12-30-2011 Ride

Ride through Westwood to RB Rd, then down to Bernardo Center Dr/Duenda and over to Jim's house, where I met up with him, Dave, David, and John.  We headed up Pajaro Way and over to Duenda, then to Matinal Rd via Cabela.  Up this section again, taking RB Rd over to Dove Canyon Rd and down to Carmel Valley Rd.  Up this hill, feeling okay and not pushing things too hard.  Then the long downhill and easy ride to the 56 Bike trail, taking this down to El Camino Real.  It was noticeably colder down on this section.  Got on Carmel Valley Rd again and took it down to the coast.  There is a little climb to the coast, then it continues as you head south toward Del Mar.  John was riding strong throughout the ride, Jim lagging back, and Dave feeling it in his knees.  We headed through Del Mar, then back on Via de la Valle to El Camino Real.  Took this over to San Dieguito Rd, and we all stayed together on the flats.  I felt pretty good on the climb out of Fairbanks Ranch, really working on the third section to have a strong finish.  We gathered up again and headed back via Camino del Sur to RB Rd.  The others headed back to Jim's house, while I continued over to Pomerado Rd, then went back home on Pomerado to W Bernardo Dr and the regular way.  I went to Christine's Iyengar Yoga class afterward and was really sore the following day from over-exertion.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph. Total mileage = 43.5 mi
Avg heartrate = 140 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1540'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/62339556/

12-29-2011 Ride

Easy ride from home, with Dave and Jim.  We headed out through Westwood to RB Rd.  It was warmer at the start than previous days.  Up to Dove Canyon Rd, which we took over to Carmel Valley Rd.  Up this little grade, then onto Black Mountain Rd, which we took all the way over to Miramar Rd, the last little section being on Kearny Villa Rd.  I felt strong throughout this section and really kept my pace low to not get too far ahead of the others and basically stay with them on the flat and downhill sections.  Jim hadn't been riding much recently, so his pace was slower than normal.  We took it easy up Pomerado Rd, although I pushed it on the little climb at the top.  On the Pomerado Rd section, we all stayed pretty much together, keeping the pace lighter.  All the way down to the freeway, then back up by the park, where I stretched it out on that little hill.  The overall distance for the ride was a little less than I had planned, so later on I rode my bike over to the library to pick up a book on reserve.

Avg speed = 16.3 mph. Total mileage = 31.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 137 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1370'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/62063022/

12-28-2011 Ride

Ride from home, up Azucar and over to Dave's house, where I met up with him, John, and David Settles.  We headed out Pomerado to the freeway and into Escondido via Centre City Pkwy.  I felt pretty good on this gradual climb.  Caught a fair number of lights in the city, turning right on 2nd Ave and heading up to the intersection at Juniper, where we met up with Joe.  We took Grand Ave to BVP and went out to Lake Wohlford Rd.  By this time I was warmed up, so I changed gloves and took off my jacket for the climb.  It went okay.  Dave hung with me for the first part but couldn't keep pace, even though I was significantly slower on the second half than I was the last time I rode it.  We all gathered at the top of the hill and continued riding.  On the climbs, Joe fell back but the others basically stayed together.  Over to Valley Center Rd by the casino, and it's a rough stretch for about 3 mi.  Then it smoothes out and it nice all the way back into Escondido.  On the little climb before the grade, Dave took off and I didn't have any response.  We headed down the grade and turned on El Norte Pkwy, keeping a loose pace line and making really good time on this section, averaging over 20 mph.  Down to Centre City Pkwy and back toward Dave's house.  Joe turned off at Grand Ave.  We stayed together, but I was winding down and tiring out.  Over the freeway, John turned on the jets and I couldn't match him either.  Alas.  I thought about heading for home but decided to ride it out.  Reasonably good pace up Pomerado Rd, with several people taking the lead at various times.  Back to Dave's house, then I went home via RB Rd.  At the end, I felt good, no muscle tightening or soreness, just tired.  This was the best ride of the week, easily.  Cardio appears to be slowly coming into shape.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph. Total mileage = 49.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 148 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1880'

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/61945196

12-27-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home out Del Dios to Solana Beach and back.  I was still tired from the previous day's ride, and I think I'm slowing down in general in my riding.  Kinda depressing.  I didn't want to push the pace during the ride, knowing that I have another long ride planned for Wednesday.  Didn't have any real strength in my legs throughout the ride.  It was cool at the start but not bitter cold.  Kept my tights on the entire ride, as it never really warmed up.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 40.0 mi.
Avg heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1620'
http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ca/san%20diego/516123705145113887

12-26-2011 Ride

Ride, starting from the Park n Ride at Ted Williams Pkwy, over to John's house.  It was so cold at the start that my eyeballs hurt.  I hadn't been riding for a couple of days, since I had some kind of muscle strain in my middle back.  So I was trying to take it pretty easy on this ride.  We headed up to the top of Pomerado Rd, and it was already warming up nicely.  Down the hill, where I was pushing to keep up with John.  He was riding fast, my windbreaker was slowing me down, and I wasn't feeling particularly strong.  We headed over to Kearny Villa Rd, and again I was trailing John more than leading.  Over to Balboa Ave, which we took all the way to the bottom of the gradual climb up to Mt Soledad on Soledad Mountain Rd.  I stopped here to take my jacket and ear warmer off and put on my regular gloves.  At the beginning, I just rode steady and tried to stay with John.  I was feeling better and rode out in front.  This route doesn't really have any tough parts, but it's long, about 3.5 mi from the base to the lookout point on the circle by the cross.  I made it up fine, again keeping the pace slow to moderate.  We headed back using Via Capri, and I was really laying on the brakes.  I think I need new front brake pads.  We took Hidden Valley Rd down to Torrey Pines Rd, another gradual uphill that went pretty well.  Turned right on La Jolla Village Dr, which eventually turns into Miramar Rd.  On the section up to Genesee, John was falling back, so I slowed down to ride more at his pace.  He was riding faster once we crossed over I-5, and we traded leads all the way to Pomerado Rd.  This section of road is really bumpy in the bike lane, and the sewer smell by every manhole cover is downright gross.  John was pretty well wiped out by the time we started up Pomerado Rd, so I got ahead of him again, then slowed down to ride with him on the flat section.  I pulled away as it started to climb again, and I felt pretty good all the way to the top, again not setting any speed records.  We headed back to his house the normal route.  I rode back, was pretty slow on the slight uphill past Poway Rd.  I kept going a little beyond Ted Williams Pkwy, turning around at Shoal Creek Dr and heading back to where the car was parked.  My quads were pretty well done for, starting to complain when I stood on the pedals, so it was a good time to stop.  Recovery was fairly quick.

Avg speed = 16.0 mph. Total mileage = 46.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 153 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2220'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/61816206

12-18-2011 Ride

Time trial ride with Dave and John. It was cool but not cold.  Even though I rode more than I had ridden in awhile on the previous day, I felt fine but not ready to push it hard.  We kept the pace moderate on the Espola Rd section, and I only pushed it on the little climb.  Steady riding to the climb up to Poway Rd, where I kept it at about 9 mph, again not going all-out.  Hit a lot of lights on Poway Rd, which slowed down the pace.  I accelerated up the little hill before the turn onto Sabre Springs Pkwy and felt good there.  Just a steady pace after this until the pause before Ted Williams Pkwy, continued this pace until just past the first light, where I again accelerated up the little climb and tried to keep things going.  On Pomerado Rd, Dave and I stayed together for much of the ride to the hospital, where I pulled away near the end.  On the following downhill, we all three started together, but Dave led out and I followed.  Near the end, I accelerated ahead of him for a little bit, but he caught me, although I could tell he was giving it pretty much everything.  Finished in about 55:05, feeling good, still working on restoring my cardio to a higher-performance level.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Average heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

12-17-2011 Ride

Ride over to Dave's house,, using the Azucar Way route, where I met up with him and David Settles.  We headed out Pomerado Rd to Highland Valley Rd.  It was in the 40's when we started, but down by the creek here it was noticeably colder, and it seemed to make the exertion more difficult for me.  I had a slow climb up the steep section of Highland Valley, cardio just not as fit as in the past and I hadn't really been doing any steep or long climbing in awhile.  We regrouped at the top, headed over to Bandy Canyon Rd and then to the 78.  Dave was really cold here, so he fell back somewhat.  I separated from David on the climb, as he hadn't been riding much in the previous two weeks.  I felt okay for the first half, but my back started to tighten up as the length of the climb got to me.  My legs felt okay, but I had to slow down periodically and stretch while riding.  We gathered back together at the intersection with the 67, and the others were pretty worn out.  We made it okay on the 67, I separated and waited for them at the top of the grade by Mt Woodson.  Coming downhill after here, we were riding into the wind, and I had to pedal for much of the section to keep the pace steady.  Rode over to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, regrouped, and took this downhill.  Dave got out ahead of me on the downhill section, but I caught him in the little climbs back into Poway.  Down to Pomerado Rd, where I turned down my exertion level and basically rode with the other two on this section, just separating a little on the section by the hospital.  Back to Dave's house, then I went home by taking RB Rd to W Bernardo Dr, not relishing the thought of any more climbing.  I felt fine at the end, with no muscle tightness or soreness.

