Early Ride to Mt Baldy - Geared

It was an early ride to Mt Baldy today.  Adam's game was at 9 am so I was out of the house and heading to the base of Glendora Mountain Road and Sierra Madre by 5:40 am. I planned to leave by 5:30 am. I was running late.

I love this time of year.  I can leave the house early and not have to overdress.  The days are longer and the weather is warm.

I was making great time, and just after Big Dalton Canyon Road, I spotted John's car. At every turn, I expected to see him.  Mentally I was chasing him down, and this helped to keep the pace up.  With every turn, I would look across the road expecting to see John.

MM 10.49, no John.  By the first saddle, still no sight of him.  John must be moving.  MM 8.44, nothing.  Ah, but at last I turn the bend just past MM 8.23 (I think that's it) and I see a little speck across the ridge and up the road.  That's gotta be him.

I pick up my pace with hopes of catching him by MM 7.26, just before the decent preceding the Maintenance Shed.  I turn another corner and I see two riders.  One of them is John for sure but they make the decent before me. 

I finally catch John on the climb just after the second saddle.  I knew I would, he rides fixed and I am on my geared Specialized.  I ride up to him and say hello and together we catch up to the other rider (Who also happens to be named John).

So I ride with John "P" and John "From Glendora" to the shed.  John from Glendora continues on and I stop with John P to rest and talk.  I hustled up GMR to catch them so a 5 minute break was much needed.  John P and I talked a bit before he headed back down and I to Mt Baldy.

The ride to Mt Baldy was a quiet, lonely ride.  John from Glendora had a good pace going and I didn't expect to connect with him.  I kept looking off into the distance to see if I could see John but nothing.  He was gone.

Or so I thought.

At about Fork + 7 something, I spotted John and caught up with him soon after.  We rode together into Mt Baldy.  At Baldy he headed back the way he came and I headed down back home.

It was a great ride, I got to see both Johns and made it back in time to watch Adam's game.  Good times and I look forward to my next adventure.