Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

Catalyzt said:
I finally made it to Brand Park! WHAT a cool place! Strava closed out on me when I went to another app that used GPS-- I had to go to Google Maps to navigate the trails. Bummer, there's probably a work-around for that. Approximate stats from Maps and/or cycle computer:

Distance: 23.7 miles
Vertical: 2,300 feet
Total Time: 3 hours
Moving Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Max Speed: 37.6 MPH

The first part of this is a familiar ride, then all the way across the floor of the San Fernando Valley to the Brand Library. I really wanted to explore this area because it looked very inviting on the map, there are passing references to it on some MTB forums, but also I haven't been out there in a while, and have heard that during the pandemic, there has been substantial cultural drift on different sides of the Hollywood Hills... Wild rumors that deep in Glendale and Burbank, people now speak a different dialect that is nearly unintelligible, worship different gods, and some tribes have reverted to cannibalism. Had to find out myself.

(BTW, no disrespect to anyone living in Burbank or Glendale, I'm just being a clown, I actually worked in Burbank for years and was proud to have an office there for a long time!)

First stop was the Brand Library and Arts Center. Looking back towards the back side of the Hollywood Hills...

View attachment 88172

Then you ride up to a gate and discover signs that say "No alcohol, no smoking, no skateboards, no roller skates, no mescaline..." But where was the sign that said "No bikes"? There WAS no sign saying that! Only a narrow gate-- a bike can fit, but only if you lift it about three feet in the air so the handlebars clear the top of the gate. Glad I don't have an 80 pound bike! Up a winding, steep, cracked asphalt path... here looking back towards the back of the hills again, you can see the tiny antenna on top of the Hollywood sign...
View attachment 88175
Then on to an actual TRAIL... note those small rocks, which got steadily larger as we ascended. This is looking backwards... I was astounded to see this guy with a very formidable quadruped, but apparently, these are domesticated animals from the wolf family-- "dogs," I believe they are called. Probably used for hunting or defense... I didn't want to try speaking in the local patois, was afraid of giving offense, but the man and his companion responded well to my affable grunting and crude attempts at semaphore... both quite friendly, though I passed very cautiously.

View attachment 88176
The trail actually got a bit technical as I ascended... I passed a few hikers, always stopped to let them have right of way, very positive vibe, no tension, lots of nods and smiles. As I passed 1,500 feet above sea level, my oxygen mask deployed from the Moto's handlebars-- the smog has always been bad in the San Fernando valley, but apparently the air got even worse during the pandemic, and I appreciated that Bikes Direct included this as an aftermarket option for California riders. Stopped to take some shots here, nice views back towards Hollywood... again, the antenna is a good reference point for the Hollywood sign, and if that plateau in the upper left of the frame is about where the blue gravel track is (from my last ride).

View attachment 88178
View attachment 88179

The hills in spots-- weirdly-- remind me of Kauai north of Waimea, though that's a stretch-- just the geology, not nearly as lush, and, well, not as steep, or as high, either... let's just say it looks more like Kauai than it looks like the Adirondacks...
View attachment 88180
Was intending to do a big loop, but the downhill leg looked very steep, narrow, and rocky, and I do not have enough experience to recognize where I might lose control-- and I just couldn't SEE all of it, either. But I did not feel stupid wearing the motocross armor today. Indeed, when I turned around and descended the way I came, even that was a bit trickier than I thought-- I just have no sense of when I'll lose traction on the sandy, slippery dirt, but fortunately, the new Ikons had a lot of grip and were forgiving enough for a rookie like me. They do seem to be losing a fair amount of air... it works out, because I need high PSI for the first asphalt climb, but later, it was better having them 5 PSI lower on the dirt, but I suppose I have to figure out what's going on eventually.

Of course, when I was at the farthest point from home, I felt a stabbing pain in my gut-- diverticulitis flare up. I put it out of my mind, was having too good a time, but-- and sorry to seem like an old fart here-- was stunned to discover a well-ventillated BATHROOM in Brand Park-- door was propped open, handicapped stall big enough for the bike, I just rode straight in! Would have made it home, probably, but was a lot more comfortable after that for the rest of the ride! But the bathroom is great news-- I have enough range to probably explore another 5 or 10 miles uphill, so no worries if I come out again for a longer trip, picnic, or stop for a nap, etc.

Or about bringing more water and hydrating better, for that matter. I have a tiny, weight-weenie water bottle, but there's a fountain here, too.

