Windbreakers Special Edition Ride: California Roll XII

December 30, 2017.  On a beautiful Southern California Saturday, the Windbreaker "family" (friends, family & NextGen) gathered for California Roll XII, a 56-mile trek from the Inland Empire, through the San Gabriel Valley along the San Gabriel Mountain foothills and along the picturesque Arroyo Seco, to Eagle Rock and the Los Angeles River, finishing in the Arts District of Downtown Los Angeles.  

Rolling out from Windbreaker Country

Along the way we made stops at Eagle Rock Brewery, Frogtown Brewery, with a finish on the historic 1st Street Bridge then to Boomtown Brewery for a celebratory chant of "Ride On".  

Stop #2 - Beer and tacos at Frogtown Brewery

After man hugs all around, we cruised to historic Union Station for the train ride home. A great way to finish out the 2017 cycling year and looking forward to more adventures ahead in the New Year.  

The lads gather on the historic 1st Street Bridge with
Downtown LA in the background before finishing at Boomtown Brewery.

We missed a few of our fellow Windbreaker brethren but we know will be see them soon in Windbreaker country.

Closing out another California Roll at Boomtown Brewery

Ride On!

Merry Christmas 2017

Merry Christmas!.....
.....From the Windbreakers!

Windbreakers HolidayPalooza 2017

December 10, 2017.  The Windbreaker family gathers at MapBoy's home for a celebration of good times and holiday cheer.  Merry Christmas to all and Ride On!

Ride Report: Cranksgiving Day 2017

Windbreakers and NextGen gather up at Puddingstone Pass,
while enjoying a beautiful, Thanksgiving morning ride through
Bonelli Park, the Covina Hills, and back through La Verne
and Claremont along beautiful Bonita. Happy Thanksgiving to all and
Ride On!

Seen on the Road

From an October 2017 trip to Hanalei, Hawaii, on the north shore of Kauai.  Ride On!

Ride Report: Portland, Maine

Labor Day Weekend 2017.  Ridemaster Joe and MapBoy John along with Windbreaker Wives Jenny and Therese and friends spent the Labor Day Weekend in Maine attending the wedding of family friends Katherine and Brian in beautiful Prouts Neck, Maine. While there, we were able to get some great cycling in on the South Portland and Cape Elizabeth coastline on the Five Lighthouse bicycle tour and on Peaks Island.  Ride On!

Peaks Island 

The gang gathers at the start of the Five Lighthouse Bicycle Tour

Ride Report: Cool Breeze Century 2017

The Windbreakers have returned from a fantastic cycling weekend participating in the annual Cool Breeze Century www.cibike.org in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.  Seven club stalwarts (Rick, Joe, Craig, Tom, Mike, Jim, and yours truly, John) made the trek north for the 100 mile-loop through beautiful coastal foothills and along beachfront roads.

We started the fun on Friday evening, with a fantastic ride prep dinner hosted by the Scheu's at their Hollywood Beach family house.  Following dinner, great wine and beer it was off to bed.

We were joined by our "trail angels" at the sunset dinner at the Scheu's
on Friday evening.  Doc offered the "cure for what ails you" following dinner.

We rose early the next morning (5:00 am) for breakfast and prep for the day's adventure. At 6:00 am we met Rick at the Sullivan family house located at the Ventura Keys, parking our cars there for the day.  By 6:45 am we were off and rolling north along the coast, to Carpinteria, Montecito (and a stop for lemonade), and Mission Canyon, to lunch in Goleta.  

Morning meet-up at the Sullivan's

Following lunch we headed back south through Hope Ranch, the Santa Barbara waterfront and Summerland, with an off-route SAG stop at Island Brewing Co. www.islandbrewingcompany.com in Carpinteria at mile-83.  We powered the final miles back south along the coast to downtown Ventura, for a celebratory beer at Topa Topa Brewing www.topatopa.beer and authentic street tacos from Mom and Pops Tacos www.momandpopstacos.com. 

Clockwise from top left: Lemonade stop, mile-37 in Montecito; Island Brewing Company
SAG stop, mile-83; post-ride celebration at Topa Topa Brewing, and the traditional Cool Breeze
popsicle at the final rest stop at Rincon.

