FYI: "Ride Around the Bear" on June 13

[phydeux]

FYI: If you're heading up to the San Bernardino Mountains next Saturday you might see this bicycle ride in progress. About 400 cyclists riding up Hwy 33 to Running Springs, across to Big Bear, around lake on the north side, then down Hwy 38. Nope, I'm not doing it this year.

http://www.ocw.org/bear/bearinfo.asp

[zippetydude]

Isn't that hwy 330?

I haven't done crazy long rides like that, but it sounds like fun. You've done it before? Why not this year?

z

[phydeux]

Yep, that is Hwy 330. Redlands to Highland then up 330 to Running Springs.

I last did it in 2002. The only thing I disliked about it was the narrow mountain roads, especially Hwy 18 between Running Springs and Big Bear. So many people speeding along the road and cutting corners REALLY close. Done a few other long day and multi-day rides, but most were rides I planned myself, not organized group rides.

Not long after that 2002 ride my Trek 520 bike got stolen (my fault - left it outside a store while I went i for 'just a second. . . ' ), then I got laid off, had to take a job with nightmarishly long hours for awhile . . . just one of those bad times in life when everything seems to go wrong at once.

Started getting back into cycling and I'm currently looking around for a new road/touring bike. My interest really got piqued when I stumbled across two guys doing hill climbs in the Owens Valley last year - Onion Valley Road, Horseshoe Meadows, Whitney Portal Road, White Mountain Road. Also did a drive late last summer from Big Bear down to Lucerne Valley (after hiking Gold Mtn) and was thinking "this would be a great hill climb on a bicycle!".

Lots of good options in types, brands, and styles of bikes on the market these days, I've just got to make a decision and get out the checkbook. I'll probably wait until fall since bike stores like to clean out their inventory about that time. Also like to get something for fire road riding in the local So Cal Mtns, too. Currently have a single speed (a 'flipped fixie') that I use as a workout bike, and a crappy looking beach cruiser that I leave at the store entrance while I go in 'for just a second" actually I lock it; learned my lesson the first time.