Ontario Overnighter

Do you find yourself riding your bike less during the Winter months?  When it comes to day-to-day riding, I ride just as much in the Winter as other seasons of the year.  (Not that we have any excuse in Southern California like subzero temperatures or snow & ice covered ground).  But I must admit that it has been a while since I really worked up a sweat...      ...until this weekend. :)

A friend suggested we do an over night trip with our sons and one of their friends.  It sounded like a great idea.  My only fears were (a) how cold it might be if we were camping out doors and (b) how my body would react without having ridden much the past month.  After brain storming and researching a route we settled on a way to avoid a cold night outside.  His father and mother-in-law live in Ontario, giving us a 45 mile ride and a floor to sleep on indoors.  Not only that, we got to enjoy a hot shower, dinner, movie rental, and breakfast.  This trip was going to make us soft.

We decided to leave between 10:30 and 11:00am so that we wouldn't be rushed getting ready.  It was a clear sunny day with temperatures in the mid to upper 60's.  The first 15 miles were pretty flat, making an easy warm-up.  The next 15 miles were up and down (mostly up), but we took a break in the middle to have lunch and take some time off the bike seat.

Lunch and rest at a nice park.

Middle School Boys?

Spinning Plungers!

 After lunch we continued with the hills until we leveled off for the last stretch.  It is fun riding through some of the less populated areas of LA's metropolitan area.  I realize there are far greater views to behold, but when compared with hundreds of cars, power lines, buildings, and concrete, we enjoyed winding through the hills.  (The video takes a while to play, but if you click on play, do all of your shopping, and have dinner, it will almost be ready to start playing).

 We arrived in Ontario as the sun was setting.  How nice that we could unload our bikes, take off our shoes, wash up, and enjoy a good meal!  I can still taste the peach pie (sigh...).  Soon after that we watched Spiderman.  Just think what he could have done on a bike!

Click here to view the route we took from Bellflower to Ontario

The next morning began with a wonderful breakfast, packing our bags, and heading back home.  We chose a slightly different route home that ended up being a few miles shorter.  I was especially curious how my legs would feel on the second day (see fear "b" above).  My back was stiff, but my legs felt pretty good for not being in prime shape.  My bike seat felt a little harder than normal, but perhaps it was my own seat that was to blame.

Click here to view the route we took from Ontario to Bellflower

We joked with the boys about whether we should stop for lunch or just catch a snack before getting home.  They were starving, of course, so they salivated and groaned every time we passed a restaraunt.  Finally we stopped (precisely at 12 noon) at one of our favorites.

Mmmm... In & Out

After a great lunch the guys flew through the last 10 miles of our trip.  We were thankful to arrive safely without any flats or any other break downs for that matter.  Quality Winter riding! 

A Cannondale for Christmas

My family and I were out riding about a month ago - just a leisurely four mile ride to the park and back.  Our middle child (age nine) was doing her best to keep up on her single speed.  Her knees were just about hitting her elbows as the pedals whirled around in a blur.  I was afraid she was going to lose her chain.  My wife readily agreed that a bigger bike was in order.

The problem, however, is deciding whether to buy something new or used, a 24 or 26 inch wheel size, color, brand, etc... .  It can be maddening.  I suggested we look on Craiglist first.  Surely there is someone in Los Angeles or Orange county ready to get rid of their gently used, high quality, and affordably priced bike.  (good luck!)

There are lots of beginner bikes, department store bikes, junky old bikes, but not much else.  Our local bike shop had a number of great new bikes, but I was hoping to avoid spending $350 for a bike that she might grow out of in 3-4 years.  Hmmm....  what to do.  I decided to wait and keep looking around.  Actually, to be honest, my wonderful wife did most of the looking.

A few of the bikes listed on Craigslist were getting close.  One looked great but turned out to be too small.  Another looked promising, but was quite a distance away from us.  Finally we spotted one that looked like a winner.  It was priced at $200, but it was a Cannondale and it looked like it was nearly brand new.  We decided to check it out.

One of my buddies and I went to look things over to see if it was the real deal.  The gentleman who showed us the bike explained that he'd bought it for his wife a number of years ago, but she managed to ride it about five times before it started collecting dust in the garage.  The tires were flat and the chain was a bit rusted, but the brakes, cables, headset, frame, and seat looked great.  The size of the bike was on the money as well - 26 inch tires and a medium sized frame.  We ran through all the gears and were amazed to see and hear each gear click into place flawlessly.