Just one last shot and a map to close out his long post... the bike / horse bridge is VERY cool, the only place I know of where both bikes and horses are permitted. It looks like a piece of modern sculpture sitting by the 5 freeway, I drove past it 5 days a week for years without having any idea what it was. What a great day-- and I didn't let the flare-up spoil it. But I may have to plan more places to stop, for the bathroom, or just to rest. I read that exercise can, unfortunately, aggravate diverticulitis. And the more I think of it, I think this has probably happened before with body boarding over the last few years-- sudden gut pain after a long session, I just didn't know what it was. There is a brew-pub in this odd industrial area in Glendale on the way home-- outdoor seating-- I don't drink alcohol anymore, but I bet they have a non-alcoholic microbrew or something else I could have... So, as we get older, we adjust, we change our plan, even slow down if we have to... but we still ride.

View attachment 88181
View attachment 88182View attachment 88183
Click to expand...
Great stuff. Nice to get an insiders look where a tourist would never venture , right in the heart of LA.
 
Mr. Coffee said:
Rainy day, well mostly. Started off super cold, and I was going slow because I am still beat from the previous two days:

View attachment 88156
The Google Maps gods giveth and sometimes they taketh away. The first two dozen miles were mostly on stretches of old highway, which what with the grass growing in the cracks, enormous potholes, and the misty cloudy weather made the whole thing seem post-apocalyptic. After clawing my ways through the rapidly developing western side of Spokane (numerous reroutes due to construction) I ended up on the rather nice Centennial Trail through downtown Spokane and on to Spokane Valley.

The river was FAT:

View attachment 88157

Another shot of the torrent, from the old world's fair site:

View attachment 88158

Nice section of the trail along the river E of Spokane:

View attachment 88159
Click to expand...
I've ridden the Centennial Trail from Spokane to Couer d'Alene (sp?) a couple of times, long ago, on an acoustic bike. It was a nice, 40-mile ride back then...
 
Heres the vid of my epic Welsh climb, I guess that now means wobbly bike has passed the test and has been entered in to the hall of shame.
Such a beautiful day mixed with enormous effort and terror, also met another soul like me near the microwave towers....thats him swearing at the end....retired and trying to relive his youth.
I'll get a proper bike one day Stefan. :)
 
Chargeride said:
Heres the vid of my epic Welsh climb, I guess that now means wobbly bike has passed the test and has been entered in to the hall of shame.
Such a beautiful day mixed with enormous effort and terror, also met another soul like me near the microwave towers....thats him swearing at the end....retired and trying to relive his youth.
I'll get a proper bike one day Stefan. :)
Click to expand...
Awesome video, you are crazy! :p Was that really your shoe that came off? 🤣
 
Chargeride said:
Heres the vid of my epic Welsh climb, I guess that now means wobbly bike has passed the test and has been entered in to the hall of shame.
Such a beautiful day mixed with enormous effort and terror, also met another soul like me near the microwave towers....thats him swearing at the end....retired and trying to relive his youth.
I'll get a proper bike one day Stefan. :)
Click to expand...
Awesome !
 
Clawing my way free of Spokane and through interesting small communities like Colbert, Chattaroy, Elk, and Usk:

Screen Shot 2021-05-21 at 4.33.24 PM.png


Break time in at the Colbert Store:

tempImageJwj6Jr.jpg


tempImageC8Yz0o.jpg


tempImageholMZ3.jpg


Pretty Davis Lake:

tempImage2oWkOw.jpg


Luxury accommodations in Cusick:

tempImagerBEEOA.jpg


There were some very interesting sections with some very funky homes, but I was hesitant to take photos because the occupants were likely to take violent exception to my photographing their neighborhood and barely tolerated my peacefully riding by their homes.
 
Mr. Coffee said:
Clawing my way free of Spokane and through interesting small communities like Colbert, Chattaroy, Elk, and Usk:

View attachment 88224

Break time in at the Colbert Store:

View attachment 88225

View attachment 88226

View attachment 88227

Pretty Davis Lake:

View attachment 88228

Luxury accommodations in Cusick:

View attachment 88229

There were some very interesting sections with some very funky homes, but I was hesitant to take photos because the occupants were likely to take violent exception to my photographing their neighborhood and barely tolerated my peacefully riding by their homes.
Click to expand...
So it appears you have gone back to a more conventional bike seat. Have you given up on the other one?
 
reed scott said:
So it appears you have gone back to a more conventional bike seat. Have you given up on the other one?
Click to expand...
Not exactly. I am using it sometimes during this trip (it doesn't weigh that much so carrying it is no big deal). I've concluded that at least for that bike and my proportions, I can't get the saddle height right when using that saddle and the Kinekt seat post. And those saddle bolts are noticeable after a long day's ride.

