Glendora to Manker Flats
Posted: Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:33 pm
Lately I've been starting to cycle, with the full intention of riding through some of the roads in the San Gabriels. This was my first real attempt to cycle up.
I started in Glendora and headed up the immediately steep GMR (6-7% grade is steep for me on bike!). After about 2500 ft on non stop climbing, I reached the junction with glendora ridge road, and took this toward Baldy Village.
I had really nice views of the area from Twin Peaks to Baldy. Good for some scouting detail. I reached Baldy Village in about 2 hrs and stopped for a bit.
My quads were getting a good beating, but I really wanted to try to make it to Manker Flats, so off I went. I was immediately slower than before, and I knew it was just going to get worse with those damned switchbacks after Icehouse canyon.
By this time it was getting warm, and I was getting up 2 switchbacks then stopping and stretching. I felt like I could get up faster by foot than bike, but kept cycling up slowly. On the last switchback I starting getting more cramps, and I was so happy to finally reach the slight downhill.
As I reached Manker Flats it started getting steep again, and I was slowly going past all these families staring at my scary outfit and deep breathing. Just a few 100 ft from the trailhead, I started getting really bad cramps in my quads and had to get off an stretch, finally finishing meagerly by the portapotties.
I walked up the road to San Antonio Falls to rest.
On the way back I decided to fly down to Claremont than over to Glendora to avoid the hills of GRR. My quads are toast.
50 miles
6500 ft gain
Map & Pictures
I started in Glendora and headed up the immediately steep GMR (6-7% grade is steep for me on bike!). After about 2500 ft on non stop climbing, I reached the junction with glendora ridge road, and took this toward Baldy Village.
I had really nice views of the area from Twin Peaks to Baldy. Good for some scouting detail. I reached Baldy Village in about 2 hrs and stopped for a bit.
My quads were getting a good beating, but I really wanted to try to make it to Manker Flats, so off I went. I was immediately slower than before, and I knew it was just going to get worse with those damned switchbacks after Icehouse canyon.
By this time it was getting warm, and I was getting up 2 switchbacks then stopping and stretching. I felt like I could get up faster by foot than bike, but kept cycling up slowly. On the last switchback I starting getting more cramps, and I was so happy to finally reach the slight downhill.
As I reached Manker Flats it started getting steep again, and I was slowly going past all these families staring at my scary outfit and deep breathing. Just a few 100 ft from the trailhead, I started getting really bad cramps in my quads and had to get off an stretch, finally finishing meagerly by the portapotties.
I walked up the road to San Antonio Falls to rest.
On the way back I decided to fly down to Claremont than over to Glendora to avoid the hills of GRR. My quads are toast.
50 miles
6500 ft gain
Map & Pictures