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!