The Cycling Dude

2003-09-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

So Long, Good-bye....

8 months since I began this experiment it is time for me to leave Blogger and migrate to Movable Type.

Today is the end of THE CYCLING DUDE as a Weblog.

For those who have been regulars I thank you very much for stopping by.

For those stopping by for the first time: Welcome to my world, and come to the new digs and stay a while.

Yes, THE CYCLING DUDE is not dead, just being re-conceptualized.

I have realized that the up keep of a blog of this type is more complicated than I had thought, especially since I don't do long bike rides every day.

I have begun a website, today, called SNEAKEASY'S JOINT.

It incorporates my weblog of the same name, and it is there that I'll be blogging about my Road Cycling and about cycling issues and stories.

HOWEVER, there will be a section of the website devoted to Road Cycling, and that will provide info, and links to info, in a way that I could not do to my satisfaction in a weblog.

The new place will have a new look and a fun new way to search my archives (once I get things organized).

So, in the immortal words of an incomparable actress:

Come up and see me sometime!

2003-08-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

PEDALLING THE SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS: Mt. Baldy to Highway 39

Upland to Azusa via Euclid Ave., Mt. Baldy Rd., Glendora Ridge Rd., East Fork, and San Gabriel Canyon Rd.

DIRECTIONS:

The 10 Frwy., east or west, depending on where you are coming from, leads to Euclid Ave., and once there you just head north to FOOTHILL BLVD. in Upland, Ca..

Turn right, and drive past CAMPUS AVE. to UPLAND MEMORIAL PARK, and you will find parking.

For folks taking their bike on the bus: East or west, the OMNITRANS #61, 66, or 68 will connect you with the northbound 62 on Euclid to 19th street.

For folks coming from points west, the MTA 484 and FOOTHILL 482 connect you to the OMNITRANS 66 and 68.

Regardless of where you start in UPLAND the path leads steadily upward on FOOTHILL BLVD..

Sorry, but there's no way around it. You have to climb steadily upward BEFORE you can start the trip back down. :-)

I took the trip, and wrote the story, below, a few weeks AFTER the horrible events of 9/11:

Oh say can you see by the dawns early light (actually 10am, so sue me!).

I start out on my ride from the northern reaches of Upland along a 2 lane blacktop into the foothills to connect with Mt. Baldy Rd.

(Euclid leads to Mountain Ave, and then you head up to Mt. Baldy Rd.)

My camelback's full of liquid (H2o, not beer, honest!), and my flag's already waving proudly in the breeze from the handlebar of my trusty steed.

It turns out to be a steady, gradual, climb of 9 mi. and 1000 ft. elevation gain (from 3 to 4000) to Baldy Village and the next stage of my ride.

I'd estimate that I walked about 2 1/2 of those miles, some of the uphills were that steep.

Maybe about 6 mi. up, after the last of 2 50 year old tunnels dug out of the rock I see a cyclist lugging his bike off to the side of the road.

Turns out he'd just blew a rear tire at 50mph on the downhill. ;-)

Having an excuse to rest for 15 min. I talked to the guy about where he'd rode from and

where I was headed.

Things were looking up as he said I'd have a blast on the Ridge. ;-)

After 2 1/2 hrs. I pull into the Village and head to the Baldy Lodge Restaurant for lunch.

By now I'd noticed something that sent a feeling of joy and pride through me.

The reaction of travellers passing me on the descent upon seeing my flag, especially if they had small ones hanging from antennas.

Smiles, and lots of waves, and shouts from cyclists and motorcyclists. ;-)

After 5 mi. of this I decided to wave and smile at every oncoming car, and that really got responses, and boosted my energy level the higher I went.

People in the Village came up to me with smiles and told me how they loved the flag on my bike.

2 hrs., 2 huge bowls of clam chowder, and 4 glasses of coke later it was time to hit the ridge.

It's a 1 mi. climb from the Village to the ridge pt. above it, and the next 11 mi. were shere bliss......

Purple mountains majesty, above the smoggy plains, America, America, crown thy good with brotherhood...........

Up there, in the mtns., you feel at 1 with nature, 1 with your fellow adventurers, calm, at peace.

Along the ridge you come, after another mi. to a turn off that allows you to sit on a rock wall and stare out in awe into a magnificent forested valley for more than 15 mi.

I felt such a sense of wonder. For the 1st time that day I really let my troubles wash away, wrapped myself around the beauty surrounding me, and realized I was enjoying a very special trip.

This 2 lane rd. winds its way thru several mtn. ranges as it heads west. For every 1/4 mi. climb on my easiest gears there were 1 to 1 1/2 mi. roaring descents where no pedalling was required, but ya damn well better keep yer hands on yer brakes and eyes on the curves ahead.

Lots of motorcyclists and scooter riders up there, and for some reason they like to hog the road. ;-)

I even saw SUPERMAN, on vacation. Cape and all. On a Harley no less.;-)

No I wasn't drunk. I had water in my camelback, I told ya! ;-)

At the 21 mi. mark of my journey I came to a fork in the rd..

I had a score to settle with the road I took next.

A few yrs. ago I'd rode in the area west and north of this spot and decided to climb this rd. to the ridge and west on the ridge and back down to the valley. I ended up walking up, up, and up for 6 mi.

This trip was soooo much more fun. ;-)

So much fun I swear I had 1 long org... um feeling of pure heavenly joy and exhileration coursing thru me.;-)

7 1/2 mi. of sheer speed. 7 1/2 mi. of absolutely no pedaling.

Reaching speeds of up to 33mph on multiple winding turns going down, down, down to the East Fork of the San Gabriel River with the forest and canyons in all their beauty spread out before me.

Your life is in your hands on this downhill. Lose control for an instant and it's all she wrote. Porky Pig will be saying "That's All Folks!" as your show comes to a close in spectacular fashion.

Reach the bottom in one piece and, like what's his face in TITANIC, you feel like you are King of the World, and your troubles are put into proper perspective as you realize that ANYTHING is possible if you have the skill, strength, heart, courage { and sometimes shear insanity ;-) } and belief in yourself to accomplish it.

I ride west, down the East Fork, to 100 year old FOLLOWS CAMP, and have a nice meal, and a couple of beers at its restuarant/bar, and then head out west again to make a left onto San Gabriel Canyon Rd. (highway 39).

...... twilights last gleaming (it was 5:30 to 7pm), and the rockets red glare ( my rear light ), the bombs bursting in air { whether it was the clams, the beer, or both, I was, um, passing wind rather loudly, frequently, and enthusiastically by now ;-) }, gave proof thru the (evening) that my flag was still there waving proudly for all to see.........

As I rode the last 10 mi. out of the canyon ( to Azusa & Foothill Blvd. in Azusa, Ca. ) and back to my life down below, I was whistling up a patriotic storm as a way to keep up my strength for the final leg of my journey.

Bits and pieces of the anthem, God Bless America, America the Beautiful and even a certain Springsteen song.

Some witnesses might swear I could be seen singing a few bars as I rode down the mountain, waving at all who passed me by, but with the wind whistling around me I DOUBLE DARE YA to prove it! ;-)

With a couple of mi. to go I neared a couple along the side of the road, overlooking a dam with a sliver of sun shining at one end.

They were wrapped in each others arms, kissing up a storm...

I briefly interupted the festivities, as I passed, by yelling "give her one for me!!!".

They laughed and waved as I went by. ;-)

44 mi. of peace on earth, good will toward men, no cares to think about, and a chance to clear my head, relax, and enjoy just being alive.

Tomorrow will take care of itself.....

For those without a car you can go back to the Montclair Transit Center on the eastbound FOOTHILL 187 OR 189 bus.

For those looking to connect with the 480, 482, and 484 busses just take the FOOTHILL 280 south on AZUSA.

Those with cars back at the park can take the bus to Monclair, and then the OMNITRANS 66 to the park, or just ride east another 30 miles or so on FOOTHILL, CITRUS, ALOSTA/ROUTE 66, and FOOTHILL again back to the park. :-)

2003-07-25T15:55:00.000-07:00

A New Cycling Blog, With Potential, is Born Along the California Beaches

Gary Green has a hobby, and a plan for sharing it with the world:

"This guide is about one of my favorite activities: Camping or living somewhere at the beach for long periods of time and using my bicycle for transportation. Dedicated to casual, slow, comfortable bicycle riding and appropriate California beach locations where good camping and bike riding exist."

Bicycle and Beach Guide is his "book" on the subject.

After perusing the site, and his layout, I am not sure blogging is the best way to go about what he is attempting to do.

A blog implies that there are going to be daily, weekly, or monthly entries. The entirety of his blogging appears under the date of JUNE 1ST, thus implying that that is ALL the blogging he has done as of today, JULY 25TH.

It wasn't until I got down to the bottom of the page that I noticed this note: "PAGE LAST UPDATED: 7-25-03".

So he IS making frequent contributions ( of sorts ) to his blog. :-)

A blog such as mine, and similar ones, like Gary's, are a different breed of weblog, and will take a little getting used to for the average blogger or blog reader.

My advice to Gary is that he not just settle for 1 format, or style. His look will evolve as his content grows and evolves, and if he doesn't post everyday, don't fret. The key to a site like this is persistence, and dedication to one's subject, not how many times in a day, or week, one blogs.

I am slowly, but surely getting MY place on track, and am glad to see others out there with similar ideas.

It is Gary's content, so far, that I like.

For him beach locations must meet certain criteria to be a good place to hang out and cycle in, including: Food sources (markets and cheap restuarants), money sources (banks and ATMS) laundries, shower facilities & restrooms, low cost living arrangements, and or campgrounds, and a library.

He writes about recommended bicycle types for road cycling.

He list links to sources for bike parts, accessories, info and tools.

He has a very interesting discussion about chainrings and the value of having just the right one on your bike.

He has a list of links to Bike manufacturers who make the type of bike appropriate for road cycling, also recommends the right type of tube for your tires.

The last section is the meat of his message: Places to go riding, with links and ( so far ) brief descriptions ( of those places he has been to anyway ) of the locale, and the riding in the area.

So far there are 15 cities listed, and while the information is useful, especially the links to the city websites, I can't help but hope that there will be more as time goes by.

A route description or 2, or links and/or info on where one can find such information, for one thing, would be nice. Knowing that a place has an Albertsons, a Jack-in-the-Box, and a few outhouses, and that the weather is nice, the terrain is flat, and/or has a few rollies, and is popular, isn't going to tempt everybody who reads the piece into paying the place a visit.

Heck, if the place can't be reached by bus, commuter train, and/or amtrak, a person, like me, who doesn't own a car isn't going to be able to go there no matter how much I may want to.

Gary has a great idea, with alot of potential and, for that reason, I'm adding him to my links, and look forward to the evolution of his site.

2003-07-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

A TALE OF 2 CYCLING HOLIDAYS

A Daughter Retraces the Route of Her Father

In 1953 Roy Jenkin and Gordon Newberry decided to pedal their bikes around France, Switzerland, and Germany on a jolly summer adventure.

Roy wrote a Journal of the trip and the pair took alot of glorious black and white photos of the places they visited.

It is a story about the people they met, and the places they camped ( yes, camped) each night. It is a story about food, animals, accidents, and the kindnesses of strangers in nations full of people still recovering from the horrors of war 6 years previous.

This is an emotional tale, told wonderfully by a young man out to expore the greater world he lived in.

50 years later his daughter, Nina, decides to honor her Father's memory by, with a companion, taking the journey herself.

Using a modern bike, and color film, and communicating thru the wonders of the Internet and e-mail, she is sharing her journey with the world.

Voyage, Voyage is a site of many parts, including a WEBLOG.

In addition to an introduction there are, among other things, a link to the pages and photos of her Father's journey, a link to her weblog detailing the current trip, a link to her pictures and postcards and notes on the current trip, and a link to an ongoing message board where readers can share their thoughts as they follow along with Nina on her incredible adventure, and read comments from Nina her self from whatever Internet cafe or access she is writing from.

I have spent a wonderful couple of hours this morning reading this site and highly recommend it to road cyclists, and Tour enthusiasts of all levels.

2003-07-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, with the TOUR getting its due, here, I can safely move on to other things. :-)

2003-07-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Official Site of Tour de France 2003 coverage

By THE CYCLING DUDE, that is.:-)

The big news as the race, and it IS a race, and NOT a leisurely TOUR of the French countryside, is that 4 time winner LANCE ARMSTRONG has come forward and announced that HE realizes how much he has missed over the last 4 years by not taking the time to take his time and smell the flowers, see the sights, get a few pictures, taste the food and wine, and hang out and gab with the natives.

In a pre-race press conference before the event got underway Lance shocked his teammates, the assembled press corp, and all of France, by saying that he was going to just mosey along at a leisurely 15 miles an hour and enjoy the beautiful French countryside and all it has to offer.

Then he adjusted his backpack and Camelback Mule full of water, and set out on his journey.

A spokesman for his teammates, when asked by reporters if this was a joke, had this to say:

"On a practice sprint, earlier in the week, Lance took a header while trying to dodge a heardsman and his flock crossing the road. He seemed okay at the time, but some of his teammates observed him, afterwards, spending much time on the internet visiting an American website with safe cycling links, and lengthy essays on the joys of leisurely 66 mile bike rides in the Malibu area Mountains, and 20 mile rides along the beaches. They realize, now, that maybe he should have seen a Doctor, and spent the last few days getting lots of rest."

President Bush, when asked, had this to say:

"Bicycling is good for your health, and so is taking the time to smell the flowers. Didn't Lance have health problems a few years ago?

I don't drink anymore, but the French make good food, like fries and stuff and, despite our recent political differences, I don't have any problems with French food.

Lance is a good ambassador for American values, and I hope he wins the race."

