Test rides . . . and an interesting-looking Profile

I don't even like red . . .

So, how I ended up with three red bikes, I'm not really sure, but I have a red Mako, red Colnago Mexico, and a red Bianchi. One is 57 cm, the other is 58 cm, and the Bianchi is 61 cm. So, today I took all three for a test ride to see which one I liked least so I could sell it.

I got on the Colnago first, a bike I had not ridden for a few weeks, and one on which I just put the wheels that came on the Gios Torino I parted out several weeks ago. The bike rode fantastically. I really let it fly down the hill on Skyline Truck Trail heading west from my driveway.

I had to do a little adjustment to the front derailleur at the turn around point and as soon as I tightened the cable, I was back on the road.

When I got home, I put that bike away and got on the Bianchi. Now, this was really going to be a test because I am not used to Downtube shifters, but I figured them out and only did some "dyslexic" shifting one time.

That bike is big for me, but oh, so comfortable. The geometry is very relaxed, the head tube lays back a bit more than that on the Colnago.

I got home, and after helping a friend over the phone with a computer problem, got out the Mako, and aluminum-framed bike with a carbon fork.

As far as the "road noise," I really didn't feel the difference between the Mako and the two steel bikes I had just ridden. I listened to Cheryl Wheeler on my headphones as I flew down the hill and then pedaled slowly back up the hill in the heat of the late morning.

Originally, I was only going to "test" the three red bikes, but then I got out the Ti bike, a frame I recently built up with some DuraAce parts I bought on eBay and DuraAce parts that came off the Gios.

Now, everyone talks about how smooth Ti bikes are. Well, it must be the geometry of this frame, or perhaps the type of Titanium, but it seems I could feel every little bump in the chip seal asphalt as I rode up the steep driveway and then down the hill.

Of the four bikes, surprise, surprise, the Ti bike was the least pleasureable to ride.

So, now the decision is easy which one to part with to cull my herd. Anyone want to buy a Vintage 59 cm. Titanium frame?

Here is the interesting Profile of the rides I took this morning:

An early ride to beat the heat

A heat wave arrived a few days ago, so this morning I got up at 5:00 and just as the sun was coming up, pedaled up my steep driveway and out onto Skyline Truck Trail. The sun was in my eyes, and in the eyes of drivers behind me, so I was cautious and vigilant at checking the rear view mirror attached to the temple of my sunglasses.

At the fire station road, the road descends steeply, and as I continued down, the temperature got a lot cooler. Before I started out, I thought I would ride to the Japatul intersection, but that section of the road was in the sun, so instead of going north on Lyons Valley Road, I turned right and rode past the driveway to the Jamul Castle, past the Trading Post, and past the Morgan Horse boarding facility. The road got steeper, and steeper. I had never ridden this road in this direction. The extreme descent surprised me. Because of the tight turns, I rode the brakes fairly consistently, attempting to maintain a less-than-frightening speed.

Almost a year ago when I rode this route in the other direction, I went up this hill, glad I wasn't pedaling up the other side because it looked so steep when I looked back at it.

What was I thinking . . . ?

At the bottom of the descent where a sign warns "Subject to Flooding," I had to shift to my lowest gear quickly. The bike I was riding, my "Wonder Pony," has a titanium frame. I built it up recently with vintage DuraAce parts, only has 16 speeds. I could have used all 30 gears on my Klein to make it up that short, steep stretch. Ultimately, I had to stand up in order to conquer it.

Across Lee Valley, there are many horse ranches. The smell of horse manure is prevalent, but for me it brings back pleasant memories of the seven years of my life that were organized around my horses.

After making the turn onto Lawson Valley Road, I watched a beautiful coyote cross the road less than 100 feet in front of me. I whistled, the way I used to whistle at my horses, and the coyote turned and posed for me. Too bad I didn't have my camera.

I pedaled steadily, in my lowest gear, up the long hill of Skyline Truck Trail, keeping my eye on the house to the northeast. That was my goal. Shortly after it, the steep ascent ends followed by a short downhill section into a half-mile long saddle. There was a bit of a headwind, so I didn't get to rest completely before the climb up to my driveway began.

