My First time up GMR

Where I live I am lucky to be close to the Foothill mountains. They have loads of great climbs around here. I had been toying with the idea of attempting GMR ever since I got my bike. I had read about lots of great rides on a couple of blogs such as Mr Beanz and his bikes, Bicycle Friends and Glendora Mountain Road.

Today I finally got it done. I had tried last week but my legs felt crap so I turned and headed home. Today I was more determined and my legs felt a whole lot better than they did last week. My goal was to do GMR to the Shack. A popular ride for lots of people. I didn't care about time or speed. I just wanted to get to that shack!

I had asked around on some forums and read lots of ride reports. Mr Beanz had mentioned to just take it easy, keep pedaling and take my time. I did just that. It was hard and long. There a plenty of little steep climbs and then it would ease of. It has lots of switchbacks. I would look towards one and wonder how I would make it, but before I knew it I would be half way through it.

I had driven up GMR with the wife a while back to scope it out. I was familiar with some parts from that drive. The only thing I couldn't remember was where the shack was. I would plod along and think, "yeah, it's just round this corner" only to get to that corner and see the road keep going.

I had to stop a few times to catch my breath and eat some food. My heart was working big time. I stopped a total of three times on the way up. I was please that I didn't decide to turn around. I knew I would make it after my first stop. I climbed back on the bike and felt good, I knew then I could do it, even if it meant stopping again.

I saw plenty of people pass me while I was stopped and a couple powered passed me. Everyone was saying good morning and the folks on the decent would give a little wave. I saw a couple of nutters running up GMR! I even saw a deer, that was cool!

After a long hard slog I finally caught a glimpse of the shack! I powered up to it and gave a huge sigh as I made it to my goal! I was really happy to make it! I was expecting to see some riders there but it was empty. I stood in the shade and had some water and a bite to eat before heading down the mountain.

The decent was great. I took it easy as I didn't know the road to well so I kept the speed at 20mph for most of it. About half way down my front wheel started to wobble. Dammit! My first flat! I remembered not to panic, slowed down and pulled to the side of the road. I had my puncture repair kit, CO2 cartridges and tire levers in my saddle bag. I had left my spare tube sitting on the table at home, typical! I started working on the tire, hunting the puncture. Everyone on the way up asked if I need a hand. I had what I needed so thanked them for their offer and kept at it. I found a crack in the tube and was working on it when a guy pulled up in a truck and offered a proper pump to inflate it, I accepted and he helped me get the tube back in the tire. Then I was off again.

As I got to the bottom I saw I'd lost some air. So I either missed the puncture or got another. I filled it with air to tide me over and slowly made my way home. When I got home I pulled the tube out and found a tiny puncture, I think I must have missed it, it was a really slow puncture.

I had a great time on my first time up GMR and am looking forward to doing it again. Next time I'll make sure I take my spare tube!

2011 Cool Breeze Metric Century

Yesterday I did my first metric century event. The Cool Breeze Metric Century is held every August in Ventura, CA. It is hosted by the Channel Islands Bicycle Club. There are a few different rides to choose from, they have 38, 63, 100 & 125 miles rides.

A few guys from work had signed up for the Metric Century, 63 miles. I decided to join them. We left my house at 5:20 am aiming to get up there to start around 7am. We made good time and even stopped for some coffee but the traffic at the off ramp was too slow. By the time we went and parked and got over to registration to pick up our bib and map it was passed 7am.

We met up with the rest of the group at the start line and crossed it at about 7:30. We kept a nice pace and made our way along the route following the green arrow markers. The route went up some small hills and there were some great views around. The marine layer was inland so the temps were pretty cool, some people even claimed it was cold! I told a couple it's not Scotland!

After about 15 miles we hit the first rest stop. It was well prepared and there was plenty of food and water. I took a quick pit stop and grabbed a cookie and half a banana and then we were on our way. The route was now heading along the coast and we got to see the ocean. This part was nice and flat so we picked up the pace a bit. I got some practice drafting and taking the lead. I was hanging back the first 15 miles checking it out as this was my first time riding in a bigger group setting.

I learned a lot just watching fellow riders and the things to look out for and the things to alert others to while riding.

The route now went inland a bit and then we hit a category 4 climb! I was feeling good so I powered on ahead up to the top and waited for the group. I surprised myself getting up there! My practice is starting to pay off. That just means I need to try more climbs!

