Road Ride Report Chantry Road Ride Report

I not have been able to ride for several weeks due to Achilles tendon pains resulting from the Solvang Century.

I went out for a ride on Friday and played around with my cleats, moving them all the way back to lesson the strain on my Achilles. The adjustments made a huge difference. Before the adjustment my Achilles was still hurting, after it feels fine. Friday I rode from my apartment in Pasadena to Chantry Flats parking lot and back. My route is east on California, north on Sierra Madre all the way to Santa Anita, Santa Anita to Chantry. Distance about 18 miles, and about 1,800 feet of gain.

Today, Sunday, I did a very similar ride but did some extra credit. I rode the paved road up and out of Chantry to the heli pad. This adds a very nice .75 miles to the ride one way. After that I still felt really good so I rode down the fireroad that one usually ride up at the end of a good MTB loop.

The climb starting at Santa Anita and Sierra Madre to Chantry with a double (53/39 12-25) is pretty steep but quite manageable. The climb up to Chantry from the fireroad is killer.

It was great to get back on a bike. The first recommendation from the doctor was no biking for 5-6 months!!! Well I'm ready to go.

 

Hey Brian, you should have joined us the 150 today, well, actually 154. It was fast and hard. We averaged over 20 mph on the way to the beach 5:30 century. But we all paid dearly for it on the way back. I almost bonked a couple miles from home, but after some sugar and a brief rest, I made it home. The next 54 took over 4 hours, and I haven't been this tired since I first started mtb'ing.

 

Just a shout out to Chantry and the goodness that is the road ride from Arcadia up to Chantry. Family obligations negated today's mtn bike ride so Chantry on the road bike was the back-up ride.

Also gotta love the Adams Pack Station at Chantry. Cold Sierra Neveda Pale Ale after a sweaty climb might be $4.00 a pop, but it's refreshment = priceless.

Saturday late afternoon traffic was moderately heavy, but the Chantry road is so twisty, it is hard for cars to get too much speed (vs GMR, for instance).

Chantry rules.

 

You climbed that concrete beast out of the canyon up to the parking lot on your road bike????? I was huffing and puffing Saturday after riding the MTB loop up that road in granny gear. That climb to Zion is awesome!

 

I rode the Winter Creek/Zion/Gabrielino loop on Sunday. On the drive up to Chantry we spotted a gal on a big hit/dual crown mtn bike riding the road up to the helipad......she had her full-face helmet hanging from the handle-bars....

 

Gotta love a girl a mtn bike no matter how bizarre the circumstances

So this is also bizarre- my friend was riding the same place- toward the helipad on the pavement Sunday AM and reported a totally aggro squirrel. Little buddy musta been in heat; he was ready to leap on everybody who passed by

and Zion Loop hike-a-bike Sunday PM was roasting at Sunday3:30pm. 95F in the sun, even while 75F in the shade. Brutal.