Riding with RWBTC

When I started cycling and I lived in Redlands I joined the Redlands Water Bottle Transit Company (my local bike club) but when I got into long distance cycling, and they weren't, I stopped riding with them. As Amber and Edgar are skiing this weekend, I thought I would hook up with RWBTC for a ride. I was a bit apprehensive because last time I tried to ride with them, they were not interested in 'new faces' and the ride was a disaster for me.

I was pleased to see some old friends. Jerry Cowden was there and Eric Reiser, as well as Bob, Don, and others. A couple of them were on e-bikes and Jerry told me all about the new e-bike he had ordered. I definitely think I'll be buying one in ten years. I'm told Russ bought one for Linda, but typical of Russ, he got it from some guy in Morocco and it needs to be repaired before it will work.

I was on the Brompton and had only expected to ride the 30 mile option, but that ride didn't happen so I hooked up with a Palm Springs century training ride instead which was 50 miles long. At mile 16 we stopped at a Starbucks where I bought a "ham and cheese croissant". I put that in quotes because when she handed it over I could see it was only two bites. For $4.25 I was expecting something more substantial, but this is a Starbucks where their motto is "half the food for twice the price". I should write a book called the "Starbucks Diet". You can eat all the food you can afford, but you have to buy it at Starbucks.

After the Starbucks was the steepest set of hills I've ridden on the Brompton heading up Country Club and Shaker Drive. One and a half miles averaging 5% with a maximum of 12%. I seriously need to replace my 54 tooth chainring with a 44 tooth before I take it to Ireland. The following downhill had me up to about 30 mph so this is the first ride that has had me in every gear the Brompton has, all in the same ride.

After eating my micro croissant at the turn around at Citrus Park we headed over to the Upper SART which is infested with homeless encampments. I felt a lot safer riding it with a big group, but I no longer want to ride it alone. We really need Riverside to clean this up.

Some of the group at the end of the SART

I had already exhausted the meagre calories I had consumed at the park and by the time we got to the end of the SART I was hungry again and feeling the bonk. We only had eight miles to go and I knew the way, so I dropped off and finished solo. I certainly learned a lot of new roads which felt odd because I lived in the area for 10 years.

The end of the ride was at a Stater Bros so I bought some sushi and monsters for the drive home. I don't know why I was craving sushi, possibly the rice has the kind of carbs my body needed.

I'm so glad I decided to ride with the club - the warm reception I got undid the indifference I felt on the prior attempt. I will try to ride with them more often and may even join again.

I've been trying to find a way to increase the saddle set back on the Brompton so I tried a device I found on Amazon. It was terrible and I removed it after a 1/2 mile test ride. Here's the review. I'm thinking I could cut it at the left end of the bottom leg and just use the straight bit. I'll let you know how that goes.