Once we hit the halfway mark there was another rest stop. Again really well stocked with food and water and ready to go. I grabbed a PB&J sandwich and another banana. I finished my water and filled my bottle up for the next half of the ride. I bumped into a fellow bikeforums.net member, I recognized the jersey he said he'd be wearing. I went over and introduced myself and it was who i thought, it was calimarichris. We chatted for a bit then I went to join my group.

We hit the road and headed on out again. This time we started to head back towards the start. It was nice riding along the ocean and a little scary riding on the bike trail on the freeway as trucks whizzed by! Now the sun had burned off the marine layer and it was warming up. Still not too hot though. There were plenty of people out camping along the beach and enjoying summer. We then hit the final rest stop were there was more food and popsicles! Perfect timing now it was warming up!

Once we were done with the popsicles we headed back to the road toward the finish. I tagged behind one of the members of our group who was chatting with a fellow rider and we split from the rest of our group. We waited near the end so we could all cross the finish line together.

At the finish line they had a nice lunch for everyone. It was chicken and tri-tip with pasta, salad and some veggies. It was yummy. After we were done with grub I picked up my finisher's patch and we hit the road home.

I thought that this was an really good event and very well organised. There were only a couple of spots were the markings were a little confusing. The one annoying thing was the Metric Century Route was about 10k short of being a metric century! I will definitely be doing this once again, maybe the 100 mile next year! The one thing I forgot to bring was my camera! Must remember that next year.

USA Pro Cycling Challenge

One week today marks the start of the 1^st USA Pro Cycling Challenge. A seven day, 600 mile stage race. It even includes a climb to the highest altitude ever! Taking place in the Colorado Rockies this has all the potential to be an EPIC ride!

The Challenge is a Prologue plus six stage tour. Stage 2 looks grueling; TWO climbs that peak at over 12,000 ft! The oxygen levels are really going to test the riders! There is a time trial stage also.

Some big names are coming to Colorado for the ride including the top three from this year’s Tour de France. Full provisional line up can be found here.

You can read more about the USA Pro Cycling Challenge at their official website. It’s a really good site. They have done a great job on this one.

While you’re there check out the gifts section of the store here. There are some awesome posters that would look great on your walls.

You will be able to catch all the action on Versus & NBC August 22^nd-28^th. I for one can’t wait to see this. My DVR is all set up.

Training Summary Jul'11

Another month has been and gone. This month I barely ran or went to the gym. I did however get the most miles in a month on my bike and did two rides over 40 miles in one ride. Really please with that.

I'm getting used to the gears I have on my bike and trying to determine the rights gears for the road i'm on. I also got some more climbing done. I'm training my legs up so I can start tackling GMR!

This month should be good. Despite the heat I do plan to get even more miles clocked on the bike. I also have my first ever metric century coming this month! I'm doing the Cool Breeze Century in Ventura. I also have a really fun 5k in Irvine called the WetnWild 5k that finishes by running through a water park!

There is also the US Pro Cycling Challenge coming up! I'll put some more information about this later this week.

San Dimas - Master Bicycle Plan

The City of San Dimas just updated it's Bicycle Master plan.

I think it's great, lots of good things in there for improving access to cycling routes and making the roads safer to everyone.

You can read about it at the city's website here.

Au Revoir Paris!

Well, it's all over for another year. Today Cadel Evans became the first Australian to win the Tour de France. It was well earned as he was really consistent throughout the whole toure. I think the Schleck brothers left it to late into the tour to open some time on the competition. Contador's tour was over early with the accidents he got caught it.

Good showing from Team Sky. Garmin were excellent. Unlucky for Radioshack, I think they'll come in more determined next year after the bad luck they suffered.

I'm already looking forward to the Vuelta a Espana and the US Pro Cycling Challenge next month!

Rules of the Road - A good resource for cyclists and drivers!

Road ID has put together an excellent video series for cyclists about how to ride safely while out on the road. It's an excellent read for both riders and drivers.

You can check out the videos and articles on the Road ID website here.

As always you should be riding on the road with ID. I use a Road ID when I am out at all times. Click the links on my blog to find out more about Road ID and why you should ride with one!

Pump it up!

I’m getting into the routine of maintaining my bike on a regular basis now. As part of that I’m still trying to get in the habit of checking my tire pressure more regularly.

There are several reasons why you should be checking your tire pressure on a regular basis.

