It was touch and go for the week leading up to our July 3rd remote ride up GMR to Mt. Baldy Village due to the San Gabriel Complex brushfires that were burning just west of GMR.  Fortunately the fires were contained and the roads were reopened just a few days before our ride.

Eroica California is the US version of L'Eroica, which began in Italy in 1997.  Dedicated to vintage cycling, featuring rides in vintage clothing, riding vintage bikes and in part, gravel roads.  This year it was a 3 day festival held April 8-10 in Paso Robles in Central California.  The festival culminates in the rides on Sunday, with routes ranging from 38 to 127 miles.

Joe Bellas, our intrepid BCI member, successfully completed the Heroic Route of 126.9 miles, including some 9,828 feet of climbing, and 36 miles of gravel/unpaved roads!  Joe rode his vintage (and beautiful) 1972 Peugeot PX10.  And it was quite the adventure as Joe described it in his own words:

6 BCI members joined about 40 other riders to Solana Beach.

 Five BCI cyclists joined 4 other riders from www.bikerforums.net for a climb to Mt. Baldy Village via Glendora Mountain Road and Glendora Ridge Road.