You'll note that even with that Ergon saddle the seat post is only raised a couple of millimeters. I didn't realize how enormous the stack height of the Kinekt was until I put it on.

I'm going to have to spend some time with the bike fit wizards at my LBS to sort this stuff out.
 
Catalyzt said:
I finally made it to Brand Park! WHAT a cool place! Strava closed out on me when I went to another app that used GPS-- I had to go to Google Maps to navigate the trails. Bummer, there's probably a work-around for that. Approximate stats from Maps and/or cycle computer:

Distance: 23.7 miles
Vertical: 2,300 feet
Total Time: 3 hours
Moving Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Max Speed: 37.6 MPH

The first part of this is a familiar ride, then all the way across the floor of the San Fernando Valley to the Brand Library. I really wanted to explore this area because it looked very inviting on the map, there are passing references to it on some MTB forums, but also I haven't been out there in a while, and have heard that during the pandemic, there has been substantial cultural drift on different sides of the Hollywood Hills... Wild rumors that deep in Glendale and Burbank, people now speak a different dialect that is nearly unintelligible, worship different gods, and some tribes have reverted to cannibalism. Had to find out myself.

(BTW, no disrespect to anyone living in Burbank or Glendale, I'm just being a clown, I actually worked in Burbank for years and was proud to have an office there for a long time!)

First stop was the Brand Library and Arts Center. Looking back towards the back side of the Hollywood Hills...

View attachment 88172

Then you ride up to a gate and discover signs that say "No alcohol, no smoking, no skateboards, no roller skates, no mescaline..." But where was the sign that said "No bikes"? There WAS no sign saying that! Only a narrow gate-- a bike can fit, but only if you lift it about three feet in the air so the handlebars clear the top of the gate. Glad I don't have an 80 pound bike! Up a winding, steep, cracked asphalt path... here looking back towards the back of the hills again, you can see the tiny antenna on top of the Hollywood sign...
View attachment 88175
Then on to an actual TRAIL... note those small rocks, which got steadily larger as we ascended. This is looking backwards... I was astounded to see this guy with a very formidable quadruped, but apparently, these are domesticated animals from the wolf family-- "dogs," I believe they are called. Probably used for hunting or defense... I didn't want to try speaking in the local patois, was afraid of giving offense, but the man and his companion responded well to my affable grunting and crude attempts at semaphore... both quite friendly, though I passed very cautiously.

View attachment 88176
The trail actually got a bit technical as I ascended... I passed a few hikers, always stopped to let them have right of way, very positive vibe, no tension, lots of nods and smiles. As I passed 1,500 feet above sea level, my oxygen mask deployed from the Moto's handlebars-- the smog has always been bad in the San Fernando valley, but apparently the air got even worse during the pandemic, and I appreciated that Bikes Direct included this as an aftermarket option for California riders. Stopped to take some shots here, nice views back towards Hollywood... again, the antenna is a good reference point for the Hollywood sign, and if that plateau in the upper left of the frame is about where the blue gravel track is (from my last ride).

View attachment 88178
View attachment 88179

The hills in spots-- weirdly-- remind me of Kauai north of Waimea, though that's a stretch-- just the geology, not nearly as lush, and, well, not as steep, or as high, either... let's just say it looks more like Kauai than it looks like the Adirondacks...
View attachment 88180
Was intending to do a big loop, but the downhill leg looked very steep, narrow, and rocky, and I do not have enough experience to recognize where I might lose control-- and I just couldn't SEE all of it, either. But I did not feel stupid wearing the motocross armor today. Indeed, when I turned around and descended the way I came, even that was a bit trickier than I thought-- I just have no sense of when I'll lose traction on the sandy, slippery dirt, but fortunately, the new Ikons had a lot of grip and were forgiving enough for a rookie like me. They do seem to be losing a fair amount of air... it works out, because I need high PSI for the first asphalt climb, but later, it was better having them 5 PSI lower on the dirt, but I suppose I have to figure out what's going on eventually.

Of course, when I was at the farthest point from home, I felt a stabbing pain in my gut-- diverticulitis flare up. I put it out of my mind, was having too good a time, but-- and sorry to seem like an old fart here-- was stunned to discover a well-ventillated BATHROOM in Brand Park-- door was propped open, handicapped stall big enough for the bike, I just rode straight in! Would have made it home, probably, but was a lot more comfortable after that for the rest of the ride! But the bathroom is great news-- I have enough range to probably explore another 5 or 10 miles uphill, so no worries if I come out again for a longer trip, picnic, or stop for a nap, etc.