I made it back safely, using a lot of care descending the steep half-mile-long driveway.

After I parked the bike, I checked the Garmin Edge and was surprised I got up to 40 mph somewhere along the way. Perhaps that was on the descent after the fire station. That is the only part of the route I would have trusted enough to let the bike roll that fast. Here is the Profile of today's ride:



The heatwave will continue this coming week, so to get my bike rides in, I'll have to maintain my early-to-bed-early-to-rise routine.

My first solo ride on a beautiful route

It has been almost a year since I rode the hills and valleys of Skyline Truck Trail and Lyons Valley Road, and I forgot how beautiful the route is, and how much solitude it offers. I didn't get started at exactly 7:30, the summer departure time for our Tuesday/Thursday group, but my start was early enough to enjoy cool morning temperaturs.

I rode my Giant TCX Cyclocross bike so I could stop to visit a friend on the way back. He lives on a graded road and that bike's 700 X 32 tires are much more stable on that loose surface.

Here is the Profile of today's wonderful ride:



I got that fat-tired bike up to more than 40 miles per hour going down the hill south of Horsethief Canyon.

A solo ride back from Alpine

For the past 11 months, I have enjoyed riding with my Tuesday/Thursday group. They motivate me to wake up early and ride more than 30 miles each of those days. If my presence with the group was not entirely welcome, at least it was tolerated with civility.

Until today . . .

One of the other riders reamed me out for something I apoligized for, and for something that happened two months ago that I had no control over.

So, rather than continue to defend myself, I left and rode back by myself.

It looks like I'll be riding alone for a while now. Here is the profile of today's long, looping ride through El Cajon and up old Highway 80 to Alpine, a ride during which Larry and I stopped to pick up coins and other treasures we saw on the pavement.

Whooo Boy, am I tired . . . and I didn't even ride today

Since I am so tired, and I only drove today, I can't imagine how the cyclists from today's 57-mile ride feel right now . . .

Deanna's statistics for the ride were: 57 miles with 5,349 feet of climbing. Her riding time was 3:47 (faster than last year.)

My statistics for the day were nearly six hours of driving, covering more than 110 miles . . .

My longest bike ride in nearly 27 years

Yesterday, our little "Tuesday/Thursday" bike riding group took off on a great adventure on one of the most beautiful days we have had in quite a while. Wonderful high sirrus and cumulus clouds added interest to the clear blue sky and provided a backdrop to the pictures Deanna and I took.

Here is the Profile of the ride:



And here are some pictures from the great adventure. The first one is of our "tour guide," and the person who inspired this long ride.

Shortly after Deanna took a couple of pictures of our group, a woman came up and volunteered to take a picture of the entire group.



Right behind us was this great, old ship.

Along the boardwalk on the bay, there are sculptures that change every six months or so. Larry told us about this one and we had to stop to admire it as it turned in the breeze.

Deanna's picture of the same sculpture came out really well.



Our ultimate destination turned out to be Shelter Island where this boat, a reproduction of Christopher Columbus' boat, The Nina. Seeing that ship was the purpose of our ride.


It was a fantastic day, a wonderful ride, and a truly-great adventure. I am indebted to Deanna for coming up with the idea.

A new rider joins our Saturday "Bike Buddies" group

Through Craigslist, I met a young man from Ramona who drove all the way down to join us. The weather was beautiful again. Here is the Profile of the ride:




During this ride, one of the guys I was riding near had a flat tire. It didn't take too long to fix it by putting in a new tube, but the delay kept us from catching up to the rest of the group again until we arrived at the Coffee Ground coffee shop. We had to make another stop so I could readjust my saddle. I had changed it from the WTB Pure V to the Specialized one, and although I thought it was tight, it moved back, making the descent down Arnold and Harbison Canyon more interesting than usual.

I really had a good time, and although we need rain, I am so grateful for the wonderful weather we have had so far this winter.