BICYCLIST Magazine #141

Guiding and Inspiring bicycle riding for sport, Recreation and transportation since 1994

Issue 141 - Late Spring 2017

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BICYCLIST Beyond

Floating On Snow

One SoCal Native’s Tour of Greenland by Fatbike

21 Day California tour

in search of contrast Santa Cruz to Los Angeles, detour death valley

ALSO the route

Pier to Pier: Part IV

last page

The Art of Vintage Cycling

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Contents

Issue 141

Inside this issue

Features 10 Beyond Fatbike Greenland An oc wheelman’s snowy adventure

By Randy Kiefer

12 The Route Pier to Pier: Part IV Seal Beach to Oceanside

By Justin Macias

Late Spring 2017 Designed and printed in Southern California.

Read and distributed throughout the world.

Regulars 03 Find the chainlink 04 Prologue 05 Analog/Digital 05 Legislative insider 06 Bicyclist provisions matrix 07 Electric Age 08 Ask the coach 09 King’s Cartoon 09 The Profile 15 Templin’s Tour 20 event calendar

14 Provisions cyclingMOFOS

10

MOFO50 Wheelset

By Shane Yorke

16 Destinations within reach In Search of Contrast 21 days of touring, coast to desert

By Krishna Rao

19 Basics Balance & Fear of Falling Exercises in Stability

By Cate Clark

22 Last Page The Art of Vintage Cycling

16

On Display at Eroica California

By Chris Reynolds

FIND THE CHAIN LINK

A small icon (exactly like this one: ) is hidden somewhere in this issue. If you locate it and enter our Find The Chain Link contest, you may win a FREE one-year subscription (or an additional year for existing subscribers) to the print edition of BICYCLIST magazine.

To enter, go to socalbicyclist.com/ftc and complete the online entry form or send an entry with your name and phone number to Find The Chainlink c/o BICYCLIST magazine 14252 Culver Dr. Irvine, CA 92604. Entries must be received by May 5, 2017 for consideration. The winning entry will be selected using a random-number generator and announced in a future print issue.

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Last issue’s Winner Issue #140

Carl Ashavol of Fort Bragg, CA correctly identified the chain link on page 8 of issue #140 (see left). For his efforts, Carl will receive a 1 year print subscription of the magazine and a care package of samples and SWAG from our sponsors and friends of the magazine.

Cover Fat bike on a little bridge.

Pepe Läubli rides a fatbike through Greenland during the ‘Fatbike Greenland’ tour. Read the full story of the adventure in Greenland on page 10.

Photo by Simon Maerklin

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Prologue late spring 2017

EDITORIAL

Chris Reynolds - CR | Editorial Director chris@socalbicyclist.com Kelley O’Toole - KO | Managing Editor kelley@socalbicyclist.com Victor Prestinary - VP | Associate Editor victor@socalbicyclist.com Bob Becker - BB | Electric Age bob@socalbicyclist.com Rick Schultz - RS | The Bike Fitter fit@socalbicyclist.com Justin Macias - JM | Cyclist Things justin@socalbicyclist.com

ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP Chris Reynolds | Publisher chris@socalbicyclist.com

ONLINE

Chris Reynolds | Design & Development chris@socalbicyclist.com Kelley O’Toole | Social Media   kelley@socalbicyclist.com Tim Wilson | Social Media  tim@socalbicyclist.com

DISTRIBUTION & OPERATIONS

VITALS & SUBSCRIPTIONS

BICYCLIST: SoCal & Beyond is a multi-platform lifestyle and destination guide celebrating the arts, skills, events, and culture of the cycling life in Southern California and other locations in the Western U.S and BEYOND! BICYCLIST magazine is published 10 times per year. The print edition can be found at better bike shops, coffee shops and breweries throughout major metropolitan cities west of the Rockies.

Print copy subscriptions are $20 per year for delivery to the destination of your choice in the United States. International print subscriptions are $35.

For more information, visit www.socalbicyclist.com/subscribe or send check and your mailing address to Subscriptions BICYCLIST:SoCal & Beyond, 14252 Culver Dr. Irvine CA 92604.

DISCLAIMER Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on an issue basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to BSCB’s right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective author’s and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior consent of the publisher.

Bicycling can be a dangerous sport and can lead to serious injury or death. Make it safer for everyone and obey all traffic laws, ride responsibly, use common sense, and wear a helmet.

Victor Prestinary | Associate Publisher victor@socalbicyclist.com

CONTRIBUTORS

John Jones, Randy Kiefer, Carl Lawton, Justin Macias, Krishna Rao, Rick Schultz, Rob Templin, Shane Yorke

READ/FOLLOW/LIKE

www.socalbicyclist.com @socalbicyclist   /socalbicyclist  #socalbicyclist

SUBMISSIONS & CONTACT

Contact info@socalbicyclist.com for editorial guidelines and information.

BICYCLIST: SoCal & Beyond 14252 Culver Drive Irvine, CA 92604 (949) 264-3346 @socalbicyclist contact@socalbicyclist.com

Designed and Printed in SoCal Founded by Will Decker Published by Chris Reynolds Copyright ©2017 All rights reserved.

T

hough there is snow on the cover, we are happy to welcome a warm spring and early summer. For this 141st issue of BICYCLIST magazine, we’re taking you on a tour of some amazing places to ride a bike. We checked in with friend of the magazine and OC Wheelmen member, Randy Kiefer, who shared his incredible experience riding a fat bike through Greenland for the 2nd annual ‘Fatbike Greenland’. The tour is a turn-key ride with bikes provided and an exceptional opportunity to tour this snowy oasis.

We welcome guest contributor Krishna Rao who brings us a tour closer to our homebase, with a solo trek from Santa Cruz to Los Angeles, stopping along the way in Death Valley. Rao, an international graduate student living in Stanford, details his solo 21 day trip - his first time seeing the sites, solely relying on a Southern California National geographic map. He captured his trip in photo, and provides a unique insight into exploring the Golden State.

Coach Rick Schultz dives deep into the specifics behind ceramic bearings and their affect on your performance, He gets technical and shares his own research and data.

If you’re interested in upgrading your performance, you won’t want to miss this. Along the same vein, Shane Yorke gives us the lowdown on a new wheelset from cyclingMOFOS, a made-to-order racing wheelset at an off the shelf price.

Regular contributor Cate Clark, provides some balance tips for Seniors, and any others who are letting the fear of falling due to poor balance keep them off the bike.

This issue’s last page looks at cycling art displayed at this years Eroica California. For the fans of vintage cycling, be sure to view the full Eroica coverage on our website, released alongside this issue.

It’s business as usual as Carl Lawton guides us on the laws that apply to bicyclists in California, and Rob Templin shares his new favorite (and legal) way to listen and talk on your phone while on the bike. Bob Becker, writing the Electric Age, convinces us that the e-Joe Koda is one smooth commuter, and Justin Macias continues our Pier to Pier series, with a 64 mile stretch from Seal Beach to Oceanside, an iconic route for natives and those visiting Orange and San Diego counties.

Thank you to our sponsors for their support, and our contributors for sharing their stories of exploration and adventure. Stay safe our there and keep in touch.

See you on the route,

Chris R .

- Chris Reynolds, editorial director

All photography and design performed in-house by Chris Reynolds & Victor Prestinary unless otherwise noted.

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BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

regulars

The Legislative Insider

Analog/Digital The Bicyclist Experience

The laws of cycling in california

A WEEKLY CYCLING PODCAST - BICYCLIST.FM

The people who bring you this fine publication record a weekly podcast that is a view into the news and stories that we’re talking about.

This is our experience and we welcome you to join in the discussion. First step? Start listening!

Visit BICYCLIST.fm First American (From SoCal) Wins Flanders, the SweaterGate Debate, and Los Angeles 2016 Traffic Report Card

74 Camping Will Fix Your Sleep, A Taste Test Of Two Souls, And A Profile Of The 20th CicLAvia

73 Coryn Rivera Wins BIG, Milan-San Remo Redux And A Case Of Electric Bike Spontaneous Combustion

72 ‘An Arm Wrestle of Quadriceps’, Purple Invaders, and Cracking the Bicyclist Matrix

71 No Romain in This Paris-Nice Salad, The Gritty New ‘Hammer Series’, and Throwing Out The Rule Book

70 Early Celebrations, DIY Advocacy, The Idaho Stop Comes to California And Disc Brake Flip-Flops

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74: The team discusses upcoming

SoCal events, Eroica California, Cervelo BWR, the Tour of Flanders, PBS documentary about a local bicycle brigade called the Ovarian Psycos, and the LA Times report card on pedestrian fatalities in Los Angeles during 2016.

73: The entire team gets together

and tastes some small batch Dos Almas local tequila and then gets into a talk about west coast camping options, modalities of camping with bikes, and we also look back to the weekend events at the 20th edition of CicLAvia.

72: We take a trip to Julian, CA

with Justin Macias as he relates his visit to the Jelly Belly pro cycling training camp, and then go into a discussion of some recent professional races and the unfortunate combustion of an e-bike in Newport Beach.

