73.80 miles, 7:16 moving time, 8,734 ft elevation gain

Big Bike Week. Day 3. to Mt Baldy Ski Lifts. Via GMR front side – front side.

Mark, Lynda, Paul, Erick, Philip, Ryan, Joe, Alvin, Bob, James, MikeW, Sue, Ray

Mile 0: Club met at Sierra Madre. Cold start. 47F ish. Bundled up and later peeled off layers. Layers there the name of the game today. It was cool at the top of the mountain, but warm on the climbs and at the bottom.This was an out and back course, so, this location served as extra miles after a HUGE day of climbing. Bonus points for those that started AND finished at SM.

Mile 8: Pick up at Encanto Park. Alvin, Mike, James, Bob, Sue. Smart people started here. Later, I would value Bob’s genius in parking at Encanto.

Mile 15: Start of GMR, Glendora Mountain Road. Peel off layers and Climb, Climb, Climb up the front side. Warming up along the way. Sunny and views of the city, mountains, and dams below.

Mile 24: Top of GMR. Rolled over the top and took the right fork in the road up UP UP toward Mt. Baldy. Gorgeous views and very little traffic.

Mile 32: Rollers along the Glendora Ridge Road. Then, climbing up UP UP. Icy snow balls in the shade.

Mile 35-37: Descent into Mt. Baldy Village. Rolled past the Lodge and up UP to the Ski Lifts.

Mile 41: Top of the world. This climb was 8-13% for 4 steep miles. The switchbacks were super steep. The camp ground and hiking was really popular today, with lots of auto traffic racing up the mountain from the Village to the top. This took me forever. Lots of stops. I flipped it near the parking lot, Lynda and Bob were descending. We were running really late.

Mile 45: Mt. Baldy Lodge. Snack break. I burnt all my matches going and bonked. I needed fuel and recovery. Bob, Lynda, and I sat down for a snack at the lodge. Fries, tuna melt, and cokes. Refilled bottles, took some supplements and felt like I could ride back home.

Mile 45-73: Rollers felt like a lot of Up on both ways. Descent through GMR front side. Rolled to Encanto. Got a ride from Bob back to Sierra Madre. (Lynda may or may not have come along too, cuz she doesn’t like to be left out.) Super late on the return. Sunny day. Winds. Blown out today. Gassed.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s Big Bike Week Day 4. Crystal Lake. Start from Encanto (like we always should, right Bob?)