Sasquatch9billion
iMTB Rockstah
Shortly after our last organized gravel ride @Fueledbyex8 and I signed up for this year’s LA Invitational ride. I believe this is only the second year the crew at the Cub House, our local bike shop up here in the nexus of alhambra/San Marino and S. Pasadena.
Promptly after signing up for the 40 miler, we each took several weeks off our bikes.
Well, today was the day. Albert’s MIL lives a block from me so, I grabbed my bike this morning and pedaled the 30 seconds to her house where I met Albert and we rode a few more blocks to the shop where a giant mass of gravel bikers was taking up most of Mission Ave.
At 7:30 one of the cub house dudes fired up his old VW Mavic SAG car and led the group out. It was a rolling party through South Pasadena, Cars were letting us run red lights en masse, joggers and dog walkers were stopping to take photos and little kids were waving their little butts off from their front yards and cheering when bells were rung. No joke, it was glorious!
everyone made quick work through the rose bowl and then through the well-heeled estates of La Canada. At some point during all the revelry, I realized my rear brake was out. Not working at all!
Okay, I figured I’d switch true shorter 25 mile coarse and save myself some grief, nbd. I’d be back to party and eat pizza earlier.
Now, our first bit of dirt would be cherry canyon, right above Descanso Gardens, heading out towards Glendale.
I chatted with a few people there as I waited for Albert who had missed the turn and was doubling back. While chatting I messed with my brakes and thought that maybe the bell I’d installed was choking off the hydraulic line for the rear brake. I took off the bell, but, no dice.
Albert caught up and talked me into just sticking to the script with the 40 miler. I said I’d do it as long as I was comfortable with just my front brake. Well, first fire road descent I was thinking, “No way, this isn’t going to work for another 30 miles.” But, I at least had to get down to the Glendale sports complex and turn around to get my 25 miles in.
A mile or two later, right before the single track down to the sports complex, I squeezed the rear brake, and, Bingo!!!! Totally back in action!
things were going my way!!! You know, sometimes I think the big bambino upstairs maybe likes me a little extra
okay, quick ramble here on gravel cyclists. Not all-but, a lot of them. You see the pics I post here? These are big $ bikes, with bling and fully kitted out dudes with their cool $200 sunnies. You think, “these dudes can ride!” But, you might be wrong..There were shameful displays of people walking the easiest fire roads or pussy footing down mellow single track all day! I mean, some of them were rippers, but a lot of them hopped off the bike and walked the second they saw rocks or a rut.
It kind of blew my mind.
okay, enough Sh!t talking. The first SAG was at Glendale sport complex, cookies and Japanese Gatorade. Then we wound our way through Glendale to the Beaudry motorway.
as Albert and I are approaching the trail some creep in a white van pulling a camper stops and takes our picture before tearing off and barreling into the driveway of a very nice looking home at the entrance to the trail. Confused we stopped to chat with a small group and two dudes hop out of the van. They introduced themselves and said they were running SAG and shooting media for Squid Bikes.
Then a car pulls up and the lady’s like “That’s my driveway.” The Squid guys moved their rig before filling up everyone’s water and shooting some photos. Super cool dudes.
I don't want to talk about Beaudry and Verdugo motorway. It was long, and, HOT. THe only good thing about that section was bs-ing with people as we played leap frog for what felt like most of the ride.
Fast forward to the descent down to La Tuna Cyn. Albert and I are cruising with a group, just enjoying the party pace when two burners whizz by, both down in their drops, both just ripping down the trail. Albert and I took off after them for shits and giggles. Albert left all of us in the dust and I did my best to keep up-at one point jumping ahead of them and Tokyo Drifting a corner to whoops and hollers! After that I backed-off a bit and we were basically to La Tuna at that point.
The crew from Crust Bikes won the day's best SAG station. They were bumping cumbia music, offering bloody maria shots, every kid if Flamin' hot chip that's legal and a kiddie pool full of ice cold hard seltzers! I stuck to a bag of Flamin' dorritos and water. Too tired at this point to get buzzed. Albert opted for more sensible fare, an orange and an apple. Again, good vibes all around!
Now we rode through a small bit of Tujunga (I think,) into Montrose and back towards La Canada, then the cool, tree shaded streets of South Pas again! We were getting close!
Rolled back into San Marino with none of the fanfare we'd been showered with earlier in the morning. A bullhorn weilding guys welcomed us back to the Cubhouse with ride patched and we joined the line for our pizza slices across the street at Pizzanista.