Go Lance!! :-)

2003-07-02T14:03:00.000-07:00

SNEAKY'S FIGURE 8

Exploring The Upper Newport Back Bay and San Diego Creek in May, 2003

Location: Newport Beach and Irvine, Ca.

Directions to Ride Start:

Various freeways lead south from LA County, Riverside County, and North Orange County to connect with the 55 Frwy. to Costa Mesa, and the 405 frwy comes north as well for anyone traveling from South Orange County.

The 55 becomes Newport Blvd. at 19th Street.

Turn left at 19th. 19th becomes Dover at Irvine Ave.

Turn left at Castaways Lane and take an immediate right into Castaways Park, or a left into Bob Henry Park.

Castaways is open 6am-11pm.

THE ROUTE:

1. Start at the south end of Castaways Parking Lot.
2. Climb path and turn right, then left, to reach plaque.
3. Continue along trail to Westcliff and Dover. (aprox. 1.02miles)
4. Cross the street at crosswalk to continue south (left) on Dover.
5. Left at Pacific Coast Highway. (1.74m)
6. Left at Jamboree Rd. (2.78m)
7. Left at Back Bay Rd. (2.98m)
8. Info Kiosk, parking lot, and porto potty. (4.4m)
9. Left at East Bluff Dr. (6.35m)
10. Stop at Jamboree and cross on crosswalk to near corner on your left. (6.64m)
11. Proceed on pavement, turn left onto Bike Path and under Jamboree bridge onto the San Diego Creek Bike Trail. (6.82m)
12. Stay left on the path. (9.38m)
13. Colonel Bill Barker Marine Corp Memorial Park. (11.18m)
14. Lake Rd. crossing (Del Taco and Mobil Station). (13.04m)
15. Right at Jeffrey Rd. (13.78m)
16. Becomes University Dr. at the 405 frwy. overpass.
17. Campus Dr. entrance to San Diego Creek Bike Trail. (17.75m)
18. Jamboree Rd. overpass. (19.18m)
19. Follow sidewalk north to corner, and make 2 quick lefts back onto Bike Trail leading to north shore of the Back Bay.
20. Stay left on trail to entrance of Interpretive Center. (20.65m)
21. Cross entrance and continue on trail, south next to Irvine Ave., to Santiago. (21.78m)
22. Cross Irvine, at cross walk, and continue south on Irvine Ave.

( Food stops available at Westcliff Dr. and Irvine Ave. area.)

23. Left at Westcliff Dr. (23.03m)
24. Right on Dover.
25. Left on Castaways for return to parking lot.

Aproximate ride distance is 23.75 miles, and while mostly flat and easy, there are a few brief hilly spots for a change of pace.

THE RIDE:

Castaway's Park, overlooking Newport Bay, has something of a history to it dating back to 1870 when one Capt. Samuel S. Dunnels, and the good ship Vaquero entered Newport Bay for the first time.

The park land itself was granted to the city of Newport Beach and dedicated as a park in 1998 ( Bob Henry park developed on the site of the shooting death of a Newport Beach Police Officer, and named in his honor).

I entered the park from the south end of the parking lot and, after a short climb, turned right and left to a plaque on the edge of the cliff overlooking the Bay.

From this point I was treated to a great view of the Newport Bay, almost to the ocean (on a clear, fogless, day you can see much further).

As I continued along the cliff and behind a row of houses the view was of the Ecological Preserve, and of Fashion Island Shopping Center in the distance.

One thing I noticed at the park are signs stating that Coastal Bluff Revegitation is in progress so don't jump the fence to get a look down the cliff side.

Once out of the park I headed down Dover to PCH, then over to Jamboree and Back Bay Dr..

As I rode along PCH, over the Bay Bridge, I got a close-up of the Bay, and the steamboat that is a Nautical Museum (free admission), on the right.

At the bottom of jamboree, a left put me on the Back Bay Dr., and the first thing I notice is the entrance to Newport Dunes Resort and the Back Bay Cafe.

The real fun begins at Back Bay and Shellmaker where I enter the Newport Bay Ecological Preserve (open 7am-sunset), and the road becomes 2 lanes (1 for eastbound traffic, and 1 bike lane going west).

I am heading east and, only later realize the full extent of the bike path around the Bay.

A quarter mile in I begin to notice the utter quiet, except for birds, and the uninterrupted eastward view of the wetlands. According to the info kiosks along the way the birds include Light-footed Clapper Rails, Least Terns, and various Sparrows, and Ducks.

(Oh, and the rabbits, and squirrels are like some humans in that they flat out refuse to stop, look, and listen when crossing the road, so be very careful out here folks!)

I passed a Porto Potty, so if you need a pitstop there is one. :-)

Climbing out of the Bay I hung a left on East Bluff and made my way to the continuation of the bike path on the NW corner of Jamboree.

The Back Bay (Newport Bay) is considered an environmental assett to the local community and is one of the largest Coastal Wetlands in California. Restoration began in 1985 and the effort to maintain the natural beauty of Upper Newport Bay continues to this day.

After carefully crossing the street at Jamboree, to reach the bike path, I go down it and hang a left to go down what seemed to be a bike path heading further inland.

This turned out to be the San Diego Creek Bike Trail, and it led me on a nice, flat ride past business, recreational, and residential areas of Irvine for miles all the way past Mickleson, the 405, and Main, to Jeffrey Rd.

One thing obvious to me by this point was that not only the Back Bay, but the Creek as well, were very popular with cyclists, walkers, and joggers of all types.

The first leg of the creek ride has lots of vegitation in the creek and the last leg has the creek turned into something of a grassy greenbelt.

Bathrooms and water can be found at Barker Memorial Park, in Irvine, and a little further on there will be a Del Taco for munchies.

From the Del Taco I have to contune along the path by crossing several streets along the way to Jeffrey.

As I pass over the 405, and Jeffrey becomes University the road climbs upward into the hills before leveling off to wind its way past William R. Mason Regional Park (more bike and hiking paths!), and UC Irvine to Jamboree.

Upon reaching UC Irvine, at University and Campus, I get back on to the Creek Bike Trail and return to Jamboree and the Bay.

I take a seat on the bridge wall, gaze out at the bay for a few minutes and realize I'd just done a nice, relatively easy loop that was almost complete.

I followed the sidewalk a short distance north and turned onto a bike path that heads along the north shore of the bay.

The path passes the Nature Preserve Interpretive Center (10-4pm, tues.-sat.), and then parallels Irvine Ave. before I have to leave it and rejoin traffic on Irvine.

At Westcliff and Irvine, (and west on 17th) there are plenty of choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner before heading on Westcliff, and Dover back to Castaways Park.

2003-06-30T23:11:00.000-07:00

What REALTORS Read When Not Perusing True Home Confessions Magazine

So, there is this quartet of Orange County Realtors with several websites, and one of them is relatively new, and quite popular.

Grow-A-Brain wants its readers to increase their knowledge by visiting eclectic sites on the internet.

So they have categorized what they consider "the most interesting places to visit on the internet."

In their own words:

"They may represent no specific philosophy or coherent worldview, but you will find many of them to be fascinating, enlightening and intelligent... Some of course are just stupid..."

So, quess who is listed among the 1st 15 sites in Blogs from Orange County, Ca.? :-)

Word is that at least 1 of these nice folks finds THE CYCLING DUDE interesting. :-)

I am honored, and hope that the writing, here, gives readers who stop by, from this site, a good accounting of what life is like in this neck of the woods, and of the opportunities for cycling to be found here, and around other parts of the United States as well, as this place continues to grow and evolve.

2003-06-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

A BICYCLIST'S FONDEST WISH TAKES PLACE ALONG THE ARROYO SECO, IN PASADENA, CA. ON JUNE 15TH 2003

PEDALING SEDATELY DOWN THE FREEWAY WITH OUT A CARE IN THE WORLD, THE CYCLIST LOOKS AROUND AND, SMILING, SAYS, "CARS? I DON'T SEE NO STINKIN' CARS!"

Yes, fellow cyclists, believe it!

Damn, I wish I could have been there for the very first ARROYOFEST WALK AND BIKE RIDE!

Thousands of Southern Californians showed their support for creating more livable communities by either walking a half to 4 miles, or bicycling 4, 12, or 16 miles along the oldest freeway in Los Angeles County between Glenarm Street, in Pasadena, and Ave. 26, in Los Angeles, followed by a Community Festival at Sycamore Grove Park.

Can you picture it in your minds eye? Big Kids, Little Kids, adults, families, all out traipsing along a stretch of road normally clogged with motor vehicles of every shape, size, and fuel (in)efficiency standard!

It must have been awesome!

And of course the media, in all it's different guises, was there to cover it. The story was told all over the world.

What better publicity for the idea of alternative modes of transportation than this?

For links to Media Coverage, a picture gallery, and other Arroyofest related links go to Arroyo Seco News.

For more about the Arroyo Seco visit the Arroyo Seco Foundation.

2003-06-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Carnival of the Vanities is up for the week, and yours truly is a contributer ( the beach ride ).

The poster of the list of contributers admits to not being able to ride even 19 feet.

I proceed to encourage her to try. I never knew I could ride 70 miles until I went and did it. :-)

Real Women Online

2003-06-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

BICYCLING FROM SEAL BEACH TO BALBOA, CA.

Riding on the Beach, to, Huntington Beach, and Newport Beach, bypassing Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)

A few months back I posted a review of an article in OC METRO Magazine.

The article was called Coastal Biking.

I said I was going to ride the route described, and report back.

That time has come. FINALLY! :-)

THE ROUTE:

1. Start: Main & PCH
2. East and South on PCH to B.G. Brown water tower and turn right, then left.
3. Follow the Bike Lane all the way to the Jack-in-the Box, and Bus Terminal, at Bolsa Chica State Beach ( the 4mi. mark of the ride)
4. Enter the Beach Bike Path and travel to the Santa Ana River crossing in Newport Beach.

The path takes you along the top of the Huntington Cliffs and past the Huntington Pier. (aprox. 10mi. point)

5. At the Santa Ana River cross and stay on the sidewalk to Orange.
6. Turn right, then left onto the Bike Lane on Seashore Dr..
7. Turn right on 36th, and then left onto the Newport Strand Bike Path all the way to Newport Pier.
8. Continue south to E ST.
9. Turn left, an immediate right on Balboa Blvd., pass F St., and make a right on G St., and an immediate left on Ocean Blvd..
10. Travel south to the end and turn right to Balboa Penninsula.

You will have ridden aproximately 19 miles.

My Adventure:

The cool breeze coming off the shore, the light drizzle falling on my face, I stand on the pier and gaze south and east along the shore towards my distant destination.

Old Town Seal Beach is a mixture of small restuarants and various small businesses, including a corner drugstore (actually called THE CORNER DRUGSTORE!).

Pedalling along a hilly stretch of PCH I pass Anaheim Bay, and see a billboard about the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, and a link to Bolsa Chica Alliance.

Then I come to 2 very unusual neighbors: A huge brown, wooden, water tower and a taco joint share the corner where I turned to reach the bike lane along a row of houses and apartments next to the beach.

I had to laugh as the thought occurred to me that maybe the tower really HAD tequilla in it, instead of water. :-)

As I am resting along the side of the bike path at the entrance to Bolsa Chica State Park I hear a childs tearful wail:

"I can't do it! I can't do it!"

And an older male voice, filled with pride and encouragement:

"You can! You are! You ARE doing it!"

I look up to see a small boy on a bike with training wheels, bawling his little heart out as he moves his little legs and steers this strange contraption his Father put him up to riding.

I stand up, and clapping my hands, add my own calls of encouragement:

"Bravo! The first 70 miles are the hardest!"

The Father explained that this was his sons first ride in a public place, and as I watched the pair ride a short distance up and back along the path, I had a sudden thought: Was this how the great cyclists first started out? Bawling, "I can't do it!" as their Father encouraged them bravely on?

The beach, along this stretch, has elaborate parking lots for the day visitor, and for the vacationer with a camper , and while the weekends are best for people watching, the weekdays have their own pleasures.

There, on the beach, was a family around a bonfire while 2 of their number were busy flying kites.

From the looks of the stack of wood by the fire these folks planned to stay a while.

As I pedal onward toward Huntington Beach I come along a stretch of beach that has truly gone to the dogs, and from the looks of the frolicking on exhibit they were really enjoying themselves.

This is known as Dog Beach.

As I approach the Pier wave watching becomes a pleasant way to pass the last mile: Row upon row of huge waves crash along the shore, and surfers ride them in, lining up like airplanes coming in for a landing at LAX.

There they are, all in a line, waiting for just the right moment to start paddling to catch a wave.

How do they decide, and when? Why do they even bother?

God knows, it's a mystery to me, but they are so beautiful to watch.

People of all types walk and ride along the bike path. From the young Mothers pushing their BUV'S (Baby Utility Vehicles) to the older folks riding recumbents, and inbetween, it can all be seen here.

After a brief rest, past the Huntington Beach Pier, to eat half my lunch, I pedal onward along Huntington State Beach.

As I near the Santa Ana River I see a large group of people gathered on the beach, and a group of cops in the parking lot.
Upon further investigation I learn that it's the Orange County Sheriff's Academy class 160 having a pre-grad party after having run 6 miles.

They graduate the next day, June 3rd, 2003..

Upon arrival at the bike path on Seashore I find myself riding between rows of apartments and condos (some with beach front views) wondering which one belongs to the notorious basketball player, and all around party animal, Dennis Rodman.

At 36th, I enter the Strand and start the enjoyable ride next to the beach.

Along the Strand, near, and at, the pier are stores, and restuarants, and the home of the historic, 113 year old Newport Dory Fishing Fleet.