Avg speed = 16.4 mph. Total mileage = 48.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 153 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2400'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/61047260

12-10-2011 Ride

Ride on Bethlehem Walk weekend with Dave, John, and Jim.  We met up at Jim's house and chose a route that was relatively flat, going out through Escondido all the way to Deer Springs Rd, then back to Buena Creek Rd and that little jaunt through the wooded neighborhood to Mission Rd.  I wasn't riding too hard on this part, knowing that I needed to conserve my energy for the weekend.  Back on Mission all the way to Centre City Pkwy, and we basically stayed together, with little separations here and there on the small hills.  Back the normal route over the freeway, where I really pushed the pace crossing the bridge and kept it at 33 mph for a stretch.  That was a workout, and it took a fair amount out of me.  We gathered back together and rode to Jim's house.  The Aguamiel Rd piece climbing up to his house was a real challenge for me, especially the steeper section after Azucar.  I was out of the saddle and pedaling in survival mode for most of this section, feeling it in my quads, which were starting to tighten up.  Rode home afterward, felt fine given the exertion level.

Avg speed = 17.7 mph. Total mileage = 35.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 152 bpm.
Total elevation gain = 1240'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/60523500

12-3-2011 Ride

Ride with John and Dave in the morning from John's house.  It was pretty cold at the start.  We headed up to the top of Pomerado Rd using the normal route, then down on Miramar Rd all the way to Genesee Ave.  In this part of the ride, we had the wind at our backs, and we really made good time.  On Genesee, we slowed down, as this route has a number of ups and downs.  Interestingly, none of them are long enough to qualify categorization.  I did okay on them, still need to work on my cardio fitness.  Headed over to Linda Vista Rd, then back to Aero Dr for the connection to Kearny Villa Rd, and back to Pomerado Rd.  We pretty much hung together on this stretch, except for the last bit, where I pulled away.  Going up Pomerado, I felt decent and made a decent, not great, climb.  Back to John's house the normal way.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 32.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1080' (seems like more on this ride)
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59925006

11-30-2011 Ride

Solo ride during lunchtime from work.  Headed out Via del Campo to RB Rd, over to Camino del Sur, and out to Carmel Valley Rd.  Over to the 56 bike trail, where I had a pretty strong tailwind pushing me.  I made good time, due mainly to the tailwind.  Headed back via Camino del Sur to Carmel Valley Rd.  I was slow on the uphill section here.  Had forgotten to bring my water bottle, but I don't think that was the main reason.  Down to Dove Canyon Rd, then over to Camino San Bernardo.  Again, I was slow on this latter section.  Back to RB Rd, where I retraced by route to the office.  It was an okay ride, not great.

Avg speed = 17.7 mph. Total mileage = 22.5 mph
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 900'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59923512/

11-26-2011 Ride

Solo ride from the house we were staying in up at Lake Arrowhead.  I heade.d north, with an uphill section then a thrilling downhill on North Bay Rd.  The weather had moderated from the previous day, so I rode with a single long-sleeved jersey and shorts.  I headed around the north side of the lake and into Lake Arrowhead Village, where I switched out my gloves before the 2-mile climb on the 173 up to the 18 Hwy.  While this was a long climb, it was fairly gradual.  Even still, it took a lot out of me.  Got onto the 18 and headed toward Running Springs.  There was a moderate 3-mile climb that I had remembered from last year, and it really worked my lower back out.  I slowed down on the latter parts, not so much due to my legs or cardio but more from my back stiffening up.  This was the general tenor of the ride.  The portion from Running Springs to Arrowbear was comparatively easy, then the unexpected challenge started.  I rode a long, 4-mile climb, followed closely by steeper, 2-mile section up to 7100'.  I was hurting at this point, with no drive left in my legs, even on the relatively flat portions.  Luckily, it was a net downhill to Big Bear Lake, but I was getting worried that I wouldn't make it there before Ann and Laura showed up.  On one of the downhill sections, I got a little too close to the guardrail and rode through the slush on the side of the road, almost losing it.  That got my adrenaline flowing, and I made it to the western edge of Big Bear Lake riding mostly downhill.  There was one final climb up toward the village, then mercifully a basically downhill final section to Cienega Rd, where Ann and Laura were waiting for me.  I was about 5 minutes late.  This ride definitely goes down as the hardest 30-mile ride I can remember ever having done.  Lots of climbing and all of it above 5000' elevation.

Avg speed = 12.7 mph. Total mileage = 29.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2980'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59181360

11-25-2011 Ride

Solo ride while staying up at Lake Arrohead at a house just off North Bay Rd past Alpen.  It was in the high 30's when I started, and there was still ice on the road in the shaded sections.  I took it really slow, not wanting to lay my bike down.  Headed over to Blue Jay, then up the other side of the lake.  I felt good on this section, and it's rolling but not steep, other than a short section just beyond Lake Arrowhead Village.  Then there's a gradual climb by the northeast section of the lake, followed by a long, gradual downhill.  I stayed on the 178 for about 2 miles past the North Bay Rd turn.  It was a nice ride, but the relatively short climb back felt tougher than it actually was.  When I turned onto North Bay Rd, this section had a 1.5 mile climb that was pretty steep at the start, and I was really slow going up it.  My cardio needs a lot more training.  Then it was downhill to the house, thankfully.

Avg speed = 13.3 (!)  mph. Total mileage = 13.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 680'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59051378

11-23-2011 Ride

Ride over to North County Fair to meet Eric Welch, a new rider who met up with Dave, John, and Jim on a ride to Ramona.  He's a very nice guy, lives in Ramona and just recently started riding.  Already, he's pretty strong.  We headed out BVP to San Pasqual Rd, then into the valley.  It was in the low 40's at the start of the ride.  He stayed with me on this section, and I was breathing hard.  I'm still out of shape, need to get more miles and more challenge into my rides.  We rode down into the valley and over to the 78, riding the climb out.  I was working a lot harder here than I would have liked.  Here, Eric and I stayed together for a little bit, then I outpaced him on the second half.  Took the 78 over to Citrus Ave, where I led out on this gradual climb.  Took it to BVP, then out to Lake Wohlford Rd.  On the initial steeper section, I was riding pretty well, but I didn't have much for the second half that isn't as steep.  Again, more miles needed.  We headed by the lake, and I got a flat.  Changed it, noticed that the tire had a thin piece of metal in it that I couldn' get out, so I switched tires.  We went over to Woods Valley Rd, and this downhill section was fun.  Back to Valley Center Rd, with a short climb and another long, faster downhill.  Turned on El Norte Pkwy, where we rode together all the way over to Nutmeg Rd.  Up and down, then up the short, steep Knob Hill section.  We were running behind schedule, so we stayed on Auto Pkwy all the way over to 9th Ave.  On this little climb past the freeway, my quads were telling me it was time to take it easy.  We headed over Quince to Centre City Pkwy, then motored back toward the mall.  Eric and I separated at Via Rancho Pkwy, and I headed home the normal route.  I was slower than normal going up the hill by the park but felt okay on the last climb back to the house.

Avg speed = 16.2 mph. Total mileage = 42.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1870'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58779278

11-19-2011 Ride

Ride from home with Dave, Jim, David Settles, and Jim's friend Flash.  This was the first time I had ridden with David and Flash.  We headed out through the neighborhood to RB Rd, then over via Camino del Sur to San Dieguito Rd. on the first little climb to RB Rd, the others were behind, but David kept with me on the climb before San Dieguito Rd.  He fell back on the downhill into Fairbanks Ranch.  We headed over to El Camino Real.  Dave and I led out on this climb, but he fell back about two-thirds of the way up.  David stayed close behind, though.  We headed over to the 56 bike trail and all pretty much stayed together until the gentle climbs beyond Carmel Valley Rd.  Then Flash, David, and I were pretty much together.  We dropped Flash on the second little climb, and I was working hard to stay on David's wheel.  On the part climbing up to I-15, I left the others behind with a push.  We all gathered up and stayed basically together on Rancho Carmel Rd.  Flash and I rode out ahead on Camino del Norte, but he cracked near the top.  We headed back home by HP.  This will be a good group to ride with, as there are more riders in the group who will push the pace.

