By Rod Doty, VP- Rides
roddoty@earthlink.net

(Newcomers welcome- helmets required!)

NOTE: Be sure to download route slips before coming to the ride start. Click on "ROUTE SHEETS" in the site index above. Route sheets are not available at the start.

JULY SCHEDULE

Saturday, July 4, 8:30 a.m  FIRECRACKER SPECIAL. (Long 47 - 800 ft., Medium 37, Short 24) Bummer man – the 4th of July is on a Saturday this year – what fun is that? You had the day off anyway. Well, ride away those blues with the Wheelmen. Two days of riding with the club should put you back in a good mood. So start your weekend with our traditional 4th of July ride. The long and the medium are the same until lunch as they make a winding tour of Long Beach eventually stopping in Belmont Shores for lunch. The long makes a run up to Signal Hill (to a relatively new park up there) before returning to the start while the medium heads more directly back. The short is pretty much a shorter version of the long and medium, riding in the same area. The long is only about 800 feet of climbing and that includes Signal Hill, so you can imagine how flat the medium and short are. Traditionally, this is an easy paced friendly ride which loops around so much you are probably never more than a few miles from your car. So why not start your holiday weekend with us. And if this isn’t enough, there is always tomorrow’s ride (see below) START:  EL DORADO PARK in Long Beach.  From San Diego Frwy (405), off & North/East on Studebaker 1 mi. to Park. Park in Library lot on right just before Spring St.

Sunday, July 5 - 8:30 a.m.  ESCAPE FROM BRENTWOOD (Long 68 & 2800 feet, Medium 50, Short 35  Shorter Short 26.) Most people would probably like to break into Brentwood, but these routes were developed a few years ago by Ed Willumsen, who lived there at the time, and maybe he knew something we don’t. Anyway, today we “Escape” from Brentwood. Where do we escape to? Well, the long and medium both elude surveillance by heading south through the beach communities to Palos Verdes. The long makes a complete loop around the peninsula before rejoining the medium route for the return along the beach back to the start. The short dodges the heavy work of the other routes by going  south only to El Segundo before touring Marina Del Rey and Westchester. The short short simply heads to Marina Del Rey and returns. These routes were developed to be  relatively traffic free routes through the normally busy beach communities. That way we evade detection. The result is a slightly different view of an area most of us know well.  Come out for a little escapism. It’s all for nothing, because at the end of the ride, as usual, we are right back where we started.  START:  Westwood Park at Sepulveda & Ohio.  From San Diego Frwy (405), off and east on Santa Monica Blvd, Left on Sepulveda and L on Ohio and R into Park.

Sunday, July 12 - 8:30 a.m.  BALBOA/ NEWPORT (Long 65- 1900 ft, Medium 49 - 1500 ft, Short 38  Picture this: You’re cruising across the Newport Channel on the Balboa Ferry when suddenly a small motor boat loaded with Somali pirates pulls alongside and demands all expensive bikes be handed over. Your captain is a high school kid working the ferry as a summer job and is totally unarmed. He promptly surrenders. Frantic calls go out to the Navy and Coast Guard, but the channel is too shallow for any of their ships. What happens next??? Well, come out for today’s ride and in the extremely small chance that this scenario actually happens, you can find out for yourself. If not, you still get some pleasant riding. The long and the medium get to the ferry via Laguna Canyon and a trip north along the coast to Newport. The short takes a more direct route via the San Diego Creek trail and the Back Bay. Assuming you disembark safely on the far shore,  the short and medium take a fairly direct route back to the start while the long adds on a few extra miles.  So come on down for a chance (however slight) at REAL adventure.  START:  PINE TREE PARK in TUSTIN.  From Santa Ana Frwy (I-5) in Tustin, off & east on Redhill, L- Bryan one block to park.

Thursday, July 16, 7:30 p.m. GOOSENECK & BUSINESS MEETING. Meeting night directions:  call:  (310) 679-8375

Saturday, July 18 - 7:30 a.m. MID-YEAR CHECK-UP CENTURY (100 miles & 3000 feet) This is the same century we run every January 1st. We are now starting the 2nd half of the year and it’s time to check your riding progress. Last January you were coming off the usual reduction in riding in the fall and maybe a short holiday vacation from the bike, so getting through the century was a challenge. But now, 6 months later, you are coming off the Grand Tour and a spring full of training rides and you are ready to go. It's an easy century--just up the coast to Ventura and return (not very different from the lowland Grand Tour Lite route). No hills bigger than the ones along PCH. No support or sag, but who needs them. If there was ever a time to go for that sub-6 hour century you’ve been dreaming about, this is the time. Well, what about 7 hours? 8? Whatever. You’re on the coast much of the day, so cruise along in those cool ocean breezes and enjoy the day. This is the Century of the month for July.  START:  Malibu Civic Center.  Take the Santa Monica Frwy west to the end and then PCH north to R on Webb Way and R on Civic Center Way.