71: Paris-Nice epic conclusion, the

purple invaders in Anza Borrego Park, learning about LEOMO, why HITT workouts can extend your life, and breaking down the Bicyclist Provisions Matrix for issue #140.

70: We follow up on the proposed

bill for California cyclists, then onto frenchman Romain Bardet’s disqualification at the first stage of the 75th Paris-Nice race, a new format to the UCI World Tour calendar, and thoughts on “The Rules” in cycling.

BY CARL LAWTON IN THIS MONTH’S EDITION OF ‘LEGISLATIVE INSIDER’ WE LOOK AT THE LAW AS IT REGARDS TO RIDING A BIKE IN CALIFORNIA, CITY AND STATE.

H

ere is the short version of what is expected of you as it relates to riding a bike in California: the bike rider or bicyclist is required by law to observe all rules, regulations and vehicle codes as mandated by the State Legislature, which is spelled out in the California Vehicle Code (CVC). The CVC is enforced by law enforcement entities such as your local Police Dept. and others like the County Sheriff, the Highway Patrol, and Park Ranger. Any interaction you have with law enforcement while riding your bike is most likely to be with the local police department as long as your riding is on city roads, where police drive their patrol cars and bikes. In the occasions when you venture off-road or where the Police Dept. has no jurisdiction, that is where the other law enforcement departments come in. Nevertheless, it is your responsibility to know bike laws pursuant to your riding of a bike in the state. That means you’ll want to read and study up on the law; the DMV, CHP and LAPD websites are good resources for documents if you are riding in Los Angeles.

All other cities’ local municipalities will have their own websites that provide local bike laws. All laws of the land are there for our safety and well-being so it is no different when it comes to riding bicycles in California. For instance, bicyclists are required to follow obvious vehicle laws such as stopping at a red light or stop signs. A bicycle may not be a vehicle but when riding a bike you must obey all vehicle laws, and that includes coming to a full stop at red lights CVC 21453 (a) and stop signs CVC 22450 (A). Not obeying laws can also prove to be very expensive, oftentimes the fines for violating basic laws will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 with court costs, not to mention the costs associated with having to take a day off to go to court or traffic school. The mere fact that a bicycle is not a great big imposing vehicle running a red light does not negate the fact that the action carries the exact same penalties and fines as if you did it in a car.

We bicyclists are also having to deal with nasty drivers who may pass us at high speeds just inches from us, seemingly oblivious to the recently enacted “Three Foot For Safety Act” (CVC 21760) which requires a driven vehicle to be at least three feet away from a bicyclist, yet we encounter hostile drivers who loudly express their opinion that we don’t belong on the road with them. This can be very dangerous because, as I mentioned last month, your 30lb bike is no match when tangling with an irate driver in a three-ton vehicle in which the driver is well protected, but you are not. In a situation this dangerous, it’s far better to just simply defuse the situation and ignore the miscreant than to engage in a fight. Whenever you encounter an irate driver yelling at you to get off the road, take out your cell phone, snap a few photos of the car with a visible license plate, and inform the driver that you are calling the police to come over and explain the rights of bicycle riders to be on the road alongside vehicles. In all my situations, the aggressive driver will floor the accelerator and disappear, only to end up getting pulled over and having to talk to the cops - works for me every time. ▲

69: Victor and Chris speed-round

through important news topics of the week that includes rolling through stop signs, how to doit-yourself advocacy, and the continued debate on disc brakes.

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BPM Bicyclist Provisions Matrix #004 - Business vs Pleasure IS YOUR CYCLING ATTITUDE ALL BUSINESS OR DO YOU MIX

PRO TIP Listen to the BICYCLIST.fm weekly podcast to hear more about products listed in this BPM.

IN A DOSE OF PLEASURE WITH YOUR STYLE?

Riese & Müller $6766

Raleigh $1400

Speedplay $245

Kenda $75

Niner $8800

Full Suspension, Dual Battery eMTB

RXW CX, SRAM Rival 1x11

Zero Aero Stainless Pedals

Valkerie Pro, 700 x 23/25/28, C/T

RLT 9 RDO Ultegra Di2

Rocky Mounts $70

vans x odi $30

ABUS $80

Exposure Lights $165

Mavic $99

Hendrix Folding Lock

VANS Lock-On Grips,’ Gum Waffle’

Yadd-I ‘Gloss Grey’

Day Bright, Sirius & Tracer Kit

Aksium Road Shoe, 250g per shoe

Pactimo $110/$150

Attaquer $143/$210

Giordana $130/$150

Ale $150/$155

Nalini $129/$279

Artist Series ‘Buddha Pastel’ Kit

All Day Letter, ‘Cameo Pink’ Kit

‘Team Very Serious’ Tenax Pro Kit

PRR Camo ‘Turquoise’ Kit

San Babila ‘Geo’ / Black Label Integra

Pleasure 6

Business

Bike

Hizoku Cycles $20

Pedal Pushers $24

betabrand $118

DefEET $15

Feedback Sports $129

“Brain Bucket” Black Tee Shirt

Ride More Drive Less Tee Shirt

Bike to Work Pants

Aireator 6” ‘Constellation’ socks

Ride Prep Tool Kit, Lifetime Warr.

IKEA $20

Daelman’s $4

ROK $160

Douchebags $129

sci con $140

RISO Hammock, Green

Caramel Stroopwafel, 8 waffels

Classic Espresso Maker

Affair Weekend Bag, ‘Pitch Black’

Race Rain Bag

BICYCLIST BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

Electric Age

e-Joe Koda

Commuter e-bike for under $2K

BY BOB BECKER

T

More Photos?

Visit socalbicyclist.com and search “Koda”

The e -Joe Koda in all its commuter glor y as the Amtrak train zooms down the tracks in the background.

he San Diego company founded in 2008, e-Joe, has been producing some of the best values in the e-bike market since then. The 2017 Koda is an improved version of their 2015 model that was one of five finalists for e-bike of the year at Interbike. The Koda is listed as a “sports commuter” and satisfies the designation very well.

It is equipped with a robust 500 watt geared rear hub motor that is capable of 750 peak watts and has 20 mph twist throttle or 28 mph pedal assist (PAS) capability.

This places it in the CA Class 3 category permitting it in bike lanes that are contiguous with a road, although

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the controller can be “detuned” for a lower classification.

The removable battery, 48 Volts, 11 amp-hours, can be charged on or off the bike and should provide 30 to 50 miles of use depending on which of four levels of assist is selected. The bike has a smooth stealthy appearance with an attractive gray aluminum frame housing the battery integrated into the down tube and comes in medium only; it should fit most riders from five feet four inches to six feet tall. The Koda has a one-year all-inclusive warranty.

The Koda model we tested had a plethora of standard features including RST Neon suspension fork, hydraulic disc brakes with engine cut off when the brakes are

applied, Kenda 700c X 45 mm K 1088 e-bike specific tires, 8-speed Shimano drivetrain and a long list of accessories including front and rear LED lights, front and rear fenders, bell and rear rack.

The usual cast of characters got to test this Koda, ranging from competent plodder to an expert pilot. The bike handled well on both pavement and smooth dirt roads with the Kenda tires providing good adhesion and confidence that their puncture resistant, aggressive tread would defeat the dreaded goat head thorns. The RST fork, which had 60mm of travel absorbed most bumps well and the brakes were responsive. ejoebike.net ($1,719.00)▲

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Ask the Coach with Rick Schultz

NUMBER CRUNCHING

DO You Have A FIT Question?

The following table shows different solutions to adding watts, along with corresponding dollar value.

Send your inquiries to fit@socalbicyclist.com

USA CYCLING COACH, USAC CERTIFIED

Q. How much increase in performance can I expect by upgrading to ceramic bearings?

“Hi. I have now been told by 2 different bicycle mechanics (from 2 different bike shops) that total ceramic bearing upgrades will allow the average rider like me (62 years old, B- rider, 200 pounds, ride 100-120 miles per week, average speed 16-18 mph) a 2-3 mph increase. I don’t believe it, but if they’re even 50% right (heck, even 25%), then I’m going to start saving now for an upgrade. How much increase in performance can I expect?” - Pete To respond to Pete’s question, I dug up some research from a few years ago and pieced together a Watt Saved table (below). For calculations, let’s assume Pete’s FTP (functional threshold power) is 184.

To create this table, I researched bicycle components and wheel manufacturer’s websites with their corresponding technical reports. This a summary of their combined findings, comparing watts saved using Chinese hybrid ceramic bearings vs. Chinese conventional steel bearings. Also included are drivetrain components to help save watts.

This table identifies many options for you, from making the drivetrain more efficient to weight loss and serious coaching/training. The more of these that you do, the more fit and faster you will be. It’s up to you how far to take this. Some cyclists like tinkering with cool new ceramic bearings, others prefer coaching and serious training. You can do a little, you can do a lot or you can do something in-between, the choice is yours.