1. An under inflated tire is more prone to puncture.
2. An under inflated tire is more prone to deforming.
3. A ride can get pretty bumpy on an over inflated tire.

You can check your tire pressure a couple of ways, with a pressure gauge or with a pump with a built in pressure gauge. I prefer to use the pump, that way if it needs filling I can just do it. No changing between two devices.

Check wall of your tire for the correct PSI.

When inflating your tires make sure you’re using the correct pump for your valve. There a three main types of valves on tires and they take different extension on your pump to inflate them.

You can read more about wheels and valves here

For a pump I use a Serfas FP-200 which has a built in pressure gauge. For on the road I take some Co2 with me.

If you have a Presta valve, be sure to unscrew the small top on the valve before pumping. You don’t need to remove it, just unscrew enough so when you push down the air releases. Then clamp the pump on tight.

Here’s a short video on how to inflate a presta valve road tire

For more about tire pressure check out the articles here and here.

Tour De France 2011!

I've not posted much this month as I'm currently soaking up all the tour coverage! I have to say the HD coverage on Versus is just amazing! The shots of the French countryside are stunning.

Some great racing so far! I feel bad for Radioshack, it's just not going their way on this tour.

I'm loving the climbs the most as the sprints are getting a bit repetitive so far with HTC pretty much all over them.

The clean bottle guy is doing a great job too!

Training Summary Jun'11

This month the weather started out gloomy and ended up scorching!


I continued with my short rides of 18 miles during the week and have worked up my long rides to just over 30 miles.


I slack off at the gym and my running in the second half of the month. Gotta get back into that this month.


Summary:
June Bike Miles: 218 Miles (Most Miles in a Month)
June Running Miles: 9 Miles
June Fitness Workouts: 4 workouts


On the plate for July is more miles on the bike and getting more consistent with the running.

Road Bike Rides - Bonelli Loop

I thought I would start sharing some of the rides I’ve done. So here’s the first in an evolving series of rides. These rides are for road biking.

The Bonelli Loop is a popular ride among cyclists in the San Dimas area.  It offers a route through Frank G Bonelli Park and the parts where you’re on the public roads are pretty quiet most of the time. Bonelli Park contains Puddingstone Lake and Dam. Inside there are some rest stops for water and bathroom breaks. This means you can easily do the loop several times. Most people park at the Park and Ride on Via Verde just past the entrance to the 57 freeway but you can also park along Puddingstone Drive by the industrial complex.

These are various versions of the loop starting with the most basic.

Bonelli Loop via Dam

This route cuts over Puddingstone dam. The road across the dam can get busy with cars early in the summer mornings and weekends when Raging Waters is open. The traffic backs up along the dam as people line up to get in. You can ride along it easily enough, just be careful as you get closer to Puddingstone drive as it’ll get tight. The majority of the time it’s empty and you’ll see plenty of cyclists, runner and walkers.

The busiest part for traffic is along Fairplex drive but for the most part you wont encounter too many cars.

Bonelli Loop via San Dimas Ave


This is an alternate route that does not go across the dam. This is a good option when traffic is lined up along the dam.




Extended Bonelli Loop via San Dimas Ave


If the basic loop is too short for you or you want some more climbing you can try this one. It’s a nice downhill along Via Verde and Covina Hills but then you gotta climb back up Via Verde! A couple of Cat 5 climbs.





Extended Bonelli Loop w/extra climbing


Want more climbing? Then turn left and head up Canon Ave off Puddingstone.

If you’re up for it there is a weekly ride doing the loops called Buds Ride. You can find our more about that ride here.

After your ride you can head into downtown San Dimas for a bite to eat too.

So there you have it. Quite a few options for you to try. You can loop one several times or do combinations of the different loops.

Essential Gear - Water Bottle

Water, Water everywhere. So DRINK it!

Staying properly hydrated is important in any sport. As I build up the miles in my bike I’m paying more attention to keeping properly hydrated.

There are lots of articles online about how much water you should or shouldn’t drink. For me, I pretty much drink only water nowadays (plus coffee!) and I try to avoid any kind of soda. From what I’ve read online it’s also clear that proper hydration means being properly hydrated all the time, not just when out running or riding.

There are a lot of different types of water bottles out there. I’ve got a few different ones but my favorites are

Camelbak Podium Chill – A 21oz insulated bottle. I like it because it keeps my water cool enough for my rides and the valve on it is excellent, not spills or worry about too much water coming out when you drink from it. I’ll sometimes chuck the empty bottle in the freezer before filling it up too. It also slides in and out of the bottle holder on my bike really easily.