You can read all about it in a series of 3 short, interesting, articles (4 links in all), and a poem published recently by the community newspaper The Current

If all the riding has made you hungry then park your bike and grab a seat at Charlie's Chili.

I'd also recommend the Bar and Grill at the end of the pier, too, just DON'T embarrass yourself by eating at the nearby Burger King!.

Fully sated the ride continues to Balboa Pier where, if you turn left, you can go into Balboa proper.

The original Ruby's Diner is at the end of the pier.

At the end of the bike path, at E St., not F, as Mr. Reed's piece stated, I take a few quick lefts and rights to take Ocean Blvd. to the Balboa Penninsula.

The view of the Bay, and the rocky jetty extending out to sea is breathtaking.

Seeing a few hardy souls at the end of the jetty I decided to brave the possible high surf, and eat my remaining lunch out there before heading home.

So, with carefully chosen hops, skips, and jumps, I set off.

I get half way when the surf starts pounding higher on the rocks and I get a shower of spray for my brave efforts.

Deciding that it was the better part of valor to let Ma Nature win this first encounter, I turned tail and hopped, skipped, and jumped myself back the way I came, to finish my lunch safely on a park bench. :-)

I'd ridden 19 miles, and was tired, but happy.

I sat there, taking in the view (boats in the bay, homes on the opposite beach and cliffside), and after a while pedaled the 5 miles back to my apartment.

NOTE: For those interested the ride up Balboa Blvd., right through Old Town Balboa, takes you 1st through a residential area, then the business district, near the pier, and after that it's onward to PCH or Newport Blvd., and the city of Newport Beach.

2003-06-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, let's get this Bike back on the road shall we?

One of the things I want to do around here is write about the sites I have in my links, and I'll start with the one belonging to an ancient and honorable Cycling Club based in Los Angeles, Ca.

The Los Angeles Wheelmen are a Recreational Bicycling Club that has been around since the 1940's.

I belonged for a year or so,and went along for a few rides before life got in the way and prevented me from participating.

And now with my move to Orange County I didn't re-join.

My decision to start The Cycling Dude in the first place came from a challenge from the newsletter editor to send him our 2003 new Year's resolutions for publication.

This idea was one of them. :-)

The main page of the site has a site index that makes it easy to navigate the place.

After a brief intro various links to certain events, recent and upcoming, are presented along with photos of club officers.

The GRAND TOUR page is all about the 45th Annual event later this month that has rides of from 100 to 400 miles traveling from Malibu to points north and back.

This is an event known all over the world, and if you are up to it worth participating in.

One day i will do the 100 mile ride, I promise!:-)

The membership page tells how to join the club and receive the newsletter, THE GOOSENECK (it was an honor to contribute a few pieces last year).

The Photo Gallery is a fun look at club rides.

The Ride Overview page details the regular rides, and upcoming special events.

One event that I went to last year and missed this year was the FARGO STREET CLIMB.

This street must be seen to be believed. it is one of the steepest streets you will ever encounter, and folks come from all over to try to ride it, as does the media to cover the event.

There is a page detailing the current ride schedule if you want to come out and ride a few before deciding to join.

A PDF file of club By-Laws is available.

And, last but certainly not least, there is a page to links of other cycling clubs, and informational websites.

This a nice site, and the Club has a great bunch of members.

I will always have fond memories of my time among them.

2003-05-27T23:34:00.000-07:00

While I've been away visits to this blog have been steady with a lot of various GOOGLE and YAHOO searches bringing cyclists here for a look see.

All I can say to you fine folks is thanks for stopping by, and I hope you check out the archives, and links, because in some cases the answer to your quest lies there.

Another place I wish to thank for leading folks here is actually 2 related sites.

There is an interesting bicycle out there that you can learn about HERE, and at a weblog by one of the folks involved in the endeavor at BIGHA WEBLOG, where this site is listed as a popular read.

A perusal of my sitemeter stats led me to the startling discovery that it is by far the most popular single referal site, that is not a search engine, leading folks here (179).

This bike is, on first glance, unusual in several respects and, while not my cup of tea, may have benefits for commuters as well as recreational riders.

Visit the sites and judge for yourself.

Maybe the mainstream manufacturers need to be shaken and stirred by the advent of something new and different, and these folks could be the ones to do it. Who knows?

I say good luck to them! :-)

2003-05-26T22:36:00.000-07:00

FOLLOW-UP TO APRIL 2ND REVIEW OF ASPHALT MAGAZINE

Co-Publisher responds with answers to questions.

I am honored, and pleased that he would do so and, for your edification dear reader, am here reprinting in its entirety the e-mail I received, dated 4/30/03 ( the original review is in my archives for anyone who has yet to read it ):

Hi Kiril,
Just finding out about your review of Asphalt. Thank you for the mention.

I wanted to respond to a few of your questions, concerns:

Asphalt is a magazine aimed at the upper end of the market. We will only review bikes with a suggested retail of $2000 or more. The special interest bikes as I mentioned really don't occur below $1000 so the information we gave just isn't applicable in that price range. It's hard, in my opinion to make a particularly informed purchase in the sub $800 range. Nothing against good buys, mind you, we are simply focusing on the portion of the road bike market that has the most activity. As far as hybrids go, they really exist outside of our focus on the sport, which brings us to your next question:

What is a roadie?

For us, a roadie is someone who likes not only to ride on the road, but does so on a traditional road bike (drop bars and such). Again, nothing against hybrids, but Bicycling does that nicely and our interest is to cover something that no one else is dealing with. Our roadie prefers group rides (not races) to slow strolls on the bike path. Think club member and you'll get the idea.

Your concern about terminology is fair. It is our belief that we explained the terminology used well enough for anyone who has read other bike magazines to understand. Between the geometry chart and our explanations of the dynamics of bike handling, I think we did as much as possible in more space than anyone else has devoted to the subject in the last five years.

And your other concern, on stories about touring closer to home: As a national magazine, we have a duty to all of our readers to do stories close to home. Issue Two, which ships shortly, will focus on San Francisco in Great Towns. I think you'll like the evolution of the magazine.

Thanks for the kind words,
Patrick Brady
Co-Publisher
Asphalt Magazine

Can you say WOW!?

Can you say COOL!?

I knew you could.... :-)

2003-05-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

THE CYCLING DUDE PEDALS BACK INTO VIEW.........

On May 9th I moved into my new apartment in Costa Mesa, Ca., and have spent the last couple of weeks settling in to my new surroundings.

Part of that process has been getting out and riding the streets, bike lanes, and bike trails in my immediate area.

I took a 23 mile jaunt that I will write about soon, and as part of that ride I discovered a well known treasure of a bike trail practically at my back door.

This shorter ride has quickly become a regular morning routine for me, and as a taste of the type of writing I now plan to get back to immediately here, here is a brief description of this mornings ride:

One of the things I've discovered this past week that has given me new found energy to start the day, and to get my behind back into gear for more frequent blogging, is the Bike Trail around the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Preserve.

My bike ride, starting from my home, is almost 13 miles round trip, and takes an hour and 15 min. (barring distractions such as stopping to talk with morning exercisers, or grabbing a bagel).

8 of those miles are on a trail that winds its way around the Bay, from the NW to the east, south, and southwest along trail, and bike lanes.

The Bay is beautiful, peaceful, cool, and calm early in the morning ( 7-830am ) with only other cyclists, and some walkers, and joggers as company.

Of course, in addition to us humans, and the dogs some folks take for their walks, creatures of the animal kingdom abound here. In addition to all sorts of birds, I have seen squirrels, and today, bunny rabbits.

Those bunnies are brave souls, let me tell you, to dare to cross the road with all of us cyclists whizzing by at 15 miles an hour.

If one of us ran over one of the little critters, no doubt some lawyer for PETA would haul us into court for reckless driving, or something, and try to wiggle out of explaining why their client didn't stop, and look both ways, before crossing the road.

I thought bunnies were more intelligent than chickens..... :-)

The highlight of this mornings trek, though, had a Scottish tinge to it.

There I am pedalling along when suddenly the haunting sounds of a bagpipe come to me across the Bay.

Thinking I was imagining things I stopped to listen......

Nothing....

I continued on, and stopped when I heard it again.

This time I waited, and was rewarded with the sound coming across the bay along the road I was traveling down.

It was beautiful. The melodies were familiar, but I couldn't put a name to the tunes.

As I pedalled onward, listening as I went, i finally saw the player, walking along the side of the road toward me.

I stopped to watch, and when he came abreast I engaged him in a brief conversation, telling him I enjoyed his playing.

Seems he's a fireman who takes his instrument out for occasional walks along the Bay, to air it out, and give it something to do other than sit unused at home.

I'm sure anyone along the Bay today, and any day he's there, is mighty grateful that he does so. :-)

(If he sees this post, I hope he will leave a comment telling us the names of the tunes he was playing, as I forgot to ask him)

So, fellow cyclists, today is the dawn of a new day around here as I finally get back to posting regularly and to riding my bike for more than a commute to work.

Welcome to my world.....

2003-04-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

IOWA COUPLE MARRIES DURING BICYCLE RACE

IOWA CITY, Iowa - An old-fashioned wedding it was not - no wedding dress, no walk down the aisle, no champagne - just a couple of bike enthusiasts taking their marriage vows in cycling gear and helmets..........

Way back in early January I posted a piece of fiction I wrote about 2 cyclists meeting and falling in love, on the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, with a little help from THE ZORRO OF LOVE. :-)

Y'all probably thought it was cute, but highly unlikely to happen in real life.

Right? Come on, admit it! :-)

Well, there's hope after all!

True love CAN be found while pedalling yourself along on your trusty steed as seen in Iowa.

Read the rest of the story here:

VOWS OF MATRIMONY SPOKEN BY CYCLISTS

2003-04-16T09:45:00.000-07:00

Things are looking up!

I FINALLY got an apartment!

In Costa Mesa, California.

You know what THIS means don't you?

MORE TIME FOR BIKE RIDES!!!!

And the chance to put more time and effort into this place.

About damn time!

I can't wait for move in day, May 9th. :-)

2003-04-07T23:54:00.000-07:00

GOD, I JUST LOVE GETTING FLATS.... NOT!

Flat tires are a bummer, especially when they happen to the back tire.

We all have our stories, and the best thing about such stories are that while YOUR tale is a serious tragedy, of epic proportions, the escapades of other folks provide one with endless, amusing, entertainment.

Provided they don't involve any serious injury to the teller, that is.

Exibit A is provided by NORTHWEST NOTES, up Seattle way. :-)

It is a tale of woe involving a wisecracking bus driver and "ice pellets", and my sympathies go out to the teller of the story called... The Sound I Least Want To Hear.

Found any interesting cycling stories while surfing the net?

Send me an e-mail, and I'll share the link with the readership. :-)

2003-04-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

ASPHALT MAGAZINE: A REVIEW

Better late than never, yours truly opines on the latest entrant in the Bicycle Magazine Wars

Originally I had planned on posting this at the end of February but, due to my hectic life, didn't get finished reading the mag until mid march, and so I wrote this piece over the last week.

There should be a 2nd issue out about now, I think, and my hope is that after this review, and the links to brief snippets of articles, you will be inclined to search out both issues at a bicycle shop near you or through the mail.

Asphalt Magazine debuted with the Winter 2002 issue, is 82 pages, and is published quarterly..

On glossy paper, & full of color photos it retails for $9.95 (US DOLLARS).

Asphalt sets out to be a magazine devoted to road cycling as a lifestyle. The publishers and contributers say they aim to write honestly about "an experience so pure and central to our lives that the only people who understand are other cyclists."

The contents include not only feature articles, but articles written for several departments as well.

If you are just an ordinary road cyclist, like me, and NOT a racer or touring buff, a cursory glance might keep you from reading.
Don't be disuaded, though, because there is something here for everyone, just not as much as I'd like.

AT THE FRONT is a section devoted to advising the reader about various new products on the market, from bikes, energy bars, to bike parts, some quite expensive.

ROLL OUT is about more stuff, from body fat scales and gatorade, to cables and sunblocks.

The KEEPING IT FUN column, by Ron Peterson, focuses on what he calls "the Long Slow Ride": While his piece is geared toward the racer in the off-season, so to speak, his discussion about the benefits of long rides to your body and his ideas for making the ride fun are for anyone.

There are touring cyclists and then there are Touring Cyclists. Those of us who ride 20-70miles a trip, in the familiar environs of our own backyard counties, pat ourselves proudly on our backs, show off our photos and SAY we went touring....
Then there are the folks who travel half way across the country, or around the world, stay in hotels, and travel hundreds of miles through a state, country, or two, spending wads of money along the way.

STOLEN MOMENTS: Life at a Sustainable Pace, by Patrick Brady, is a piece that can be enjoyed by both groups.

The story details a trip around France and is an exhilirating, informative, and often funny saga chock full of absolutely gorgeous photos.

COACHING THE FUTURE, by J. P. Partland, is about Jr. Racing Coach Toby Stanton and his methods.

WHAT YOU ARE NOT BEING TOLD, by Patrick Brady, is a must read for those interested in the finer details of choosing the bike to buy.

The focus is on expensive bikes for racers and such folks, and there is a side piece on "Special Interest" bikes such as Criteriums, Touring, and Time-Trial bikes (but NOT Hybrids).

The questions I would have liked to have seen answered are: (1) Why is an informed purchase useful for the $200-800 spender?, and (2) How can it be useful for a person who doesn't understand the terminology?

The magazine has several BIKE TEST articles including the Aegis Aro Svelte, and Wylder Queen of the Road.

The back of the magazine includes a great Photo Gallery, a great article on cycling in New York City (Great Towns), by J. P. Partland, and an interesting piece on the Rivendell Bicycle Works (Tourchbearers).