I tried to act unimpressed, of course, and asked if he would consider taking anything less than $200.  He shook his head.  I smiled and counted out ten twenty dollar bills.  Mission accomplished.

After bringing it home I considered changing the tubes out for new ones and changing the presta valves for schraders to save the hassle of using an adapter on my bike pump.  I soon realized, however, that the rim was designed for the presta valves and the hole was too narrow for the thicker valve stems.  Rather than drill a larger hole for the schrader valve stem I opted to go with tubes with the presta valves.

Once the chain was lubed and the bike was dusted off it was ready to... wrap and put under the tree?  Hmm... maybe not.  We decided to try a different approach.  My wife picked out a nice bike bell, wrapped it, and placed it under the tree.

Our daughter was delighted when she opened the present and asked if we could put it on her (old) bike right then and there.  We told her we thought it was an excellent idea.  We all followed her out to the garage to take in her reaction when she saw the "new" bike in the place where her older one should have been.

"Wow, a new bike!" she squealed.

It was pretty awesome.  The other cool part is that she has already ridden it more than the previous owner!

Bikes, Saturdays, & Ironies

I enjoyed a few bike rides this past Saturday and couldn't help but notice some things that just seemed interesting - maybe even ironic.  Hmmm... where should I start.

My daughter really likes riding on "the tandem," as she calls it.  She is four years old and has a difficult time keeping up on her bicycle.  So we found one of those follow-behind-tag-along-thing-a-majig tandems for her to ride.  She has a seat, handle bars, and pedals, so she loves riding with Dad.

One of her friends invited her to a birthday party this past Saturday.  They live about five miles away (pretty close to a bike trail :) so it seemed like taking the tandem would be a perfect idea.  There was some drizzle coming down from a cloudy sky, but she insisted we ride instead of take the car.  She really knows how to make her dad happy.

We had a damp, but fun ride to the party.  I helped her get her helmet off, handed her the present for the party, and followed her up to the house.  Several other children were arriving with their parents as well.  None of them took their bikes, of course.  Who would do such a thing on a misty morning?  I couldn't help but feel sort of weird for having taken the bike.  I realize that it wasn't me who thought I was weird.  It was my paranoia of others thinking I was strange for taking the bicycle.  I shrugged it off, got on my bike and pedaled home. 

About half way home, as I rode past a Walmart gas station (what will the super Walmarts/Targets sell next?) and saw my first irony of the day - one of the moms, who dropped of a child at the party, was filling her car up with gas.  It just made me smile.  I had been feeling strange for riding my bike, but she was the one filling up her car with gas at $4.39/gallon.  I'll take that trade any day.

Later that day I got to ride on a longer errand with my son - about 14 miles.  He needed to meet some other kids from church to prepare for a dinner later that evening.  Since we ride a lot together he remarked at how we know exactly where to be in relationship with each other while we ride.  I thought that was kind of cool.

On the way back home I noticed how it takes a few miles before I feel like I am settled into a good pace.  My legs get into a good rhythm, my lungs take in the fresh air, (and sometimes my nose starts to run a little).  As I enjoyed the exercise I saw the second irony of the day.  A sports car with an exagerated exhaust system and flashy rims was sporting a personalized license plate - EXXRCISE.

What?  Seriously?  How can you make a claim like that on the license plate of a car?  Maybe it would work on a t-shirt, a bicycle, or maybe you could put a message like, "I'd rather be exercising" on a license plate frame.

I don't know, maybe I'm biased.  Ok, scratch that.  I know that I am biased, but do you see what I mean?

Cheers ;)

Part II: Donuts at Midnight?

I am happy to report that I was able to investigate the "Donut Shop Mystery" last night.  Here is how it went down:  I rode past the donut joint at 6:41pm (on the way to a meeting) and noticed that there were eight customers - four inside, four outside.  Not very common for a donut shop, but it was still relatively early in the evening.  I wondered how many people would be there when I rode past after the meeting.

The meeting went long and I wasn't able to leave until 10:30pm.  By the time I would go past the donut shop it would be 11:00pm!  The place would probably be closed and I wouldn't have an opportunity to see anyone there or find out what makes it a popular evening hang out.

