How many So Cal Riders use this forum?

[bikerchick68]

nicole... wow, I bet it IS a big adjustment to lifestyle for you both... I was driving the other day and saw a local rider who has only one leg... he rides with his prosthetic... pretty freakin amazing to me!

when he is ready to ride again, consider driving to the new bike trail along the 56! If you've not ridden it, you may want to check it out. NO traffic, wide, smooth new pavement, decent length (round trip is about 20 miles I think) and everyone I have seen is courteous to others... it has no real climbing although it is a bit of a false flat as you head eastbound... with a return trip on a slight downhill... I would guess it would be perfect for starting out again.... let me know if you need to know how to find it... I could even meet you one day and show you if you like...

ACG- oooohhhh... Project One... I SO wanted one of those but they just didn't fit me for whatever reason (probably cause I have a weird body! LOL) I love the paint job called Southern Comfort... the black frame with orange and gold flames...

Laughlaugh... I know what ya mean about being intimidated by bike clubs... are there any near you who do "no drop" rides for beginners? Here we have SD Bike Club who has 4 levels of rides... the "C" group is a slower pace, no drop group specifically designed for beginners or those who just wanna cruise for a day! Some days I like to go out and hammer, and some days I just wanna cruise and enjoy the sunshine, birds and views!

googliewooglie... ah San Diego... just love it... if ya make it down with your bike lemme know! We'll could go for a spin! I ride with a group of friends and we're pretty low key... we ride for the joy of riding. No racing, lots of laughing!

[laughlaugh18]

bci - 30 miles is still beyond me - I'm good for about 10 at this point (hey, I have something to work towards; I want to do 50 for my 50th birthday in October!). There's a bike club in the Valley that I believe has no drop rides which I'll check out eventually.

I've been to Helen's, and about 5 other local bike shops, and am still looking (at Helen's a 17 year old kid "helped" me; needless to say he didn't quite get my late 40s fit concerns!)

If anyone has any suggestions of a good fitter in the greater LA area, I'd appreciate it. It's worth the bucks to me to get some knowledgable help for my wonky body.

Cathy

[tprevost]

LaughLaugh18 - I've heard there are some pretty good shops in the Rancho Cucamonga and Ontario areas; call around - ask lots of questions etc. I found - choose my favorite LBS when I talked to a guy who took the time to ask about the type of riding I did etc - then I got his name and asked for him specifically - so far, so good!

I would love to pick a ride and get together with others and train for it (probably every few weeks or so sine everyone is a bit of a distance from each other) and/or be each other's training support for that particular ride. I would really like to get ready for Cruizin the Conejo (I'm planning to ride the moderate metric - 68 miles). I'm supposed to get my new bike this week or next week but can't ride until I get my cast off; 4 weeks from yesterday. I'll pretty much be starting from the beginning unless I decide to get a trainer in the interim.

bcipam - any insight on Cruizin' the Conejo?? I just re-read some of the posts and Bikerchick68 is already planning to do that one as well - are you planning on riding it this year?

Bikerchick68 - which route are you planning to do? I read that you are doing a century a month - I know you are doing Tour de Palm Springs, which rides are you doing in March and April? Since you have that fabulous pink bike, I thought of you when I went into a bike store and they had a pink polka dot project one (Madone 5.2) It sounds a bit weird but it was gorgeous - not thatyou would necessarily do polka dots but the color was soooo purty! That's now my next bike (different colors) assuming I ride as seriosly as I'm planning! You were my insiration for putting COLOR on my bike!!!

In any event, I am so glad to know there are a few of us here in SoCal!!!

Nicole, my prayers go out to you and your boyfriend. The two of you are so lucky to have each other! What is entailed in moving all of the bike levers to one side? Do they have to retrofit the bike itself or is ot a special type of shifter? I hope your boyfriend will be ready to give it a try soon, I'm sure it is a bit intimidating/scary.

Have a great day everyone!

Tracy

[bikerchick68]

hey I'm totally up for planning a ride and meeting! My bro lives in Camarillo so I can even stay up there if I need to be further north...

tprevost... I am doing the Century for Cruisin the Conejo... it will be my cent for that month...

for March I am doing a ride in Paso Robles (I'm 99% sure at least) that is a benefit ride for a rider who goes by Homey... he is on the bicycling.com forums and has become a friend... ridden with him a couple times... uh, wait, he's ridden with ME a couple times... no way I could keep up with him! LOL... anyway, he is putting together a supported ride for $40 with proceeds going to help him afford RAAM this year! Yep, he is qualified for Race Across America!!! A BIG deal of course... but will cost the team about $20,000 to race it... not cheap!

April... ah, April I don't know... I did Hemet last year and didn't like it... so I may do an unsupported cent that month... just up the coast and back or something... if I stay close to home I know where all the Starbucks are... LOL...

holy moly... a pink polka dot project one??? wowser, bet that's a beauty! I'm glad you added color... I will be changing out soon again... my saddle is dead as is my bar tape now... not sure what I'm gonna do next... since the bike is silver, pretty much anything goes for saddle and tape! I may do pink again... what the hay!

[bcipam]

Since I'm OC based, not too familiar with LA but I'll check around. Call Helen's and see if they can recommend a professional fitter. Also do not be afraid to ask the clerks if someone there has fit training. Ask to see an older clerk or the manager. I don't like the young ones working on me either!

Keep at it. 10 miles is good. 20 is better and so on. Next year you'll be doing the metric or even the century at Cool Breeze!!!!

[caligurl]

Where do you live: socal desert

What Do you ride: both road and mountain bikes

Which is your favorite? i like road riding better... i always say i'm a warm weather roadie!

Where do you ride? all over! during the week and non "organized" weekends.. just around the area i live... the joshua tree national park is in our "back yard" and it's also a nice climb/road ride! if we get the whim we'll drive "down the hill" and ride oak glen or GMR.... we also go all over socal to do organized ride.. i'm a fan of organized rides... LOVE the sag stops... so a lot of saturdays we are off before the crack of dawn heading for a ride! i rode 13 or 14 centuries last year.... including, of course the tour de palm spings (closest organized ride), breathless agony, ride around the bear, alpine challenge, also did a few double metrics: grand tour, grand tour lite later in the year, cool breeze... also did smog to surf (fun but hot!)... alpine challenge... hemet century.... julian bike fest... amtrak century.... las vegas century... borrego to the sea and OCW fall metric... we even added stagecoach this year! see! we drive all over socal to ride!

for mountain biking we've pretty much stayed in the local area... but we do drive to ride up bern's canyone quite often!


Bike Clubs: none... the closest bike club is an hour away.. not really worth it to drive an hour to ride with a club for 30 or 40 miles....

Bicycle wish list: hmmmmm don't have one cuz i just got a brand new ruby pro w/complete dura-ace.... so i'm happy... well.. i would like a pink mountain bike... i have no desire for a pink road bike.. but would LOVE a pink mountain bike lol!

Life wish list: be the person my dog thinks i am! lol!