The back page is a thoughtful essay by, Maynard Hershon, addressing fellow racers and the question of how they can give back to the cycling community, and help groom the next generation of riders.

In future issues I hope the writers:

(1) Include more articles, and reviews, for the everyday roadie who spends $200-800 for a road bike or hybrid (and less on equipment and supplies), and whose idea of touring involves day trips on streets, bike paths, or rail trails, or on such in neighboring states to where they live.

(2) Give their definition of a Roadie.

2003-04-01T12:58:00.000-08:00

April 1, 2003 -- Santa Barbara, California USA

BIKE LANES TO REPLACE HIGHWAY101!!

Santa Barbara, Calif.: In a surprise announcement from the SBCAG Board today, Highway 101 will be replaced by the Santa Barbara County Greenway.

"Is it just me noticing or is bicycle commuting way up in Santa Barbara and Goleta," a South Coast bicyclist recently asked.
It turns out that local trails, including the Atascadero, Cabrillo, and Battles Road, have indeed reached capacity as thousands of patriotic citizens choose to bike and walk to work this month in support of saving fuel during the Iraq war.

"Energy conservation, public health and low-cost freedom of travel are increasing concerns for the millions of overweight Americans driving gas-guzzling cars," said a local official.

For years, transportation agencies have widened Highway 101, and at one point they had even proposed removing thousands of trees and shrubs to add extra lanes. Today, that decision has been reversed, and expanding the bike path system will require transforming the highway into a greenway for people walking and bicycling.

The new facility will be part of the "Bicycle Greenway Network," which will eventually connect the entire state of California. With roadway congestion frequently reducing traffic to a standstill, officials realized that bike paths are ideal Civil Defense routes, and have asked the Office of Homeland Security to increase funding to build trails.

"A healthy, physically fit population capable of moving without fossil fuels is a key to our national interests in this time of war," said a security expert.

It was President Eisenhower who created the interstate system of "national defense highways." Discussions are now being held with federal agencies and Congress about the possibility of creating a national system of bike paths by converting the Interstates and other highways into greenway trails. A new organization called the "Roads-to-Trails Conservancy" has been formed to advocate for this highway-to-greenway conversion.

Throughout the nation, there are successful examples of highways being replaced by appropriate facilities. Portland, Oregon replaced its urban freeway with an esplanade, the former Embarcadero in San Francisco is now a boulevard, and the West Side highway in Manhattan has been converted into Hudson River Park. Historically, bicycling advocates in the late 1800's led a national campaign called the "Good Roads Movement" which called for the first paved roads in the US. That effort led in part to the creation of the Automobile Association of America, so today's announcement will bring bicyclists and motorists back to their historically common agenda.

While this release will strike some like a joke, it should serve as a serious reminder to us all that a balanced transportation system must include pedestrians, bicyclists, buses, trucks, planes, trains and automobiles to move America -- and our world -- forward in the 21st Century.

Thanks to April Furst for posting the above on the CABO Message Board, and putting a smile on my face to begin the week. :-)

2003-03-24T15:59:00.000-08:00

I am sorry I've been inactive here this month. I regret that my personal situation has me away from my computer 5 out of 7 days a week.

I had planned to post a magazine review to start my comeback and a spark to get this show definitively back on track, but the war & some cyclists way of protesting it got my attention and the review will be put off for another day.

For all those who have been coming here in their search for cycling info I thank you and urge yout to keep stopping by and to pass the word along about it.

I have big plans for it and slowly, but surely, will make this place the best that it can be.

2003-03-24T15:53:00.000-08:00

My CRITICAL MASS experience at the DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION in, Los Angeles, Ca. August 2000

In the aftermmath of this event I went looking for answers on the LACBC message board I was a member of.

8/16/2000: CRITICAL MASS was fun, but WHY did it end in a CRITICAL MESS?

Hello everyone:

A rowdy, orderly & peaceful 45 minute meander thru downtown ended in bottleneck, standoff, & arrests. Why? My sister is a LASD Officer so I can understand that the Cops were annoyed with our taking over the streets, & were counting Violations of traffic law, but I can't help but think the ride could have been ended in a different way as long as we stayed on streets we were supposed to stay on & had a final destination nearby.

Did we HAVE a final destination & were we supposed to be on WASHINGTON BLVD?

LATER IN THE DAY, after seeing no other 1st hand accounts of the event, but alot of posting of links to news articles & and decrying of the arrests by Police of bicyclists I wrote the following:

Yesterday's CRITICAL MASS

Hello everyone:

Since no-one important seems to want to give a first hand report of the ride, & more importantly it's aftermath (admittedly some folks won't be able to tell their stories untill they get tossed out of the hoosegow), I guess little ol' me, a 2nd time CM participant ( & last time, I might add ) will give my impressions of what I saw.

I arrived at the Library at 5pm when the riders were really beginning to gather. There were alot of reporters around talking to people, myself, Joe, & Ron among them about why we were riding in this event, & our concerns as Cyclists. L.A. Times, & L.A. Weekly were there, among others.

200 riders seems about right, but a bunch of media rode as well, so an accurate count of actual ride participants may be difficult to accertain.

At 530 someonr sttod above the crowd & made comments to the effect that this was a lawful ride on city streets & since this was during the convention we might all be spending the night in the pokie, or comments to that general effect, so , see this number on my arm? write it down in case you end up in jail, etc.....

Needless to say, most folks appeared not to write the number down or fully pay attention to this character.

His comments made me nervous, especially as the Bike Cops suddenly showed up & blocked our access to the street just as we were leaving, telling us to stay on the sidewalk. It looked to be about 50 cops in all.

I told the Times Reporter, that I was getting a little wary of the intent of this ride, & that if i felt the least bit uncomfortable about what was happening around me, I would without hesitation split the scene.

Except for Mr. Y'ALL MIGHT GET ARRESTED there didn't seem to be anyone in charge, or a hard & fast destination for the ride.

We just headed off south, then east on 6th, Cops in Tow.

At first, while in the east bound lane, we mixed with traffic, then got past them, & headed up Hill, then made our way to broadway, down to 7th, & then westbound.

We rode around downtown more than once, headed west of this area, & eventually on some small streets found ourselves East on Olympic to Figueroa & north again.

Let me say that for the most part, up to this point we didn't seem to be impeding or riding thru traffic. we were either ahead of or behind vehicular traffic.
Obviously we took up all lanes of trafic in the direction we were headed & as far as I could determine we were going in the correct traffic flow directions.

As we approached intersections, red & greenlighted, some riders made a point to sort of direct traffic & make sure we flowed thru the intersections, & even stopped if neccesary for safety & direction decisions.

The riders, spread out over 2 blocks at times, were loud & boisterous with their chants of LESS CARS, MORE BIKES & 2 WHEELS ARE BETTER THAT 4, among others, but stayed on their side of the street except for a few people here & there, & when we came to 1 way streets people spread out into all lanes.

Pedestrians & Drivers cheered us & waved in solidarity, the Cops followed, but did not interfere.

On Figueroa we found ourselves in amongst traffic & with a little difficulty, made our way past them back to 6th. we headed east to Grand, if I remember correctly, & headed South.

By this time I had pretty much figured out that no-one had the slightest idea where we were going to end up, & how long the ride would last. I kept hearing people mention something about PATRIOTIC HALL, but since i didn't know where that was, I just assumed we'd head west on Olympic to the Protest Area at Staples & end the ride there, slapping each other on the back for a successful & peaceful ride.

No such luck.

When we approached Washington Blvd. we turned to go west again.

Big mistake.

Our fault.

And the spark that set off what happened next:

I didn't fully understand why until I saw a map in the TIMES this morning.

As we continued on our merry way, a long line of Motorcycle Cops passed us on the METRO TRACKS & got ahead to block our path.

Being near the rear of the pack at this point, I immediately suspected we had unintentionally ( at least I hope none of the "ride leaders" intentionally took us down the wrong path) done something to tick the Cops off, & was disturbed to see we were forced to go down a couple of small side streets, out of public view.

When Bike Cops came up behind the bottleneck & started yelling for us to get on the sidewalk, I had enough & rode east instead of west before the cops blocked the escape route.

I wasn't the only one either. We found out that many in the front escaped as well, & the word was to head back to Pershing Square.

Over the next half hour we pieced together, thru cell phones & walkie talkies the news of the stand-off & the possiblity of arrests.

I left at 7pm to meet some friends in Hollywood, so what happened next i do not know, & have no firsthand knowledge of events on Washington after I left the ride & headed back to Pershing

This morning when I looked at the TIMES MAP of Traffic Flow, I realized that WE WERE IN THE WRONG by heading west on Washington because the flow of traffic was EASTBOUND ONLY.

I do feel that a peaceful end to the ride at that point could have still occured without arrests & panic, but that may be only wishful thinking on my part because i do not know the further details of the confrontation.

I sincerely hope that we were not deliberately led to our doom by the ride leaders, & would like to know why we didn't just head west on Olympic instead, because i feel that the Cops would have left us alone unless we encountered other less peaceful protests as we neared Staples.

This ride did not have to end this way. No way, no how.

As a final note, I took a bunch of pictures (none on Washington, sad to say, because Iwas afraid I would be prevented under the circumstances), & will make a 2nd set to send to the LACBC to share with the membership or use as our High Muckety-mucks see fit.

This is just one participants account as he remembers it, & should be judged together with accounts of others who may decide to recount their stories.

I guess I'm just looking for some answers.

I kept at it for days, trying to get anyone to answer for what happened, but no-one ever did. All the attention went to the police tactics & those arrested.

Because CRITICAL MASS is so heavily invested in claiming it is a leaderless activity it is very easy for those who lead it to avoid identifying themselves, and answering for their actions.

CRITICAL MASS risks being lumped in with those Anarchists who disrupt Economic Summits & are now hijacking the Peace Protests against the War on Iraq.

All sensible Cylists should avoid CRITICAL MASS.

2003-03-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

PROTESTING THE WAR AGAINST IRAQ ON 2 WHEELS

San Francisco Bicyclists Express Their Feelings With Pedal Power

Critical Mass ( a world-wide form of political protest and activism that is characterized by being primarily ANTI-CAR ) by whatever name, in my book, is STILL Critical Mass, and any Bicyclist who thinks this form of protest does the cause of Bicycling, and the image of Bicyclists any good is sadly mistaken.

I learned that in my encounter with the movement at the DNC in Los Angeles, when I almost got arrested when the ride deliberately went astray without warning to its participants.

The people active in this movement have alot of points to make about the value of Bicycling, the rights of Cyclists to the road, and many other related issues, but riding around town disrupting traffic and breaking traffic rules by not riding in a safe manner, risking injury in traffic, and confrontation with, and arrest by police is not the way to get these messages across in a way that helps the cause of Bicycling.

I promised myself not to write about this movement, or add related links to my links column, but this activity in San Francisco came to my attention in an e-mail sent to a list I belong to.

So, one time only, here is a link to Critical-mass.org.

The movement claims not to have an organization, or any leadership, but me thinks they deny this too loudly and too much.
It's a shame that groups such as the LACBC provide links on their websites, and list links in their newsletters.

What follows are links to a series of articles, and message board statements, with photos, and video, that covers actions of a group calling itself BIKES NOT BOMBS since the war started.

This sort of protesting may be ANT-WAR, PRO-PEACE, etc.., but it's NOT GOOD for the cause of BICYCLING.

It apparently all began with this Calling All Bicyclists

Other links:

Bikes Not Bombs each business day! -photos, flyer
Friday March 21, 2003 (flyer, photos and discussion)

Police pulling down Bikers on Market St.
Saturday March 22, 2003 (photos and call for witnesses)

Bicyling for Peace
Saturday March 22, 2003 (photos)

SFPD citing Cyclists
Friday March 21, 2003
(Report from a small group that got pulled over when a huge group
of motorcycles broke up a Bikes Not Bombs group. They were pulled
over for "no headlamp" -- get a Planet Bike $10 light that lasts
100 hours on two N batteries)

It's early for Critical Mass,,, Hooray it's every day!
Friday March 21, 2003

Bikes for Bombs are not the Black Bloc
Saturday March 22, 2003

I love this last one because it shows that these folks don't realize that the public at large, seeing images on TV, and reading news reports in their papers, will not pay attention to such disclaimers. Not enough people to make a difference will even see this piece.

2003-03-08T22:50:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm stopping by long enough to mention that I'm suprised at the number of employees at my work who also commute by Bicycle.

I began to notice that one of the 2 bike racks in front of the store was full of bikes ( 5 ) when I arrived on days my shift started when the store opened.

So it seems at least 5 other bicyclists are on the premises. :-)

2003-03-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't like riding my bike in the rain. :-)

It's been raining alot here in Southern California of late. :-)

I have been reading a few interesting things on cycling while commuting back and forth between Orange County and the Inland Empire, and have found a Tiny bike shop with a very interesting owner, in Newport Beach, that I'll be returning to some day soon.

Hopefully I'll have a chance to contribute more here later in the coming week.

Being unable to has been rather frustrating, trust me.

2003-02-20T23:58:00.000-08:00

Thoughts on Bicycle Commuting

Well, I'm home again for tomorrow, and as I check my blogs I come across a commenter who, when I visit her weblog, I discover has written an entertaining piece on Bicycling in Chicago, Skokie, & Seattle.

Fran's piece can be read at Northwest Notes: Bicycle stories..

Enjoy....

2003-02-15T00:45:00.000-08:00

A BICYCLE BUILT FOR TWO

Ok, so it's after midnite, guys, and since you forgot to get flowers and candy for your sweetie, you were banished for the night to the couch and, unable to sleep, you decided to surf the net and ended up here because of your interest in Bicycling.

