My Bike and My Crocs – Such Comfortable Fits!
My beautiful old Trek
Most of the time I call myself a runner, but at least once or twice a week I get out on my bike. There’s something about zipping along with the wind in my face that just makes me smile. There’s a smoothness and a power that I feel when I’m rolling on my old silver Trek that energizes me. And that old bike fits me to a T. Just like my Crocs. And although it’s over 10 years old I won’t retire it just yet.
Sometimes my friends and I go for long flat rides and sometimes we climb mountain roads. But no matter what the terrain, my carbon fiber Trek carries me there without a hitch. I have to add the muscle and the heart, of course, but my finely fitted bike with its perfect gearing turns my energy into passing miles with ease.
Me and my biking buddies at the beach.
And I really appreciate that ease and comfort. Here in Southern California we have miles and miles of smooth, flat bike paths that lead us straight to the ocean but they’re typically plagued with headwinds in one direction or another. Then of course we have the mountain roads. Roads that go up, up, up for miles on end. There are no easy rides here it seems.
And on top of a mouintain road.
But there sure are beautiful rides. One of my favorites is a ride through the Angeles National Forest, the very same mountains where I ran 100 miles on trails. The roads through the mountains are equally spectacular and if you pick the right ones you’ll see very few cars. What better way to make your way across the ridge? It sure is a lot easier than running!
Recently my friends and I did the Amtrak Century, a 100 mile ride sponsored by the Orange County Wheelmen that took us from Orange County to San Diego along the scenic Southern California Coast. From the start at the Irvine Amtrak station in the OC we cycled through the seaside towns of San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Solana, Del Mar, La Jolla & San Diego to the finish at the San Diego Amtrak station. And we didn’t have to ride home because the Orange County Wheelmen arranged for over 1000 riders to take a private train back up the coast. What a perfect way to end a long day of cycling on my old favorite bike!
Our post-ride footwear of choice,
as we head home on the train.