OPTIMIZED BEARINGS & DRIVETRAIN

Bearings, pulley system, chain You can expect to save a total of 14W to 16W at a cost of $565 to $990. These prices are dependent upon whose bearings you decide to purchase. In the example above, assuming you are buying low to medium quality Chinese ceramic bearings, you should expect to pay $40.36/Watt – and gain a maximum of 14W. Upgrading to the high-end Ceramic Speed oversize pulley wheel system and high-end bearings you can expect to gain an additional 2W. With ever ything else being equal and using Andy Coggan and Hunter Allen’s Power Profile chart, $990 will move you from an untrained racer to a mid-level untrained racer.

OTHER COMBINATIONS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE •

W E IGH T L OS S – Losing weight can be an individual experience or, through the use of a licensed nutritionist.

Losing 10-20 pounds bumps you up slightly in the mid-level untrained racer. It’s not until you lose 40 pounds that you bump yourself into a Cat. 5 racer category.

•

COACHING AND WEIGHT LOSS – General training with a USAC coach can raise your FTP from 184W to 230W. If you train seriously, you can expect to raise your FTP from 184W to 260W. If you couple this with your 40-lb. weight loss, you can expect to be as strong as a mid/high-level Cat. 4 (and possibly a low Cat. 3).

•

ALL THE ABOVE – If you choose the best from everything above, you can expect to be as strong as a mid-level Cat. 3!

A FEW NOTES

• Riding 250-500 miles is required to break in most bearings.

• A special lightweight grease (TPS SGB-32) is required for max watts saved.

• All numbers are estimates, given that different manufacturer bearings and wheels will behave differently.

• This is based on average pricing.

• Full ceramics save even more watts.

Coach Rick Schultz is an avid cyclist who trains, races and coaches in Southern

California. He’s a bike fitter and USA Cycling Level 2 coach. As a USAC Certified Power Based Trainer, Rick also teaches the local Beginner Racer Program for USA Cycling. He’s the author of Bike Fit 101: Your Toolset for a Great Bike Fit and Stretching & Core Strengthening for the Cyclist and Triathlete. Check his website bikefitnesscoaching.com. Rick is now working with Jax Bicycles as their premier bike fitter using the new state of the art Trek Fit System. Come on by and give it a try.

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BICYCLIST magazine

Andy Coggan’s/Hunter Allen’s Power Profile chart.

I hope this helps you decide which option you will choose. ▲ SoCal and Beyond

Profile

SAVVY CYCLING tours that don’t Break the Bank

BY WILL DECKER

“I am not a travel agent or a professional tour operator. While I do pick the tour’s location, designate our charity partner and negotiate with the hotel, I do not do this as a business or plan the event to make a profit. I use these trips to make new friends and as a vehicle to fund those charities whose good works help make the world a better place for all.”

-Richard Sheff, Director Sportif

I

have known Richard Sheff for over 20 years now. In fact, he was on the cover of this magazine about 15 years ago. We are both members of the Bicycle Club of Irvine, but there is one thing that sets Richard apart from all the other 350 members – he is the creator and director of Savvy Cycling Tours.

Something Special

Just the name “Savvy Cycling Tours” is pretty catchy for a bicycle tour group. I suppose Richard came up with the name because he may have felt that riders must be pretty savvy to know that they’re getting something special for very little money.

There are some very good tour companies available to riders such as Vermont Bicycle Tours, Backroads and Trek Travel which are three of the bigger companies. All are expensive. Savvy Cycling Tours cost a fraction of what the big boys charge.

Savvy Cycling Tours don't have a whole array of tours to select from throughout the year. They offer just one tour and it usually takes place around September. The tour group stays at one central hotel from which daily rides emanate.

Prior to the tour, careful planning allows riders to start out from the front door of the hotel and explore different routes each day. Typically, another BCI member, Wayne Broadhag researches the area by checking with local bike clubs for the best riding areas and routes. He factors in elevation gains and traffic and then determines which routes are best suited for different levels of riders.

Tour Cost in the $100’s, not the $1000’s

Part of Richard’s criteria for his tours is the price. Prior to selecting a hotel, Richard and his wife, Arlene, are extremely diligent in getting a good price on rooms and food.

When you sign up for a tour with Savvy the cost doesn’t run in the thousands but more like the hundreds! Richard’s main goal is finding a pleasurable location while, at the same time, keeping the rider’s costs to a modest level.

A good example of how Richard gets you the most bang for your buck, is how he gets your bicycle to a destination. For us folks who live in Southern California, Richard has a system whereby he has a regular driver and a large truck that transports the bikes from Irvine to the hotel destination; no dismantling of the bike, no packing it into a bike shipping case and hoping for the best.

Sometimes a track record speaks for itself. Savvy Cycling Tours has traveled to many interesting locations over the years. Back in 2006, the group visited Riccione in northern Italy and the group stayed at the Hotel Dory that also provided them with top-of-the-line carbon fiber Scott bicycles. Ten years later, the Savvy group returned for a second go.

The Italian trips were the only international trips Savvy has organized, but here are some of the continental U.S. trips that have taken place: starting in 2008 and with a different location each succeeding year, Savvy Cycling Tours visited San Diego, Texas, Arizona, Kentucky, Oregon, Wisconsin, Portland, Nashville and Spokane in 2015.

Savvy Cycling Tours provide an inexpensive multi-day tour in September in a new location every year. THE PHOTO ABOVE IS FROM THE START IN Nashville. set amongst beautiful, sprawling lawns and gardens). The hotel was new at the time and served us magnificent breakfasts and an array of delicious munchies during happy hours each night. Basically, the cost of each event involves the suggested donation to the charity, a registration fee, airfare if needed, bike transport by truck (depends on distance) and hotel costs and meals.

Richard Sheff designates a worthy charity each year. Some of the charities have included UCI Brain Tumor Research, Children’s Hospital of Orange County, Prostate Cancer Foundation, Big Brother Big Sister of Orange County, The Hunger Project Empowering Women and Men to End Their Own Hunger and the National Brain Tumor Society.

This year, Savvy Cycling Tours will be cycling and hiking in beautiful Lexington, Kentucky and be staying at the Four Points by Sheraton Lexington Hotel. It is right in the middle of the famous Bluegrass Region with its slow rolling hills and, of course, horse country. A great stage for bicycle touring! ▲ For more information, check out their website at savvycyclingtours.com.

Will Decker is the founder and former editor of BICYCLIST magazine, back when it was ‘Southern California BICYCLIST’. He is an active member and former president of Bicycle Club Irvine.

Membership not required

Every year at the annual BCI Banquet, Richard makes a much-anticipated announcement of where and when the next tour will take place. Concurrent with that he sends out e-mail announcements to past riders about the newest location.

While many of the participants are BCI members, there are many riders who are not members who flow in from all parts of the country for each year’s ride.

Typically, there are different rides for each day that are suitable for all levels of riders.

Breakfast is something that Savvy likes to have the hotels include in the room price.

After a day of riding, there is happy hour and that has been one of the most popular times of each day and a great time to meet, make new friends and chat.

I have been on four Savvy tours and given a choice, I suppose I liked the Nashville event most of all. We stayed at the Drury Hotel in Franklin, Tennessee (which is a suburb of Nashville and where many top country singers have their expensive homes socalBICYCLIST.com

Jerry King is one of the most published cartoonists in the US. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and graduate of Ohio State University. Signup online for our newsletter and get a fresh cycling cartoon every monday morning. socalbicyclist.com @socalbicyclist

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Stark Beauty, Inuit Culture, and Fat Tire Bikes

In Greenland F

WRITTEN BY RANDY KIEFER PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON MAERKLIN AND DANIEL THOMANN

rom March 13th through the 23rd, I was a member of a group of 10 hearty souls that participated in the second running of “Fatbike Greenland”. For 6 of the 10 days of the trip, I rode a fat tire bike 230 kilometers from the base of the Russell Glacier to the coastal city of Sisimiut. The ride is sponsored by Abenteurreisen, Switzerland, and supported in Greenland by Sirius Greenland.

The trip officially started in Copenhagen where the 9 participants met their Abenteurreisen Swiss-German guide for a get-acquainted dinner. The group was made up of 7 Swiss-Germans (2 women and 5 men), a Dutch woman, and me. We met in Copenhagen, as the only commercial flights to Greenland originate from this city. For an idea as to the remoteness of this large island destination, the flying time to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland was approximately 4.5 hours, ever so close to eastern Canada.

The memory of stepping off the airplane and embracing the cold while doing a 360 to survey the landscape is permanently embedded in my mind. I did not know what this wild place would have to offer, but it had my full attention and enthusiasm to give it my best effort.

Later that first afternoon we met the 3-person Team Sirius Greenland support group. It was a warm introduction to Inuit culture with some local humor; as the lone vegetarian of the group, I was teased with the joke “what is a vegetarian called in Greenland? A poor hunter.” This 3-person team drove the snowmobiles that transported our baggage, carried the fuel that warmed the huts and tents, gave us warm drinks and snacks along the route, cooked our meals, and kept us entertained with their knowledge of Greenland and local lore.