Clean Bottle – The clean bottle is awesome. The top and bottom both come off for really easy cleaning. They’ll be no funky smells coming from this bad boy. I use this one for mixing electrolyte and recovery mixes in. I can then take the bottom off and chuck it in the dishwasher to remove the gunk from the bottom lid.

Silly Cyclists!

We've all seen them, maybe even at some point we've been one!

I just stumbled across this excellent site called "Silly Cyclists". It states on their site that

"The aim of Silly Cyclists is to aid in teaching cyclists what not to do on the roads. It can be a dangerous place on the roads but in most cases good cycling techniques can make you safe! These are often lacking in cyclists, and it's shown in this video series."

Check out their latest episode below.

 

Now head over to their site and watch some more!

Essential Gear - Helmet

Today I picked up a new helmet. I've been using a cheap Giro Livestrong helmet for a while now and was getting fed up of looking like one of those mushroom men from Super Mario Brothers!

I did a bit of hunting round a decided on a Limar 777 Road Bike helmet. It's really light and looks great, it's got the added bonus of matching my Scotland jersey I got a few weeks ago. I tried it on and it is alot more comfortable than the cheap one I've been using.

Inside the helmet - lots of padding for comfort

Front - the mesh is to stop bugs getting in while i ride

Side view

There are alot of differing opinions on the safety of helmets. Some people claim they dont help and some say they are essential. There was a good article on Bicycling.com today about helmet safety. It covers alot of interesting points. You can read it here.

For me, a helmet is essential. I need my brains! And just in case I ever do get knocked off i've got my Road ID on my wrist too.

Basic Bicycle Maintenance

I’ve been trying to learn how to perform the basic bike maintenance procedures. I want to keep my bike in good condition and make it last as long as I can. So far I’ve come up with the following routine for maintaining my bike.

Weekly


Tires

• Check tires for damage
• Check tire pressure

I do a visual of the tires making sure there are no signs of damage. I use a Planet Bike Dial Air gauge. I use the recommended setting on the tire for PSI.

Chain

• Degrease
• Clean
• Lube

I use Park Tool’s Chain Cleaner with a diluted mixture of Simple Green and water to degrease and clean. I do two passes through the chain cleaner. The first pass is to remove all of the built up gunk and the second to give it a good cleaning. I then lube the chain with Finish Line’s Dry Lube. I use the dry lube as I only ride when it’s dry and it can get quite dusty where I ride.

Clean Bike

• Wipe off dirt with a rag
• Spray bike with diluted washing soap and water (avoiding moving parts)
• Clean the rims of the wheels
• Dry off with a rag

Fortnightly

In addition to my weekly routine, every other week I will also do the following:

Front Derailleur

• Brush off any dirt/particles
• Lube pivots & springs with a little dry lube

Rear Derailleur

• Brush off any dirt/particles
• Lube pivots & springs with a little dry lube

Monthly
This is my main maintenance routine. Once I month I will do all of the above plus:

Brake & Shift Levers

• Squirt some dry lube into the levers as I open and close the brakes
• Squirt some dry lube into the levers as I change the gears

Brake Pads

• Inspect them for wear and/or damage

Feel free to let me know how you maintain your bicycle or any tips you have for keeping it it good condition!

Take A Seat: Sharing A Ride Across America

Last night I was watching the Giro on Universal Sports and left it on in the background. A show came on following the coverage called “Take A Seat: Sharing a Ride Across America”. I was instantly glued to the screen and couldn’t stop watching this.

Dom Gill, a Climber, Videographer, Adventurer and Jack of all trades takes a modified tandem bike ride across America. Beginning in Santa Monica, CA and finishing in New York, NY. During each leg of the tour he is joined by someone with a disability.

The show was inspired by a planned trip with Ernie Greenwald. A man Dom had met a few years ago on a tandem trip from the states down to Argentina. He was sick with Lymphocytic Leukemia. He wanted to cycle across the states but prior to the journey was diagnosed with stage one prostate cancer. They started off on the trip but unfortunately he had to stop to go get treatment.

Dom continued the journey and decided to invite people with disabilities to take part. The show does a great job of showing how inspiring people can be; despite their disabilities the riders show true grit and determination to live their life to the fullest. It’s a true example of people embracing life no matter what challenges come their way.