Special thanks go to Team Scheu and Team Sullivan for their hospitality hosting the Windbreakers this weekend.  We were lucky to be joined this weekend by our top "trail angels"...Kathy, who has been along for our adventures in Colorado (Ride the Rockies) and Oregon (Cycle Oregon), and Mary, who has been at each Cool Breeze Century and has provided support during our Tour de Craft Brewery adventures.  A special Windbreaker thank you to each of our trail angels.

A great weekend of fun...we missed the rest of our gang, but more adventures are in store.  Ride On!

Big News in Windbreaker Country

August 7, 2017.  Last night, Windbreaker phones lit up with the news that one of our NextGen, Griffin Easter, son of Windbreaker veteran Tom, had emerged victorious in Stage 6 of the Vuelta a Colombia, a 12-stage UCI class 2.2 race as part of the America Tour 2017.  Griffin crossed the finish line ahead of the rest after a grueling 237.7 km stage from Socorro to Sogamosa.

Crossing the line in Sogamosa

El Campeon Stage 6. First American to win a stage since 1989

Griffin and brother Cullen are competing as members of Team Illuminate, a U.S. based team.  Both have been training recently in the high country of Colorado and are posting very impressive results.  Well done lads...congratulations and Ride On!

Our own Heads of State gather with teammates on the podium

Tour de France: Col du Galibier

July 17, 2017.  Following today's rest day, the 2017 Tour de France enters its final week with a return to the French Alps.  Wednesday's Stage 17 ascends one of the landmark alpine passes, the Col du Galibier, following a challenging ascent of the Col du Telegraphe.  The Col du Galibier is the high point of this year's Tour.

Col du Galibier was first used in the Tour de France in 1911; the first rider over the summit as Emile Georget, who, with Paul Duboc and Gustave Garrigou were the only riders not to walk. It last featured in the Tour in 2011.  Since 1947, the Col du Galibier has been crossed 31 times by the Tour.  This climb and the grueling Stage 17 promises to be decisive in this year's Tour.

Ride Report: California Roll XI Corona-San Clemente

July 1, 2017. Windbreakers and friends have returned from a fantastic bicycling day trip to the South Orange County coast.  This latest special edition ride, California Roll XI, took us from Corona to San Clemente via the Santa Ana River trail and Pacific Coast Hwy, with many great stops along the way.

Ferry to Balboa Island

Meet up was at 7 am sharp in Upland.  Once all seven of us (Craig, Chris, Rick, Tom, John, Mike & Jim) were loaded with the bikes and gear we headed out to the West Corona Metrolink train station, which was to be our official starting point for the day's ride.  By 8 am we were on our way south down the Santa Ana River trail, picking up friend Bill along the way, then south on PCH for a visit to the statue at the Newport Pier honoring fallen lifeguard Ben Carlson www.bencarlsonfoundation.org, and then for coffee on the Balboa Peninsula. After a short ferry ride to Balboa Island we were soon back on PCH headed south through Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach and Dana Point.

On Pacific Coast Hwy overlook - Treasure Island Park

At San Juan Capistrano we said goodbye to Craig as he was catching a train back north, we then continued south on PCH to San Clemente and lunch at Pizza Port. After enjoying some great pizzas and beer, we visited two area craft breweries, Artifex Brewing Co. and Lost Winds Brewing.  

Pizza Port, San Clemente

It was then back to the San Clemente Metrolink station ("down and to the right...) to catch the train back to Corona then home.  67 miles of great fun...we missed our fellow 'breakers who couldn't make the trip but we know we will see them again soon on the road.  Ride On!

Precious cargo headed back on the train to Corona

Seen on the Road

Father's Day 2017 Weekend trip to the Balboa Peninsula;
Map Boy's Cruiser parked outside Cabo Cantina at Peninsula Park.
Ride On!

Bike to Work Week in Windbreaker Country!

May 19, 2017.  It was big week for bicycles in Windbreaker Country.  First, on Thursday, the www.amgentourofcalifornia.com made a return appearance with a Stage 5 Queen Stage start in Ontario and finish on the slopes of our old friend, Mount San Antonio "Old Baldy".  