As for the route, with the exception of the first day of riding on a road between the Russell Glacier and Kangerlussuaq, the remaining 5 days were on lakes, fjords, and rivers with connecting sections of land. Two of the days had sections of bike and hike over steeper grades. The beautiful snowy landscape, accompanied by the complete silence of these spaces, is without parallel.

Worth noting is the fact that the trail we followed is the only overland connection between the only year-round airport in Kangerlassuaq (pop. 500), and our destination of the coastal city of Sisimiut (pop. 5,500). After 11 days of fun and adventure, it was time to bid farewell to a snowy and refreshing island with a warm heart, taking with me memories for a lifetime. www.fatbike-greenland.com ▲

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BICYCLIST magazine

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS “Stranded in Sisimiut - Lucky Me!” - Fatbike Greeland Motto Seeing the Aurora Borealis was nothing but spectacular. I saw shades of green that I had never seen before; it was out of this world.

After riding by myself for a while, I heard the sound approach me and finally a “hey!” from an unknown source. I pulled to my right and looked to the rear only to see a sled team silently passing me by. Yes, this is Greenland - sweet!

The coldest part of the ride was at the start because it was inland. The night before at Kangerlussuaq, temperatures were in the range of -22 degrees farenheight. I am sure it was in that range when we started at 10:00 am the next day, and may have warmed to -5. The following nights were in the area of -10, and during the day it was between -5 to 5 above. Only on the last days as we got closer to Sismiut did it reach 10 above.

The colorful city of Sismiut is built on the coast’s edge, and decorated with wood frame houses featuring all the colors of the rainbow and more. The city is alive with people of all ages, shopping bags in tow, walking to the various markets. It’s a city of women pushing strollers and children in colorful snowsuits playing in their own winter wonderland.

Days of cancelled flights while snowbound in Sisimiut, gave us the opportunity to be further exposed to the wonders of Mother Nature and Greenland hospitality. It was a chance to ride snowmobiles and discover local watering holes.

The administrative coordination with Adenteurreisen and Team Sirius ground support was unsurpassed. The clothing needs listed and daily itineraries were spot-on, and a snowmobile with warm tea served by a cheerful support team member was always nearby. In the huts the meals were hearty and plentiful, and followed by a discussion of the day’s events while enjoying a libation; camaraderie is an international feeling.

SoCal and Beyond

More Photos?

Visit socalbicyclist. com and search “greenland”

LEFT The group of brave adventurers, with Randy second from left. Photo by Simon Maerklin ABOVE The colorful houses of Sismiut. Photo by Daniel Thomann RIGHT Randy’s snow beard. Photo by Daniel Thomann BELOW Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) in Greenland. Photo by Simon Maerklin

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@socalbicyclist

11

The Route

Pier to Pier: Part IV Seal Beach to Oceanside Distance: 64 miles Elevation Gain: 2,853' Documented by: Justin macias, @cyclistthings

In our fourth installment of the Pier to Pier series, we ride along the Southern California Coast, from Seal Beach Pier to Oceanside.

PARTS OF THIS PIER TO PIER ROUTE ARE F E AT U R E D I N T H E NEW YEARS DAY RIDE, AMTRAK CENTURY, AND THE MS 150. PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY IS VERY POPULAR DURING THE WARMER TIMES OF THE YEAR SO THIS GUIDE WILL BE FOCUSED ON GIVING INSIGHT INTO AVOIDING SOME OF THE MOST HE AVILY TRAFFICKED AREAS. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING IN A LARGER GROUP, IT MAY BE FASTER AND SAFER TO RIDE ON PCH.

Mile 0-10 (Start - Seal Beach Pier)

Mile 20-30 (Laguna Beach)

Rolling out from Seal Beach Pier, Ocean Blvd will take you directly to PCH/Hwy 1 where you will catch a great view of the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge as you cross over Anaheim Bay. Your first detour off PCH will be onto Pacific Ave. at the landmark PCH water tower house. Follow this side street(1.4 miles) down to Warner where you will have the option of continuing on the Huntington Beach Bike Trail or PCH. I’ve ridden this section of PCH many times and there is a sizable shoulder with minimal obstacles. However, if you are taking your time and want to take in some ocean views then take the bike path.

After making your way past the rolling hills paralleling Crystal Cove, you’ll make your way down Cliff Drive and cut across the side streets of Laguna Beach. Glenneyre Street will take you past all of the great climbs nestled into the hillsides of Laguna Beach which are lovingly named “The Seven Sisters”: Park Ave, Temple Hills Drive, Bluebird Canyon, and Nyes (to name a few).

When Glenneyre St ends at Nyes Place it will spit you out on PCH will continue on until Dana Point.

Mile 10-15 (Newport Beach) Stay on the Huntington Beach Bike Path(8.5 miles) until you reach the Santa Ana River Trail which features nearly 30 miles of uninterrupted bike path and connects all the way up to San Bernardino! After crossing over the Santa Ana River you’ll continue on PCH(1.6 miles) and encounter an overpass with a tricky right-hand turn lane. With patience, you can navigate this safely however if you want to avoid it all together there is a small side path available from there you can also avoid Mariners Mile which often has heavy traffic and very little shoulder space available. Another option would be to avoid all of this and ride down to Balboa Peninsula for a Balboa Ice Cream Bar and a ferry ride.

Mile 15-20 (Corona Del Mar/Crystal Cove) Both options continue on Bayside Drive through Corona Del Mar to avoid more tight streets. Corona Del Mar does have a shared lane running through all of it but I always opt to take the side route. Once you meet back with PCH via Marguerite or Poppy the road starts to open back up with great views overlooking the ocean and Crystal Cove State Park. Most days you can see Catalina Island with ease and on a very clear day, you can see the details in the cliffs of Avalon 26 miles across the sea. If you have to make a stop try to include the Shake Shack which falls along this section of PCH.

Mile 30-35 (Dana Point) Just as you enter Dana Point you’ll side step onto Del Prado Ave. and down Golden Lantern to the Harbor. As you turn into Doheny State Beach via Park Lantern there will be an option to ride the Coast Hwy Side Path which is basically just a sidewalk.

I prefer to ride through the beach parking. Either route will meet up with the Coast Hwy Protected Trail which parallels PCH with a K-rail guard in between.

Mile 35-45 (San Clemente) When you make your way to the edge of San Clemente the best option to navigate through the town is their existing bike route which will meander through the neighborhoods and drop you off at the south end of town at San Mateo Point. Hop on the bike path and you’ll skirt the entrance to the iconic surfing spot Trestles. From here you’ll be on the Old Pacific Highway through San Onofre, Agra, underneath I-5 and all the way down to the last major fork.

Mile 45-55 (Camp Pendleton) The two options that are available to make the last stretch to Oceanside are to ride through USMC Camp Pendleton (9.4 miles) or ride the shoulder of I-5 (8 miles). Riding through Camp Pendleton will require you to fill out an online form to request access at least 1 week in advance. Even if you fill the form while you're at the Camp, there is a chance that you cannot pass through if they are performing their military exercises. In that case, you can take Las Pulgas Road to the other side of the I-5.

Mile 55-64 (Finish - Oceanside pier)

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BICYCLIST magazine

After navigating that last section, you’ll make your way along Oceanside Harbor, over Pacific Street, and straight on to Oceanside Pier. Here you will find a ton of breweries, coffee shops, and other good eats to reward yourself and when you’re done just ride over to the Oceanside Transit Center and catch a train back home. ▲

SoCal and Beyond

THE PITCH THIS IS A FLAT POINT TO POINT ROUTE WITH A FEW ROLLING HILLS SOUTH OF CORONA DEL MAR. MANY PEOPLE WILL RIDE TO OCEANSIDE AND TAKE THE TRAIN FROM OCEANSIDE BACK UP TOWARDS THEIR STARTING POINT. THIS ROUTE IS BEST DONE EARLIER IN THE MORNING TO AVOID A BUILDUP OF TRAFFIC ON THE COAST HWY.

socalBICYCLIST.com

@socalbicyclist

13

Provisions

No Mountain High Enough cyclingMOFOS MOFO50 wheelset

BY SHANE YORKE AKA CALI DOMESTIQUE

I

received this wheelset directly from cyclingMOFOS, and I am impressed with every detail put into the production of these wheels. I’ve always considered myself a “Cycling MOFO,” and now I get to ride a product from a great company that shares my views and passion.

CyclingMOFOS wheels are built in a wide variety to satisfy your customizable craving. Starting at the rims, they range from a shallow 38mm to 50mm and 60mm, all the way to an 88mm for those triathlons that you want to smash. You’ll find 20 aero spokes on the front and 24 on the rear; select from three different spoke options when you create your order. You also get to choose from three hub options, from the good Novatecs to premium DT Swiss. The icing on the cake is that these fully customizable wheels are shipped worldwide for free, and are expected to be headed to your front door within 10-14 days.

I received the 50mm deep, 23mm wide carbon clincher wheelset with Novatec sealed bearing hubs and CX-Ray aero elliptical spokes. These things looked wonderful and spun true right out of the box.