Sunday, July 19 - 8:30 a.m. WATERMELON RIDE AND BIRTHDAY GALA  (Medium 39, Short, 27) A few years ago when Bobbi Fisher was Vice President, she held a special ride on her birthday, so why can’t I do it. It so happens my birthday falls on a Sunday this year at just about the time we normally hold our annual Watermelon ride which starts from a park only a few blocks from my home in Culver City. So here’s the plan. We hold the usual Watermelon ride. We only have two relatively short and easy routes. Both head to the coast, but the medium then heads south to Palos Verdes and back while the Short heads north to Santa Monica and back. Upon their return to the park, there will be nice cool watermelon waiting. The perfect end to the day. But wait – that’s not all. Even though I’m well aware that cake and watermelon don’t really go together very well, I’ll bring a cake to celebrate my birthday (and anyone else with a birthday today). And with me picking the cake, you can bet it will be chocolate with chocolate icing.  Hopefully, we will be joined in the park by the corner group.  So join me for the celebration. My birthday doesn’t fall on a Sunday again until 2015. START: CARLSON PARK in Culver City. From San Diego Frwy, off and east on either Culver or Washington (careful--neither of those exits actually put you directly on those streets). Right on Overland and Left on Braddock a few blocks to park.  We will meet at the northeast corner of the park.

Sunday, July 26 - 8:30 a.m. MALIBU VISTAS (Long 64, Medium 50, Short 42 - 1900 ft.) NOT the latest operating system from Microsoft (Although Vista might have sold better if it had been called “Malibu Vista”) No, today is a tried and true BRS (bicycle riding system) from the good ole LAW. No bugs on these routes (well maybe the 6-legged kind). All routes head north along the coast from Malibu and then return. For the novice bike user, there’s the plug and go short which stays on the coast all day. For the slightly more adept bike user, you might consider the medium which climbs Latigo Cyn before heading to lunch at Neptune’s Net and then returns along the coast. And for the real power bike user, the long follows the medium to lunch, but then tacks on an afternoon climb up Yerba Buena on the way back to the start. So, give our Bicycle Riding System a try. We don’t think your bike will freeze up The routes only take seconds to download and install on your bike. How can you go wrong? START:  MALIBU CIVIC CENTER. North on PCH to Malibu (just before hill up to Pepperdine) and Right on Webb Way one block and Right on Civic Center way to Civic Center on Left. We may need to park on the street due to farmer's market in parking lot.

AUGUST SCHEDULE

Sunday, August 2 - 8:30 a.m.  ORANGE COAST TOUR. (Long 63 - 1100 feet, Medium 46 - 800 feet, Short 31) I was watching Titanic the other night and of course that put me in the mood for a sea voyage. So today, we make our second trip this summer down to Balboa to ride the ferry. Like the Titanic, it doesn’t have enough lifeboats either – in fact, it doesn’t have any. Ah well, not guts, no glory. All routes head to the ferry. After Balboa, the long heads over to Old Town Irvine for lunch before a return across Irvine to the start. The medium tours the Back Bay and then heads back more directly to the start. The short returns even more directly. These are very flat rides (see above) and most of the climbing is probably in the first few miles after leaving the island as you head inland. And I wouldn’t worry too much about the lack of lifeboats. I think carbon fiber might float, so you can use your bike as a flotation device.  START:  LAKE PARK in Huntington Beach.  From the San Diego Frwy (405), off and south on Beach Blvd.  R on Main (Ellis is on left), L on 12th Street to Park.

