Arriving in Glendora to do Mt. Baldy

Wednesday, May 17th

We left Pismo Beach Tuesday morning and arrived in Glendora for the next leg of our vacation.  We met up with a friend of mine for a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant.  Wednesday morning, the weather was just like it was back in 2012 when we first climbed Mt. Baldy -- overcast and chilly.  We planned to do it in 2015 too and to watch the Amgen Tour of California but rain and snow forced us to cancel. We were deeply disappointed.  So, despite less than ideal conditions, we were excited to be able to do it this time in 2017.  We went a different route, going through neighborhoods, a bike path and starting the climb from Claremont (thanks to The Boyfriend for mapping this).   I like for him to feel useful.... We went through two tunnels.

Gloom and doom as I struggled along.  The Boyfriend was way ahead of me, not to be seen again until much later.

The Boyfriend made it all the way to the top! Wowmobile.  This section, 5 miles from the lodge, is the steepest part of the climb.  I doubt I could ever do it.  Me, I made it to the lodge and waited for 25 minutes, hoping he would come back and we'd go down the mountain together.  Well, as it turned out ....

It was 47 degrees and 4,000 ft at the lodge.  And, well, I met a guy, a cyclist.  No, you say.  He, too, was cold.  We had a lovely chat.  He mentioned that we should Crystal Lake some day.  He did it the day before and it was 37 degrees.  Whoa.  I also met a few other men at the lodge .... but I digress.  I decided I needed to leave before I lost body warmth.  I thought The BF would eventually catch up to me.  I went slowly and carefully down the mountain since I was all by myself.  Part of the ride, I was rained upon and in heavy fog.  My cell phone was useless.  When I arrived at the bottom, there was a text message from The BF!  He thought I had given up and gone back, so, he went back the way we ascended and he freaked out a bit when I was not waiting for him at the hotel.  Listen Mister, I am a weenie and I am slow but I will do a route unless my life is in danger.  Well, no need to be so dramatic.  Anyway, I was so proud of him and he was so proud of me.  I made him drive the car and come get me even though I was only a few miles from the hotel.

Later, all cleaned up, we went to a restaurant straight out of a David Lynch movie, with odd characters, a throw back to the 1950s or 1960s with few diners and elderly people in the bar area doing bad karaoke.  It was a time warp and a hilarious way to end the evening.  Tomorrow, we planned to do it all again but going up Glendora Mtn Road this time to watch the Amgen Tour of California.