ABOVE Built to order, with customizable options for any road setup requirements. Photo courtesy of Shane Yorke

The color combo complimented my bike beautifully, and with the company logo laid underneath the clear coat, I’ll proudly show my MOFO pride after years of gnarly rides and abuse. I’ve ridden many wheelsets over the years, so I was interested in carefully examining the quality and finish from a wheelset that comes with a price tag at a fraction of the cost of “high-end” market wheelsets, such as my trusty Reynolds Assaults.

I eyed the wheels closely, and aside from grabbing my grandfather’s magnifying glass, was unable to find one imperfection with my MOFOs. The co-founders of cyclingMOFOS, Martin and Tony, are riders who wanted the best bang for their buck. They spent many hours researching the perfect manufacturer to partner with in order to bring value, reliability and integrity to the consumer. Unlike the bigger guys, cyclingMOFOS allow you to choose the color of your decals for that ultimate custom bike feel.

When your new MOFO wheels arrive in the mail, you get everything needed to get riding right away. They come complete with lightweight titanium skewers, rim tape, carbon-specific brake pads, and valve extenders.

The boys at cyclingMOFOS stand behind their wheels and offer a four-year warranty against material and workmanship, as well as a two-year crash replacement program.

I felt a lot of assurance from their full breakdown of the 8 critical safety inspections and 10 overall steps that go into how their wheels are built (cyclingmofos.com/pages/ wheel-technology).

I know - enough about how the wheels look, you probably wanna know how they feel and ride, right? Alright, let’s go!

For me to truly appreciate the awesomeness of these wheels, I decided for my first 14

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test ride I’d use them on my 6-mile commute to work. You may wonder why I wouldn’t want to show off my new wheels and go for a high mile ride, but I’ve done this commute hundreds of times. I know what my limits are, and I know that I’ve pushed myself on this route in the past, so any time improvement could be attributed to the new wheels.

As soon as I clipped into my bike, I could tell that the hard work from the staff at cyclingMOFOS in creating the ultimate wheelset at a fraction of ABOVE Customize your MOFOS, down to the decal colors. All from your computer. the price had definitely paid off. The buttery Novatec hubs spun freely, and there was very little drag or resistance while spinning under load. I’m a solid rider (I still enjoy my pizza and beer) so even with my 200lbs and 6’4’’ frame, I didn’t feel any flex and the response when I powered down was amazing.

Being such a tall rider, cornering isn’t my strong suit, as I can feel unsteady sometimes during a fast curve. The 50mm MOFOS gave me that stiffness and confidence to corner like I’ve never cornered before. I closed my eyes for a second and the sound of the Novatec hub spinning freely paired with the clunk of my gears shifting truly made me feel like I was deeply seeded in the peloton, caressing the hills of a Grand Tour.

As I pulled up to my destination and uploaded my ride, I was pleasantly surprised to see that after riding the same commute time and time again, I had achieved a few PRs. To obtain such results after such a relatively budget-friendly upgrade, I was ecstatic.

Unfortunately, I live in an area that is riddled with a headwind in every direction. The 50mm MOFOS had no issues when it came to cross-wind, and with the aero spokes, the drag resistance seemed to be less that my Mavic Cosmic Elites.

Alright, so my wheels snagged a couple PR’s on my commute, big deal. What about a real ride? I’m a sucker for elevation and climbing. I mean, I live in the heart of California and I’m surrounded by mountains. The MOFOS proved that there “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and my quest for elevation was beautifully complimented with the ease of spinning up the mountain with my MOFO50s, which weigh in at just 1500 grams.

To sum up my initial impression, my riding review, and cyclingMOFOS in general, I simply can’t stress much more than, “cyclingMOFOS have made a kick-ass wheelset, for the everyday rider, any crit racer, and those weekend warriors on a budget.” To all the cycling MOFOS out there, if you’re looking for a top tier carbon wheelset that won’t break the bank, look no further because you’ve found them.

To design and order your dream wheelset, check them out. cyclingmofos.com ▲ You can find more from Shane Yorke on his website, www.calidomestique.com, and follow him on all channels, @calidomestique.

ABOVE CyclingMOFOS MoFo50 mounted and ready to roll. Photo courtesy of Shane Yorke

SoCal and Beyond

BELOW Aftershokz 'Trekz Titanium' are a sonically suitable, and legal, alternative to headphones, and earbuds, now outlawed by the State of California. ($130, 36 grams)

Templin's Tour

These Headphones change how you sense music Aftershokz 'Trekz Titanium'

offer legal alternative to headphones, now illegal while cycling in California.

BY ROB TEMPLIN

L

et’s face it, cyclists here in Southern California – or elsewhere for that matter – rarely pay strict adherence to the state vehicle code. Sometimes it’s subtle, like not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign or using headphones, and other times it’s far more blatant, like a huge pack of riders blowing through lights on a weekend group ride. It’s usually the latter that’s going to attract the attention of the local police.

And if you get stopped by the police for any reason, you can end up with a very expensive ticket if also busted for wearing headphones. Just last year, California’s state legislature closed the loophole on wearing the ‘bud’ style category of headphones. But that hasn’t stopped a significant percentage of cyclists from still wearing headphones – myself included.

Legal Options

Over the past 20 years I’ve searched out legal options for getting my music fix while cycling, but all fell far short of a satisfactory listening experience - including the obnoxious handlebar-mounted players that force others to listen to your taste in music.

At last year’s Interbike show in Las Vegas, I stumbled across a sports headphone designed for active, outdoor enthusiasts that promised exceptional acoustics while being street legal with an open-air design.

Like a lot of new gear unveiled every year at Vegas, I was skeptical of the claims AfterShokz was promising with their new “bone conduction” headphone technology.

According to AfterShokz, their headphones “incorporate an open-ear design (OpenFit) and a suite of proprietary audio technologies and design patents with athletes in mind”.

After several months of testing, I found that AfterShokz’s claim to being the “safest alternative to traditional sport headphones and ear buds” wasn’t just Vegas Interbike hype. The technology is a game changer on many levels for those that want to enjoy their music on two wheels; they're legal, safer in traffic or group rides, and deliver a premium audio experience equal to any conventional sports headphones.

AfterShokz terms the dynamic sound range found in their sports line, including EQ presets offering powerful, rich bass, as “PremiumPitch+”. By creating mini vibrations, bone conduction technology delivers music through your cheekbones; ensuring ears remain completely open to hear ambient sounds while also providing maximum situational awareness.

Verdict

For riders looking to cut the cord to their cell phone or MP3 player, the Trekz Titanium Bluetooth headphones ($129.95 – available at Amazon or R.E.I.) are a great solution.

Incorporating Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity and convenient multi-point pairing, the headphones come in at a feathery 36 grams – which means they’re light enough for all-day riding comfort.

The rugged design can handle sweat, dust, and moisture from your Saturday “World Championship” group ride or any kind of nasty weather (rain cancels most club rides in Southern California so you probably won’t get much of a chance to test this feature).

The Bluetooth version is available in two sizes: standard and mini. You’ll get six hours of continuous music (plus calls) on a single charge. "Audrey Says", the ever-present voice assistant common to all of our tech toys these days, guides users through power, pair, play and talk functions. The dual noise canceling microphones are so effective at excluding surrounding noise and enhancing speech that these headphones have now become my go-to hands-free cell phone device.

If you’re looking for something a bit more affordable but still incorporating the same bone-conduction technology, AfterShokz just introduced a wired Sportz Titanium headphone with microphone ($59.95; without microphone $49.95). The wired in-line controls for play, skip, and pause aren’t quite as cool as the Bluetooth version but they do come with a price tag half the cost. A nice bonus is 12 hours of continuous music (plus calls) on a single charge. The noise canceling microphone reduces surrounding noise, effectively enhancing speech, but as I found, not as well as the Bluetooth model. ▲

Surrounding Awareness

Runners, especially those training solo in isolated areas, will also appreciate being able to maintain an awareness of their surroundings - how many times have you been out riding on a bike path where joggers are so tuned-out they can’t hear you when you try to warn them of your approach?

Besides saving yourself the cost of an expensive ticket (that would have easily paid for their top-end model), you’re going to be on stronger legal grounds if ever involved in an accident – say, for example, with the prevalence of distracted drivers on the roads these days who could claim you were also distracted by using illegal and conventional headphones.

ABOVE The 36 grams of headphones are an all-day solution both for comfort, and for battery performance, with 12 hours of continuous play on a single charge. socalBICYCLIST.com

@socalbicyclist

15

In Search Of Contrast 21 Days Of Touring, From Coast to Desert

BY KRISHNA RAO, FOOT TRAVELLER AND MOUNTAIN BIKER

I TOUR ON M Y BIC YCLE IN SE ARCH OF L ANDS WITH CONTR ASTING SHADES. MY BIGGEST MOTIVATION TO GO ON SUCH TOURS IS TO C APTURE NATURE IN ITS MOST R AW FORM. ONE CONSEQUENCE O F TH IS IS TH AT I O F TEN EN D U P IN EXTREMELY REMOTE AREAS.

