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