lived without a kickstand for 4 years.

So tomorrow I'm going to motor the bike over to Brentwood, and from there my friend and I will work our way through Santa Monica, down around the Marina and take the bike path down to Redondo.  Whew!  Hope I can make it.  That bike path down there is very hilly.  Just from the Ballona Creek Bridge to Redondo Beach is 23 miles round trip... and that's not counting the miles RT just to get there.  It will be a day of adventure for sure!

I also stopped by I. Martin earlier in the week to pick up some chain lube.  Got it in a little spray can.  I wouldn't take it on the road with me because it's a little too big... I'll get a little bottle for the trek across the USA.