As I approached the scene of the crime I was amazed to see that it was still open!  At 11:00pm, mind you.  And there were six people still there - one inside, five outside!  As I pull up I see a security guy in a golf cart riding around the shopping area.  I'm thinking he'll probably tell the guys it's time to leave so the place can close.  Nope.  He waves and continues on his way.

I try to blend in with the crowd and buy a donut, right?  I walk in to look over the donuts (that are probably nearly a day old).  A friendly older Asian woman asks me what I would like.

"How late are you open?" I ask.  Trying to hide my amazement.  "Are you open 24 hours?"

"No," she says, "We close at 2:30am."

2:30am?!?  I'm thinking, "Why bother closing at 2:30 if you have to open up again a couple hours later?"

"Will these guys still be here?" I ask.

She nods, "Maybe they're lonely." 

"Can I have one of the apple fritters?"

It reminds me of the theme song from Cheers.  "Everybody wants to go where everybody knows your name."  These guys just need a place to be.  A place to hang out.  They don't bother anyone and noone bothers them.  I don't understand why they picked this donut shop.  It doesn't look like they keep the place in business.  None of them had so much as coffee in front of them when I was there.  They were just smoking and talking about motorcycles.  (And staring at the idiot who bought an apple fritter at 11pm!)

Part I: Donut Shop Hangout

Sometimes you see something that looks out of place.  Something that seems kinda weird.  Tonight, as I was riding home from a meeting, I noticed that there was a group of people - 8 to 12 people - hanging out at a local donut shop.  Now maybe this is a normal phenomenon in your neck of the woods, but most of the donut shops that I am familiar with open at 4 or 5 in the morning and close at noon.  Sure, they have a crowd that hangs out and has coffee and donuts in the morning, but in the evening the coffee drinkers are at home watching the news and the shop is closed.

As I marveled at the popularity of the donut shop, I recalled seeing people hanging out there a week ago when I rode by at about the same time.  In other words, this is not an isolated incident.  This place has a following that likes to have donuts at 9:30PM.  Is it just me or is that a little strange?!?

Perhaps it isn't about the donuts or coffee.  Maybe people just need a place to hang out.  The patrons encompassed a diverse age range.  I thought I saw a couple of high school age students at a table - maybe doing homework.  Five to seven people looked to be in their fifties or sixties.  (I am not sure about the others, I was trying to ride by without giving away my astonishment).  There were a couple of motorcycles parked nearby as well.  Some of them were inside the shop while others were sitting outside.

I have been to the shop in the morning a couple of times.  It seems like they have a group of regulars that like to shoot the breeze and smoke at the outside tables in the mornings.  Maybe they come back in the evening to do the same?  I just cannot be sure.

I think I might have to stop in next week and go undercover.  You know - try to blend in, buy a half day old donut, sip on some rat poison (donut shop coffee), and see what makes it the place to be on a Thursday night.  Maybe it beats hanging out at a bar.  Or maybe they are just meeting there on the way to the bar?  I just cannot be sure.

If I find anything out I'll be sure to let you know.

TO BE CONTINUED...
  

Thoughts on Exercise

Last evening, as I was riding my bike to and from a friends house, I started to get lost in my thoughts.  (I think it is one of the reasons I like going for a good ride.  Time to think).

Anyway, as I saw a few random joggers/walkers I thought about the methods of exercise that are common to our society.  You have your gym members, your runners and walkers, and stay-at-home treadmillers.  I guess there are some people who use sports - basketball, soccer, tennis, etc. - to get exercise.  It got me to thinking how sad it is that for most people, exercise is compartmentalized outside of any practical use.  People know it is good for them (health reasons or weight loss) and feel like they should get exercise.  So... after work they stop off at the gym to sweat off a few hundred calories.

Maybe I am being a bit too idealistic, but it appears to me that our society's method of burning calories for calories sake is so inefficient.  (Please pardon me if what I am about to say offends you or sounds pious.  I am just thinking outloud for a moment, so join my thoughts for a while).

For example, how much sense does it make for a person to drive to a gym so that they can walk in place?  Wouldn't it make more sense to just walk to the gym, say "Hi" to your friends on their treadmills, and walk back home?  Does it make sense to pay a monthly fee to exercise?  Sure, we get to use the equipment, but just stop to think about how funny it is that someone is making a living off of your exercise, your sweat.  The gym owner fills his/her pockets with money while you drive to their building to sweat off the two pieces of chocolate cake you ate before getting in the car to work out!