T H E I D E A F O R A P H O T O E S S AY W A S ADAPTED FROM THE LIVING LEGEND K A MR A N ON B IK E . MOS T O F THE G E A R W A S G R A C I O U S LY L E N T T O M E B Y F R I E N DS A N D W E L L- W I S H E R S , W H O M I C ANNOT THANK ENOUGH. I WOULD AL SO LIKE TO THANK VARGO OUTDOORS F O R S U PP O R T I N G M E W I T H C A M PI N G GEAR.

WHEN I MEE T LOC A L PEOPLE IN SUCH PL ACES, I ALSO PURSUE STORIES THAT I F E E L N E E D T O B E T O L D. A N O T H E R I H O P E Y O U E N J O Y M Y S E A R C H O F RE A S ON I INDULG E IN THIS HOB BY IS CONTR A ST, AND WISH YOU A SAFE RIDE .

B EC AUS E I V I E W C YCLI N G A S A FO R M OF MEDITATION. IT HELPS ME CLE AR MY MIND AND IMPROVE MY FOCUS. I C A M E T O U S A I N S E P T E M B E R 2 01 6 FOR M Y GR A DUATE S TUDIES . I HE A RD A LOT A BOUT C A LIFORNI A’S MIXED L A ND SC APES FROM MY FRIENDS HERE. A S S O O N A S M Y W I N TER B R E A K B EG A N , I SPENT THE ENTIRE 21 DAYS OF IT TOURING S OUTHERN C A LIFORNI A A LONE ON M Y 198 4 R A LEIG H OLY MPI A N B IC YCLE .

The photo was taken south of Bixby Creek Bridge, visible in the distance. It is one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world.

Learn More

View the route map from Santa Cruz to Death Valley, and then on to Los Angeles, as well as the full gallery of Rao's images on socalbicyclist.com Search 'Krishna' 16

BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

O

n my trip, I solely relied on National Geographic map for navigating. It has every campground marked with remarkable accuracy. The distance and elevation served as a savior several times during the trip. I was able to plan out every day’s ride conveniently with this map.

The Pacific Coast Bike Route runs along the entire coast of the USA from the Canadian border to the Mexican border.

The route passes through some of the most beautiful coastal places in the world. I started my tour at Santa Cruz and biked along the route for 4 days before deviating inland. The route merges often with Highway 1 and passes through numerous campgrounds, rest areas, and eateries. California produces nearly half of U.S. grown fruits, nuts and vegetables.

affected areas to further pursue the story. The barren black mountain was once completely covered in green shrubs and short trees. The national forests offer ample places to camp legally. They charge a meager $5 for Hiker-Bikers. The campgrounds offer benches, toilets, water (with exceptions) and food lockers for protection from coyotes and raccoons.

Unless one has decidedly made up a mind, there is very little reason to not use these facilities and risk camping illegally.

My gear for the three-week long bike tour.

Californian farmers are known extensively for their productivity and yield. Since drought was declared in 2014, the farmers have employed practices to further improve their efficiency. The film helps in conserving soil water by minimizing evaporation losses and control weed growth.

California is home to 21 Spanish Missions that were established by catholic priests to expand Christianity among Native Americans. The missions are along the historic El Camino Real, parts of which are converted to the current US 101 freeway. The missions can be located by following peculiarly shaped bells that have been in place since the early part of the century. Bells were vitally important to daily life at any mission. The bells were rung at mealtimes, to call the Mission residents to work and to religious services, during births and funerals. During my tour, I visited two missions and found both to be equally beautiful and well preserved.

Near Monterey - berry agriculture using partially biodegradable plastic mulch.

Wildfires pose the biggest threat to forest cover and people living along the forest belt. The Big Sur fire was the last major fire recorded in California. It burned down 130,000 acres of natural forest and over 50 homes. It was started by an illegal campfire and took 3 months to bring under control. I was shaken by the incident and went on a few hikes around the socalBICYCLIST.com

Plush vineyards in California spread thousands of acres and are responsible for 85% of the nation’s wine production.

For over 2 days, I cycled through the vineyards along Paso Robles, a wine country. The places offer upscale lodging and wine tasting sessions. They also offer tours of the entire winemaking process.

Los Padres that translates to “the fathers” is a national forest along Southern California’s coast. It spans 2m acres and is home to many endangered species. The forest provides explorers with a plethora of opportunities to wander in the wild. It has wellmarked trails and mud roads. I biked in the forest for 2 days and did not meet any humans. At the campground too, I was the only human. Gusty winds flow through trees in the night and cause eerie sounds. Since I was very tired from biking, I slept like a baby that night. For some, it may be scary to spend time alone.

This photo captured from Palm Drive in Bakersfield shows an endless span of pumpjacks operating 24x7.

The top of the pass where I left behind the green landscape.

While I was cycling legally around the Naval Air Weapons Station at China-Lake, I saw this plane hovering in the sky for prolonged periods of time. It then continued to perform maneuvers like loops and knife-edge turns. At one instance it passed dangerously close, right above my head at a height of not more than 500 feet. I stood staring at it, with an admiration for the incredible silence of the engines. Half a second later, I was thrown to the ground, my shades cracked, the front tire of my bike lost its air and an ear-splitting sound hit me. It was the loudest sound I have ever heard. It took me about half an hour to set all my gear back and about 2 hours to lose the itch in my ear.

A plane near the Naval Air Weapons Station perform maneuvers like loops and knife-edge turn.

Death Valley is an apparent place of contradictions. It is one of the hottest places known to man, yet its peaks are covered in snow for several months. It is one of the driest places in United States, yet signs of water exist throughout the park. It is called Death Valley, yet wildlife continues to exist perennially.

The route above Panamints range was the steepest yet with gradients of 8% for miles together. For some short stretches, the climbs were even steeper and I had to walk my bike.

This photo of me cycling along the rim of the crater was shot from half a mile away (can you spot me?).

The Midway-Sunset oil field near Taft in Kern County is the third largest oilfield in the United States. The oil being heavy is difficult to extract. The basin uses thousands of pumpjacks to lift the oil to the surface. The pumps span land as far as the eye can see.

Isabella Lake is an artificially created reservoir in the Sequoia National Forest. At 11,000 acres, it is one of the larger reservoirs in California. The town named Lake Isabella is situated just downstream of it. The town has streets marked in holographic blue boards to indicate disaster evacuation routes. The lake is known not to freeze even if atmospheric temperatures dip below freezing. The temperature at night fell to 20F when I camped in Pioneer point campground overlooking the lake.

The Sierra Nevada, which stands for “snowy range”, is a mountain range running along the north-south direction.

While traveling towards Death Valley, I crossed the range through the Walker Pass (5250 ft). The terrain on the east side is completely arid and desert like.

In the 5 days I spent in the valley, I traveled to many inspiring geological wonders. The Ubehebe crater in the north of Death Valley is an unconventional crater. It is only 3000 years old and was formed due to the buildup of geothermal heat, not by a volcanic eruption. This photo of me cycling along the rim of the crater was shot from half a mile away. It was the morning of the new year and very few people were present at this attraction. @socalbicyclist

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The white sheet in the background are dense deposits of salts.

Death Valley contains the lowest point in North America. At 280 feet below sea level, the temperature in summer is very high. The water brought in by the underground Amargosa river evaporates, leaving behind a dense deposit of salts seen behind me in the picture. The area of the salt flat is about 20,000 acres. It serves as a popular destination for trekkers. Interestingly, the highest point in the USA, Mt. Whitney, is only 90 miles from here.

This Opera Theatre in Amargosa is situated in one such township built by the Pacific Coast Mining Company.

In the early 20th century Death Valley become the center of a lot of speculation. Con men floated theories that the area had a natural mine deposit. The minerals that they claimed existed ranged from coal, which was eventually found, to gold and gemstones. The sudden boom in interest spurred rapid growth of townships around the valley which would disappear in a few years or in certain cases, a few months. Marta Becket, a renowned dancer, rebuilt this theatre, painted it all by herself, and performed in it. She retired from dancing in 2012, at the age of 88.

“Are we in Mars, mommy?” a little girl queried just as I cycled in. She was overwhelmed by the sight and possibly by the early morning sugar treats in her hand. I too was overwhelmed by the gentle, artistic curves of sandstone and clay deposits. Wind and water shaped this natural wonder and continues to influence the landscape of Death Valley even today. As I walked along the ridges I recollected a conversation I had with a local a day earlier. She belonged to the Shoshone Tribe. She said the ancestors of the land believed that rain and the wind are merely His tools, and that He is the real sculptor.

