Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos
Its Performance bikes brand. 15 miles off road today was glad to be done lol
Dallant
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- Region
- USA
Catalyzt
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Monday's ride was really a freak show. The goal was to get to Brand Park in Glendale where there are supposedly some decent workable trails... though it's 7 to 10 miles away. As usual, I got a late start and I wasn't feeling 100%, but I figured even if I didn't make it all the way, I'd get more familiar with the roads and neighborhood. As I crested the ridge where Mt. Hollywood splits from Vista del Valle, I saw a good omen-- my spirit animal, and a male, too! Usually, you only see does or fawns. I kept a respectful distance....
Then unlocked the rear suspension and began my descent... I need to do a GoPro of Mt. Hollywood, because it is a really fun downhill if you can dodge the potholes, gravel, and dirt. Turned left onto Hollywood Drive, opened it up a bit, but didn't push too hard, a leisurely 34 MPH or so. Started the climb up towards Brand Park, got most of the way there but... ah, it was getting dark, my stamina wasn't great, and it was getting chilly and overcast. Figured I'd return on the other side of the LA river, because I could see there was a bike path there via the satellite view, even if Google Maps wouldn't let me plot it as part of my route.
That, my friends, was my mistake... Google Maps routinely shafts me by not allowing me to plot routes via easements and rights of way where I am 100% legal, so I'd learned not to trust it... but this time, I should have heeded the warning. There was a REASON the bike path was abandoned... and I have to admit, as I cruised past the dwellings of a few unhoused individuals, the route was looking less promising... a LOT less promising.
But I thought, hey, this has got to get me to North Atwater Park, and I know it's a straight shot from there down to Los Feliz Boulevard. So I charged onwards... and I'd like to tell you that it looked better as I went further south... that suddenly I found myself on verdant, tree-lined streets lined with wildflowers that brought to mind Wordsworth and Coleridge. And I could tell you that... but I'd be lying...
I particularly liked the falling-down telephone pole next to the high-tension wires, like, "Yeah, this neighborhood is so bad, we won't even bother taking this thing down, we'll just leave it here, no one will notice or care." A wiser man would have turned around right there, but I pressed onward, as the cracked asphalt gave way to bottle caps and broken glass which I could hear crunching under my wheels... until I hit the chicken-wire fence at the end of the road. And found the break in the fence that someone had conveniently cut... which led me... directly on to a freeway on ramp with a three foot high divider, 80 MPH traffic, and a shoulder 4 feet wide.
It did look like the shoulder opened up to eight to ten feet if I just rode against traffic for a quarter mile or so, and maybe there would be a route back to some kind of underpass, and I actually did try doing that briefly. But by now, the light was fading fast, there was absolutely no escape route, crossing the on ramp would have been suicidal, and the "Stupid Rider" light on my mental dashboard was blinking red. So I retreated back the way I came... a few more unhoused people wandering about now, all of them, thankfully, quite peaceful, though I did find my energy level had mysteriously returned, and I was suddenly pedaling quite hard. The crunch of broken glass was really unnerving, I heard a nasty rattle starting from the rear end (which turned out to be my water bottle cage, fortunately, though I didn't know that at the time), my mobile battery was under 30%, and-- of course-- it started raining, though that had not been in the forecast.
I did get to North Atwater Park, and there actually were a few very short runs of easy singletrack! I blasted happily down one of them until I ran into a gentleman sitting by himself on a lawn chair alone in the bushes... had no idea what he was doing there, and didn't want to find out. Gave a jaunty wave, spun around, and gamely tried for another short cut... with MUCH better luck this time. I was back on the non-abandoned part of the bike path, which I knew, and had an uneventful run home from there.
Next time, I'm going straight to Brand Park... even in the dark, it would have been safer, but at least now I know the route a lot better. And if I had to make this mistake, I'm glad I made it in daylight... if you look at my run through Glendale, you can see exactly where I got in trouble and had to double back!
