# Rides in Pasadena/ Glendale area



## pyrenees1

Hi All,

Was wondering if there are any group rides in the area? If so whats the route and how long and will there be any climbing? TIA.


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## MC357

I ride in Glendale Pasadena area all the time. Most popular is around chevy chase/rosebowl area's...a lot of nice back roads with good climbs and fast descents. Also up in the hills by descanso gardens and berkshire!


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## Joe Dirte

Saturday morning has the Montrose ride. Most start from Trader Joes in So. Pasadena. Starts at 8 for tempo ride and two options of around 40 to 60 miles. The faster group starts at 8:30,same route options,very little climbing. 75+ people strong
Sunday "Amigos" ride from Grifffith Park. 8:15 rollout. Tempo pace untill the only climb up and over La Tuna Cyn through Montrose and back around. 25-30 miles. 25-40 people depending on time of year. An easy fun ride if you live in the area and can ride to the start.


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## Bill Silverman

If you're living in the Pasadena/Glendale area, I suggest you check out the PAA club website (or, better yet, join the club!). 

There are 3 flavors of the "Montrose Ride" most Saturdays: the Big Boys regular Montrose ride actually starts from Descanso Gardens near La Canada at around 8:00 and rolls down (fast) to the Trader Joe's in South Pas around 8:20-8:30. The 8:00 "Montrose Lite" starts from the South Pas TJ's at 8:00, but it's not quite so "lite" anymore. Finally, there's the 7:45 "Tempo Ride" that usually follows the same route as the other Montrose variants. Each ride has a "long" or "short" option, so that makes 6 rides in all for Saturday AM.

Sunday, there's the Griffith Park-La Tuna Canyon ride, previously mentioned. There's also a ride at 8:00 from behind Hrach's Velo Pasadena rolling out at 8 AM. Also the informal King Bro's ride at 8 AM which meets at the bottom of Salvia Canyon at the Rose Bowl. 

Tues & Thurs is the Bowl Ride, for riders looking for the thrills and chills of Crit racing without needing a license or entry fee, but with all the crashes. Thursdays at 5:30 is also the SLOHC ride (Sh*t Load of Hill Climbing) from the upper end of Lot K at the Rose Bowl. Wednesday nights at 6 PM is Steve Labanski's ride starting from his shop, Open Road Bikes, on Sierra Madre Blvd.


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## pyrenees1

Wow! Thanks you all for the useful info. Be safe and see you on the road.


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## Bill Silverman

Pyrenees1:

Not to sound too much like a booster for PAA, but if you do join and get on their email discussion group, there are many times when individual members will post rides that will then attract a small group. 

Many rides up Big Tujunga and Little Tujunga Canyon Roads, rides up Angeles Crest Hwy (referred to as ACH), Glendora Mountain Rd (GMR) going to the backside and back on East Fork or going all the way up to Mt. Baldy Village (you can pretend you're in the Tour de California), and Chantry Flats. There also used to be a Sunday ride starting at the small Ranger Station at the beginning of Hwy 39/Azusa Canyon Rd. that went up to Crystal Lake. Killer climbing for hours, if that's what you're looking for. Not sure if that's still going on.

No shortage of hill climbing around the San Gabriels.


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## arai_speed

Great info on the local rides - aside from the Tue/Thurs Rose Bowl ride I was not aware of many of the other ones. Bill, funny you mentioned PAA as I was looking at their site the other day after talking to someone about them - I will try and join them for a group ride before joining.


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## Bill Silverman

The various flavors of the "Montrose" ride aren't necessarily PAA per se- many clubs and non-affiliated riders participate. The Velo Pasadena Sunday ride and Steve Labanski's Wednesday night rides are also non-PAA.

I'm sure you are more than welcome to participate in the SLOHC rides on Thursday afternoons or any other PAA specific rides.


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## arai_speed

Thanks - looking at their calendars now for their PAA specific rides:

http://paacycling.org/calendar/


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