I covered a total of 1000 miles over the span of 21 days. I crossed 4 mountain ranges on my way away from the coast and 3 ranges while traveling towards the coast. The steepest gradient I faced was a thrilling 8% downhill and a daunting 7.5% uphill. In the Mojave desert, I cycled for 3 days amidst 45-degree cross-winds of 10–28 Mph. It took me 3 days to cover a distance of 70 miles, which in normal circumstances I am able to cover in a day. That was not a pleasurable experience. This is the last picture of the tour, taken just before entering Los Angeles. I was thinking about all the wonderful people I met during my journey. Many people went out of their way to help me. Some strangers opened their homes for me to stay over. Some people offered me delicious treats during afternoon breaks. Many people helped me even before I started the trip, by lending their precious gear. I was particularly happy the entire day and was chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare This sand dune in the heart of Death Valley is another such creation. I have seen many artificial landscapes that are made to look natural. This is the first one that is a natural landscape but looks artificial because of its small size. This sand dune is merely 3 miles wide. Three things are required for dunes to form: a source of sand, winds to carry the sand, and a depression to collect the sand. Canyons on all four sides provide plenty of sand for winds to carry and deposit at places acting as natural “traps”.

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It is difficult to recollect if the chanting caused happiness or the other way round. ▲ All photos were taken by the author, with a basic tripod and a lot of patience.

Follow Krishna Roa on MEDIUM @kkrao

SoCal and Beyond

Basics

Balance & Fear of Falling

BY CATE CLARK

F

or seniors who were never avid sports participants (the non-golfers, non-swimmers and non-tennis players among us), staying fit often means walking, dancing, visiting the gym, joining a volleyball team, or just chasing grandchildren. The pleasures of these activities cannot be denied. To take up the bicycle at an older age may seem imprudent when so many other forms of exercise are available. It may seem risky or foolish, conjuring up memories of childhood falls or images of adult racing disasters.

But the fear of falling may be keeping potential bicyclists from enjoying a healthy and fun activity that can lead to an array of new experiences. It is an ideal activity, as seen by the many older bicyclists worldwide. Why don’t more SoCal seniors consider being a grom in the saddle? Most likely, fear of falling.

During BICYCLIST's recent visit to the Noto Peninsula in Japan (Issue #138), I was the senior riding with two Millennials. Two days before our flight home I took a fall, injuring both my arm and my pride. What went wrong? Certainly I had been unlucky, landing on an old wooden irrigation canal alongside the road. It was also a very windy day and very rutted road, I emphasize to listeners of my tale. But, by admitting that my own weaknesses may have contributed to the fall, I’m better able to prevent such an accident in the future.

First, I considered balance. Seniors whose fear of falling keeps them from starting or resuming bicycling may believe that falls are a normal part of aging. Not true! Although our sense of balance may decline, falls are not a consequence of aging. Changes to the three main sensory contributors do occur with age, but here’s what makes a fall likely:

CONDITIONS THAT MAKE A FALL MORE LIKELY • A pre-existing injury or condition that makes you unsteady • Taking multiple kinds of medications • Any medication known to cause dizziness • Low blood pressure or taking blood pressure medication • A fever, which can make you feel dizzy • Vision changes or wearing glasses/contacts with an incorrect prescription • Dehydration

Preserving a fundamental sense of balance in all activities is as important as strength training, aerobics and stretching. We can’t avoid the steady decline in these three sensory contributors: 1) vision, 2) the sensitivity of proprioceptors on the bottoms of the feet that communicate position information to the brain, or 3) the responsiveness of tiny hairs in the semicircular canals of the inner ear that relay gravity and motion information to the brain. But experts have proved that much of the sense of balance can be preserved and even restored by performing exercises that require no special equipment or training.

Assessing Basic Equilibrium

To establish a benchmark for your current ability to balance, stand near a counter or sturdy furniture. Wear flat, closed shoes. Fold your arms across your chest. Raise one leg, bending the knee about 45 degrees. Start a stopwatch and close your eyes.

Stop the watch immediately if you uncross your arms, tilt sideways more than 45 degrees, move the leg you are standing on, or touch the raised leg to the floor. Repeat with the other leg.

Norms for various ages:

20 to 49 years old: 24 to 28 seconds.

50 to 59 years: 21 seconds 60 to 69 years: 10 seconds 70 to 79: 4 seconds 80 and older: most cannot do it.

ABOVE For an advanced exercise, lift the arms, open in the chest, relax the shoulders, and gently bend the elbows.

Stable and Strong

Although I have started doing balance exercises, there was one more thing I needed to do. It was the hardest exercise of all: To admit that I had continued trying to keep up with my youthful colleagues when I knew I was becoming unstable. Admitting this has helped my bicycling confidence. In situations where I feel unstable, I now just stop. With humor and acceptance, I acknowledge my limitations. That, at this age, is doing my best. ▲

Exercises to Increase Stability Balance is a motor skill and to enhance it you need training in the same way you train muscles for strength and the heart - with aerobic capacity.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms straight out in front. Lift one foot behind, bending the knee at 45 degrees. Hold that position for five seconds or longer, if possible. Repeat five times. Then switch legs. As you improve, try one-leg stands with your eyes closed.

• Incorporate one-legged stands into your daily routines: while on the phone, brushing your teeth, waiting in line or for a bus, while cooking or washing dishes.

• Sit-to-stand exercises once or twice a day also increase ankle, leg and hip strength and help the body adjust to changes in position without becoming dizzy after being sedentary for a long time.

• Practice walking heel-to-toe one foot in front of the other. Focus on a spot ahead of you to keep you steady. Repeat for 20 steps.

FIND MORE BALANCE EXERCISES AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR AGING WEBSITE: NIA.NIH.GOV

Whatever your age, strive for the norm of those younger than 50. socalBICYCLIST.com

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19

Event BICYCLIST Calendar

Search and view the full calendar of cycling events, races, and festivals online at

.events

EVENT & RACE DIRECTORS

GUIDE TO THE CALENDAR

We do our best to comb the wild west of cycling event websites to get the information you need to make the most of your time in the saddle. We provide this comprehensive listing, without endorsement, but we ask that you support the events that support the magazine.

SIGNS & SYMBOLS

List Your Event - FREE!

Date

Submit online at BICYCLIST.events

___________________________________________________________________

April

2017

20-23 Multi

Subaru Sea Otter Classic Powered by SRAM FESTIVAL, CX, MTB, ROAD Laguna Seca Raceway

22 Saturday

The Boob Ride Orange County FUN4GOOD ROAD: 90, 60, 30 miles Amtrak Station

Monterey

7 Sunday

Tour de Cure Napa Valley American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 80, 50, 25, 10 miles Veterans Home of California

Yountville

The Boob Ride San Diego Solana Beach FUN4GOOD ROAD: 90, 60, 30 miles SCa Tidewater Tavern

11 Multi

Tour of California Amgen UCI Men & Women Sacramento

Dirt Devotion Derby Nytro Multisport ROAD: 100K, 60K TBA

13 Saturday

Trabuco Challenge Warrior’s Society MTB: 24 miles / 4000’ Parker Ranch

NCa Irvine

SCa

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Carlsbad

SCa

45th Annual Primavera Century Fremont Freewheelers Bicycle Club ROAD: 100, 85, 63, 40, 25 miles Mission San Jose High School

29 Saturday

Tour de Cure San Diego American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 62, 29, 12, 1 miles Del Mar Fairgrounds

Fremont

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

Del Mar

SCa

____________________________________________________

Devil Mountain Double Quackcyclists ROAD: 206 miles / 20,000’ Marriott

30 Sunday

L’Etape California Le Tour de France ROAD: 80 miles / 11000' Mt. Baldy

San Ramon

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

Irvine

SCa

____________________________________________________

Urban Bike Challenge Just Ride LA FESTIVAL, OPEN STREETS TBA

Los Angeles

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

M ay

2017 Redlands

Trabuco Canyon

SCa

____________________________________________________

Long Beach

Renegade Racing ROAD: 100, 62, 30, 5 miles

Long Beach Convention Center

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

13-14 Multi

Kern County Junior Stage Race SAMBARN ROAD: TBD Kern County Race Way Park

Bakersfield

14 Sunday

Cyclofemme Idyllwild with Mary Metcalf Oreád Designs Fun Ride and MTB SCa Idyllwild Community Playground

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

Rios Criterium Race No.4 So-Cal FIXED Series ROAD: circuit TBD

TBD

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

20 Saturday

Breathless Agony Redlands Kahler Cycling Academy ROAD: 114 miles / 12000’ SCa

Sylvan Park

Dina LaVigna Breath of Life Ventura Triathlon Renegade Race Series TRI: print/international/relay SCa Ventura Harbor

Tri

____________________________________________________

Heartbreak Hundred Planet Ultra ROAD: 100 miles / 8500’ Holiday Inn Express

Lebec

SCa

____________________________________________________

Heartbreak Double Century

FEATURES

Costa Mesa

Planet Ultra ROAD: 202 miles / 15500’

Holiday Inn Palmdale

SCa

____________________________________________________

Tour de OC Palmdale Royal Family Kids Camp ROAD: 100, 55, 25 miles SCa

Vanguard University

OREGON Wa WASHINGTON Az ARIZONA Or

____________________________________________________

Central Coast Double Century Paso Robles BMS Cycling ROAD: 211 miles / 14000’ SCa

La Quinta Inn & Suites

BICYCLIST magazine

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NCa NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Nv NEVADA

SCa NCa

____________________________________________________

Tour of Long Beach

City, State

MAGAZINE SUPPORTERS support our supporters COMPETITION events with posted participants and results ROAD events with 90% or more paved route MOUNTAIN events with 90% or more dirt trail CYCLOCROSS closed course road/mtb hybrid GRAVEL fire roads, grinders and adventure rides TRIATHLON running, swimming, and biking BICYCLISM arts, entertainment and BIKES!