Avg speed = 16.4 mph. Total mileage = 34.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1380'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/59054558

11-13-2011 Ride

Ride in the afternoon from church with Joe.  I had gotten rained out of a ride on Saturday morning, so the opportunity to ride on Sunday afternoon was great.  The weather cooperated as well, although we rode into a headwind coming out of the northwest.  Started out on the same route as the last time we had ridden together, heading up to BVP via Grand Ave then over to E Valley Pkwy.  Got onto El Norte Pkwy, and here is where we were riding into the wind for awhile.  Over to Broadway, then out to Jesmond Dene Rd.  I felt pretty good on this section, keeping up a decent pace and finishing with a reasonably strong kick.  Joe hadn't been riding much, so we cut the pace back somewhat.  Rode up to Deer Springs Rd and took the loop back to Centre City Pkwy, then back into town.  We had some time, so we stayed on Centre City Pkwy to Felicita Rd, then over to Juniper Rd.  Back to church the usual way from here.  On the latter part of the ride, after we got into town, we slowed the pace down.

Avg speed = 17.1 mph. Total mileage = 21.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 149 bpm
Total elevation gain = 510'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58173400/

11-11-2011 Ride

Solo ride from work in the afternoon.  Knew that the weather was going to be bad over the weekend, so I figured I'd get some miles in.  Went out Camino del Norte to Carmel Valley Rd.  This little climb was a chore for me, again because I haven't been riding a lot of miles recently.  Got on Camino del Sur over to the 56 bike trail, then took this down to Carmel Valley Rd.  Rode it back to Camino del Sur, then back to the office using the normal route via RB Rd.  All through this ride, I felt kinda sluggish, and I didn't really click on why until later, when I remembered that I had given blood on the previous Monday.  I finished with a decent average speed, all things considered.

Avg speed = 18 mph. Total mileage = 21.2
Avg heartrate = 155 bpm
Total elevation gain = 890'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58172048/

11-6-2011 Ride

Very short ride over to 4S ranch to get my hair cut.

Avg speed = 16.1 mph. Total mileage = 6.1 mi
Total elevation gain = 350'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58171028

11-3-2011 Ride

Solo ride over lunch from work, using the same route, almost, as the previous day.  I didn't stop at home, which allowed me to fly down Aguamiel.  I was feeling better too, and the wind wasn't as ornery.  I ended up with a much faster pace on this ride.

Avg speed = 18.6 mph. Total mileage = 16.8 mi
Total elevation gain = 620'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58169766/

11-2-2011 Ride

Solo ride over lunch from work, taking a modified short loop route that included a swing by home to pick something up, maybe a water bottle.  I hadn't ridden much recently, so I took the pace easy.  Even still, I felt sluggish on any of the uphill sections.  The wind was up, and it swirled to work against me.

Avg speed = 17.1 mph. Total mileage = 16.8 mi
Total elevation gain = 620'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/58169766/

10-23-2011 Ride

Recumbent exercise bike at the Holiday Inn Express in Berkeley.  I think the resistance function for the bike was broken because I was really struggling just to pedal in the second level.  I alternated between the first and second levels in 1-minute increments for 30 min, and I was drenched when I finished.

Total mileage = 11.0 mi

10-21-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home on a Friday I took off, as we flew up to Berkeley to visit the girls.  Headed out Via Rancho Pkwy, and that first climb was a real workout for me.  Especially in the early stages of this ride, I didn't feel very strong.  Took Del Dios Hwy into Rancho Santa Fe, then through and down to Solana Beach, where I took the Coast Hwy down through Del Mar.  Headed back on the 56 bike trail, and here's where I started feeling better.  Made decent time on the entire bike trail section, and connected onto Ted Williams Pkwy, which I took up to Pomerado Rd.  From here, the route home was the normal one down to the freeway and around by the park.  I felt good at the end, winded but not sore or cramped.

Avg speed = 17.8 mph. Total mileage = 45.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1760'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/55467130

10-16-2011 Ride

Ride over to Dave's house for the time trial loop.  I felt okay at the start, even with the big workout on the previous day.  Didn't intend to ride hard, and we started off this way.  I kept getting ahead of Dave and slowing down to catch back up with him.  It was foggy and misty for the first half of the ride.  On the climb up to Poway Rd, I started out pretty fast and found I could keep the pace at >9 MPH. It was a challenge but not a complete drain.  We caught all of the lights on Poway Rd, and we rode a fast pace.  Dave kept up for most of the way, dropping back around that little climb before Pomerado Rd.  I slowed down a little on Sabre Springs Pkwy,, then picked up the pace again on Ted Williams Pkwy, keeping it going pretty well after the turn onto Pomerado Rd.  Dave wasn't riding fast, so I measured my pace to try and ride with him.  We finished the downhill section riding fast but not all out, which I did only near the end.  Finished in 53:50.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

10-15-2011 Ride

Ride from the parking lot by Cafe Luna over Rancho Carmel Dr and Sabre Springs Pkwy to John's house.  It was absolutely dark when I started, and the fog was preventing it from getting light soon.  Made it okay.  From his place, I rode with him and Dave out to the stop sign on the way to Alpine.  In the early part of the ride, I wasn't really pushing it.  Took it fairly slow up Scripps-Poway Pkwy and even still my heartrate was pretty high on the major climb.  We climbed through the fog into the sun, and it was basically sunny, alternatively warm and cool, through the rest of the ride.  We headed over to Lake Jennings Rd, where there were a couple of riders on the climb here.  I increased my pace and passed them readily, then waited for the others at the top.  On the gradual climb toward Alpine, I intentionally took a pretty easy pace, not pushing it.  We made good time on the way back down, with all three of us pushing the pace at various times.  Then the others slowed down, while I was starting to feel good. Good ride to the base of the Lakeside grade, and the wind was at our backs.  While this was a tough climb, as usual, I think I did pretty well on the first part and really well on the second, where the tailwind seemed to be pushing me uphill.  Headed back to John's house, feeling good and outpacing the others on the little climbs.  The ride back to my car was uneventful.  I didn't feel overly sore, just tired. Thankfully, no cramping in my legs.

Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 53.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 149 bpm
Total elevation gain = 3300'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/54490040

10-13-2011 Ride

Not a great day at work.  Needed a quick ride to decompress, so I started on the short loop route, and I started at a moderate pace.  The wind wasn't as much of a problem as I had expected it to be, and I was riding pretty well.  Got to Twin Peaks Rd and decided to keep going, so I rode down to Poway Rd and took a right to go down to Sabre Springs Pkwy. Pace was increasing, as I was in a good rhythm.  Made good time on the Sabre Springs section, not screaming but a good, steady pace.  Kept it going pretty much up to Carmel Mountain Rd.  This section has a slight incline, so I was slowed down somewhat.  I powered up the little hill after the turn onto Camino Del Norte, making it about 3/4 of the way up before I gassed.  Even still, I rode pretty well here, and the rest of the way home was mostly downhill and fast.  At the end of the ride, I had ridden harder than I originally planned but felt good.

Avg speed = 18.6 mph. Total mileage = 19.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 152 bpm
Total elevation gain = 690'
www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/54383822

10-9-2011 Ride

Time trial, riding from home. John and Dave rode as well. I was determined to keep a modest pace, as I planned on riding with Joe in the afternoon.  I was pretty much able to keep to the plan, even taking a steady pace up the grade to Poway Rd.  I stayed with the others for the most part, with just a little separation on the small climbing sections.  We made good time on Pomerado, and Dave passed me when I caught a light.  I worked mightily to catch up with him and passed him just before the end, but I really had to go all out to get there.  Finished in around 56:00.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Total elevation gain = 820' http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

Second ride was with Joe, leaving from church.  Again, we started out with a modest pace, and I was able to keep it that way, not getting too far ahead of him and riding with him a fair amount. We headed up Grand Ave to BVP, then took this to E Valley Pkwy and connected to El Norte Pkwy.  It was a pretty breezy day, with the wind coming generally out of the northwest.  Headed over to Broadway and out to Jesmond Dene Rd.  I kept the pace steady on this road and had a good finish.  With the wind in our favor, we made good time getting back, although it seemed like we hit every light on Centre City Pkwy.  I felt fine at the end, legs in decent shape.  Neither ride during the day was a real stress.

Avg speed = 17.2 mph. Total mileage = 18.0 mi
Avg heartbeat = 148 bpm
Total elevation gain = 440'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/54383188

10-8-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home.  I woke up at 6:30 and had to be over at Dave's house at 7:00, so I had to hustle.  Got over there in time, and we rode up Pomerado Rd to Camino Del Norte.  Took this road toward the coast.  On this early part of the ride, Dave pretty much stayed with me, only falling back a little on the climbs.  We took a right on San Dieguito Rd.  At this point, I was a ways ahead of Dave.  It had been cool at the start of the ride but was warming up, so I switched my gloves out.  Dave came on and really sped down the hill, and I couldn't keep up with him.  Even at the base of the hill and in the flats, I really wasn't feeling all that strong.  I took my jacket off after we got onto El Camino Real, and that seemed to help.  Felt pretty good going up this hill, and Dave was starting to slow down.  We made good time down to the 56 bike trail, and I was feeling better and doing okay, not great, on this gradual uphill all the way to the freeway.  Dave was starting to lag further behind, and his knee was a little balky.  We headed up Ted Williams Pkwy to Pomerado Rd, and Dave was ready to break the ride off a little shorter than we'd originally planned.  We rode back to his place, and I took the Pomerado Rd route back home.  I felt good at the end, no muscle cramping or pain, not even really sore.

