Monday Blues, and a Heart o' Gold

It is not unusual for me to ride out along the Pacific Electric Trail two or three times a year. It is a different pace, and can be fun an... alright, alright I was really hoping to ride between Ventura and Ojai Saturday morning / afternoon but things got late and, well, fall back plan: 

I guess I didn't mind too much, I mean there were changes, new things to see, old friends to catch up with, and burnt bridges to make me thankful I rode out on the gravel bike. As I mentioned elsewhere a couple days ago the list of people I have missed riding with over the past year is long. No one is every going to accuse me of being solo-averse - I have always liked my solo rides and always will but there is often extra meaning in the miles when you are sharing laughs and suffering, highs and lows, the experiences we all know cycling brings to our lives. Not to be overlooked, sharing stories post ride, over a pint with tacos on the side, is almost as integral to what we do as the ride itself. 

new public restroom in downtown Upland

new fitness court in Rancho Cucamonga

nothing new here, but I have come to realize I need some wider bars on the Ibis

there is only one person I know of around here who wears South Bay Wheelmen kit - miles back, in far eastern Rancho Cucamonga, maybe even Fontana, I saw him approaching heading east while I was heading west and called out - Michael! A few miles later the Flemings caught up to us at a stop light and we four rode back to Claremont

well what do you know, someone really did burn the bridge, good thing I rode the bike I did...

and was able to ride that handy-dandy dirt trail around the side of it

The Monday Blues has been an occasional feature here at the blog since inception; the blues, an emotion, a color, a genre of music, with a cycling twist.