As a thank you for your excellent taste in blogging choices I hereby am gonna help you out in your time of need:

STEP 1: Wake the Little Lady up and drag her back to the computer.

Don't forget to grovel with repeated "I'm Sorry's" & "Please Forgive Me's" as you explain, along the way, that you want her to "Pretty Please" listen to & read something you found online.

STEP 2: If you have made it this far then click on the link below.

Quick, now, before she wakes up completely, slaps you upside your sorry head, and goes back to bed!

Daisy Bell by Harry Dacre, 1892

STEP 3: If all goes according to plan she will instantly forgive you, if not for ALL your sins, then at least for the one that got you put in the dog house yesterday.

No need to thank me, now, just enjoy the rest of the night.

DISCLAIMER: I am NOT RESPONSIBLE for what may happen, of a negative nature, if you decide to try to accompany the music by attempting to sing along.......

Interesting Information about DAISY BELL: Including a Parody!

2003-02-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

Well, this is a fine kettle of fish.

I've been away from my computer for most of the last week due to my full work schedule and having to stay at my sisters house in Orange County.

The good news is that I'm home today & Saturday and am adding more links to the site, and a few posts as well.

I'll be glad when I find an apartment and can settle down into a routine again.

I got hold of a copy of a new Cycling magazine and have wiled away the time on the bus commute everyday reading the thing and planning how to write about it here.

I did manage to go riding about 20 miles along the coast over the weekend for my first taste of a long ride along the beach in Orange County.

I didn't do it with an eye toward writing about it here, but to just get out of the house, relax, and feel what a long ride is like again, after not having gone on one for quite some time.

I hope next week to ride the route from that magazine article I linked to last week. The ride I took was the northern end of that one for the most part, and will make for an interesting report when I get around to it.

One thing readers may notice is the focus on links, here, to clubs and organizations in California.

Since I live in this fair state its clubs and organizations will be highlighted ( which is good for tourists, vacationers, & folks planning to relocate especially ).

Putting every link to every such group in all 50 states, and Internationally, would be near impossible so I decided that, while there will be links to other states & nations, I want to concentrate on finding those links that will provide the most connections to clubs and organizations in their individual states and nations so keep your eyes peeled for such links in the future.

A sort of less is more solution to providing information.

I want my links to be an information resource for cyclists, and hope that what links I do provide prove useful to those who come upon them.

2003-02-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

In the Church of the Almighty Bicycle

And, now, for a little fun and laughter, and serious food for thought.....

Not being one who has ever owned a car, or understood their inner workings or mystique I don't usually read articles about them.

I made an exception, this morning, for an article I found in the LOS ANGELES TIMES.

In the church of the almighty auto: by Nancy Rommelmann.

My sense of humor saw the wonderful possibilities in playing a game of word switch, with many of the things the author said in her piece, to see how they sounded when thinking of bicyclists:

These were just a few ( MY WORDS IN BOLD ):

1. Trying to distill Southern Californians' relationships with their bicycles is as ridiculous as suggesting, "If you've got a few minutes, I'll explain this whole love thing."

2. What are our bicycles but daily devotionals that we need, adore and hate?

3. We name our bicycles, we yell at our bicycles.....

4. We take our bicycles for a long drive along Mulholland Drive at sunset.

5. When we are not engaged with our own bicycles, we're involved with others. We slobber over the ( name your manufacturer ) concept bikes at the Bike Expo. We ask the girl at the Farmers Market about her Trek

6. Our level of engagement with bicycles is never neutral. There is always a reason behind our choices, among them aesthetics, power, piety, and economy.

With this game in mind, reading the rest of this, fascinating in its own right, article on auto extremists gives one much to ponder.

In our love of all things cycling there are some of us who aren't that different, sometimes, than the person who thinks his/her car is anything but mere transportation.

2003-02-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

Long Beach Cyclist Strives to Lure Business Magazine Readers to Get Out of the Office and Pedal Along the Beach

As I went about the business of filing job applications, yesterday, I found some free reading material in the form of an Orange County business lifestyle magazine called OC METRO.

On the verge of tossing the little darling in the nearby trash, after perusing its table of contents, I spotted a piece on cycling and settled down to read it on the bus ride home.

The article is entitled Coastal Biking: Cruising on 2 wheels between Seal Beach & the Balboa Peninsula.

Having only travelled twice on one small stretch of this route ( in Newport Beach ) I was very interested in reading further because riding the whole route is one of the first things on my agenda in my new home.

I liked the writers approach to his tale right from the start. He begins as follows:

"Exercise is not a word that most of us confuse with "fun". Running laps on a treadmill or banging some weights at the gym are good for us, but they offer little in the way of stimulation.
Bicycling, however, offers both great exercise and ( if you choose the right location ) a mental workout, too. After riding along the Orange County coast you may not realize just how many calories you have burned."

Interspersing comments by a cycling expert & a local shop owner, the writer takes a simple, step by step, approach to the route.

He describes the route in stages, including degree of ease or difficulty, landmarks, mileage, sites to see, & places to refuel & go potty in a sometimes humorous pep talk of a travelogue that ends with some very good advice to riders of all skill levels.

The full round trip is approximately 36 miles and, if you tire out, there is always the OCTA # 1 bus to haul you and your steed back along PCH to your starting point.

If you get lost, using his directions........

Well, I won't have an opinion on THAT aspect of the story until I get a chance to put it to the test, hopefully in the next week or 2. :-)

The article, in its entirety, can be found here: Coastal Biking: by Jason Reed

Enjoy!

2003-02-06T13:57:00.000-08:00

AND YOU THOUGHT THE FREEWAYS WERE STUFFED TO THE GILLS DURING RUSH HOUR?

Try being a MOTORIST on ADAMS between Costa Mesa & Huntington Beach. :-)

Unbelievable! The bus was 20 minutes late. :-)

However, it's almost as bad at other times of the day or night so being able to ride a bike as a commuting alternative is great.

One evening, this week, I had the chance to do so for the first time and, even the bike lane didn't dampen my enthusiasm.

The distance from my work, to my sisters house is aproximately 5 miles, and the route has a couple of easliy managed rolling hills.

It took me only 30 minutes, and felt alot quicker.

I am already discovering that many of the main N/S & E/W streets are heavily used, and that this usage by commuters played a big role in the redsign of the MASS TRANSIT ROUTES in the county to having many routes that spend most of their time going in straight lines, or at least on one street or a combo of 2-4 instead of numerous twists and turns down side streets that no-one cares to use.

As a bicyclist, especially one unafraid in traffic, I find much to recommend, on first contemplation, this street layout, even with alot of hilly stretches.

I may change my mind after further exploration, but for now......

2003-02-06T13:36:00.000-08:00

GETTING BACK IN THE FAST ( BIKE ) LANE

Ok, it's been a hectic 1st week in Orange County, but in between commuting by bus to and from work, I've managed to read an interesting article on cycling in OC, and one on cars that had me laughing when I substituted certain words to make it more cycling centered.

Oh, and I had my first cycling excursion on the streets of my future cycling playground......

2003-02-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

I'm surrounded by Rollies!

Big ones! Small ones! Long ones! Short ones!

Orange County has a zillion of them!

Or so it seems....

Over the last few days, as I apartment hunted and traveled to and from work, I have seen more hilly stretches of pavement than I can keep track of. :-)

To be a serious cyclist here means staying in shape because you will definitely get a workout in many areas of the County. :-)

Another thing I've noticed is the sheer number of BIKE LANES everywhere you ride in Orange County.

BIKE LANES have their uses, but I don't feel bound to use them exclusively if staying out of them is safer, or I can use a different route.

Just like I'm NOT one of those who thinks the CAR/TRUCK/SUV is the spawn of the Devil. I'm also not one of those who thinks the BIKE LANE is their 3rd cousin, once removed, or something like that. :-)

2003-02-02T20:27:00.000-08:00

To the annonymous individual or individuals who were instrumental in THE CYCLING DUDE being chosen as BLOG OF THE MONTH in the current e-mail Newsletter of the CALIFORNIA BICYCLE COALITION:

Thank You! :-)

I am honored that you think so positively of my new born baby. :-)

2003-01-30T17:51:00.000-08:00

A hearty thank you to Kristen, of the blog called Bundles Of Wonderful, for the link!

Seems she's happier than a cat in catnip over finding another Cyclist in the BLOGGERVERSE. :-)

Just take a look at her photo gallery for pictures of SOLVANG 2002, a couple of triathlons, and the Avila Criterium.

She's from up San Luis Obispo way & is a not just a ROAD RACER for the University, but also participates in MTB RACING.

Brave, & energetic, gal, she is. :-)

Oh, and she likes HORSES. :-)

Relatively new to blogging she has a very interesting site, and her cycling posts are fun to read.

Welcome to the BLOGGERVERSE, Kristen! :-)

2003-01-29T17:14:00.000-08:00

NO, MY BIKE HASN'T GOTTEN A FLAT!

This has been a hectic week for me, and plans for posting some stuff have been delayed.

Have no fear, though, things are just picking up steam around here. :-)

There is a re-design in the works, now that I've upgraded to BLOGSPOT 25+, that includes a new layout that will make things easier to read & enjoy [ that IS why I started this place, for your, and my enjoyment, dear reader :-) ].

And, soon, no distracting BANNER ADS! :-)

Once I get my ADOBE PHOTODELUXE & SCANNER to kiss & make up I hope to add photos to spice things up a bit.

Another reason I've been scarce is that I've got an immediate transfer to a TARGET ( Yup, I am a Cashier for them, in the Inland Empire ) in Orange County, effective this coming Sunday, so moving to new digs in Republican Country is in the near future.

So immediate plans to take some rides in the Inland Empire & write of my survival & experiences are now superceded by having to learn the lay of the land in Orange County, instead.

My ride Notebook has few Orange County Rides, compared to LA & San Bernardino County, but I still plan to write about them all, don't worry. :-)

In the meantime, especially once the new look is in place, please feel free ( & daring! ) to visit my archives. :-)

2003-01-26T01:44:00.000-08:00

MORE ON SIGNS

As I rode to and from work today I thought some more about slogans bicyclists of various political bents might be seen waving about.

I forgot to mention, earlier, that at ANY event where folks are waving signs about, regardless of the political persuasion, there will be the chap with the JOHN 3:16 sign.

Only these particular fellows would have an Angel on a bicycle on one side of the sign. :-)

As for my fellow Democrats my first thought was of a sign saying:

GIVE ME A BICYCLE, OR GIVE ME DEA...

Then I realized that it was probably TOO EXTREME even for a Democrat. The Greens maybe? :-)

Democrats would more likely be seen waving these:

Not One Bike Lane In My Back Yard! ( NOBLIMBY )

Hug a Bicycle Today!

A Bike Ride a Day keeps the Doctor Away!

Bicycles Have Feelings, Too!

No Bicycles, No Peace!

Make Bicycles Not Bombs!

I Brake For Tricycles!

Safe Cycling Saves Lives!

Practice Safe Cycling, Use a Helmet!

Bicycles Don't Kill People, People Do!

I Flunked Bikeaholics Anonymous!

Then there are the ORGANIZATIONS, a cyclist might wish to join, such as:

NAMBA: North American Marvelous Bicycle Association

PETOB: People for the Ethical Treatment Of Bicyclists

Ok, it's after 130 in the AM here, and I'm getting sleepy....

If anyone on the Republican side of the Bike Path has any suggestions then send them in.

My sense of humor is an equal opportunity amuser & offender. :-)

I mean why should the Motorist have all the fun laughing at us Bicyclists, when we can have just as much fun laughing at ourselves? :-)

2003-01-25T13:18:00.000-08:00

AN INVITATION

As my posting of Dan's piece, a while back, illustrates, while MY opinions and commentary will make up the majority of such items that I post here, posting links to the writings of others, OR posting ( & giving credit to the writer ) items of interest to bicyclists, of a reasonable length, submitted by others, is something I feel is worth doing as my time permits.

By items of interest I don't just mean opinions and commentary, but reports from participants in an event, & even links to news stories related to bicycling in some fashion that appear in your local newspaper. Know of a bike shop that opened BEFORE 1941 that has an internet presence? Let me know. You get the idea.

Feel free to send submissions to me, at the e-mail listed above, and you just MAY find yourself linked to from here, or your submission posted for all to see and even comment upon.

And, be aware that I will most likely have something to say, myself, about the contribution, if linked to, or posted. :-)

2003-01-25T13:04:00.000-08:00

DO REPUBLICANS RIDE BICYCLES, TOO??

I mean, Republicans to the far right of former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, that is. :-)

I strongly believe there are and that they CAN BE FOUND running around SOMEWHERE waving signs proclaiming:

RIGHTWINGERS FOR BICYCLING!

Pedal, for Godssake, don't drive!

Save Your Soul, Ride a Bicycle to Church!

Even Rich Folk Ride Bicycles!

Join Your Personal Driver on a Tandem!

If you, dear reader, can think of any more such slogans of the Right-Leaning Bicyclist send them to my e-mail for inclusion & credit in a future entry. :-)

2003-01-25T11:24:00.000-08:00

THE PEDALING HISTORY BICYCLE MUSEUM WEBSITE: A REVIEW

I've spent the morning pedaling around this website a bit more than I did in the brief time I had available when I discovered it yesterday, and it's a fascinating site.

The Museum, itself, is located in Orchard Park, New York, and bills itself as "the world's largest Museum soley devoted to the impact of the Bicycle on our lives."

The first thing that gets the visitors attention is the colorful, and amusing, EVOLUTION OF THE CYCLIST that is incorporated into the site name banner ( I guess that's what ya call it! ).