Avg. speed = 17.2 mph. Total mileage = 43.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 148 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1540'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53657750

2011 Tour de Poway Metric Century

I rode this ride with John, Dave, and Jim, so I expected to have a fairly slow pace.  I used this excuse to not get as many training miles in before the ride, and that turned out to be a mistake.  There was rain in the forecast, so I thought the ride would be on the cool side.  If only!  We headed out from Old Poway Park, so far so good.  On the climb up Poway Rd to the 67, I was just slow.  Lots of people passed me by, and I had nothing to respond with.  Depressing.  We gathered together at the top of the hill, then John and I pretty much rode together to the top of the Mt Woodson pass, where we waited again for Dave and Jim.  All stayed together on the downhill, and we pushed a pretty fast pace.  Near the turn onto Dye Rd, Jim had a flat, and he had to put in two inner tubes before it got fixed.  The wait didn't help me.  We all stayed together riding around Ramona.  On the turn from Hanson Rd onto Ashley Rd, I unknowingly lost my spare tire.  Dave, who was fairly close behind me, saw it and slowed down to miss it.  Jim didn't really react to Dave's slowing down and ended up crashing and scraping up his knees and legs.  John and I didn't realize what had happened, so we rode on to the first sag stop and waited for them.  Jim looked pretty messed up, but he said he was okay, and he got some first aid but no bandages.  On the downhill, we saw an ambulance by a female rider who had crashed, but she was sitting up, a good sign.  This downhill is not for the faint of heart, and it was pretty fast.  At the bottom, we all gathered together and rode as a group through the San Pasqual Valley.  Jim did a little offroading and got another flat, so we waited while he fixed that one, legs looking kinda gruesome at this point.  John and the others got ahead of me after this, and I didn't have much to try and catch up.  I figured that I would catch them on the uphill out of the valley, and I did, but John was right there with me at the top.  He was having a good ride, me not so much.  After this point, John and I rode together, while Dave hung back with Jim, who slowed down significantly (mechanical difficulties, adrenaline let-down, etc.).  We connected back at the sag stop by the park.  By this time, it was hot and muggy, and I was really feeling it.  My upper leg muscles were complaining.  On the uphill sections, I would put some distance between me and John, who was also starting to wear down.  I knew by this time that it was survival time, and I just gritted it out on the uphill on Carmel Valley Rd.  There was another sag stop on Camino Del Sur before San Dieguito Rd, and we waited there for awhile for Dave and Jim to catch up.  When we started up again, John and I decided to ride on and not wait for them.  This was a better plan for me, since I was tightening up during the waits.  I also rode ahead of John, who caught me at the light at Bernardo Center Dr.  After this point, I rode away from him, and he didn't catch up.  I was feeling tired, had gotten my second wind and worked through it, feeling worn out again.  I waited for John after the turn onto Metate Rd, where there was a car crash.  My legs were cramping up, and my right hamstring completely seized up at the stoplight onto Community Rd.  Luckily, there was a downhill section where I could work the cramp out enough to keep going.  I was able to pedal through it.  Here was where John's quads cramped up, and that never happens!  I didn't know it, so I rode a little ahead and finished the ride, quite glad to be done with it.  I actually felt much better after stopping, and my recovery was pretty quick.  We waited for Jim and Dave for awhile, then found out that they had cut the ride short by turning onto Poway Rd at Community Rd.  We rode over there and had a smoothie at Smoothie King (very cold, a little too sweet for my taste).  Next time, gotta prepare better and hope that the weather is not as draining.

Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 61.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 160 bpm (!!!)
Total elevation gain = 3010'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/53658894

9-25-2011 Ride

Solo ride from church after music practice.  The day was sunny but cool.  Headed out Grand Ave to BVP, then over to Valley Center Rd, turning onto Lake Wohlford Rd.  This is a pretty challenging 2-mile climb, particularly the first mile of it.  The upside of the ride was that, once this climb was done, the next 24 miles were generally downhill, with just some slight climbs, nothing too major.  Headed back over to Valley Center Rd, then took it to Lilac Rd.  I'm still not feeling great in general while riding, although there were some decent sections during this part of the ride.  Headed over to W Lilac Rd, rode over the bridge, and continued on toward Bonsall.  Back toward Old Hwy 395 using Camino Del Rey.  On this section, I really felt like I was struggling, and it turns out that I was moderately climbing from here pretty much all the way to the intersection at Deer Springs Rd.  The climb past Lawrence Welk started out okay, but I slowed down quite a bit, as the sun was at its most intense during this part of the ride.  Headed back into Escondido via Jesmond Dene Rd to Broadway.  This was a nice, moderately fast section of the ride.  I rode up Washington Ave to Ash St to give me a couple of additional miles, then came into church via the normal route using Grand Ave.  I felt decent at the end of the ride, without any cramping at all and my leg muscles feeling pretty good.

Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 49.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2200'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/52028802/

9-22-2011 Ride

Solo ride during lunch. doing the figure eight route out Carmel Valley Rd all the way to the 56, then taking the bike trail back to Camino del Sur and back to RB Rd.  I made pretty good time overall, but I was slow on the uphills.  Had a fairly good section on the bike trail, but nothing great other than that.  It was real a cardio workout for me, with a high average heartrate for the ride.

Average speed = 18.2 mph. Total mileage = 21.5 mi
Average heartrate = 156 bp
Total elevation gain = 900'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/1340796

9-20-2011 Ride

Ride from home to yoga, using the normal route.  I hadn't ridden since I passed a kidney stone, and I had bruised my tailbone at the softball game on Monday.  Luckily, the breeze was working to my advantage, and it was a nice evening for a ride.  I didn't ride hard, but the time off from riding showed in my endurance on the little climbs, which wasn't there at all.

Average speed = 17.5 mph. Total mileage = 10.6 mi
Average heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 440'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-diego/964123799127555358

9-11-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home to church for Youth Group.  I wanted to have a few more miles, so I took BVP all the way to Valley Pkwy, then took this road all the way down to Broadway.  It's much flatter.  On the way back, I retraced my normal route.  My legs were tired from the previous day's ride, so I didn't set any records.

Avg speed = 18.5 mph. Total mileage = 22.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 570'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/50177814/

9-10-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home, leaving as soon as there was enough light to ride.  Headed through the neighborhood to RB Rd, and over to Dove Canyon Rd, which I used to connect to Carmel Valley Rd.  The climbs on this road were slower, so I knew I was in for a day where I wasn't all that strong.  Took this road to the 56 bike trail and down to El Camino Real, then over to the coast.  Up Torrey Pines, where I started okay but ran out of gas about halfway up and had to slow the pace down.  Stayed on Torrey Pines all the way into La Jolla, then took a wrong turn on Girard and went down to Prospect Ave.  Back to Pearl via Draper, then over to La Jolla Blvd.  Before the climb on Nautilus, I stopped and took a quick break with an energy gel.  There are a couple of pretty steep sections on Nautilus, toward the beginning and at the end.  Went around the Mt Soledad monument, then headed down Via Capri and Hidden Valley Rd to Torrey Pines Rd, which has a long, gradual climb up to La Jolla Village Dr.  This turns into Miramar/Pomerado, so I stayed on this road for quite a ways, again with no real zip in my legs.  It was slow at the top climbing section.  Took Pomerado down to Stowe, where they diverted traffic up to Community Rd because of the Poway Parade.  I wasn't thrilled with this unexpected climb, but I made it up okay.  Over to Twin Peaks Rd.  At this point, I was starting to feel tired.  Not too sore in my legs, just feeling worn out.  Got back onto Pomerado and took it all the way down to the freeway, following the normal route home.  I powered up the little climb by the park but was gassed at the top.  Still had enough to power up Aguamiel Rd, but I was sure glad to finish.

Avg speed = 16.2 mph. Total mileage = 57.4 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2670'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/49868408/

9-5-2011 Ride

Tour de Labor 2011, riding with John, who drove over to my house.  Rather than drive somewhere and start the ride, we decided to ride up to Ramona for our challenge.  The weather was overcast and humid, with lots of clouds.  Headed over to Escondido, then up the 78.  I could feel the effects of the previous two days' rides, so I didn't have much push throughout the ride.  We had a tiny amount of isolated rain drops by Bandy Canyon.  Took the normal loop around Ramona, riding at a fairly brisk pace on this section.  Turned south onto the 67, then rode up to Archie Moore Rd.  I started slow on this part but had a decent finish.  At the turn, John had to stop to fix a slow leak on his rear tire.  This road has just a little gradual uphill, then a pretty steady downhill of almost a mile before it connects into Highland Valley Rd.  We climbed up to the top and had a fairly fast downhill ride; on the little flat and uphill sections, I had no drive in my legs.  I wasn't very fast on the flats by the lake, so I concentrated on grinding it out.  We turned left onto Pomerado Rd and rode up past RB Rd, turning at Higa Pl and riding through the neighborhood back to Bernardo Center Dr.  Then we turned onto RB Rd and rode up to Matinal Rd.  The last part of this little climb was tough for me, I had to grind it out.  Back home the normal route.  I felt fine in my legs at the end of the ride, they were just tired.  My cardio was in good shape on this ride.