Which brings me to my next thought.  Why do we walk without going anywhere?  Isn't that what happens on a treadmill?  We walk or jog "x" number of miles without moving so much as one inch.  Jogging or walking a track is much the same.  Sure, we burn calories, but we have recieved nothing in return.  We haven't picked up any groceries. (We'll have to stop at the store on the drive home).  We haven't talked to our friends.  (We'll have to catch them on facebook).  We haven't played with our kids.  (We'll have to do that... well let me see.  After dinner they will need to do their homework, make a lunch for tomorrow, and get ready for bed.  Maybe tomorrow night).  It just doesn't make good sense to me.

My point is that we should be able to exercise as part of our daily lives.  Walking, jogging, or biking, to work, the grocery store, the libray, school, or church.  We should be able to make our exercise count for something.  We would get the exercise we need, spend less money on gas and doctor bills, and already have groceries for dinner.

Let me guess, you are thinking, "Well, your idea sounds good and all, but it just isn't practical.  I live too far away from work to bike/walk/jog.  I don't want to be sweaty when I get to work.  Besides, it would take me too long to get there."

Many of these points are true - but only because our culture, workplace and surroundings have made them easy to be true.  We live under the presupposition that these obstacles are inevitable, that they cannot be changed.  We forget the importance of making good decisions instead of easy ones.  Setting priorities, placing value on things that are truly important, and a willingness to change are foreign to most people.  Might I suggest we rethink our exercise?

Keep in mind I am only thinking outloud.  I really do not mean to sound like street preacher.  Much of my rant, if you will, is to work out my own priorities and exercise habbits.  How often do I spend a couple hours on the bike going nowhere?  It is definately something to think about.

One of my favorite bloggers, Kent Peterson, quietly goes about his life without owning a car.  His blog gets me thinking about how biking doesn't have to be about conquests, having awesome gear, getting more streets with bike lanes (although that would be nice), or even exercise.  It can be about biking to the places we need or want to go and seeing the places and people we want to see.  And we get the benefits of exercise along the way!  Cool.

Here's your sign!

 

Signs have become a part of our landscape.  Some signs become so familiar that we disregard them completely.  A while back I started noticing signs that were unique to cyclists, bike paths, or just the places my bike took me.  I'd like to dedicate this post to a few signs that made me look twice.

Road closures and detours can be frustrating to say the least.  Well... it turns out they are not just a problem for motor vehicles.  (If you bike the San Gabriel river in LA county you might be familiar with these two signs).

I wish I had more pictures of street names to share.  Some of them appear impossible to pronounce, some can be taken the wrong way, and others are just plain strange.  Here are a couple that hold special meaning for me. 

Colima has special meaning for the twelve/thirteen year old boys that we take out biking.  We do not get many hills in LA county, so going to Whittier and spending some time on Colima means getting a workout.  We have a couple other fun hills we train on, but this one gets a response from the boys every time.



And really, isn't it awesome to ride on a street named Coffee?  Who can resist a street like that?!?  Warning: looking at the sign often triggers an uncontroled desire for a freshly brewed cup of joe!  Ah.............

Next are a couple of signs that you actually expect to see on or around a bike path, right?  The funny thing to me is that many times the signs overstate the problem.  For example, the downhill portion of the path where this sign was posted really wasn't very steep or a very long downhill section.  As for the single file sign, the road was not that narrow, there were no parked cars to contend with, and the street had very little traffic.

 

 

Have you ever seen a cyclist and horseback rider play chicken when meeting on a shared trail?  My money is on the horse.

 

Now there are some signs you really don't want to see.  I realize that it is good to warn someone that something dangerous or discusting may happen while you out enjoying some fresh air and exercise, but these signs make you feel like you are reading the warning label on a cholesterol medication.

CAUTION: Bike way subject to flooding & may become impassable!

                             
"Danger! Intermittent pump discharge. Keep clear." "Tsunami hazard zone: in case of earthquake go to high ground or inland!"


The last few signs are some crossing signs that I found humorous.  My only regret is that we never had a chance to stop for any of the designated pedestrians.