Merry Christmas 2015

Ride On!

This Date in Bicycle History

From www.history.com: "Near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful  flight in history of a self-propelled, heavier than air aircraft.  Orville piloted the gasoline-powered, propeller-driven bi-plane, which stayed aloft for 12 seconds and covered 120 feet on its inaugural flight.

Wilbur and Orville grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and developed an interest in aviation after learning of the glider flights of the German engineer Otto Lilienthal in the 1890s.  Unlike their older brothers, Orville and Wilbur did not attend college, but they possessed extraordinary technical ability and a sophisticated approach to solving problems in mechanical design.  They built printing presses and in 1892 opened a bicycle sales and repair shop. Soon, they were building their own bicycles, and this experience combined with profits from their various businesses, allowed them to pursue actively their dream of building the world's first airplane."

Ride Report: Thanksgiving Day Ride

The lads gather for a selfie at Horse Canyon Saddle

November 26, 2015.  Those Windbreakers who were in town gathered on a chilly Thanksgiving morning for a ride up Glendora Mountain Road to Horse Canyon Saddle, with a cold descent and coffee at Euro Cafe to finish.  Happy Thanksgiving to all and Ride On!

Seen on the Road

From recent travel to the eastern United States...

My rental bike for a morning loop around the Charles River
Basin, Boston, MA

This beauty was parked in an alley behind 42 North Brewing
Company www.42northbrewing.com, in East Aurora, NY. And the beer
was good too!

Ride Report: Tour de Craft Breweries V

October 3, 2015.  The Windbreakers recently completed their fifth tour of area craft breweries, visiting two new breweries in the area and finishing at Claremont Craft Ales.  Ride On!

A Luther Holt IPA at Innovation Brew Works,
on the campus of Cal Poly Pomona

John, Rick, Jim and Joe are joined by Steve, daughter Stephanie
and Tom at Old Stump

This Day in Windbreaker History

10 years ago, on this day, these five would enter their first
century ride as the Windbreaker Bicycle Club.  The Cool
Breeze Century, making its way from Ventura north to Santa
Barbara with a return to Ventura along the coast
was a beautiful and challenging ride.
Map Boy, yours truly, would enter the "hurt locker" with about
20 miles to go, eventually bringing it across the finish line.
Ride On!

Congratulations Rabbit!

August 16, 2015.  Our cycling buddy and Windbreaker veteran Rick "Rabbit" Sullivan was recently recognized and awarded top honors in the 2015 Claremont Craft Ales Homebrew Competition.  

Rick's Lemon Pepper Saison was brewed and served as a "special release" on Saturday, August 15.  

Friends and family gathered to raise a glass and congratulate Rick.

Cheers Rick, and Ride On!

Tour of Utah 2015

August 9, 2015.  The results are in and we here at Windbreaker Central are most proud to make mention of two of our own (our extended family, as it were) who, with grit and panache, today completed one of America's toughest multi-day stage races.  Among the over 100 riders who participated in this year's Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah www.tourofutah.com were Griffin and Cullen Easter, sons of our very own "Doc" Easter, as members of the Airgas Safeway professional cycling team. 

This race, billed as "America's Toughest Stage Race", is one of only five UCI-sanctioned, multi-stage, North American pro cycling events in 2015.  The Windbreakers have been joined on several occasions by these two "heads of state" on our local weekend rides and on the 2012 Tour of the California Coast.  Well done lads, the Windbreaker Nation is proud to share the road with you!  Ride On!

The Airgas Safeway Team on the podium, Griffin, fourth
from right and Cullen, far right.

Vive le Tour 2015

With the 2015 edition of the Tour de France about to begin week two
and enter the mountains, I found this image from the 1939 Tour, which
reminds me of some of the good times with the Windbreakers, and our
favorite quote from Aaron Douglas Trimble: "Nothing's better than the
wind to your back, the sun in front of you, and your friends beside you"!

