43, Freelance Writer and Editor, Azusa
1) Describe your relationship with your bike.
I started out as a roadie, I used to train with a group. Iâve always wanted to go on rides with my dog. As soon as I heard about Larry vs. Harry, I decided to get one. I have a lot of fun going out with him on the bike.
I was looking and there was Splendid Cycles in Oregon--- theyâre a dealer. I was looking for cargo bikes and I stumbled upon it. I really like how the Larry vs Harry Bullit cargo bike looks. I also wanted the cargo area on the front. I had these plans of being more car-free and doing groceries and all that but frankly, the only thing Iâve been doing is going on rides with him. He loves it so much.
Heâs 6 years old and he actually came out with us from Bangalore, India. When we lived there, he was abandoned by a highway. We think heâs a Labrador but heâs basically a mix with Rottweiler. He was just pushed out of an SUV and when we heard about this story we adopted him. He was about a year old. We got the chance to come back to the U.S., so he essentially came from India. He got on a plane and they basically had him as excess baggage on the plane. They zip-tied him in. We just got a second dog who wonât get on the bike.Â
2) Why do you ride your bike? What are your main motivations?
It used to be for training, going fast, Strava, heart rate, and all of that. But now, Iâm just really having fun connecting more, and I love the mountains. I try and get up there as much as I can. I just love being on the bike train and I do want to use the car as little as possible. I am slowly using the cargo bike for other things.
3) Describe one of your earliest cycling memories- how did you get started?
I remember I had one of those banana seat bikes when I was young in India. The first bike I remember being really excited about was when mountain bikes first reached India and there was this bike called the Hero Ranger. I asked my parents and I saw them whispering so I knew I was going to get it. I lived on a farm outside of Bangalore, so we used to ride quite a bit. Not huge distances but we spent days, whole days on the bike. The rule was come back before the sun sets.
4) Favorite place youâve ever biked- a) in the SGV? b) elsewhere?
I always end up on Glendora Mountain Road. I really, really love it. But frankly, my favorite ride which I havenât done in a while is to just go up to Crystal Lake. I really like the climb from the East Fork onward. Itâs just a brutal climb. I havenât done it since Iâve put on a bit of weight. I call myself, post-roadie now but I really enjoy that trail. I love the mountains.
Iâm always on the river trails; the San Gabriel River trail just going to the dam. Again, I havenât done it in a while, but just going down to Seal Beach. Thatâs another favorite of mine.
5) What do you envision biking in the SGV to look like and include in the next 5 years?
Traffic density isnât high here but when I ride around, the roads are just so geared to cars and high speeds. For example, I took this cargo bike to Home Depot across that way and the area around there is so dangerous. Iâm not shy about riding in traffic since I spend a lot of time on the road but I actually hesitated to go down there. I really want to see both infrastructure and a lot more people on the road.
Iâm on NextDoor and there are really strong anti-cycling people. People are so upset about the Montrose ride that comes through for a minute every Saturday morning. The rest of the day, your kids canât even get on the streets. Essentially the street is a race track.
When I first moved here I thought I was hearing the Irwindale Race Track but then I realized it was just Highway 39. People drive like crazy over here. Everyone and all the sports cars and bikes are basically heading up Highway 39. So to be so upset to be held back by a cyclist for 15 seconds at a stop sign versus people being run over in residential areas: that really needs to change.
Weirdly, youâd think that the traffic in India is horrendous but drivers there are used to seeing all sorts of traffic on the road. You see fewer of them now, but youâll see carts, animals, bicyclists, and all sorts of things going on. Though the traffic is bad, you actually get a little bit of space. I often feel more unsafe here because of the speeds, people going pass you with 2 feet, and angry people. On the whole, at the same time people are really nice at stop signs and wave you through so itâs a bit of a mix.
In India, I was part of a racing team so there is a roadie type of culture. Itâs really hard to be out with kids on the road but itâs cycling has become more popular. Thereâs a lot of bicyclists.