My favorite "step" up the road shows the first Cave-cyclist & his trusty steed. ( This guy probably was President of the Bedrock Wheelmen Cycling Club & a neighbor of Fred & Barney ) :-)

Next are links & to and about several new books about cycling.

The next item featured is an invitation to join a Group Guided Tour of the place, and the pitch is enough to make any cycling enthusiast wish his or her vacation would hurry up & get here.

Next up is an introduction to the MUSEUM, and if that photo of ancient bicycles, on display, doesn't whet your appetite for more.....

This introduction is a must for the pictures alone, but there are other things to recommend a look: a gift shop link, links to monthly Special Events Info, including the upcoming Black History Month and its emphasis on the history of African-Americans & Cycling, & links to other exhibits around the USA.

On the left side of the page are a series of useful & interesting links, including:

The BICYCLE HISTORY link is what brought the site to my attention, and for a person, like myself, who has little idea of the history it was an education, and a pleasure to read.

For one thing, learn why, in 1896, Susan B. Anthony said that, "the bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world."

BOOKS: The Museum sells & also publishes many great books on Cycling.

If you have money burning a hole in your pocket, and love collecting POSTERS, then this link will empty your wallet for a long time to come. The humor, and beauty, of these items is a joy just to look at.

There is a link to Travelling Exhibits for those of us too poor, or busy, to travel to New York.

There is a link to information about International Cycle History Conferences which are intended to "advance our knowledge of the roots of bicycling and to give due recognition to the pioneers."

Anyone who rides a bicycle, for sport, commuting, or recreation, & is interested in learning about the Bicycle, will find visiting the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum worthwhile.

2003-01-24T12:16:00.000-08:00

THE BIRTH OF THE BICYCLE: A 1st Look

Observant folks will have noticed the date 1817 in the intro at the top of the page, and some have probably been wondering about that.....

Afterall, wasn't the 1st contraption to actually be called a "bicycle" invented in 1870, & weren't "safety bicycles" born in the 1880's?

Well, this site has a brief, and interesting, History of Bicycle Design.

And then there is this from a teaser on the Encyclopedia Britannica site ( but to read more about early bicycle history you have to have a subscription ):

"The first two-wheeled, rider-propelled machine of which there is evidence was the draisienne, invented by Baron Karl de Drais de Sauerbrun and exhibited in Paris on April 6, 1818."

Not to worry! Here is an interesting site I just discovered that has a wealth of information!

Pedaling History Bicycle Museum

Enjoy! :-)

2003-01-23T07:54:00.000-08:00

A MOST UNUSUAL, AND FASCINATING, BICYCLE MAKER

Peter Wagner makes new bikes.

Not just any bikes, mind you, but a rather unconventional collection of the darlings. :-)

This Davis, Ca., man, the inventor of something called the "Whymcycle" loves bikes, and lives in a cycling loving town known for its annual bike parade, the Cyclebration.

I agree with his sentiment that "Bikes are a low-cost, fun way of transportation"

Read all about him & his contraptions, in an article from the August 18-24, 2002 issue of AMERICAN PROFILE, at The Bicycle Recycler

2003-01-22T07:31:00.000-08:00

CARNIVAL OF THE VANITIES #18

The newest CARNIVAL is up & running, with lots of great reading to wade thru including one piece by yours truly, so check it out to see what the BLOGGERVERSE has to offer!

Yourish.com

2003-01-19T11:04:00.000-08:00

SUV Driver to Cycling Dude: U SUCK!

Well, I ASSUME the person who gave me my 1st negative rating, on BLOGHOP yesterday, is a Motorist. :-)

There is, of course, no way to know for sure, or to know WHY they think this site, and your Humble ( Sweet, innocent look appears on face ) Correspondent, sucks, unless the individual bravely e-mails me, or posts comments ( & that goes for you folks graciously rating me at EATONWEB, all 25 of you so far! )

I would love to know your thoughts on the things discussed here.

The invitation to dialog is open, folks.... I won't bite.

CLEOPATRA ( that's my Trusty Steed ), though...... :-)

2003-01-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

BIKE LANES: HEAVEN OR HELL?

1st thoughts

1. The welfare of good cyclists is not the objective of the Bike Lane.
2. The judgement of Lane Designers is suspect.
3. You are often better off NOT using the Lane, and riding using proper road riding behavior.

After many moons of pedaling the pavement I have finally come across a bike lane that cements my feeling that riding in a Lane can be dangerous.

This lane is several miles long, on a major street, and is positioned to the LEFT of parked cars...... IN THE DOOR ZONE.

Yes, you read right, cars are allowed to park along the curb in the area NORMALLY reserved for Bike Lanes, & where bike riders would travel anyway.

Wassup with that?

This means trouble, and despite the supposed convenience I've decided to use another route to get to my destination.

I don't like Lanes because they give cyclists, AND motorists a false sense of security.

The naive cyclist assumes the motorist won't intrude on his path, and the ignorant motorist believes that cyclists BELONG in the gutter, and should never share the rest of the road.

The rest of us, cyclist and motorist, know otherwise.

Bike Lanes cause hazards in all sorts of locations and situations for the cyclist, and I've begun to realize, over the years, that being a vehicular cyclist instead of always hugging the gutter is a safer way to travel.

The added fact that I am more likely to encounter glass, gravel, and other trash & debris that could cause my steed a flat, while hugging the curb, is further reason to avoid being restricted to using such an area.

I share the public roadway with motorists, and as long as I practice safe cycling techniques I should have little to fear from motorists or them from me.

The more motorists, and cyclists, who learn to properly, and safely, share the road, the better traveling upon it will be for both of us.:-)

2003-01-17T21:43:00.000-08:00

THE FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD BICYCLE SHOP

Before the Bicycle Chain ( pun definitely intended! ) Conglomerates There Were the Family Shops of an Independant Nature

Do you remember your 1st visit to a bicycle shop?

Did your family buy their bikes and get them repaired at the same shop, generation after generation?

Do you take YOUR kids to the same shop for their cycling needs?

Do you consider the owners, and employees to be friends?

ARE they family?

Bicycling is 186 years old.

America was changed forever by WW2.

So I figured why not make a fuss over those Bicycle Shops that have been around since Hector's GRANDFATHER, or even GREAT-GRANDFATHER, was a Pup.

or, possibly, even earlier.... :-)

That is the reason for the links I've added today. To honor those shops & their off-shoots, if any, that have been around since BEFORE 1941.

I have been a steady customer of Coates for 20 years, and while I don't know the names of the employees, and have only met the owner a few times, in the course of making a purchase, I continue to be pleased with the service they provide, and the products they sell.

The Bike Shop peddles the merchandise to us, and we pedal it away.

The next time you visit your favorite shop, say thank you for the many years of service. It will be appreciated.

Trust me....

2003-01-15T21:33:00.000-08:00

CARNIVAL OF THE VANITIES # 17

For those who wish to get their fill of the writing of interesting bloggers they may not have ever heard of then CARNIVAL is the place to visit each week.

This weeks edition is hosted by greeblie blog & can be found on 2 posts. 1 from the 14th, & one from today, the 15th.

The selection of entries is varied so prepare yourself for a good long visit with some interesting folks.

I am proud to say that one of those entries is by yours truly.

Enjoy. :-)

2003-01-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

WHAT DO BICYCLISTS WISH FOR?

Are Our Dreams, Impossible Dreams?

I, for one, don't think they are.

As Bicyclists we wish for alot of things beyond just the smoothest pavement, the coolest bike, and the Perfect Bike Ride.

There's the hope that every place we shop, eat at, and otherwise spend our hard earned cash has a Bicycle rack, and especially one worthy of the name.

There's the hope that our mode of transportation, to and from work, is taken seriously by our employer, and co-workers.

There is the wish that sombody would bloody-well hurry the hell up and invent the 100% punctureless inner-tu.....

Ok, ok, sorry I got carried away there for a moment...... :-)

In 2001, a contributer to a message board I used to frequent wrote a wonderful piece concerning HIS Cyclist dreams.

I loved it so much that I saved it for future reference.

With the birth of this Blog I hit on the idea of sharing this piece with a wider audience than it had previously had, and so secured the individuals permission to post the piece here.

Dan is a long time cyclist. He is both teacher, and activist. A man whose knowledge and opinions have always impressed me.

He provided me with several of the links you see in the column to the left, is a member of several of the organizations listed, and I look forward to reading the links more fully, and commenting about them here.

So, without further ado, let me turn this space over to someone with a dream, actually several dreams, that all cyclists can eagerly get behind:

I ALSO HAVE DREAMS

By Daniel A. Gutierrez
Aerospace Cycling Club, Founder and Current President
Long Beach Cyclists, Technical Advisory Committee Chair
CA Assoc. of Bicycling Organizations (CABO), District 7 Director
League of American Bicyclists (LAB), Certified Instructor, LCI #962
International Bicycle Transportation Institute (BTI), Founding Board Chair

1. I have a dream that I'll not be the only vehicular cyclist, riding safely & legally in traffic, that I encounter on my morning cross county commutes.

2. I have a dream that ALL bicyclists will become empowered (critical mass=1) & learn to use the many thousands of miles of roads they already own, rather than fear them.

3. I have a dream that bicyclist advocates will 1st & foremost support cyclists' rights to safely & legally use all public roads, rather than help the anti-bicyclist forces (motorists, pedestrians, & many bicycle riders) push cyclists onto bike lanes & bike paths.

4. I have a dream that bicyclists will not be an afterthought in the planning & design of ALL public roads & that bicyclist education will be supported & funded by local government.

5. I have a dream that bicyclist advocates will encourage cyclists to improve their cycling skills & thereby replace fear of traffic & unsafe maneuvers with knowledge of traffic, rather than seeking dangerous facilities that promote low skill levels, unsafe maneuvers & reinforce existing fear.

6. I have a dream that bicyclist advocates will stop actively discriminating against skilled cyclists that already use major roads safely by falsely claiming that those same roads are mean, unsafe, or "not viable commute routes."

7. I have a dream that bicycle advocates will stop confusing bicyclists with pedestrians & acknowledge that transportation cyclists require MORE, not less, integration with motor vehicle traffic on public roads, & require MORE, not less, separation from pedestrians on so called "bike paths".

8. I have a dream that bicycle advocates will realize AND acknowledge that ALL public roads are already bicyclist facilities & that bike lane stripes don't "create space" for bicyclists , they take it away; even a narrow traffic lane is wider than a bike lane!

9. I have a dream that I will not have to build special re-inforced wheels for efficient bicycle commuting; so bad are the present surface conditions of many major roads.

10. I have a dream that when I arrive at my destination by bicycle , that safe & secure parking will be available.

11. I have a dream that the public will stop telling me that I'm crazy for bicycling major arterial roads, which are fast, safe & convenient for transportation.

12. I have a dream that bicyclist advocates will someday wake up & realize that "cyclists fare best when they act as & are treated as drivers of vehicles" & act accordingly...

********

Ok, dear reader, what do you think of Dans dreams?......

2003-01-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

READ A BOOK, RIDE A BICYCLE!

NO, Not at the Same Time, Silly!!

I have 3 books on CYCLING in my book collection that I highly recommend, and will get more into, here, on another day.

For now, it is sufficient to list the titles and suggest perusing the usual internet suspects for available copies.

THE TITLES:

BICYCLING FOR DUMMIES by Allen St.John ( MY edition is from 1999 )

URBAN BIKERS' TRICKS & TIPS: Low-Tech & No Tech Ways To Find, Ride, & Keep a Bicycle by Dave Glowacz ( MY edition is from 1998 )

And MOST IMPORTANTLY!

EFFECTIVE CYCLING by John Forester ( MY edition is the 6th, published in 1993, with a 4th printing by 1999 ) ( THIS outstanding, MUST HAVE, book frst appeared in 1975! )

Another book that I forgot to mention, last week, that I used for bike routes is the following:

SHORT BIKE RIDES IN AND AROUND LOS ANGELES by Robert Winning ( Published in 1993 )

2003-01-13T23:57:00.000-08:00

I would like to thank Life on the Ridge for the mention today, and a hearty GOOD LUCK! to her nephew, a nationally ranked Mountain Biker in the 16-18 yr. old group.

And a word to those afraid to tackle the open road on a Bicycle:

The nephew used to think ROAD CYCLING was for WUSSES.

He has since seen the light. :-)

Anyone who has read my other blog and seen my links, knows that I read and enjoy a blog known as A KITCHEN IN BRABANT.

Perusing the last few entries in THIS blog reminds me of why I enjoy the KITCHEN, and I will definitely add it to the links at the other place and check out her archives.

2003-01-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

I ride to work everyday. It is 5 miles each way and takes me only 35 minutes. :-)

My admiration goes out to those hearty souls who commute 15 or more miles each way every day. :-)

2003-01-11T22:04:00.000-08:00

THE END OF THE BEGINNING

Well, that's that.

The week that was is almost over, and you, dear reader, have the first offerings of THE CYCLING DUDE to read, enjoy, rate, and comment upon.

The place is still evolving, especially my ever growing list of links, but I am pleased with the start of this journey and hope that you, and those that follow, tag along with me.

Spread the word.....

The word is BICYCLING. :-)

2003-01-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

WHAT THE BLOGGERVERSE IS SAYING

.... About yours truly and /or the BLOG.

And, I'm not just talking praise, here, folks.

I'm talking about the brickbats, and the humorous as well. :-)

Take a look at the first in the rotation, at the top of the page.

As I collect more quotes the rotation will become monthly, then weekly. :-)

2003-01-11T20:13:00.000-08:00

AND SOOO.... WHO AM I, AND HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN THE SADDLE?-- PT. 4

My adventures have taken me to such places as Route 66 in San Bernardino, Turnbull Canyon near Whittier & Hacienda Heights, and Carbon Canyon In Chino.

