Surviving the PMCC 2026 Lobster Ride: 100 Miles, 90° Heat & Desperate Water Refills!

Tackling the legendary PMCC Lobster Ride with well over 100 riders! 🦞 Today’s route covers nearly a full century (98.95 miles) through some of the most punishing and iconic climbs in Southern California. With temperatures pushing close to a blistering 90 degrees, just surviving this one was a massive challenge. A huge shoutout to Pedal Mafia LA for the free on-course support. Taking on a ride this demanding completely solo would have been brutal, and their aid stations were absolute game-changers when the heat set in! Epic Route & Massive Climbs: We started fast, hitting the San Gabriel Mountains and winding through East Fork Rd and past Camp Williams. But the real suffering began on Hwy 39 with the brutal 5,000ft grind up to Crystal Lake. With zero water stops on the mountain, things got desperate—you'll see riders literally filling their bidons from a rock stream just to survive! We also tackled the Baldy Lift, where I managed to latch onto a seriously fast group. Hanging onto those wheels was pure suffering, but it paid off with a massive haul of Strava PRs. 📈 The Aftermath: Between the heat, the pace, and the elevation, the cramps definitely set in towards the end. At one point, I was so completely drained that when I tried to push off for the final stretch, even my bike let out a screeching protest! 🛑😫 Drop a like if you enjoyed the suffering, and let me know in the comments if you’ve ever had to use the Crystal Lake rock stream to survive! https://ridewithgps.com/trips/390607734 📍 Key Route Highlights in this Video: PMCC Lobster Ride Start & Roll Out East Fork Rd & Camp Williams Pace lines Hwy 39 / Crystal Lake Climb (5,000ft of elevation and the infamous rock stream!) Mt. Baldy Lift ⚙️ Chapters: 0:00 - The Meetup & Route Setup 1:23 - Massive 100+ Rider Roll Out 3:30 - The Peloton Splits: Chasing PRs 4:33 - The Brutal Crystal Lake Climb (Hwy 39) 5:10 - Desperate Water Refill at the Rock Stream 6:56 - East Fork & The GMR Climb 7:50 - My Favorite GRR Descent 9:08 - Reaching Baldy Lodge 9:44 - "Even my bike is saying PLEASE NOOOOO" 10:59 - The Final Struggle to Baldy Lift #PMCC #PedalMafiaLA #LobsterRide #CyclingVlog #CrystalLake #MtBaldy #LosAngelesCycling #RoadCycling #CenturyRide #StravaPR #CyclingLife