Sunday, April 27 – 8:00 a.m. - BIKEWAYS OF ORANGE COUNTY

Ringing in the Spring with good riding that it brings

Good morning,

In the past I did not ride much this time of the year As it would be when we were at our busiest. Now that I don't have to work get to ride about whenever I fee like.

To represent the season. swung by the Carlsbad flower fields. Oddly all these years this be my first time witnessing the ranunculus in bloom, they have a short flowering period. People pay money to enter while I can see for free. They do not have a scent. I think they have now all bloomed out.

I've been riding the hills around, reliving what I took for granted. Quiet country roads, beautiful scenery. Right now Ceanothus are in flower on the hill sides, called California Lilacs. Photo of what I see.

During the town's Avocado Festival rode similar route to Guacamole Grande ride, including the road where rider got killed and the descent another rider took a bad spill. BTW, both were women.

With all the hill climbing, I've gained some speed and did rather well on my Easter Populaire.

So come Sunday let me demonstrate my improvement as I will show for the Century of the month. I'll take the train to Anaheim, ride to the start. Then somewhere in Orange County, I'll leave the group to take the Surfiner home.

Checked my lunch options, saw for the late stop is an ayce sushi place. Pictured a recent stuff your face in San Marcos. For lunch yesterday in town had an all you can eat pizza and salad for 9.99. Better pizza and cheaper than Shakey's Bunch a Lunch which I've been twice since retiring. And the wife tells me 'and you wonder why you can't lose weight'. Well my two passions, eating and bicycling go hand in hand.

Have to comment VP report. I'd never rhyme Los Angeles with kilo and please. Maybe was from something got from Alice's restaurant. Woodstock, but I have a restraining order.

Anywhat more appropriate song would have been a reggae. Which inspired the following. Would expect Marley but selected this classic from Peter Tosh.

You got to ride it

You got to bike it

Don't criticize it

'Cause I like it

Some call it bicycling

Others call it cycling

I call it cruisin'

While many find it abusing

Never mind, you got to ride it

Don't shy from it

Got to advertise it

Show pride in it

Many literary writer ride

As most smart people do

Da Vinci was a rider, right

And Einstein too

Doctors ride

Nurses ride

Judges ride

Even lawyer a few

So everybody got to ride it

Tell all get mellow when you try it

We 'd need to be happy so don't hide it

Some merry wanna just cry for it

It's good for the flu

And when you have liquidy doo doo

It'll make the blind see well

Cures cancer and the measles

At the farm Gonja's the word

Goats and Buffalo munch the herb

Spring chicken and other lunch birds

Who'd thunk Easter bunny I've heard

Too fat, exercise it

Get flat, just hike it

Off track, GPS finds it

Frame cracked, duct tape tie it

You're a dope sitting on the grass

Drivers all wish they had this

Him please got to let them pass

Bicycling is like a can of bliss

So we got to ride it

May is the month to bike it

Even little tikes will trike it

It's no crime, legalize it

See all on Sunday in at the lengthy shoreline. David

Oh almost forgot. The other day on a ride came upon the last pic. You'll never know what you'll discover. I now believe in UFO and dinosaur, they're cohabitating in Carlsbad. It's as if they're frozen in time.

Hello all,

Not funny, on today's ride Phil was asking if I reserved a spot for my bike on the train. Of course. When I did showed no other bike.

So when I board, no room for bikes. I look at my ticket, they changed it for 2 hours later.

So I have time as I wait for the next available agent to complain to. After over half an hour of hearing how busy they are and saving program, they drop me. They figure if this guy will stay on hold for that long, he must got some big complaint.

So I sent an e-mail which they won't reply if they read it or not.

I'm sitting the 2 hours, hearing the repeat announcement that starting Monday the tracks to Oceanside will be closed 6 weeks.

So I'm typing this to pass the time.

When I left this morning was only bike. In my section had only one other passenger

Arrive Anaheim just past 6, light out to ride. Used mostly Ball Rd which has mostly bike lane. It is light traffic, mostly flat.

Will assume Rod rode the half century, Rafal and Dustin went Metric Century and Phil and Mario did the Century.

Dustin joined the ride as a trainer for STP. I've always wanted to do, now I have the time, don't have the ability. BTW, the Seattle Rando group have a low cost, you're on your own ride from Seattle to San Francisco. I did their rando ride when I turned sixty, 800 miles in 4 days with 5 mountain passes. I had only an hour and half left to finish. All these riders passing me telling me to hurry. I say there's lot of daylight, I got time. Well up there the sun does not set till late.

Then there is Mario who rode a Century in Las Vegas yesterday and still shows up for this ride. And he kick butts on the big climb.

The ride starts with Rafal leading a fast pace. I'm not sure I'll keep up. Red lights are appreciated

Mentioned on the cue of a light that does not change for bikes, there were a few other left turns it did not change.

Might as mention, all the bike trails have names and are marked as. Fine for those with GPS and computer.

Back to ride, the route was flat till the medium and long split.

Before then, Dustin was having chain skipping problem. It will jump off and get wedged inside the gear Everyone worked together to unpry the chain with Mario hands getting dirty.

First time using the park's restroom when we cross over the bridge where they train for the next Gretsky. Everything is automated and clean, even the water tastes bottled.

Since I'll not be able to use this joke again. If you eat too many Big Macs you get McFadden

Have to mention, Hello Donuts.

And now everything we pass Mile Square Park and make the left on Warner, will remember Phil and I missing the turn as we're talking Marathons and everyone just followed us.

Missed seeing the water sculpture on Main which Rod had on a couple VP reports but saw the red ball with water sprays.

As my train is soon to be here, time flies, the two photos is from when I left Mario and Phil on FreewY Trail. Went up the hill and down University Trail. Along the way is yellow Brassica negra. Couple artists were painting the view so I took a pic. Reminds me the colors on the plateau above Ojai.

Train about here. Got to go. It was fun riding with you all.

David