SCa

XTERRA Renegade Off Road Triathlon San Dimas Renegade Race Series TRI: 18.5 total miles SCa Tri Bonelli Park

____________________________________________________

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

6 Saturday

SCa

Tri

___________________________________________________________________

33rd Annual Redlands Classic Redlands Bicycle Classic ROAD: TBA Citrus Avenue Downtown

___________________________________________________________________

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

3-7 Multi

20

SCa

Limestone Canyon Wilderness Park ____________________________________________________

Los Olivos

23 Sunday

Silverado

SoCal Enduro Series #4 So Cal Enduro MTB: Enduro Dirt Club

___________________________________________________________________

OC MTB Limestone XC Race OC MTB Races MTB: XC

___________________________________________________________________

Event Name Organizer TYPE: length Location

____________________________________________________

Day

San Diego Century MiraCosta College San Diego County Bicycle Coalition ROAD: 105, 67, 33 miles SCa Cardiff-by-the-Sea

____________________________________________________

Cucamonga Challenge Rancho Cucamonga Friends of the Pacific Electric Trail ROAD: 50, 25 miles SCa

Central Park ____________________________________________________

Davis Double Century

Davis Bike Club ROAD: 200 miles / 8000’

Veterans Memorial Center

Davis

NCa

____________________________________________________

Tour of the Unknown Coast St Joseph Health ROAD: 100, 62, 50, 20, 10 miles

Humboldt County Fairgrounds

Ferndale

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

21 Sunday

Cervélo Belgian Waffle Ride Cervélo ROAD: 140 and 68 miles Lost Abbey

San Marcos

SCa

____________________________________________________

SoCal Enduro Series #5 So Cal Enduro MTB: Enduro Vail Lake Resort

Temecula

SCa

____________________________________________________

Tour de Cure Seattle American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 70, 40, 25, 10 miles Chateau Ste Michelle

Woodinville

Wa

____________________________________________________

Finish the Ride, Run, Walk N Roll Los Angeles Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) ROAD: 50, 30, 20, 6 miles SCa

The Autry Museum, Griffith Park ___________________________________________________________________

June 1 Thursday

2017

Quick N Dirty Summer Series #1 Quick N Dirty MTB: XC Lake Hodges Boat Ramp

Escondido

SCa

SoCal and Beyond

___________________________________________________________________

3 Saturday

Eastern Sierra Double Century Planet Ultra ROAD: 200 miles / 10200’ La Quinta Inn

Bishop

NCa

____________________________________________________

Big Bear

____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Race #2: Caspers Wildnerness Park Non Dot Adventures MTB: XC Course Caspers Wildnerness Park

22 Thursday

Quick N Dirty Summer Series #4 Quick N Dirty MTB: XC Lake Hodges Boat Ramp

11 Sunday

Anti-Cancer Challenge Ride Renegade Racing ROAD: 100, 60, 30, 10 miles Angel Stadium

24 Friday

Alta Alpina Challenge Markleeville Alta Alpina Cycling Club ROAD: 198, 134, 110, 64, 37, 19, 15 miles NCa Turtle Rock Park

25 Saturday

Grand Tour Los Angeles Wheelmen ROAD: 400, 300, 200, 124 miles Malibu Canyon Road

29 Saturday

Tour de Cure Oregon/Washington Hillsboro, OR American Diabetes Association ROAD: 104, 69, 49, 29, 5 miles Or AmberGlen Park

SoCal Enduro Series #6 So Cal Enduro MTB: Enduro Snow Summit Resort

4 Sunday

Perfetto Criterium Race No.5 So-Cal FIXED Series ROAD: circuit TBD

4-10 Multi

AIDS/LifeCycle 2017 Los Angeles LGBT Center ROAD: 550 miles San Francisco to Los Angeles

8 Thursday

Quick N Dirty Summer Series #2 Quick N Dirty MTB: XC Lake Hodges Boat Ramp

9-13 Multi

California Central Coast Ride San Francisco Climate Ride ROAD: San Francisco to San Luis Obispo NCa San Francisco’s Presidio

10 Saturday

Tour of Two Forests Double Century Planet Ultra ROAD: 198 miles / 13220’ Hampton Inn

SCa TBD

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Daly City

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

Escondido

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Santa Clarita

SCa

____________________________________________________

Tour de Cure Los Angeles American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 66, 32, 7 miles Santa Fe Recreational Dam

Irwindale

SCa

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Trabuco

Anaheim

SCa

____________________________________________________

Palo Alto

___________________________________________________________________

Tour de Cure Silicon Valley American Diabetes Association ROAD: 120K, 100K, 75K, 50K, 25K HP Campus Palo Alto

15 Thursday

Quick N Dirty Summer Series #3 Quick N Dirty MTB: XC Lake Hodges Boat Ramp

17 Saturday

Tour de Cure Spokane Spokane, WA American Diabetes Association ROAD: 100, 50, 25, 10 miles Wa Northern Quest Resort and Casino

J u ly

Terrible Two Double Century Sebastopol Santa Rosa Cycling Club ROAD: 200 miles / 16600’ NCa Analy High School

8 Saturday

Tour de Fat San Diego New Belgium Brewing Co. FESTIVAL, OPEN STREETS Waterfront Park

The 2017 Guardsmen Tour San Francisco The Guardsmen ROAD: 100K, 10K SCa

Log Cabin at Fort Scott Field

16 Sunday

CELSO CRITERIUM RACE NO.6 So-Cal FIXED Series ROAD: circuit TBD

29 Saturday

Tour de Cure OR/WA American Diabetes Association ROAD: 104, 69, 49, 29, 5 miles AmberGlen Park

NCa Escondido

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

SoCal Enduro Series #7 So Cal Enduro MTB: Enduro Snow Summit Resort

Big Bear

SCa

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Escondido

Malibu

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2017 San Diego

NCa

___________________________________________________________________

TBD

SCa

___________________________________________________________________

Hillsboro

Or

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21

Last Page

The Art of Vintage Cycling On Display at the 2017 Eroica California

ABOVE Eddy Merckx by Miguel Soro Garcia, 140 cm x 120 cm.

BELOW An assortment of vintage European posters from the VEPCA collection.

By Chris Reynolds

E

roica California has always had an eye towards the culture and art of cycling. The 2017 event welcomed artist Miguel Soro Garcia, who discussed the inspiration and methods for his cycling inspired paintings. Eroica also featured collector Elizabeth Norris, displaying her collection of vintage posters. Both artists held court at Studios on the Park, showcasing their work and engaging with the assembled cyclists and gallery visitors. The art gallery and educational center is located in downtown Paso Robles, the festival center for Eroica California. Next time you find yourself in the iconic California city, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, stop in and view the ever-changing artists featured.

VIEW THE GALLERY OF INDIVIDUAL POSTERS ON THE WEBSITE. SEARCH 'EROICA' AT SOCALBICYCLIST.COM.

Art Inspired By Bicycle Racing Experience

Miguel Soro Garcia is a Spanish artist who raced professionally in the early 2000's, retiring in 2003. He now uses that experience to create inspired pieces of mixed-media art. He uses acrylic and oil paints over a collage of old cycling magazines depicting the legends, stories and heroes of our sport and the racing lifestyle.

Beyond the historic significance of the depicted subjects, the use of cycling magazines captures a moment in time unique to each canvas, helping to further Soro Garcia's artistic intentions.

Vintage European Posters, A Tradition Of Artistry

Elizabeth Norris has been collecting posters since 1997, traveling across Europe to amass a collection of more than 2,500 unique posters, both vintage (over 20 years) and antique (over 100 years) old. Like many collectibles, the value comes from scarcity, and because the posters were intended to be hung in train stations, and on the sides of buildings, few were kept, and even fewer were well-preserved.

Part of the collecting process is the preservation of the posters and VEPCA, the organization that Norris founded, works to preserve the original fragile and brittle papers. All of their posters are linen-backed during the conservation process, in which posters are washed to de-acidify the paper and then mounted on a heavy backing using an acid free paste.

Norris led a talk about the heritage of the posters, while assistants helped display the large format pieces. We watched as she flipped through more than 300 of the European posters she brought to display and learned about the artists and printers who created the large posters, some more than 7 feet tall.

The full collection can be viewed here and all pieces are available for purchase. You can also visit the VEPCA showroom in Berkley, open on Tuesdays www.vepca.com. â–˛

22

BICYCLIST magazine

SoCal and Beyond

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