I love riding along the expanse of San Gabriel River, Santa Ana River, and Los Angeles River Bike Trails.

I've travelled 40 miles from Pasadena to Pomona, 45 miles from Santa Clarita to Pasadena, and 45 miles from Pomona to Lake Elsinore.

I discovered the joys of the Mountains by riding along Highway 39, Glendora Ridge, & Mount Baldy Road.

I've explored San Pedro, and the Los Angeles, & Long Beach Harbor areas.

I've participated in 2 ACURA LA BIKE TOURS, THE LAPD PATROL BENEFIT FUN RIDE, THE LA CITY FUN RIDE , and more.

I've travelled very few of the routes in my notebooks, over the years, because life has had a way of preventing me from finding the time to do so, and yet I HAVE found the occasional opportunity to ride with local bike clubs, and even joined the LA WHEELMEN

I have this goal to use this blog as an incentive to make the opportunities to ride those rides in my notebook and share my experiences.

Even though I've enjoyed my solo travels I've found I like riding with groups and meeting and getting to know my fellow riders.

One thing I've learned over the years is that a Mountain Bike is the worst bike to ride for a Road Cyclist.

I switched to what is known as a HYBRID, and haven't looked back. :-)

Hybrids are part Mtn Bike, part Racing Bike, and the best bike for road riding a recreational cyclist could want, in my humble opinion.

I spent $700 on a 27 SPEED, silver SIRRUS SPORT, and enjoy it tremendously.

I love cycling for the exercise, as a mode of transportation, and for its environmental friendliness.

There are millions of folks, like me, out there riding everyday, and this blog is my attempt to spread the word about this great recreational activity and the ever growing, & evolving, part it plays in our society and culture.

There are alot of cycling sites out there with alot of interesting things to say. There are activists, clubs, events, paths, products, shops, & trails, known and unknown, publicised and not, and I want to get the word out as well as write about my travels, and share my thoughts and opinions, and fiction, and humor on the subject on cycling.

A friend recently asked me a question.

He wrote:

"Nicholas Baker, in his most recent novel, uses a box of kitchen matches as a master metaphor for mortality.

So ... a bicycle is a metaphor for _____ ?

Inquiring minds gotta know.

Your assignment, should you be willing to accept it, is to tell us what bicycle MEANS.

At first glance, it might, like the box of dwindling matches, also be a metaphor for mortality.

Trips on a bicycle are not unlimited.

Then again, maybe it's not about WHERE you are going, but HOW you get there.

However, in my advancing age, I have discovered that its not about where or how you go.

What is most important is WHO you're with."

Well, JASPAR, my friend, at this point I don't really know the answers.

What, dear readers, do YOU think?:-)

I've never really thought about any of that before.

Maybe I'll have answers as this site progresses and evolves.

I'm 42 years old and, still, single, and plan to outlive Strom Thurmond, so there is plenty of time to ponder these great questions. :-)

2003-01-09T22:13:00.000-08:00

AND SOOO.... WHO AM I, AND HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN THE SADDLE?-- PT. 3

The riding solo, and with my sister gave me the urge to explore further afield...

And so I did, using my home as the starting, and ending, point of each journey.

I also continued to ride my bike to work as well.

In early 1995 I got it into my head to bring a camera along & take pictures of what I encountered along the way on these jaunts.

So, in March, I headed up San Dimas Canyon Road alongside the creek, and into the mountains to the Dam. Round trip about 20 miles or so.

The pictures show the river, the Dam, the mountains and, thanks to the kindness of strangers, my bike ( a blue Mtn. bike since my last one was stolen ) & I several times.

One day, in the early spring of 1996, I walked into a bike shop looking for a headlight & came out with a book as well.

The book was entitled BICYCLE RIDES: LOS ANGELES COUNTY by Don & Sharon Brundige, a couple based out of San Pedro, Ca.. it was the 1991, revised edition ( there is also a 2000 edition, now! ).

What caught my attention was the cover picture of 3 cyclists pedaling on a path in Long Beach, with the Queen Mary in the backround, and the mention that there were 62 routes along beaches, parks, canyons, harbors, and other places inside the book.

For days I poured over this book, and 2 other books I found, soon after, on the shelves at the bookstore where I worked:

TOURING THE LA AREA BY BICYCLE by Peter Powers (1992) and THE BEST BIKE RIDES IN CALIFORNIA by Kimberly Grob (1995)

I was in heaven! I had this burning desire to hit the road on some of my days off.

But there was one problem: How in the hell was I to get to & from these bike rides?

Fortunately for me 3 of the areas Mass Transits had added, and were about to add bike racks to the front of their busses.

That spring an idea hit me: If I can get there by BUS, & get home by BUS, riding far afield would be a piece of cake!

And, so, with these books, 2 Thomas Bros. map books covering 4 counties, and all the bus schedules I could get my grubby little fingers on, an ongoing project was born.....

After all these years that project FINALLY has a name: Call it PROJECT CYCLING DUDE. :-)

1 1/2 small spiral notebooks, and plenty of pens have led to my having more than 80 bike routes written down, ready to be explored.

One thing I discovered in developing the routes was that some places changed over time, & adaptations to the route needed to be made.

Another was that sometimes the bus stops were not close to the start or finish of the route, and yet another was that, upon looking at the routes in the books, and in the Thomas Guides, I realized how short some were.

I decided to make my OWN routes, of longer mileage, using the Thomas Guides, & bus schedules to expand upon the routes of the original authors.

A by-product of this was that I also created routes of my own design as well.

Keep in mind, now, that I'd never travelled along 95% of these routes, even by car, and had no real clue of the terrain I might encounter or how populated the neighborhoods.

That summer I began to journey out into the wilds of the Southern California inner city & suburban landscapes, and even inched up into a few foothills as well.....

2003-01-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

ON BEING NOTICED

In less than a week more than 50 visitors have stopped in to take a look at this humble establishment.

From as far away as France, China, Australia.... and Los Angeles, even.:-)

The international reach of the World Wide Web never ceases to amaze me, and the fact that some bloke, or blokette in some Australian city finds my initial offerings, here, worthy of adding a link on THEIR site deserves notice, and a very sincere, and heartfelt thank you.

So, THANK YOU, Zephyrrider!

She is an 18 yr. old fellow cyclist, down under, who has the amazing ability to hold forth intelligently, and amusingly, on such varied topics as frolicing in a sauna, cross dressers, randy lizards, and our Prez, the SHRUB himself!

She swears she is a genuine, kind-hearted soul, with no evil in her at all, and I ain't gonna dispute her claim. :-)

Afterall, she likes The Cycling Dude, and anyone who likes ME can't be evil, now can they? :-)

Pay her a visit at A dose of daily bliss.

If she puts the COMMENT thingie back up tell her I sent ya over for a look see. :-)

2003-01-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

AND SOOO.... WHO AM I, AND HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN THE SADDLE?-- PT. 2

Early Summer, 1968....

Vietnam, Kennedy, King, Chicago, and Claremont, Ca.

A boy and his bicycle out for a ride.....

A neighborhood bully turns a jump rope into a lasso and snags the back wheel of the boys bike....

The boy falls and bangs his head on the hard, hot, concrete....

And a police car turns the corner, at that exact moment, & thus an officer of the law snatches the boy in his arms, puts him in the back seat and roars off to Pomona Valley Hospital.....

I remember little Andy French, to this day, as being so horrified by his actions that he later apologized and we briefly became friends until I moved aways before the summer was over.

I remember, vaguely, being in a room at the hospital, under some device that scanned my head to see if my intelligence had raised or dropped a notch or 2 due to my collision with the pavement, or something to that effect.

My parents were scared to death, but I lived.... and even was smart enough to later go to college. :-)

1969 saw us move to a house in Pomona, Ca. that my family owned for the next 28 years.

Those first few years were hard as my Dad went insane and spent the last 18 years of his life in and out of mental institutions, and my Mother raised me and my 2 sisters alone.

During my teenage years I grew up very, very fast, helping my Mom.

In my photo collection there are NO pictures of me on a bicycle until JUNE 1993.

I remember having a 3-speed, thru Junior High, and 3 10-speeds from high school thru the 1980's, but don't ask me to tell you the models, or their colors because I can't remember.

I rode the bikes to the library, the store, work, and similar events.

I knew about bike lanes, but if you had told me there were other places to ride a bike than a public street I wouldn't have believed you, even as an adult in the early 80's.

It was in the early 1990's that I bought my first Mountain Bike.

It was an ACAPULCO GIANT, and was white.

The photos show me, my youngest sister, and her boyfriend riding our bikes around Puddingstone Lake, at Bonelli Park, in San Dimas, Ca.. It was June 1993.

My sister had been a long distance runner in High School in the mid 80's and she told me of a path around the lake used by runners, walkers, and cyclists.

So I started , once a week, riding from our house to, and around the lake, and back home, a 10 mile ride.

I found that I loved it! :-)

Sometime over the next 2 years I developed an interest in riding my bike further afield, and it was that interest that led me to books by Don & Sharron Brundige.

In a small, but significant, way my recreational life was about to change forever.....

2003-01-07T21:09:00.000-08:00

AND SOOO.... WHO AM I, AND HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN IN THE SADDLE?-- PT. 1

I am tickled pink that you asked!

I know, I know, I asked. :-)

Just go with it ok? I'm from California, and the smog makes us act weird. It's one reason I took up cycling as a child in the first place ( No, not to stay healthy! But, because being a Cyclist, in car mad California is to be the epitome of weird. Well, to some anyway ). :-)

By different routes my parents came to California in the late 40's and early 50's.

My Dad by boat and train, and my Mom by car along Route 66.

By the time they met in around 1955/6 both had pretty much forsaken their Patriotic Duty to learn how to drive & own a car and, instead let their feet do the travellin' and also fell in love with the Bus ( sit back, relax, leave the drivin' to us! ) at about the time the famous RED CAR Trolley Lines snaking out in all directions from downtown Los Angeles were breathing their last (That darn SMOG flexing it's muscles, no doubt!).

I have this vision of my Dad proposing to my Mom, in 1957, on the steps of the front end of the old RTD Line 60G as it sits out in front of the Pomona Train Station.

I never did find out if that was REALLY how it happened. :-)

Anyway, one lazy summer afternoon, or evening, in late June/early July 1959 a future Cyclist was conceived, and at 830am on March 5th of the following year I made my Grand Entrance.

Flash forward 6 months to my first exposure to modes of transportation...

My parents thought that plopping me down on a rocking horse would be cute.

The photo shows a fat, shirtless baby, in diapers, and straw hat, with a look on his face that practically screams, "Hi Ho, Silver, NO WAY!"

Must have been early in the month, because there is also a picture of me in the first and ONLY car I've ever owned...

A cute little number ( the car, not the girl in the passenger seat with me! ) that was a bright red.

I'm shirtless & wearing a Hard Hat, and the girl has the straw hat, and we seem to be having a fine time tooling around the Living Room in our jalopy. :-)

Neither the girl or the car made a lasting impression with me, and it wasn't until my 2nd Birthday that my parents made another attempt at getting me interested in transportation matters.

My very FIRST CYCLE!

There I am, happy as a pig in slop, wearing a light brown shirt, with dark brown pants, the wind in my hair, a rakish smile on my lips, pedaling my little red Tricycle down the driveway, hell bent for leather, and not a traffic cop in sight!!

Flash forward again, and it's May of 1965, and I have been tooling around for 3 months on my newest wheels....

The picture shows yet another red number, this time with front and rear fenders, and.. TA DA! Yes!! TRAINING WHEELS!!!!

Whoo Hoo! Same driveway, same smile, the wind in my hair, and STILL no cop in sight! :-)

I don't know what model bikes these first 2 were, but it was apparent that I was hooked on cycling, despite the brief fling with a skateboard, 1 1/2 years later, that ended with the board disappearing due, I learned 20 years later, to my Dad fearing for the life of his only son at the hands of the infernal contraption. :-)

By May 1968 the training wheels were long gone, and I had my first Scwinn.

Yes, it, too, was red.

No fenders...

A long, wide, white saddle...

And obscenely U-shaped handle bars that would look perfectly at home on some weight machine, at LA FITNESS, being used by some Arnold Schwartzenwhatshisname wanna-be to lift 500 lbs. doing Preacher Curls or something.

Same driveway, same smile, no cops.....

The cop showed up that summer.....

And, on that note I'll say good night, and pick up the story tomorrow evening....

I have big, ambitious, plans for this blog, and am just getting started...

I don't know where I'll end up, but your welcome to tag along on the journey....

Good Night! :-)

2003-01-06T19:49:00.000-08:00

Slow pokes DO have all the fun!

Cycling is NOT just about speed and exercise, but about taking the time to stop and see the deer & Harleyholics......

It's 3:30am, May 12, 2002, and my cats are looking at me like I'd just lost my mind:

"Daddy, what in the heck are you doing up at this ungodly hour? It's not even 5am (when they start pestering me for breakfast) yet!"

By the time I was out the door, 20 min. later, they had lost all interest in my sanity because breakfast was served.

1 Foothill Transit bus, 2 MTA'S, a Subway ride, and 4 hours later, I had arrived at Westwood Park, at Ohio & Sepulveda, in West Los Angeles, just southeast of the 405 frwy. and Wilshire Blvd..

With 25 minutes until start time I got copies of the 3 route slips and tried to decide whether to ride 30, 57, or 64 miles. 6 other riders had shown up and, after gathering opinions, I was getting a better understanding of the 2 longer rides as I began flipping my imaginary coin.