Then unlocked the rear suspension and began my descent... I need to do a GoPro of Mt. Hollywood, because it is a really fun downhill if you can dodge the potholes, gravel, and dirt. Turned left onto Hollywood Drive, opened it up a bit, but didn't push too hard, a leisurely 34 MPH or so. Started the climb up towards Brand Park, got most of the way there but... ah, it was getting dark, my stamina wasn't great, and it was getting chilly and overcast. Figured I'd return on the other side of the LA river, because I could see there was a bike path there via the satellite view, even if Google Maps wouldn't let me plot it as part of my route.
That, my friends, was my mistake... Google Maps routinely shafts me by not allowing me to plot routes via easements and rights of way where I am 100% legal, so I'd learned not to trust it... but this time, I should have heeded the warning. There was a REASON the bike path was abandoned... and I have to admit, as I cruised past the dwellings of a few unhoused individuals, the route was looking less promising... a LOT less promising.
But I thought, hey, this has got to get me to North Atwater Park, and I know it's a straight shot from there down to Los Feliz Boulevard. So I charged onwards... and I'd like to tell you that it looked better as I went further south... that suddenly I found myself on verdant, tree-lined streets lined with wildflowers that brought to mind Wordsworth and Coleridge. And I could tell you that... but I'd be lying...
I particularly liked the falling-down telephone pole next to the high-tension wires, like, "Yeah, this neighborhood is so bad, we won't even bother taking this thing down, we'll just leave it here, no one will notice or care." A wiser man would have turned around right there, but I pressed onward, as the cracked asphalt gave way to bottle caps and broken glass which I could hear crunching under my wheels... until I hit the chicken-wire fence at the end of the road. And found the break in the fence that someone had conveniently cut... which led me... directly on to a freeway on ramp with a three foot high divider, 80 MPH traffic, and a shoulder 4 feet wide.
It did look like the shoulder opened up to eight to ten feet if I just rode against traffic for a quarter mile or so, and maybe there would be a route back to some kind of underpass, and I actually did try doing that briefly. But by now, the light was fading fast, there was absolutely no escape route, crossing the on ramp would have been suicidal, and the "Stupid Rider" light on my mental dashboard was blinking red. So I retreated back the way I came... a few more unhoused people wandering about now, all of them, thankfully, quite peaceful, though I did find my energy level had mysteriously returned, and I was suddenly pedaling quite hard. The crunch of broken glass was really unnerving, I heard a nasty rattle starting from the rear end (which turned out to be my water bottle cage, fortunately, though I didn't know that at the time), my mobile battery was under 30%, and-- of course-- it started raining, though that had not been in the forecast.
I did get to North Atwater Park, and there actually were a few very short runs of easy singletrack! I blasted happily down one of them until I ran into a gentleman sitting by himself on a lawn chair alone in the bushes... had no idea what he was doing there, and didn't want to find out. Gave a jaunty wave, spun around, and gamely tried for another short cut... with MUCH better luck this time. I was back on the non-abandoned part of the bike path, which I knew, and had an uneventful run home from there.
Next time, I'm going straight to Brand Park... even in the dark, it would have been safer, but at least now I know the route a lot better. And if I had to make this mistake, I'm glad I made it in daylight... if you look at my run through Glendale, you can see exactly where I got in trouble and had to double back!
D
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Art Deco
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Selinsgrove Pennsylvania
There is a discussion on carrying mace type products like bear or dog spray. You might want to take something like that for unknown routes.
steve mercier
Well-Known Member
Good story !
If there are deer probably mountain lion too. If I'm not mistaken can't carry a fire arm in CA so your suggestion is probably not a bad idea...
D
Deleted member 18083
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Dairy Country…
Lockyer Valley, Queensland
RabH
Well-Known Member
Another short ride on my Giant CRS 1.0 Hybrid, I'm getting used to it again with a 36.5mph descent today down this hill! This is just the start of it, it gets steep further down!
Another headwind for the first 9 miles but not as strong as Tuesday thankfully!I had to lift the bike up a 3ft embankment to get this photo, no problem lifting this bike!