That's about it. We grabbed out bikes and headed home. 42.9 miles/ 4,160'
Well, today was the day. Albert’s MIL lives a block from me so, I grabbed my bike this morning and pedaled the 30 seconds to her house where I met Albert and we rode a few more blocks to the shop where a giant mass of gravel bikers was taking up most of Mission Ave.
At 7:30 one of the cub house dudes fired up his old VW Mavic SAG car and led the group out. It was a rolling party through South Pasadena, Cars were letting us run red lights en masse, joggers and dog walkers were stopping to take photos and little kids were waving their little butts off from their front yards and cheering when bells were rung. No joke, it was glorious!
everyone made quick work through the rose bowl and then through the well-heeled estates of La Canada. At some point during all the revelry, I realized my rear brake was out. Not working at all!
Okay, I figured I’d switch true shorter 25 mile coarse and save myself some grief, nbd. I’d be back to party and eat pizza earlier.
Now, our first bit of dirt would be cherry canyon, right above Descanso Gardens, heading out towards Glendale.
I chatted with a few people there as I waited for Albert who had missed the turn and was doubling back. While chatting I messed with my brakes and thought that maybe the bell I’d installed was choking off the hydraulic line for the rear brake. I took off the bell, but, no dice.
Albert caught up and talked me into just sticking to the script with the 40 miler. I said I’d do it as long as I was comfortable with just my front brake. Well, first fire road descent I was thinking, “No way, this isn’t going to work for another 30 miles.” But, I at least had to get down to the Glendale sports complex and turn around to get my 25 miles in.
A mile or two later, right before the single track down to the sports complex, I squeezed the rear brake, and, Bingo!!!! Totally back in action!
things were going my way!!! You know, sometimes I think the big bambino upstairs maybe likes me a little extra
okay, quick ramble here on gravel cyclists. Not all-but, a lot of them. You see the pics I post here? These are big $ bikes, with bling and fully kitted out dudes with their cool $200 sunnies. You think, “these dudes can ride!” But, you might be wrong..There were shameful displays of people walking the easiest fire roads or pussy footing down mellow single track all day! I mean, some of them were rippers, but a lot of them hopped off the bike and walked the second they saw rocks or a rut.
It kind of blew my mind.
okay, enough Sh!t talking. The first SAG was at Glendale sport complex, cookies and Japanese Gatorade. Then we wound our way through Glendale to the Beaudry motorway.
as Albert and I are approaching the trail some creep in a white van pulling a camper stops and takes our picture before tearing off and barreling into the driveway of a very nice looking home at the entrance to the trail. Confused we stopped to chat with a small group and two dudes hop out of the van. They introduced themselves and said they were running SAG and shooting media for Squid Bikes.
Then a car pulls up and the lady’s like “That’s my driveway.” The Squid guys moved their rig before filling up everyone’s water and shooting some photos. Super cool dudes.
I don't want to talk about Beaudry and Verdugo motorway. It was long, and, HOT. THe only good thing about that section was bs-ing with people as we played leap frog for what felt like most of the ride.
Fast forward to the descent down to La Tuna Cyn. Albert and I are cruising with a group, just enjoying the party pace when two burners whizz by, both down in their drops, both just ripping down the trail. Albert and I took off after them for shits and giggles. Albert left all of us in the dust and I did my best to keep up-at one point jumping ahead of them and Tokyo Drifting a corner to whoops and hollers! After that I backed-off a bit and we were basically to La Tuna at that point.
The crew from Crust Bikes won the day's best SAG station. They were bumping cumbia music, offering bloody maria shots, every kid if Flamin' hot chip that's legal and a kiddie pool full of ice cold hard seltzers! I stuck to a bag of Flamin' dorritos and water. Too tired at this point to get buzzed. Albert opted for more sensible fare, an orange and an apple. Again, good vibes all around!
Now we rode through a small bit of Tujunga (I think,) into Montrose and back towards La Canada, then the cool, tree shaded streets of South Pas again! We were getting close!
Rolled back into San Marino with none of the fanfare we'd been showered with earlier in the morning. A bullhorn weilding guys welcomed us back to the Cubhouse with ride patched and we joined the line for our pizza slices across the street at Pizzanista.
That's about it. We grabbed out bikes and headed home. 42.9 miles/ 4,160'
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