Slept a little fitfully, got up in the night and read for a little bit but got back to sleep. Woke up and got up, had some cereal for breakfast and did a morning clean of the kitchen before getting ready for the bike ride. I had put on a patched tube the night before and went to make sure the patch was holding (it was). Ended up leaving a little early from home, through the neighborhood and then taking the extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood. When I got there, Ray was already there, and not too long after James wheeled in. We didn't expect anybody else to join, so we left a little before 7:30. Headed on Templeton St over to PdS and took that road to Kristen Glen, where we turned left and rode down into the neighborhood until turning right on Paseo Montenero. Took that to Haaland Glen and turned there to get back to PdS. This took us to CdS, where we turned left and rode up the CdS Bump and past San Dieguito Rd, turning right into the Del Sur neighborhood just beyond that intersection. Right on Via Azul, another right on Via Inez, and a left on Via Fiesta. James was out in front and, at the left turn onto Camino de la Rosa he almost got creamed by a car coming. But he cut the turn and missed the car. Right on Lazanja Dr, which took us back to CdS. We stayed on it until the turn onto CVR. James knew where to turn, so Ray and I kept going over to Del Mar Heights Rd, where we turned right again. We waited here to make sure James made the turn, and Jed A. showed up right around the same time. He had gotten to Target right at 7:30, waited couple minutes to make sure nobody else showed up, then he motored after us, catching up after about 8 miles or so. Impressive! We rode to Old Carmel Valley Rd, turned left there and took it down to the 56 bike path. Turned there and rode to the end of the bike path. Initially, Ray and I were out front, but eventually he dropped back, and Jed was pushing the pace. I stayed with him, and the two of us got there first, waiting for the others to join. Then we rode over to CVR, turned right, and took it back to ECR, where we turned left and started up the gradual climb. Almost at the top, Jed caught a rear tire flat, so we stopped while he changed it (he is fast with tire changes!). Then we continued up the hill and started the descent into the flats but turned right on Derby Downs Rd to get to Old El Camino Real. This road is mainly downhill but has a short little kicker in the middle that can be surprising if you don't know how steep it is. Then we descended to SDR, turned left and then right to get back on ECR. Over to VdlV, turning left there and taking it toward the coast. For a change, we turned right on San Andres Dr, which is a climb of over 200', starting out shallow but getting steeper as you get closer to the top. I put in a pretty big effort here, Jed was with me until about 2/3 of the way up, when he couldn't hold my wheel. We waited for the others at the top, then descended to Las Banderas Dr, turning right there and using it to get over to Lomas Santa Fe. Under the freeway, then a right turn on Solana Hills Dr to get to the bike path on the west side of I-5. It was an easy ride over to Manchester Ave, where we turned left and took it to San Elijo Ave and then over to the 7-Eleven by Chesterfield Dr, where we had our planned stop. There were only four of us, so the stop was shorter than usual, and we continued by riding over to PCH and turning left. Through Cardiff and up the little climb into Solana Beach, nobody attacked on this little hill. We rode back to VdlV and turned left there to head back to ECR. Over to SDR from there and onto the flats, where James initially pulled us in his TT mode until we passed him and left him behind in a loose but effective pace line to the bottom of the Three Witches climb. Ray was out front and setting a modest pace. At some point after the first climb and into the second climb he slowed down a little, and I passed him. I wasn't going full gas, just putting pressure on him to keep up. We got onto the third climb, and about halfway up he tried to catch and pass me, but I had some more energy to burn, so I dropped him. We all gathered after the turn to get back on CdS. Rode together for a bit, then on the little climb up to the light at PdS I got out in front and kept pushing, nobody joined me. So I pushed a little harder all the way back to the starting point, then waited for the others to finish as well. We had pretty good luck with the sun. It stayed behind clouds until just before we started riding up Three Witches. And in the early part of the ride there was pretty heavy fog or marine layer. It was, however, much more humid than normal, so that made it more difficult to cool off. I didn't hang around too long after everybody got back, since it was heating up by this time. Rode home the new normal way via CSB and RB Rd to W Bernardo Dr. Legs were fine at the end, but I could feel the effects on not having ridden the previous week on my overall speed.
Avg speed = 16.5 mph (16.7 mph). Total mileage = 48.5 mi
Bisikleta route avg speed = 17.0 mph
Avg power = 143 W. Weighted avg power = 174 W
Total elevation gain = 2690' (2690')
Avg heartrate = 130 bpm (Coospo)
Relative Effort = 105 (112)
Training Load = 214 (212)
Intensity = 79% (80%)
Had a fairly light lunch after I got home and relaxed in the early afternoon, watching a little TV. Laura showed up around 3:00 after having driven down from Berkeley for a short conference downtown. She went with us to the Bisikleta summer beach party. Party was nice, less people than in years past, which isn't too surprising. I talked to Catalin about their Grand Teton trip, Leslie about her recent adventures (Machu Pichu and gall bladder surgery), and Eric about our general travels and his thoughts on retirement destinations. Food was okay, not a lot of vegetarian options available, but I made do. We took Laura to the Oceanside train station around 6:45, so she could catch a train downtown and get to her hotel. Drove home after that, and the rest of the evening was quiet.