Some nice views of the hills I climbed at the weekend! I won't be going near them until I get my motor back!
I can't wait to get my motor back but at least I'm still ticking over for now, the hills are hard but I'm managing! I'm trying to plan a flattish 50 miler for Sunday but there's very little flat here!
We shall see if I can make it, the winds have been from the NE for the past while but Sunday is going to be a westerly so I will be heading west to get the breeze behind me on the way home! The final climbs will no doubt hurt but at least I have no work on Monday! Watch this space...Attachments
Art Deco
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Selinsgrove Pennsylvania
/offtopic/
The post count for this thread is up about 50% compared to the same date in the 2020 thread. A lot of rides for me to view while the rain keeps coming down every d@#n day here.
/end offtopic/
Dallant
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Sorry, now you know how I felt last winter! We actually need some rain.
Wednesday's ride to run the Ten Mile Dog and check the snow level out near an area I like to camp at (when snow is gone). The Demon Dog was emptied of energy except for the adrenaline stash of emergency energy for a SQUIRREL event. Need to change SQUIRREL for CHIPMUNK at this location and elevation.
Yesterday I rode up from the house and left the Demon Dog at home. 23 miles total up and back from where the lowland flowers are at peak bloom. It was a gorgeous Spring day.
Yesterday I rode up from the house and left the Demon Dog at home. 23 miles total up and back from where the lowland flowers are at peak bloom. It was a gorgeous Spring day.
reed scott
Well-Known Member
My dog is hell on squirrels too. He barked one out of a tree once ( tree rat tried to jump from one tree to another and missed ) where he got it and promptly ate it. Now he lives to harass squirrels. Which means a lot of PITA as we have oaks all around the yards.
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Stop posting acoustic bikes, it makes my knees acheView attachment 86190
Another short ride on my Giant CRS 1.0 Hybrid, I'm getting used to it again with a 36.5mph descent today down this hill! This is just the start of it, it gets steep further down!
View attachment 86193
I had to lift the bike up a 3ft embankment to get this photo, no problem lifting this bike!
View attachment 86194
Some nice views of the hills I climbed at the weekend! I won't be going near them until I get my motor back!
View attachment 86195
View attachment 86196
View attachment 86197
I can't wait to get my motor back but at least I'm still ticking over for now, the hills are hard but I'm managing! I'm trying to plan a flattish 50 miler for Sunday but there's very little flat here!
Chargeride
Well-Known Member
Ive created a monster.
Catalyzt
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
I don't want any trouble, but yes, I usually carry something, but as we noted in the 'dog spray' discussion, there's not really a great solution.
I do not believe in carrying firearms outside the home except in the most extreme circumstances (and yes, open or concealed firearm carry is illegal here) knives are legal for open carry but hard to use, pepper spray not great because of blowback (though some formulations/sprays have better range and might work) and stun guns are typically heavy and/or don't have range, but not bad as a weapon of last resort if powerful enough. Asps or batons would be best, but are not legal.
The mountain lions here don't bother people much-- there are only a few, and they do get quite near our house, but no one's had a problem. I chase coyotes sometimes, they are pretty easily hazed. The unhoused folks are down on their luck and while there are entire colonies of homeless bike thieves in Silverlake/Los Feliz-- and you can see many bikes there in various stages of disassembly-- these encampments did not have that feel to them. I am a psychotherapist, and I work with violent people sometimes-- I do have special training in anger management work-- so I'd almost always try conflict de-escalation first. These guys were a little scary, but they didn't have a predatory look; if there was conflict, it would due to mental illness or misunderstanding, which theoretically I am trained to handle.
My colleagues work in homeless outreach, I've had some homeless clients. These guys (and gals and gender nonconforming folks) have some fascinating stories sometimes. When you hear about their day-to-day lives, it's easier to understand why they don't stay in shelters. But yeah, I get scared, and I might use my carry if there were really, absolutely, and totally no other option.
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