Avg speed = 16.6 mph. Total mileage = 47.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 143 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2150'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/49316984/

9-4-2011 Ride

Time trial loop, riding from home.  I rode up to Jim's house, and he was riding over as well, so we rode together.  We met up with John at Dave's house (no Dave, still on the mend for his knee injury), and I proposed that we keep a pace to finish in around an hour.  I started off a little fast but slowed down and rode with the others, trading leads with John.  I stayed in 10th gear or higher the entire ride, including a slower power push up the little climb to Poway Rd.  It was a real workout for my gluteal muscles.  I did the same thing on Sabre Springs Pkwy and up Ted Williams Pkwy.  On the Pomerado Rd section, we all stayed pretty much together, riding steady but not pushing the pace too much.  Finished in 59:20.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

9-3-2011 Ride

Ride with Jim, riding up to his house to meet him, then heading over to W Bernardo Dr and up the hill to Bernardo Center Dr.  We took this road out to Black Mountain Rd.  I wasn't pushing the pace on this ride, knowing that I had two more days of riding this weekend.  Took Black Mountain over to the 56 bike trail, which we rode together all the way down to El Camino Real.  Jim is a good guy to ride with, very conversational and having interesting things to say and talk about.  Up El Camino Real, then down and over to San Dieguito Rd  We kept the pace pretty easy on the flats, and I picked it up on the 3 Witches climb.  I saw a couple of riders ahead of me, so I rode to catch up with them.  I did near the base of the last climb, but I couldn't shake them.  I worked really hard on this little stretch, and it felt pretty good.  Back home the usual route, taking RB Rd all the way downhill.  I stopped at Jim's place for a great smoothie.

Avg speed = 16.7 mph. Total mileage = 33.1 mi
Avg. heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1390'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/49041604/

8-27-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home, leaving early to get done sooner. This approach helped me avoid the hotter weather, but it was still warm and muggy for the latter half of the ride. Headed through the neighborhood over to RB Rd, then out to Camino del Sur and San Dieguito Rd. The sun was already out by this time. Used El Apajo/Via de Santa Fe to get over to Via de la Valle. My legs were okay, but I didn't feel strong during this ride. Took this road all the way down to the coast, then through Del Mar and up Torrey Pines. Here, I did okay, not letting my speed get below 9 mph. Over Genesee to Eastgate Mall, using this road to connect to Miramar Rd. My average speed on this road was below par (tired legs), and I was also slow up to the top of Pomerado Rd. Took this road all the way to the freeway, then back home by the park and the normal route. I was really slow up the little climb just past the freeway, okay on the last little climb to the stop sign.

Avg speed = 17.7 mph. Total mileage = 47.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1640'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/47985860/

8-26-2011 Ride

Solo ride at lunch from work. It was hot during the ride, and that really sapped my strength, particularly in the latter half of the ride. Headed over to RB Rd using Via del Campo, then out Camino del Sur to Carmel Valley Rd. I went down the hill past this intersection to the next stop light, then turned around and headed back. Here is where I was struggling. Headed back into 4S Ranch, using Dove Canyon Rd to get back over to RB Rd, then took the usual route back to work. Riding in hot, muggy weather is much more challenging than when it is cool and relatively dry.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 15.4 mi
Avg heartrate = 149 bpm
Total elevation gain = 660'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/47982696/

8-21-2011 Ride

Ride to church in the afternoon for youth group. I took the usual route there, and I was battling fatigue from the previous day's ride as well as headwinds. And it was hot. The pace going back was much better, particularly on the BVP section. Slower at the end, due to winds working against me again.

Avg speed = 17.8 mph (with rest in the middle). Total mileage = 21.3 mi
Avg heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 580'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/47980336/

8-20-2011 Ride

Initial solo ride up Azucar to Duenda, then over to Pomerado Rd via normal route. Took Pomerado to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, keeping the pace moderate. Then over to John's house using the normal route, where I met up with him and Dave. Dave is still recovering from a knee injury and was intentionally keeping the stress level on his knee minimized, which meant he was slow, particularly in the climbing sections. We headed up Scripps-Poway Pkwy to the 67, then down toward Lakeside. Headed over to Mast Blvd using the normal route through the neighborhood. Again, here I was keeping the pace moderate, not pushing things too hard. I did ride up the grade at a fairly good clip, nothing record-breaking. Took Mast over to the 52 bike trail, which has about a 2 mile gradual grade. At the top, I stopped to tighten the magnet for my speed sensor. Again, I took a decent but not blistering pace on this climb. We headed down to Santo Rd and got the word from Dave to try and cut the ride short, so we turned right on Clairemont Mesa Blvd and took it over to Ruffin Rd/Kearny Villa Rd. Here, we slowed the pace down quite a bit, to stay close to Dave. Over to Pomerado Rd, where he said he would ride slowly and wait for John to come an pick him up in the truck after we finished. John and I rode together for about 2/3 of the way up, trading leads until the incline steepened up a little bit. He fell back but still had a really good climb here. Back to his house the normal way; I sprinted up the last little hill before Angelique and felt pretty good. I headed home via Sabre Springs Pkwy, almost getting hit by a car (my fault) at the Poway Rd intersection. Took Rancho Carmel Dr to Carmel Mountain Rd, then Camino del Norte to Bernardo Center Dr. Home via the normal route by work. I was riding on tired legs but they weren't cramped or tightened up at the end, perhaps because I kept a moderate pace during most of the ride.

Avg speed = 16 mph. Total mileage = 60.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 141 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2730'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/46957572

8-14-2011 Ride

Time trial loop, riding from home and meeting up with just John. I kept a pace to ride with John for most of the route, only getting out in front on the climb up to Poway Rd and Sabre Springs Pkwy. In other cases, I would slow down when I got much in front of him. It was a good pace, with a really fast finish. Even though I finished faster than the previous week, my average heartrate was significantly lower. Good sign. Finished in 55:35.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 141 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

8-13-2011 Ride

Started out with a solo ride, following the short loop from home up to the turn onto Bernardo Center Dr. There, I kept going on Camino del Norte to Dove Canyon Rd, then over to RB Rd. Over to Jim's house through the normal neighborhood route, where I met up with him, John, and Dave. We headed over the freeway to BVP and up to San Pasqual Valley Rd, where we moved over to Citrus Ave and took this road all the way to El Norte Pkwy. Here, John found he had a slow leak in his rear tire, so he changed it. We continued over to Broadway and then to Jesmond Dene Rd. I had a decent, not scorching pace on this road, and Dave hung with me until about halfway up the last little climb, when he fell back. We continued on up to Deer Springs Pkwy, then down and over to Buena Creek Rd. This is a really great downhill, wonder what it would be like going up. Over to Santa Fe Rd, which turns into Mission Rd. This was a fairly long section, where various people took leads out, then got caught by the others. Followed this road all the way to Centre City Pkwy, then back the normal route. I kept a pretty good pace across the freeway, so did Jim. Dave split from us here and headed home, while we rode up the little hill by the park. I was pretty slow, having more than 50 miles on my legs by then. I decided not to ride all the way up to Jim's and split off at my house. Felt good throughout, with just some tightening of my quads when I pushed toward the latter stages of the ride. Legs were really tired all through the day.

Avg. speed = 18.7 mph. Total mileage = 53.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1760'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/45963686/

8-9-2011 Ride

Ride to yoga, following the normal route to Oak Hill. I had a good tailwind at my back, and I made good time. I didn't really push the pace hard but had a fine ride nevertheless.

