RR: First time ridin' home

[davidB]

Been wanting to do this forever, but never had the bike or the opportunity.

*insert new bike finally done thread here*

I got a ride from my girlfriend to work, put my wheels on in the parking lot and got myself into the service elevator. Snuck my bike into the small messy server room at our firm and waited until 5pm....

*cue up Flinstone's "woo woo"* time to go home!

looks like my bike went unnoticed and undisturbed




I load up my pockets with all this crap. Lesson learned quickly, make sure the Garmin is charged and to use my saddle bag more often. It sucked carrying this plus the camera in my pockets (sporting the baggies today)




Leave work and I'm met with dirt!


Crossing over the 605, suckers!


actually, the 605 looked pretty good today
I work and live north of the 60, yet I had to ride south for a 1/2 mile to a road to take me home.

About this time I realize there's quite a few Whittier/South El Monte homies riding home too. I got cut off by a car pulling into a driveway and had some other guy riding his bike home say "they'll kill ya man, they'll kill ya!"

Just a creek crossing as it started to get cold


It turned into a fun ride that reminded me of being a kid.

I still wasn't in familiar territory until I got to the "friendly city of el monte". I stuck to the sidewalk and felt better about not driving today

Going through this area of El Monte tested my life. And my love of Mexican food.


For $5 i was quite happy


I was finally near home, or at least stuff i felt safe near and decided to quit testing fate with the cars and took a bike path that led close to home.

the scenery wasn't too bad either, as it sits above a wash/lake, my high school, and a golf course.


Finally got home an hour and a half later to see my car where it hopefully shall sit unused more often.

lessons learned:

• bigger shorts, or use the saddle bag for all my junk
• cars will kill you! as noted by my brief riding homie, it's dangerous as hell riding the street, and quite a challenge trying to get through each intersection when cars don't look.
• there's a billion mexican hole in the wall places in el monte that i must visit!
• mileage was about 7.5 miles of butt puckering busy intersections, and 1 mile of relaxing bike path home

I shall be doing this as often as i can, it rocked!
that's all, good night

[allison]

WTG, David!! Nice commute

[Burner]

King Taco is the bomb diggity!!!

thanks for the urban RR... but I think you need a more "beater" than bling bike for that route.

[davidB]

Originally Posted by Burner

King Taco is the bomb diggity!!!

thanks for the urban RR... but I think you need a more "beater" than bling bike for that route.

yeah this bike isn't for commuting, just wanted to do it once though. it beats riding the squishy bike home

<--has tabs open in Firefox for various road bikes

[Dusty]

Yabba dabba doooooooooooo

[dislocated1]

Nice ride...... been looking for a commuter myself

[allison]

Originally Posted by davidB

yeah this bike isn't for commuting, just wanted to do it once though.

<--has tabs open in Firefox for various road bikes

If you want a nice entry level roadie I suggest the Allez or Trek 1000. But, also check out Felt bikes. Justin loves his.

[ohyeah89]

Don't you live in Arcadia (according to your avatar thingy)? How is it only 8.5 miles from North Whittier to there? I recognize everything up until leaving El Monte and the bike path...

Very cool indeed and just think of all the traffic you get to avoid (Peck Rd SUCKS during rush hour)!!!

Edit: Oops, Arcadia is closer than I thought it was! N/M my question about mileage!

[davidB]

Originally Posted by ohyeah89

Don't you live in Arcadia (according to your avatar thingy)? How is it only 8.5 miles from North Whittier to there? I recognize everything up until leaving El Monte and the bike path...

Very cool indeed and just think of all the traffic you get to avoid (Peck Rd SUCKS during rush hour)!!!

yup, i live in the south part of arcadia near el monte.

i work at the NE corner of the 605/60 fwy. had to back track a half mile to get to peck road, then took that essentially to Live Oak/Arrow Highway where i live.

I used bikemetro.com that kanga linked to on here.

Until I put the brakes from this bike back onto the other bike, this is all I have to ride, so it has seen dirt which is a whole other ride in itself with no suspension

[DeadlyStryker]

I'm going to ride my BMX bike to school this week. Gas =

[Pain Freak]

I'm very familar with the intersections and the bad drivers in that area. Remember to make a lot of eye contact with drivers before you get into some of those intersections.

[jeffj]

A skinny tire'd craigslist beater sounds like in may be in your future...

[dislocated1]

Originally Posted by jeffj

A skinny tire'd craigslist beater sounds like in may be in your future...

"BananaUp" on the forum here bought a 40 buck beater on CL and put some skinnies on it and rides that thing everywhere!

[coldbrews]

Originally Posted by Burner

King Taco is the bomb diggity!!!

thanks for the urban RR... but I think you need a more "beater" than bling bike for that route.

A beach cruiser with the handlebars turned way up aye!
King taco is the shiznit, that red sauce will kill ya too!

[ubermensch]

9 stops for pictures in your 7.5 mile commute? How long did it take you, 5 hours?

jk. I'm just sore because I'm always too lazy to bring my camera for pictures and always get jealous when I see nice ride reports.

[dutch]

those tacos totally made me hungry.

all I ate for dinner was chips and salsa

[Rob]

Good job man!
Also consider a cyclocross bike and an extra wheelset loaded up with slicks.

I want to get another one, I miss my San Jose.

[JOx2]

way to go DavidB! driving on the streets.... its a jungle out there!

[EMrider]

Well done. I've been doing more street riding on my old motolite and having a great time. Sort of like dualsporting a dirtbike. Just threw on some maxxis holy rollers for a smoother ride. I can hammer for 1-1.5 hours and get in a great workout, and the car never leaves the driveway.
R