Seen on the Road

One in an occasional series...an appreciation of all
things two-wheeled and pedal-powered.  This view
from a recent trip to Skagway, Alaska. Ride On!

Amgen Tour of California

Stage start, Citizen's Business Bank Arena, Ontario

The 10th edition of the Amgen Tour of California returned to Windbreaker country in May, following familiar roads in Ontario, Upland and Rancho Cucamonga, through Mt. Baldy Village and Glendora Mountain Road, with an epic finish at the Mt. Baldy ski lifts.  

Eventual race winner Peter Sagan leads the
peloton up GMR

For the 2015 race, the Queen Stage started at Citizen's Business Bank in Ontario; the Windbreakers posted up at various points along the route to witness the pros on our Windbreaker country routes.  Ride On!

Ride Report: California Roll X-Spring Fling

May 1-3, 2015.  Windbreakers and friends have returned from an epic 5-county bicycling adventure starting in the Inland Empire, covering the rugged inland roads of the Temescal Valley and north San Diego County, then out to the Southern California coast and Orange County, finishing on the Santa Ana River trail and familiar roads home. 

Day 1 began a Rick's home in Upland...we were seen off by Rick's wife Mary and Tom's son Griffin, who in just a few days would be traveling halfway around the world to compete as a member of the Airgas-Safeway professional cycling team in the Tour d' Azerbaidjan.  The 6-member group would start with an easy pace south on Euclid Ave. through Upland and Ontario, then through Corona eventually connecting with Temescal Canyon Rd. through Murrieta and Lake Elsinore.  With the day's heat rising steadily and taking a toll (this writer had to seek out the shade for rest stops in the last few miles), the riders eventually made lunch in Old Town Temecula.  After lunch and refilling water bottles, the hardy souls attacked challenging climbs in Rainbow Canyon and Pala Mesa along Old Hwy 395 eventually completing the 97 mile first day in Escondido.  Beers and burgers courtesy of trail angel Michelle at Port Brewing Co./Lost Abbey www.portbrewing.com.

At the start, left to right: Griffin, Tom, John, Rick, Mike, Vince, Joe

A much cooler morning greeted the riders on Day 2. The route would head west on San Marcos Blvd. and Palomar Mtn Rd to Carlsbad, then north through Camp Pendleton Marine Base.  Then north on PCH through Dana Point, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach to Costa Mesa completing the end of Day 2, 73-miles.  A hoist of the glass at Barley Forge Brewing Co. www.barleyforge.com then dinner at the Corner Office to watch the "Fight of the Century" between Pacquiao and Mayweather. Thanks to Trail Angel #2 Jacob for transport to the Corner Office.

Day 2 Finish, Barley Forge Brewing Co.

An equally cool and overcast morning greeted the riders on Day 3.  A quick pace took the riders north on the Santa Ana River Trail, then to Brea Canyon Road, through Diamond Bar, Pomona and Claremont eventually completing the 3-day, 217-mile loop back in Upland.  A great adventure...Ride On!

Quotebook

Read Across America Day: March 2, 2015.  Ride On!

Ride Report: Glendora Mountain Road

February 14, 2015.  A beautiful Valentine's Day morning ride up GMR. Ride On!

A view toward the San Gabriel Valley

Allez, Allez!

Windbreakers Quotebook

Ride On!

Ride Report: California Roll IX-Ride to Redlands

Cheers at Hangar 24

January 6, 2015.  Windbreakers and friends ushered in the new year with their annual end-of-year celebration ride to Redlands, visiting three area craft breweries.  After a beautiful ride through Upland, Rancho Cucamonga, Devore, North San Bernardino, Highland, and Redlands, the lads made stops at Hangar 24, Ritual Brewing Co., and Wild Donkey Brewing Co., capping the afternoon with a sprint finish to the San Bernardino Metrolink station and a late afternoon train ride home.  Ride On!