Average speed = 18.5 mph. Total mileage = 10.6 mi
Average heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 440'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-diego/964123799127555358

8-7-2011 Ride

Time trial loop, riding from home and meeting up with Jim and Dave. I was surprised to see Jim, but also happy, since I wasn't keen on riding a fast pace. So I didn't, preferring to keep with Dave and slowing down when I got out ahead of him and Jim. Dave had hurt his knee swimming, and that probably slowed him down somewhat. I took it easy up the little grade to Poway Rd, getting near the top with lots left in the tank, which is an unusual occurrence. Again, I didn't push the pace on either Poway Rd or Sabre Springs Pkwy, just riding at a comfortable clip. Same thing on Ted Williams Pkwy, where Dave and I rode together. We kept a similar pace on Pomerado Rd, with Jim staying pretty much up with us and leading out on the downhill section. I didn't feel anywhere near as wiped out at the end of the ride (and throughout the day) as I normally do. Finished in 55:55.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 146 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

8-6-2011 Ride

Ride, starting from home and heading around Poblado to Matinal and up to RB Rd. Rode up to Via del Campo, then over to W Bernardo Dr. Took this over to Bernardo Heights Pkwy, with the Paseo Lucido spur, then over to Pomerado Rd and Stone Canyon Rd. This road, if you know it, can be ridden pretty aggressively, with the toughest section being just before it tees into Martincoat Rd. Over to Espola Rd, then up to Old Coach Rd for a little more mileage. Down Espola to Alondra Dr, where I met up with Dave and Jim. Jim hadn't been riding for a long time, since he'd been on vacation. We headed up Pomerado Rd to Ted Williams Pkwy, then over to the 56 Bike Trail. I didn't really push the pace throughout the ride, since I was content to get the miles in without too much suffering. We headed down to El Camino Real, then took this south and over to San Dieguito Rd. Up the Three Witches climb, I took it pretty easy, especially on the last section. We turned right on Camino del Sur and rode over to Carmel Valley Rd, then up and over to Dove Canyon Rd. By this point, Jim was hurting and slowed down. He cramped up on this last little climb, so we slowed down the overall pace more. Over to RB Rd, then up and down. The downhill section has truly awful pavement in the bike lane. We hit every light going through RB. Back to Dave's house, where I left them and headed home going right on W Bernardo Dr and up Aguamiel. On this last little climb, I was still feeling good, with no muscle twinges, just some tiredness.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph. Total mileage = 48.6 mi
Total elevation gain = 1860'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/44864198

8-4-2011 Ride

Solo ride over lunch from work, taking the short loop. It was toasty, and the heat sapped my strength. This was the first ride on new tires, which look to be more puncture-resistant than the ones I have been riding. I'm sure hoping so.

Avg speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 12.2 mi
Total elevation gain = 480'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/27820722

7-30-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home, after fixing two flats, including a tube blowout. Need those new tires! Down across the freeway and up Via Rancho Pkwy. I had played tennis for the first time in a long time the night before, and I had no drive in my legs. So I kept the pace low. Down Del Dios to Via de la Valle. As I was going downhill, I noticed that I had a slow leak in my rear tire. Ugh! Stopped at the turn onto Via de Santa Fe and fixed it, deciding to cut my ride short. Headed on this road to El Apajo, then up the 3 Witches climb on San Dieguito Rd. Turned right at Camino del Sur and rode over to Carmel Valley Rd. Up and down to Dove Canyon, then up and left on Camino San Bernardo, going through the 4S Ranch neighborhood, by Del Norte High School, and over Lone Quail back to RB Rd. Took this to W Bernardo Dr, then back home the normal route. All in all, a disappointing ride. I was slow and felt out of shape, even though I'm in generally good condition.

Avg speed = 16.6 mph. Total mileage = 30.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1470'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/43830512/

7-24-2011 Ride

Time trial ride with Dave. Throughout the ride, I was pushing the pace, not really letting off at all. I really went fast up the short grade to Poway Rd and was at this point in probably my fastest split ever. Down Poway Rd, we started out fast and caught all of the lights, but I felt I was slower after crossing Pomerado Rd. On Sabre Springs Pkwy, I made good although not great time, and I finished this section near record pace. Heading up Ted Williams Pkwy, I had another slow flat. After fixing the flat, it took me some time to get back in the groove, so I don't feel like I really made good time on this section. The Pomerado section was pretty good, I slowed down near the top but that was because I was pretty much going 100%. I outpaced Dave to the top, but he caught me about halfway from his house and gave me a great draft. I finished up strong, ending in 51:45.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

7-23-2011 Ride

Ride with John from home, via Poblado and Matinal to RB Rd. John wanted to get more miles in than Dave, so we took an extended route over to Dave's house. Went Bernardo Center Dr to Bernardo Heights Pkwy, then ?? to add another loop. Back to Bernardo Heights Pkwy, then down to Pomerado Rd and over to Stone Canyon Rd. This road has an initial short uphill section, then it's meandering until just before Martincort Rd, where it's steep for a short period again. Down Martincort to Espola Rd, which we rode down to Alondra. From Dave's we headed over to Escondido, then took BVP out to Valley Pkwy. From here, it was up to Valley Center, taking the grade uphill. This grade is about 2.5 mi, and the last mile is the steepest but not too bad. I had a slow leak in my rear tire for the last half mile or so, which I fixed at the top. We waited for John, then continued out to Lilac Rd. This road has manageable hills. On Old Castle Rd, there is only one climb of interest. a short, somewhat steep section just before the long downhill, which is really fun. You can ride it without brakes until the hairpin section, then some more. Over to the old 395, where John started to run out of gas. He was slow on the short uphill just past the turn, so we kept the pace on the flats lower. Dave and I rode out on the climb back, another 2.5 miler, and we kept together for about 2/3 of it, when I pulled away and Dave couldn't respond. At the top, we waited awhile for John, then continued on, staying together on this flat-to-downhill section. We followed the normal route home; I pushed the pace across the freeway but couldn't hold 30 mph for as long as I wanted to. Dave split off and headed to his place, while John and I rode home. Even after 50 miles, my legs felt good although I wouldn't have wanted to try a long climb at high effort.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 50.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm

Total elevation gain = 2310'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/42807122

7-21-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home after work. Took the loop with the extension to Poway Rd. I felt pretty good. The ride after the hospital to Poway Rd was into the wind, which was a little wearing, but it made the trip back easier; I averaged over 20 mph up to the park, then slowed down. I didn't really attack too much on the Camino del Norte section, and I slowed down considerably near the top of the second little climb. After that, I was pretty fast for the rest of the ride. I didn't feel the heat during the ride, but I was really sweating when I got home. Heartrate was about where I wanted it to be for the workout.

Avg speed = 18.4 mph. Total mileage = 16.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 152 bpm
Total elevation gain = 620'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/42608380/

7-17-2011 Ride

Time trial with Dave and John. I started out fairly slow, not really pushing the pace too hard. Dave and I dropped John on the little climb up the bend on Espola. We waited at the top for him, then continued at a fairly steady pace. At the climb up to Poway Rd, Dave really dropped the hammer. I did everything I could just to stay on his wheel and finished just a little behind him. It took a lot out of him. My legs were still feeling it from the 47 mi on the previous day. We made good, although not great, time on Poway Rd, where we hit most of the important lights. On Sabre Springs Pkwy, I went steady but not all out, since my legs wouldn't take it. I kept the pace up decently on Ted Williams Pkwy, then John set a good starting pace on Pomerado Rd, and Dave and I kept it going. We rode pretty hard downhill, especially near the turn. Finished in 52:30, which was a good ride for me, given that there were numerous places where I could have ridden harder. I also had some margin in my heartrate to go harder.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Average heartrate = 157 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

7-16-2011 Ride

Ride over to Dave's house, where I met up with him and John. We headed up Pomerado to Twin Peaks, then over to Poway Rd via Community Rd. I wasn't pushing the pace at all in the flat and slight uphill sections, content to ride at the pace set by either John or Dave. Dave was sore from a previous day's workout, so it was mainly me and John leading throughout the ride. We headed up Poway Rd. I started out by not going too fast, but throughout much of the climb I was working pretty hard. Headed down the 67 to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, which we took down to Pomerado Rd. About here is where I discovered that I had a slow leak in my back tire. I climbed up to the top of Pomerado and beyond on Spring Canyon Rd, then stopped to fix it. My climb up Pomerado was solid, particularly the latter section, where I was able to keep a pace around 9 mph. We headed down this road, turning left on Scripps Ranch Pkwy, which has a small climb, then a pretty steep downhill to Mira Mesa Blvd. Over to Westview Pkwy, which is a nice alternative to Black Mountain Rd. Got onto Black Mountain and went over to the 56 bike trail. I took that little climb at a fairly easy pace. Down the bike trail to Carmel Valley Rd, where we headed back toward RB, staying together and trading leads. Turned on Dove Canyon Rd and used it to go over to RB Rd. By this time, my quads felt tight if I flexed them, but they didn't give me any trouble on the ride. Headed back to Dave's house, then I went home. It was a fairly decent ride for me, slower in average speed but this was what I wanted to do, not trying to punish too much after having been basically off the bike for almost two weeks.

Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 47.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 151 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2660'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/41765036/

7-12-2011 Ride

Ride to yoga, following the normal route to Oak Hill. I kept the pace steady but not fierce.