Or about bringing more water and hydrating better, for that matter. I have a tiny, weight-weenie water bottle, but there's a fountain here, too.

Just one last shot and a map to close out his long post... the bike / horse bridge is VERY cool, the only place I know of where both bikes and horses are permitted. It looks like a piece of modern sculpture sitting by the 5 freeway, I drove past it 5 days a week for years without having any idea what it was. What a great day-- and I didn't let the flare-up spoil it. But I may have to plan more places to stop, for the bathroom, or just to rest. I read that exercise can, unfortunately, aggravate diverticulitis. And the more I think of it, I think this has probably happened before with body boarding over the last few years-- sudden gut pain after a long session, I just didn't know what it was. There is a brew-pub in this odd industrial area in Glendale on the way home-- outdoor seating-- I don't drink alcohol anymore, but I bet they have a non-alcoholic microbrew or something else I could have... So, as we get older, we adjust, we change our plan, even slow down if we have to... but we still ride.

View attachment 88181
View attachment 88182View attachment 88183
Click to expand...
Dahling I love you, but give me back Park Avenue...hahahaha
 
Catalyzt said:
I finally made it to Brand Park! WHAT a cool place! Strava closed out on me when I went to another app that used GPS-- I had to go to Google Maps to navigate the trails. Bummer, there's probably a work-around for that. Approximate stats from Maps and/or cycle computer:

Distance: 23.7 miles
Vertical: 2,300 feet
Total Time: 3 hours
Moving Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
Max Speed: 37.6 MPH

The first part of this is a familiar ride, then all the way across the floor of the San Fernando Valley to the Brand Library. I really wanted to explore this area because it looked very inviting on the map, there are passing references to it on some MTB forums, but also I haven't been out there in a while, and have heard that during the pandemic, there has been substantial cultural drift on different sides of the Hollywood Hills... Wild rumors that deep in Glendale and Burbank, people now speak a different dialect that is nearly unintelligible, worship different gods, and some tribes have reverted to cannibalism. Had to find out myself.

(BTW, no disrespect to anyone living in Burbank or Glendale, I'm just being a clown, I actually worked in Burbank for years and was proud to have an office there for a long time!)

First stop was the Brand Library and Arts Center. Looking back towards the back side of the Hollywood Hills...

View attachment 88172

Then you ride up to a gate and discover signs that say "No alcohol, no smoking, no skateboards, no roller skates, no mescaline..." But where was the sign that said "No bikes"? There WAS no sign saying that! Only a narrow gate-- a bike can fit, but only if you lift it about three feet in the air so the handlebars clear the top of the gate. Glad I don't have an 80 pound bike! Up a winding, steep, cracked asphalt path... here looking back towards the back of the hills again, you can see the tiny antenna on top of the Hollywood sign...
View attachment 88175
Then on to an actual TRAIL... note those small rocks, which got steadily larger as we ascended. This is looking backwards... I was astounded to see this guy with a very formidable quadruped, but apparently, these are domesticated animals from the wolf family-- "dogs," I believe they are called. Probably used for hunting or defense... I didn't want to try speaking in the local patois, was afraid of giving offense, but the man and his companion responded well to my affable grunting and crude attempts at semaphore... both quite friendly, though I passed very cautiously.

View attachment 88176
The trail actually got a bit technical as I ascended... I passed a few hikers, always stopped to let them have right of way, very positive vibe, no tension, lots of nods and smiles. As I passed 1,500 feet above sea level, my oxygen mask deployed from the Moto's handlebars-- the smog has always been bad in the San Fernando valley, but apparently the air got even worse during the pandemic, and I appreciated that Bikes Direct included this as an aftermarket option for California riders. Stopped to take some shots here, nice views back towards Hollywood... again, the antenna is a good reference point for the Hollywood sign, and if that plateau in the upper left of the frame is about where the blue gravel track is (from my last ride).

View attachment 88178
View attachment 88179

The hills in spots-- weirdly-- remind me of Kauai north of Waimea, though that's a stretch-- just the geology, not nearly as lush, and, well, not as steep, or as high, either... let's just say it looks more like Kauai than it looks like the Adirondacks...
View attachment 88180
Was intending to do a big loop, but the downhill leg looked very steep, narrow, and rocky, and I do not have enough experience to recognize where I might lose control-- and I just couldn't SEE all of it, either. But I did not feel stupid wearing the motocross armor today. Indeed, when I turned around and descended the way I came, even that was a bit trickier than I thought-- I just have no sense of when I'll lose traction on the sandy, slippery dirt, but fortunately, the new Ikons had a lot of grip and were forgiving enough for a rookie like me. They do seem to be losing a fair amount of air... it works out, because I need high PSI for the first asphalt climb, but later, it was better having them 5 PSI lower on the dirt, but I suppose I have to figure out what's going on eventually.