The short was going to Pacific Palisades and the beach Bike Path south to Marina Del Rey before heading back north again to the park. The medium and long were heading up Pacific Coast Highway, into the mountains above Malibu, before parting company at Mulholland Highway. The medium going right, and the long going left, and contrary to what the Club Newsletter, THE GOOSENECK, reported, the long was not 78 miles afterall.

Realizing that I'd be alone on the short, and stood a good chance of being left behind on the medium, I decided that if I could go up to Mt. Baldy Village & west on Glendora Ridge, closer to home, and live to tell about it, I MIGHT be able to tackle the much more challenging medium ride.

As we left the parking lot I knew I had 2 miles to decide to wimp out on the reported hills, hills, & more hills, that might be a challenge for the inexperienced rider.

After 2 miles I confirmed that the other 5 riders (1 had left early to tackle the long alone) were used to a faster pace than I am, partly because they obviously do these type of rides in their sleep. At my comfortable pace of 12-15mph I was quickly left behind. It didn't help matters that I kept hitting all the lights.

So, west on Ohio, right on Barrington, left on San Vicente, right on 7th and along Entrada and the West Channel Rd. to PCH we went. I tossed out any thought of doing the short and, becoming determined to prove I could do the medium, resigned myself to the inglorious fact that absolutely no-one would see me finish, or die trying.

Let me pause here for what, for lack of a better description, I will call a "Pep Talk and Recruitment Pitch".

To all my fellow LA WHEELMEN, and to all those folks who belong to the thousands of other Cycling Clubs, who may be intimidated into staying home on certain rides because a Newsletter gives lengths and descriptions that scare the bejesus out of you, especially when you look at a map, and you don't want to be embarrassingly left behind in the dust:

DON'T! PLEASE! You miss out on so much!

I joined the Wheelmen, a year and a half ago, for the pleasure of a great selection of organized group rides, and the social atmosphere they engender, but I also knew that there would be times that I'd be left behind. This used to annoy me, with other groups, because it happened every time I joined a ride.

It's nobody's fault when this happens. It's just a matter of one's pacing "zone of comfort". Compared to these other groups, I've discovered that with the Wheelmen there will always be rides where you WILL be able to keep up, so when you find yourself on a ride where you ARE one of the "left behind", smile and relax, because the fun is just beginning.

Around mile 5 I came across lonely David and his flat tire, and we talked a few minutes before I pedaled on, knowing he'd easily catch and pass me.

A couple of miles later, heading north on PCH, he indeed caught up and, observing what gear I was in, made a couple of suggestions about when best to change into the highest and lowest gears, before moving on to try and catch the group.

Thanks to David I realized that just because the middle gears may be comfy doesn't mean I can't shift more often, and as it turned out, my decision to try his advice made all the difference in my ride this day.

PCH to the Webb Way right turn was a breeze as I began to put my new tips into fledgling practice. Left on Civic Center, and up toward Pepperdine University meant I was approaching my last chance to bail out. There are no busses where I was heading!

With the climb up Malibu Canyon Rd. looming to the right I paused for a hopeful confidence boost from State Motorcycle Cop Gary Smith, happily, and lovingly polishing the chrome of his trusty steed on the side of the road.

I told him that, despite appearances, I was on a group ride with The LA Wheelmen, and we laughed as I told him that the "group" was up the road a half hour or so.

He assured me that if I'd made it up to him from PCH I would not have a problem with the upcoming rollies.

16 miles had so far been survived.......

The officer was right. it was 7 miles along Malibu Canyon Rd., past the tunnel, where it soon became Las Virgenes Rd., and up, up, to the Mulholland Highway intersection. The scenery was lovely as I passed State Park Lands, the climb impressive, but quite manageable, all the way to Mulholland.

Once there I met a small group of fellow Cyclists about to set off on a ride of their own. One person actually had friends in the Wheelmen. More laughter ensued as I mentioned that I was on a Wheelman Group Ride, only the "group" was an hour up the road.

Taking stock of my situation I made a fateful decision. Left, instead of right. The medium, and the group, went right, heading down into Woodland Hills and back thru the Sepulveda Pass to the start. The group was long gone, and besides I wasn't tired, so I switched to the Long Route Slip, and pedaled on into Malibu State Park.

Only to come to a screeching halt, a few yards in, as 2 lovely Ladies, 1/2 my age, scampered across the road to their parked cars......

I decided to ask them about the road ahead and, while they were no help in that regard, they did wonders for this slowly balding bachelor's ego.

Telling them where I'd been, and where I was headed, I learned that there's alot to be said about the feelings one gets when 2 Bodacious Babes say you are AWESOME, and essentially THE GREATEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD.

Thank you, Ladies!

Then, suddenly, a Buck & 3 Does, calmly approached, not 15 ft. from us, in the field alongside the road. Talk about AWESOME! MAJESTIC is more like it.

He came up over the hill, gave us the once over, glanced confidently behind him and, as the others bounded up behind, led them back into the forest.

Passing the turn-offs to the Paramount Ranch, and to Malibu Lake, and a Peacock Farm where a Great Escape seemed to have just occurred, I came upon a lone Highway Patrolman playing happily with his gun (his RADAR gun).

He told me that not only was there a little store up the road, but a Bar & Grill a bit beyond.

I went past the Route Slip's suggested turn-off to the store, at Sierra Creek Rd., and after 28 1/2 miles of being passed by motorcycles of every stripe, finally found their destination: The Rock Store Cafe.

It was 12:15pm and my 1st thought was: Oh no, I'm surrounded by Hell's Angel's! Dozens of 'em!!

As I walked my Bicycle (hard to say who was more nervous there for a moment, me or my trusty steed) thru the crowd of what turned out to be mostly ordinary folk, with only a handful of Hell's Angels, my smile grew wide as I noticed all the Harleyholics eyeing me up and down with varying degrees of puzzlement and amusement.

Deciding that $15 on my ATM, for lunch, was a bit much to ask especially when I could just BARELY justify spending $9, I went back to Sierra Creek, & going left, took the right turn my route slip demanded, finding that the Rustic Canyon Store at Kanan Rd. is a pleasant spot to hunker down for a tasty lunch.

Keeping my 2 apples and power bars in reserve, to get me thru the rest of the ride, I settled in for what turned out to be 2 hrs. of good food, good talk, & some rest.

I talked to a mtn. biker with a flat, and a couple of motorcyclists and came to the conclusion that I might be better off ignoring a portion of the route slip once I started out again.

You see, the slip called for returning to Mulholland & heading right on a winding road , similar to the climb from Pepperdine, to reach Kanan Dume Rd.. But, by staying on Kanan Rd. I would supposedly take a little longer, but easier, direct route to the same spot.

With 29 1/2 miles behind me, my camelbak filled again with 70oz. of water, and a long, long way to go, I set off once again, with a 2nd wind.

A mile up, and I do mean up Kanan Rd., I came across a lonely cardboard sign telling all who came across it that Craig & Michelle's wedding was just 2 miles down the road! Good for them!

There's an old saying about how walking does a body good. Well, I walked the next miles or so, past 2 tunnels. Walking also does an empty wallet good, too! I was 80 cents richer by the time I was through!

Your reward for reaching Kanan Dume Rd., and having endured the 1st 35 miles of your ride is the 8% grade that is the final 4 miles of heaven that is the road down, down to PCH. No pedaling, and careful brake management allows one to enjoy the scenery of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and the gorgeous, clear and unobstructed view of the ocean off Pont Dume, and the coastal islands between Malibu and Santa Monica.

It was nice of the city to put a bench on the corner at PCH.

When one thinks of PCH, beaches come to mind. There are plenty of them, and the views to match. 20 miles worth! Tall waves, crashing surf, rocks, and sand, sand, sand........

Escondido Beach, Dan Blocker, Puerco, Amarillo, Malibu, Carbon, La Costa, Las Flores, Big Rock, Las Tunas, Topanga, Will Rogers, & finally Santa Monica.

The next 4 miles, to Malibu Rd., allowed me great views of the beaches and the islands. The winds off the ocean is a cooling breeze to be savored by the cyclist, and gives one the 3rd wind you need for the return to Santa Monica.

I didn't realize that, at Point Dume, I was almost beyond the farthest point along PCH that an MTA BUS goes into Malibu. I had planned to attempt a coastal ride someday, but not this soon!

I enter Malibu Rd. at a WRONG WAY sign on the right and, 3 miles later, am saying thanks to the road builders for this nice bypass of a nasty PCH hill.

9 miles later I reach the Bike Path entrance in the parking lot of Will Rogers State Beach at Temescal Canyon Rd.. It's 5:30pm.

Along the way to this point I stop at a gas station and notice a young African-American Lady looking at me strangely from the safety of her car. Her eyes get wide and her jaw drops as I smile and tell her of my day so far and what was ahead. I laugh and tell her she can tell her friends that she encountered a crazy white boy today, and she laughs and wishes me luck on my journey.

At Will Rogers I shared a bench and pleasant conversation with a nice Lady named Sandy and her daughter Britney. I thank the 2 of them for letting me plop my weary behind down in their company for a bit. It was a pleasure.

To get to this point you must beware of a several mile stretch of PCH clogged with traffic. I felt like I was in a Cyclists version of The Charge of the Light Brigade, minus the cannon.

Parked cars and foot traffic to the right of me, potential traffic violations to the left of me, rumble, rumble, zoom, zoom! I felt trapped.

After 4 miles, and just when playing dodge with my fellow travelers on the path started getting hairy, I find the Bay St. exit to Ocean Blvd. on my left, not far beyond Santa Monica Pier.

I tell ya, all those lovely, sculpted, BUNS OF STEEL floating around and ahead of you on roller blades can be darned distracting! Pleasant, oh, yes! But, darned distracting, all the same.

After a jaunt north on Ocean Blvd. it's the home stretch heading east on city streets and the familiarity of urban neighborhoods.

Right on Montana, left at Stanford, right at San Vicente, right at Barrington, and left on Ohio to the park.

I rolled down Barrington & Ohio to the park, in the near-dark evening coolness with the exhiliration one feels doing a victory lap at the Olympics Marathon.

Once in the parking lot I let out a yell of release and pride of accomplishment.

It 's 7:30pm and I have just rode my bike exactly 66 miles in exactly 11 hours.

It is a triumph for the ordinary cyclist. A triumph for the slow pokes.

2003-01-06T09:06:00.000-08:00

AND, SO, IT CONTINUES.....

THE ZORRO OF LOVE: A Peddler (pardon the pun!) of Romance

This is a story of the shape-shifting cousin to that prankster Cupid, but no mere shooter of arrows up peoples rear ends, while hiding behind bushes, is this being...

It is a lovely spring evening along the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, and heading south is a handsome devil of a soon to be 43 year old bachelor, riding his bike and admiring the view, when suddenly from out of the bushes leaps what appears to be Mae West in a smashing black dress, cape, and mask outfit!

The figure dashes up to the man and slashing an L across his heart with her sword whispers seductively, "Why don't you ask her out, big boy?" and points down the trail.

Dazed, and bemused, the man gazes down the trail, then turns around, but the figure is gone...

Meanwhile, heading north along the trail is a beautiful young woman. She could be 25, or 39, it's not important.

She is pedaling absent-mindedly along when, suddenly, Rudolph Valentino, looking dashingly romantic in black with a cape and mask, leaps into her path and slashes an L across her heart with his sword.

he silently smiles and winks then, pointing down the trail with his sword, disappears from whence he came...

And, so the 2 riders continue on their seperate ways, approaching, from opposite ends, a dark tunnel beneath a nearby highway...

A couple of seconds after disappearing into the tunnel there is a crash, and the sound of startled voices are heard, then silence...

20 minutes passes...

Zorro, standing on the highway above and looking over at the Bike trail, is pleased to see a couple of disheveled bike riders, 1 male, 1 female, emerge from the tunnel below.

They are walking their bikes and holding hands, and smiling at each other, as they head off into the sunset...

Zorro smiles...

He just loves happy endings, or, is that, promising new beginnings... :-)

2003-01-05T20:44:00.000-08:00

AND, SO, IT BEGINS.....

BICYCLIST TO CAR OWNERS: CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?

Late one Saturday night I was riding my bike on a street 4 blocks from my home, lights on and everything, when someone in a passing car, apparently not amused by the "One Less Car" slogan on the back of my shirt, thought it would be hilarious to stick a hand out the window and give me a shove.

To that someone: I was not amused, and if I had been going faster than 5mph chances are good I would have lost control of my trusty steed and not be in any shape to write anything. I could even have been killed.

In the America of the New Millenium the Culture of the Car rules and there are some who consider bicyclists a nuisance hindering their use of the road and wouldn't be caught on a bike even if their life depended on it.

When some people think of bicyclists at all they think of the popular sport of Mountain Biking.

Wake up and take notice of the long overdue proliferation of Bike Lanes on the streets of your community, Bike Paths in your parks, on your beaches, along abandoned Railroad Right-of-ways and along the river channels to the sea. Many major Transit Agencies allow access by bike as well.

Bicyclists ride to work, and for pleasure, and belong to riding clubs. Many car owners also own bikes as well.

I have even discovered that there are activist groups made up of volunteers out to promote cycling, the developement of safe places and conditions for cycling, and to look out for the rights of cyclists to enjoy their hobby with pride.

The goal of these groups is to improve the bicycling environment, and the quality of life, in their communities.

I ride my bike all over 4 counties, 20-60 miles a trip, just for the fun and exercise, and camera in tow, to see what there is to see.

I do not want to chase you off the road, dear driver. I just ask that you please move over a bit and share the road with me.

In fact, better yet, won't you please leave your jalopy in the garage, occasionally, and join me on the Bike Path?

Don't be afraid to be "One More Cyclist".

Who knows, you might even enjoy it. :-)