Average speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 10.6 mi
Average heartrate = 150 bpm
Total elevation gain = 440'
http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ca/san-diego/964123799127555358

2011 Scripps Ranch Old Pros Ride

Rode with John and Dave, saw Kevin Miller at the start. J and D wanted to get out front early and ride with the leaders, so we did. This group set a fast pace, particularly after the turn on Camino Ruiz and down into Sorrento Valley. We stayed with them, and John even led the ride at the turn onto Vista Sorrento Pkwy. Then the group split, with the stronger climbers pulling ahead. I stayed in the middle of this pack and tried to hang on as long as I could, which ended up being by the turn onto Via de la Valle. They kept going fast, but I needed to slow down. Had a problem around this time with my cyclometer, where the magnet got turned around and it wasn't registering. Stopped near the base of the first climb up Del Dios Hwy to fix it, and Dave caught up. I rode away from him on the climb, was feeling pretty good and keeping the pace above 10 mph. Another group of 4 riders passed me at the top, and I couldn't hang on to the back end of their pace line. Headed down Rancho Dr to Lake Dr, where they had set up a sag stop, and I waited for Dave and John. John had a flat, but the guy at the stop fixed it for him. We started again, had to climb a short, steep section to get up to Via Rancho Pkwy. Not too long after this, I flatted on the little climb, and I was really steamed. Bad tires. Changed the flat and the tire at the same time, then continued on, riding with Dave and waiting occasionally for John to catch up. We met Susanne at Rios Rd, and John had to fix another flat here. My pace going up Pomerado Rd was pretty good. I pumped up my tire at the Twin Peaks Rd sag stop, and we continued. May met us just beyond Scripps-Poway Pkwy, then we headed up the last significant hill. It wasn't too bad. The weather was warm and muggy but not too hot. I kept a steady pace on this climb, passing others (we were toward the back of the pack by that time). Fast and together down Pomerado Rd, then some separation when we turned into the Scripps Ranch neighborhood. Dave rode close but couldn't hang on any of the longer gradual uphill sections. I finished strong, arriving in about 2:33, a great time for me. My left hamstring had started to tighten up as we entered the neighborhood, but it didn't interfere with my pedaling. On the way out of the park, Dave and I made a wrong turn and got mixed up in the parade route, which was kinda funny.

Avg. speed = 19.3 mph. Total mileage = 49.4 mi
Avg heartrate = 163 bpm (wow!)
Total elevation gain = 2130'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/40040446

7-2-2011 Ride

Ride, starting from the parking lot by Carmel Mountain Ranch, over to John's house via Rancho Carmel Dr/Sabre Springs Pkwy to Poway Rd, then up Springbrook to his place. Met up with him and Dave, and we headed down to Poway Rd and over to the 56 bike trail. I was taking it fairly easy, knowing that the big ride was coming up on Monday. We went down to El Camino Real, heading south to connect to Vista Sorrento Pkwy and over to Carroll Canyon Rd/Carroll Rd. This is probably the easiest way to get back up out of Sorrento Valley onto Mira Mesa. Connected to Miramar Rd, which needs a serious repaving. Uphill on Pomerado Rd, again keeping the pace fairly manageable. Back to John's place, going all the way down Springhurst to get a couple of extra miles in, then up again on Springbrook. I had a good pace here. Went back using Sabre Springs Pkwy and staying off the gas. Even still, I was making good time on the slight uphill sections. Finished feeling that I hadn't really taxed my legs.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 39.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1710'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/40072404/

6-28-2011 Ride

Solo ride over to get a haircut, then to church. I went over to BVP and up to Sunset Dr, using it to get over to Escondido Blvd. Over to Felicita Rd and the Great Clips. There was no wait, but I was really sweating while I got my hair cut, felt a little bad about it. I had time to spare, so I rode up to Juniper, over to Idaho, then to San Pasqual Valley Rd. I went up to Oak Hill, then used that road to connect to BVP. Out to E Valley Pkwy, then over to El Norte Pkwy. I thought I'd try to go up to Dixon Lake, so I rode over to La Honda and up. Man, is that a steep road! MapMyRide says it has some 20% grade sections, and I can believe it. I was just crawling up, but I made it, with a hard push near the top that got my heartrate over 180. Headed back to church for yoga, going via Citrus Ave to Grand Ave to Juniper. For a short ride, it had a couple of short climbs with small challenge in them, including the stretches on Sunset, Idaho, and particularly La Honda. Coming up Grand, I think I hit just about every light, so it was pretty slow.

Avg speed = 15.8 mph. Total mileage = 19.8

Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 850' (gotta be higher than that!)
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/39378424

6-26-2011 Ride

Time trial ride with Dave and Jim. I was tired from the previous day's ride and planning on riding later with Joe (it didn't happen), so I asked that we take the pace slow, and that's what happened. We all stayed pretty much together, with me leading out a little bit on the climb up to Poway Rd and the section on Sabre Springs Pkwy. I pushed the pace on the crest by the hospital, and other than that we rode together. I was tired at the end but felt good. Finished in about 57:30.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Average heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

6-25-2011 Ride

Ride from home, solo initially. Went around Poblado to Matinal Rd, then up to RB Rd. Down to Bernardo Center Dr and over to Bernardo Heights Pkwy. I took the Paseo Lucido loop for the first time, and it's all up and down. Back to Bernardo Heights and over to Pomerado Rd, turning right on Stone Canyon Rd. I hadn't been on this road either, and it has some moderate climbing in it. Turned left on Martincoit Rd, which has a wicked downhill section that should be tried sometime in the future. This road connects to Espola Rd, and I headed over to Dave's via Rios Rd. We took off from his place down RB Rd and saw Jim at the light, so we waited for him to join us. Then we headed down to Camino del Sur and over to San Dieguito Rd. Down the hills with a right on El Apajo. From here, we stayed on the 4th of July route for awhile. On the climb up Del Dios, Dave stayed with me for most of it, falling back just on the last climb up to the light at Via Rancho Pkwy. I had a good ride on this section, keeping it above 10 mph for nearly all of the climbing sections but not really pushing things too hard. On Pomerado Rd, I would separate from the others but not get too far ahead. Jim peeled off at RB Rd, and Dave picked up the pace after that. We stayed pretty much together after this, even on the climb to the top of Pomerado Rd. I put a little separation on him at a couple of points, but my sprinting capabilities were limited by this time. I had a decent ride up to the hospital, with a strong finish near the top. The rest was normal. I felt some tightening in my hamstrings on the little climbs on Bernardo Center Dr, but it wasn't major. Felt pretty good throughout the ride, but my average speed was kinda disappointing. My heartrate looks to be in good shape, though, so I may be able to trade higher speed for a faster heartrate.

Avg speed = 17.1 mph. Total mileage = 56.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2520'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38807184/

6-23-2011 Ride

Ride over the the Escondido Park 'n Ride, where I met up with Joe and headed over Beethoven to BVP, then San Pasqual Rd into the valley, connecting to the 78 via Old Milky Way. On the flats, Joe was keeping pace, even though I wasn't really pushing it. We had the wind at our backs going out the 78, and it was pretty fast. Things slowed down on Bandy Canyon Rd, but the climb didn't seem as bad, at least the first part of it. I circled back at the top and rode down to ride back up with Joe, then we headed over Highland Valley Rd back to Pomerado Rd and the freeway. I split from him by his car and headed home the normal way. My lower back was giving me some pain, but it didn't ache on the climb.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 25.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 142 bpm
Total elevation gain = 740'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38634216/

6-18-2011 Ride

Ride over to Dave's house, where I met up with him and John. We were helping John get ready for the Palomar Challenge, so we rode up to Ramona. Took Highland Valley Rd to Bandy Canyon Rd. On the climbing section of Highland Valley Rd, Dave saw a guy ahead of us and took off. I couldn't keep up. Haven't been riding many really steep roads lately, so I was huffing and puffing trying to keep up. I kept him in my sights and had enough left near the top to pass him, although I was really spent (so was he). Down Bandy Canyon, we three separated, so I waited after the turn and rode with them. We again separated on the 78. This was my kind of climbing, and I was feeling good with the wind helping me along. Got to the top 7 min before Dave joined and another 2 min before John was there. Headed out to Warnock/Dye Rd, where we all kept together and rode in a loose pace line. Stayed together for the first part of the ride on the 67, then I pulled away when it started to climb. Again, I was feeling pretty good, with just some significant exertion on the last parts of the climb. We rode loosely together on the downhill sections to Scripps-Poway Pky and down that hill as well. More separation on the little climbs, where I waited to connect back up with them. Then we rode pretty much together down Pomerado Rd. Dave and I worked to get to the top by the hospital, then we motored down the rest of the way. I was able to keep up a good pace all the way on Pomerado, which felt pretty good. Headed home the normal way, with tired but not cramped legs. All in all, a really good ride for me.

Avg speed = 18.0 mph. Total mileage = 49.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2340'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38070746/

6-17-2011 Ride

Solo ride at lunch, using the normal loop with the extension to Poway Rd. I felt fast on the sections of Pomerado Rd but slow on Camino del Norte. This is a loop that can be easily ridden in under an hour's riding time.