Sunday, August 9 - 9:00 a.m. HOLLYWOOD SIGN RIDE (Long 44 - 2500 feet, Medium 20 - 1500 feet) In honor of our new club jerseys which have put the “Hollywood” back in the Hollywood sign we are once again venturing up to this icon of Southern California. Both rides head up to the sign together (actually above the sign – you know those antennas you can see above the sign – that’s where we are headed). The medium heads straight back while the long makes a loop out to the valley and back for some extra miles and extra climbing. There are some great views up there, so try and make it. 1500 feet in 20 miles is a lot (actually, it’s 1500 feet in the first 10 miles), but it’s only 20 miles. You could stop every mile to catch your breath and rest, and you would still be at the top before noon. Bring some low gears and you’ll be fine. We won’t have the new jerseys for this ride, but be sure to order yours, so you’ll have it the next time we make this trip. START:  THE "CORNER", Olympic Blvd, 1 block west of La Cienega in Beverly Hills.  From the Santa Monica Frwy (10), off & north La Cienega 1½ miles, L - Olympic 1 block to R- Le Doux.

Sunday, August 16 - 8:30 a.m. PICO RIVERA & BIKE TRAIL (Long 75, Medium 48 - 800 feet, Short 35) I was wondering what “Pico Rivera” means, but it turns out the name of the city comes from the fact that it was formed by the joining of two cities – Pico  and Rivera So I guess it doesn’t really mean anything. Well, it doesn’t matter because it’s the bike trails that will concern us more today. The long makes a big loop by heading into Orange County (over a few hills) to pick up the Santa Ana River trail south to the coast. After lunch in Huntington Beach, it continues north to the San Gabriel River trail and up the river back to the start. The medium travels down to Seal Beach for lunch, going down on the Coyote Creek and San Gabriel River trails and returning back up the San Gabriel. The short never quite makes it to the coast, but travels down and back on the San Gabriel with a loop in Long Beach for lunch. The bike trails are perfect for a summer day – flat, no traffic and cool as they near the coast. So come on out and join us for more Rivera and less Pico. START:  PICO PARK in PICO RIVERA.  From San Gabriel Frwy (605), off & west on Beverly Blvd to Park on left.  (If coming from the North, the Beverly exit puts you on San Gabriel River Rd which you follow for 1.3 mi. to Beverly)

Thursday, August 20, 7:30 p.m. GOOSENECK & BUSINESS MEETING. Meeting night directions:  call:  (310) 679-8375.

Saturday, August 22 - 8:00 a.m. AUGUST CENTURY OF THE MONTH. We don’t have the route for this one yet, but Gary Murphy, our Century of the Month Director, is working on a new century based in Orange County. He promises a fairly easy century and, more important, one that stays near the coast for the hot August weather. Check back next month for details.  (NOTE: Date may be changed to Saturday, August 15th due to conflict with Grand Tour Staff Picnic – Check back next month)

Sunday, August 23 – 8:30 a.m. SOUTH BAY RAMBLE  (Long 56, Medium 45 - 1700 feet, Short 35) Each week I try to think of something to entice you to come out and do that week’s ride. But I shouldn’t need to entice you to this one – it sells itself. That’s because at the end of the ride, the club will be providing you with ICE CREAM! Again this year, Ron Zelizer, now the club treasurer, has agreed to host the annual post-ride ice cream party.  Here’s the plan. We ride from Westchester Park and after the ride, adjourn to Ron’s home only a few blocks away for ice cream Riders from the corner are also invited to ride over and join the fun. Today’s routes will work up your appetite. All routes head to Palos Verdes and back. The long circles the peninsula in a clockwise manner. The medium only goes as far as the whale watch before returning. The short only tours the Malaga Cove area before returning by a shorter route than the medium and long. These may be the only rides we have that go to Palos Verdes which don’t climb to the top, so they are not super difficult. NOTE: The routes do not start at Ron’s home, but directions to his house will be on the route slip. START:  WESTCHESTER PARK in Westchester.  From San Diego Frwy (405), off and West on Manchester, Left at Loyola into Library lot (just before Lincoln).

Sunday, August 30 - 8:30 a.m.  LONG BEACH RIDES.  (Long - 64, Medium - 47 - 500 feet, Short - 32) Well, the long Long Beach ride may be long, but the medium Long Beach ride is not so long and  the short Long Beach Ride is not a long Long Beach ride at all. Got that? Just to make it more confusing, while all these routes are Long Beach rides, none of them are really beach rides. They’re more inland. If you are not confused, let’s just say these are rides travel in and around Long Beach. Each route makes a different tour of the area including Belmont Shores, Naples and Seal Beach.  The long extends it's tour into northern Orange County getting all the way to Garden Grove. The good news – the routes are fairly flat and perfect for a late August Sunday ride. So come on down to Long Beach for a nice day with your club. START:  EL DORADO PARK in Long Beach.  From San Diego Frwy (405), off & North/East on Studebaker 1 mi. to Park.  Park in Library lot on right just before Spring St.