Of course, when I was at the farthest point from home, I felt a stabbing pain in my gut-- diverticulitis flare up. I put it out of my mind, was having too good a time, but-- and sorry to seem like an old fart here-- was stunned to discover a well-ventillated BATHROOM in Brand Park-- door was propped open, handicapped stall big enough for the bike, I just rode straight in! Would have made it home, probably, but was a lot more comfortable after that for the rest of the ride! But the bathroom is great news-- I have enough range to probably explore another 5 or 10 miles uphill, so no worries if I come out again for a longer trip, picnic, or stop for a nap, etc.

Or about bringing more water and hydrating better, for that matter. I have a tiny, weight-weenie water bottle, but there's a fountain here, too.

Just one last shot and a map to close out his long post... the bike / horse bridge is VERY cool, the only place I know of where both bikes and horses are permitted. It looks like a piece of modern sculpture sitting by the 5 freeway, I drove past it 5 days a week for years without having any idea what it was. What a great day-- and I didn't let the flare-up spoil it. But I may have to plan more places to stop, for the bathroom, or just to rest. I read that exercise can, unfortunately, aggravate diverticulitis. And the more I think of it, I think this has probably happened before with body boarding over the last few years-- sudden gut pain after a long session, I just didn't know what it was. There is a brew-pub in this odd industrial area in Glendale on the way home-- outdoor seating-- I don't drink alcohol anymore, but I bet they have a non-alcoholic microbrew or something else I could have... So, as we get older, we adjust, we change our plan, even slow down if we have to... but we still ride.

View attachment 88181
View attachment 88182View attachment 88183
Click to expand...
Used to live near those haunts. Obviously I missed a whole lot of stuff. Looked for that bridge thingy on the interwebs. Couldn't find anything. 👍 👍
 
reed scott said:
Used to live near those haunts. Obviously I missed a whole lot of stuff. Looked for that bridge thingy on the interwebs. Couldn't find anything. 👍 👍
Click to expand...
Okay, I totally made up the part about a new dialect in Glendale and cannibalism in Burbank, but the North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge is actually real-- though in some ways, it's more improbable.

https://www.theeastsiderla.com/neig...cle_810ef9a4-c95e-11e9-90da-2ff8f623d72e.html

There is, apparently, a long tradition of acrimony between cyclists and equestrians in and around Griffith Park, Atwater, and parts of Burbank where a lot of people own and ride horses. I think the bridge is a great idea. Let's practice getting along, how hard can it be? You see a horse, slow, down get off, and walk your bike, smile and wave. It's not like there are herds of cowboys roaming the range, it's just groups of two to 12 occasionally. I'm sure it was also an issue a century ago, but somehow I imagine they must have handled it better in 1921.

The design is interesting-- there is a little micro-maze-like thing that kind of funnels you... actually, I'm not sure how it worked, but as I crossed the bridge, I seemed to be in the appropriate lane without even knowing about it. Cool! I hope it's working out as well for the horses and riders.
 
Catalyzt said:
Okay, I totally made up the part about a new dialect in Glendale and cannibalism in Burbank, but the North Atwater Non-Motorized Multimodal Bridge is actually real-- though in some ways, it's more improbable.

https://www.theeastsiderla.com/neig...cle_810ef9a4-c95e-11e9-90da-2ff8f623d72e.html

There is, apparently, a long tradition of acrimony between cyclists and equestrians in and around Griffith Park, Atwater, and parts of Burbank where a lot of people own and ride horses. I think the bridge is a great idea. Let's practice getting along, how hard can it be? You see a horse, slow, down get off, and walk your bike, smile and wave. It's not like there are herds of cowboys roaming the range, it's just groups of two to 12 occasionally. I'm sure it was also an issue a century ago, but somehow I imagine they must have handled it better in 1921.

The design is interesting-- there is a little micro-maze-like thing that kind of funnels you... actually, I'm not sure how it worked, but as I crossed the bridge, I seemed to be in the appropriate lane without even knowing about it. Cool! I hope it's working out as well for the horses and riders.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. I'm still curious. If you could, next time you are by that way, maybe you could take a couple snaps? I'm still not clear how they get a horse across that wild looking confabulation. :oops: As a former horse owner and breeder I know how spooky the critters can be.
 
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