The Lingo: A Morning on the SGRT

June 11, 2017

The Lingo: A Morning on the SGRT

"Come on, what is it? Riding the chain? Bogging the chain? Tell me again. Whenever I say riding the chain people look at me funny, like I don't know what I am talking about." From a little way back I yell "crossing the chain." The wind will remember it, but not the mrs. Cycling lingo is not among her strong points. Come Monday morning she will be back to telling people I was critical of her for riding the chain, what ever that is, and people will look at her funny all over again. Oh well.

I needed to to something a bit longer than the usual ten to fifteen mile mtb ride this morning, and I had been wanting to check out the new bike repair station recently installed at the Pico Rivera Golf Course, so a spinning down the SGRT we went. Hazards around the homeless encampments have kept me away from the river trail for months, but with my bodyguard leading the way I figured we could push through whatever obstacles might pop up.

Years ago I first wrote about how the clubhouse restaurant had put out the welcome mat for passing bicyclists; it was a win-win for both sides, more patronage for them, a food and drink stop along an otherwise desolate stretch of trail for us. Little did I know that the simple repair stand was a full fledged rest area complete with multiple bike racks, benches, trash receptacles, interpretive signs, native plantings including what will be a couple nice shade oaks, right beside passing riders and the putting green where people futilely attempt to get a little ball in a little hole when what they really want is to give it a good smack on the driving range. In all, a welcome addition to the local trail network.