The Amgen Tour of California heads for the hills from
the Ontario Convention Center

Then on Friday it was #biketoworkday...many of our ranks bike to work on a regular basis.  Ride On! friends.

MapBoy grabs coffee with NextGen "Nitro" before biking
to work.  Ride On!

Weekend Ride Report

April 30, 2017.  Under warm sunny skies in Windbreaker country, the gang got out for two rides this past weekend.  On Saturday, we had seven of our crew together for a ride to Santa Fe Dam and back through Covina, La Verne, and Claremont, for a finish at Euro Cafe.

San Gabriel River bike trail, Azusa

And then on Sunday, our very own Windbreaker Head of State, Tom, climbed back on the saddle for the 2017 edition of the L'Etape California www.letapecalifornia.com.  Now an official event of the Etape by le Tour de France ride series, the ride gives amateurs and aspiring professional cyclists the opportunity to ride the scenic and challenging route which mirrors this year's Queen stage of the Amgen Tour of California (Stage 5 Ontario-Mt. Baldy).

The day's ride started at Cable Airport in Upland, with a climb to Baldy Village.  From there, the route turned west along Glendora Ridge Rd., East Fork Rd to Azusa, then returning east along Glendora Mountain Rd., again on the ridge road, then north on Mt. Baldy Road.  A total of 79 hot, grueling miles and over 11,000 ft. of climbing.

Tom carried the Windbreaker flag, and his fellow Windbreakers couldn't be prouder.  Well done mate!

Mt. Baldy ski lifts - Congratulations Tom - well done!

Earth Day Ride Report

April 22, 2017.  A beautiful Earth Day morning ride through Rancho Cucamonga and Fontana.  Ride On!

Seen on the Road

One in an occasional series, these two bikes parked at 
Santa Barbara Harbor have seen better days.

Reports from the Road

Sporting the new Windbreaker kit, Rabbit
and son William celebrate at the finish of
the Solvang Century

At the corner of Sheffield and E. Valley Rd. in Montecito, then
for coffee at Handlebar Coffee Roasters in Santa Barbara

March 14, 2017.  The Windbreakers have been on the road of late...whether it be skiing at Mammoth Mountain or in Utah, hangliding, or exploring the backroads of Southern California, our crew enjoys the great outdoors.  This past weekend, Rabbit and NextGen son William were a part of the Solvang Century, and MapBoy enjoyed a beautiful weekend cycling familiar roads in Santa Barbara and Carpinteria.  Ride On!

President's Day Weekend Ride Report

Preferred parking for our trusty steeds at Molly's Souper

February 20, 2017.  In between rainstorms, a few of the Windbreaker lads got out on Sunday morning for a beautiful ride south through Chino Hills, then back north through Ontario finishing for coffee at Molly's Souper in Downtown Upland.  Ride On!

Quotebook

Gino Bartali (July 18, 1914-May 5, 2000), nicknamed Gino the Pious and (in Italy) Ginettaccio, was a champion road cyclist.  He was the most renowned Italian cyclist before World War II, having won the Giro d' Italia twice (1936, 1937) and the Tour de France in 1938.  After the war he added two other victories in both events: the Giro d' Italia in 1946 and the Tour de France in 1948.  His second and last Tour de France victory in 1948 gave him the largest gap between victories in the famous race.

In September 2013, 13 years after his death, Bartali was recognized as a "Righteous Among the Nations" by Yad Vashem for his efforts to aid Jews during World War II (Source: Wikipedia).  These heroic exploits are chronicled in the book: "Road to Valor: A True Story of World War II Italy, the Nazis, and the Cyclist Who Inspired a Nation", by Aili McConnon and Andres McConnon.

Bartali's quote is appropriate for our times: "Good is something you do, not something you talk about.  Some medals are pinned to your soul, not to your jacket".

RIde Report: Tour de Palm Springs 2017

This trio of Windbreakers (L to R: Doc, MapBoy and Silver Bullet) made the
run to the Coachella Valley this past weekend to participate in the 2017
edition of the Tour de Palm Springs (half-century).  Great ride, with some
challenging winds thrown in for added fun.  Ride On!

Happy New Year 2017

Happy New Year from the Windbreakers --- Ride On!