In the first of the two episodes I watched last night he picked up a man by the name of Kelly Lane, a 59 year old with Parkinson’s disease. It was incredible to see the struggle and determination of this man. The more he pedaled the more determined he was to be able to ride 100 miles. Despite the flare ups of his disease and the complications of his medicine regime he was able to complete five days of cycling including a ride of 100+ miles to finish it off.

In the second of the two episodes he picked up a woman name Rachel. She has Cerebral Palsy. Rachel was only able to talk via a voice machine and using a word card. At first she was unable to reach the pedals on the bike but Dom made some nice adjustments and she was able to get to them. This woman was awesome. She pedaled like a champ and you could see how thrilled she was to be able to do this.

I’m looking forward to catching up on this amazing show.

If you ever come across a time when you think you can’t do something. Watch this show.

You can see more about the show at

http://blue-ant.tv/domandernie/01/index.htm

http://www.universalsports.com/take-a-seat/index.html

This is the site for the original documentary
http://www.takeaseat.org/

AMGEN Tour of California Stage 7 - My Photos

Here's a slideshow of all of my pictures from Stage 7 of the tour of California.



Click here to go to the album instead.

AMGEN Tour of California Stage 7 - Sprint

After enjoying the start festivities I headed over to Glendora so I could catch the sprint. The riders came through Glendora about 2pm after being up Glendora Ridge road and coming down the 39.

I took a few pics and vids of them as they came through.

It was a great day watching the race. After this we headed home to catch the TV coverage, spotted us in the highlights of the sprint on TV too!

AMGEN Tour of California Stage 7 - Start

Today was stage 7 of the Amgen tour of California. The start kicked off in Claremont, a city not too far away from me. I've never been to a pro race before so I decided to check out the start festivities.

I got into town early so I could get a nice spot to park then heading toward the start festival to check it out. They had various booths around but nothing too special. I picked up a t-shirt from the merchandise store. I was hoping to get a cycling cap but all they had were baseball caps. They did not have many t-shirts left and didn't have the one I really wanted.

About 10am the team cars and trailers started filling in. I took plenty of pictures of them. Below are just a select few.

It was cool to see all the bikes close up and see the top of the line gear on them and the difference between all the bikes. As a brit I had to go check out Team Sky as the British team. It was cool to hear some familiar accents! I was lucky enough to get a picture with Ben Swift.

I checked out Team Radioshack too and got a really nice free t-shirt! I love their bikes. There are some awesome details on them. I like the bears on the frame.

I also spotted them filming a quick little ad for the awesome Road ID!

After all that I went to pick out a spot on the road. I decided to watch on College Ave as I would be able to see them come by twice and then just a short walk up to see them head north towards Foothill Blvd. Apologies for these pics, I forgot to change the camera speed but I did catch some video too!

After that I head back to the car to pick up the wife so we could head over to Glendora to watch the sprint up Glendora Ave.

Essential Gear: Road ID - Awareness

A few weeks ago I posted an essential gear blog for Road ID. Today I got their e-mail newsletter and saw a request to help spread the word to first responders about looking for and using Road IDs.

The information contained on a Road ID can assist first responders greatly when needing to assist an someone in distress. We should all know where to look for a Road ID on a runner or cyclist.

The common locations to find a Road ID are:

- On the wrist
- On the ankle
- Around the neck
- On the shoe

At the very least first responders will have a number to contact someone in case of an emergency. If there is an interactive id then there is even more information available to first responders and medical teams. They can log into the road id site with your serial number and pin they will have access to:

- Your name
- Your home and work address
- Your medical information such as insurance, primary doctor and blood type
- 5 emergency contacts with both home and cell contact information

As you can imagine this information is vital in being able to get you the help you need as soon as possible!

We all should be encouraging our cyclist and runner friends to invest in a Road ID. This small investment could help save your life or that of someone you know. I often see and hear people ask what can I give as a gift to my runner & cyclist friends. The answer is a Road ID.

If you ever come across an accident involving a runner or cyclist be on the lookout for a Road ID and point it out to first responders. If you know anybody that is a first responder be it a Police Officer, EMT, Fireman, Forrest Ranger let them know about your Road ID, show them it and tell them about roadid.com. If could save someone’s life.

Road ID have even made these great flyers we can all share with family and friends who are first responders to spread the word.

You can download them here:

Debora’s Story

Gina’s Story

Lucas’ Story