Avg speed = 18.3 mph. Total mileage = 16.4 mi
Average heartrate = 149 bpm
Total elevation gain = 623'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38068332

6-14-2011 Ride

Ride from home to church for yoga. I had decided to keep the pace modest, was tired from my day at work. All was well until I got a flat near San Pasqual Valley Rd. Fixed it, but it put me behind schedule, so I turned there and shortened things a little bit. Turned on Idaho to get to Juniper.

Avg speed = 17.4 mph. Total mileage = 8.6 mi
Total elevation gain = 480'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/38066982/

6-12-2011 Ride

Ride from home to church using the normal 10-mile route via Oak Hill. The wind wasn't helping as much, and I wasn't pushing the pace super hard. Got to church with an average speed of 18.2 mph. Met up with Joe, who hadn't been riding much toward the end of the school year. Because of the wind, we headed over Broadway to Mission west. I kept the pace steady, not too fast for me but pushing Joe pretty hard. Over Barham to Craven and Discovery, which we took over to San Marcos Blvd. Turned left on Rancho Santa Fe Rd, which has a slight uphill, then a longer downhill, then another little uphill climb to San Elijo Rd. The uphill section on this road was easy, probably because the wind was helping. Then back to Escondido through Elfin Forest and Harmony Grove. On this section, particularly toward the latter part, the wind was a huge help. It may have been the fastest I have ridden this road. Back together with Joe, we rode through Escondido on Valley Pkwy and 2nd St, and it seemed like we hit every light just right. I rode home via Centre City Pkwy, and I thought it would be more challenging given the wind. It was relatively easy, although the ride across the lake was much slower because the wind was coming at me. Finished in good shape, no muscle cramping, soreness, or tiredness. This ride was relatively flat, no real climbs to contend with.

Avg speed = 17.2 mph. Total mileage = 41.5 mi
Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1210'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/37344346/

6-11-2011 Ride

Ride leaving at 6:30 from home with Dave and John. I needed to be down by Torrey Pines for a morning hike with the church group. We headed over to Via Rancho Pkwy and to Del Dios Hwy, then down to Rancho Santa Fe and through, following the roads (Linea del Cielo and Lomas Santa Fe) all the way to the coast, where we headed south on the 101. Then down to Torrey Pines, where we took the inside route up, resting at the top of the climb by the lodge. We finished up the ride together at the exit back onto Torrey Pines Rd, where Dave and John headed back to my house and I rode a little further down the road, not knowing where to meet up with Ann and the others. We finally met up at the parking lot by the golf course. It was probably a mixture of my feeling good and the others holding back to conserve their strength, but I was out ahead for most of this ride, particularly on any sections with even modest uphill grades.

Avg speed = 17.4 mph. Total mileage = 27.7 mi
Avg heartrate = ??? bpm
Total elevation gain = 1190'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/37112876/

6-10-2011 Ride

Solo ride from work a little before lunchtime. It was overcast and a little cool at the start. Headed down by the park, then up all the way to the top of Pomerado Rd. Made good time all the way to the base of the last hill, and I even started pretty fast up this hill. But I couldn't keep up the fast pace and had to settle for a more modest pace. Went downhill right fast, and I kept up an okay pace on Sabre Springs Pkwy, not great. Turned on Carmel Mountain Rd and connected to Camino del Norte. On this little climb, I kept up a good pace until near the top, where I slowed down quite a bit. Finished strong, trying to get an average speed of 18 mph.

Avg. speed = 18.0 mph. Total mileage = 22.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 154 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1070'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/37111984/

6-7-2011 Ride

Ride from home to yoga. I got a late start, as I was talking to Mark about what's going on with Dad and Ben. I had the benefit of a pretty steady tailwind while riding on BVP. It allowed me to keep a good pace, only slacking off on the last bit of the climb before going downhill to the 78 crossing. I turned on Idaho, and this section was pretty slow for me. It was uphill, and I didn't have a lot going for me. I just ground it out and finished off pretty strong on Juniper. It was my first time to yoga in 10 weeks, so the stretching exercises were tough, particularly the ones where I stretched my groin.

Avg. speed = 17.4 mph. Total mileage = 8.9 mi
Total elevation gain = 480'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/37111308/

6-5-2011 Ride

Time trial ride with Dave. I was feeling okay, a little worn out from the Saturday ride, but Dave was really tired from an afternoon of yard work. We kept a modest pace at the beginning, and I dialed it back to stay with him. We rode together all the way to the base of the little climb up to Poway Rd. I didn't push the pace really hard here but did create some separation. We stayed together down Poway Rd to Sabre Springs Pkwy, where I had a little separation again, not much. We were riding together for most of the rest of the ride, with just a little bit by the hospital where I got out in front. Finished in about 55:00, feeling good and not too much exertion.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Average heartrate = 149 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

6-4-2011 Ride

Ride with Dave from John's house. John couldn't go, May was sick. We headed over to Scripps-Poway Pkwy and down it and Mercy Rd to Black Mountain Rd. Up this little section to Mira Mesa Blvd, which we took down to Camino Ruiz, now following the annual 4th of July route. Dave and I were trading leads, and he was really riding fast. I could hang with him, but he was clearly pushing the pace harder than I would have. We kept going this way all the way on the route through Del Mar, including the uphill sections, and through Rancho Santa Fe. I started pulling away on the little climb up to Del Dios Hwy, where I think the pace had gotten to him. I felt pretty good on the climbing sections of Del Dios, keeping my pace above 9 mph for nearly all of them, slowing just at the last part before the turn onto Via Rancho Pkwy. We reconnected there and headed back the normal way. Again, I was able to get some separation on the uphill sections of Pomerado Rd. Headed back to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, where Dave passed me on the last climb up (he said it was his cheetah legs). I caught him, probably because he slowed down to wait for me, and we finished up the ride pretty much together.

Avg speed = 18.0 mph. Total mileage = 48.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 158 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1910'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/36494562/

6-3-2011 Ride

Ride to work and back. It had been awhile, but my car was low on gas. No real troubles on the little climbs there, although I ran out of gas near the top of the final climb on the way to work. Had a flat when I got ready to ride back home, a bummer.

Avg speed = 14.7 mph. Total mileage = 4.8 mi
Total elevation gain = 280'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/36491346/

5-30-2011 Ride

Memorial Day ride starting from Lake Henshaw up the East Grade to the Palomar Observatory (John's idea) with John, Dave, and Jim, along with Karl and Andy Walters. We got to the cafe, and it was really foggy and cold, about 40 deg. I had a light long-sleeve jersey and my jacket, but I wasn't ready to ride in this cold weather. While we were waiting for Karl and Andy to show up, the weather started clearing and it began to warm up. I started the ride with my jacket on, but it warmed up quickly, so that I took it off at the downhill section around mile 4. I started off fast, perhaps too fast, and never really got into a good rhythm. Toward the latter part of the first climb, my back was really giving me trouble. Legs were okay. I continued to have difficulties in the second climb and was really slow at the end, just waiting for the summit to appear. Made it to the summit in about 1:17 (Ugh!). We all gathered at Mother's Kitchen, but Jim got lost. Andy and Karl went on up to the observatory while Dave went downhill to find him (he was riding with a broken spoke), then John and I headed back down a little later. We were fortunate to catch him coming down the road leading up to the park, so we all gathered and headed back up to the observatory. I had done some stretching while waiting, and this helped my back. My legs were tired, so I was slow but not in too much pain. It seems like the two climbs (there and back) on the observatory out-and-back are the same, but the first one is longer and steeper. Dave and John pretty much stayed with me on the last climb. On the downhill, John and I hung together, and he was really feeling good. I had to work hard just to stay with him on the sections where we were pedaling. The motorcycles flying by were scary; they don't give you much room, and they're on you quickly. About 2/3 of the way down, my cyclometer magnet got out of alignment, so I could only estimate my average speed. This was a real tough workout for me.

Avg speed = 13 mph. Total mileage = 34 mi
Total elevation gain = 3810'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/35899388

5-28-2011 Ride

Ride while staying up at Camp Wrightwood with Claremont UMC. Headed down Elm in the early afternoon, and I was a little concerned about the wind, which was gusty. On the 2, it wasn't too bad, just a long tough slog uphill with no real downhill breaks all the way to the summit before the campgrounds. The steepest part was the section before getting to the ski lifts. During the latter part of the first climb, my back was giving me a little problem. After I reached the summit at 7 miles and 7550', I headed downhill, staying on the 2, just to get a few more miles in. Went all the way to where the road was closed at Vincent Gulch Divide, then started heading back uphill. This section wasn't as steep, but my legs and back weren't as fresh either, so it was a chore. The downhill section back into town was fast, but I couldn't crouch too well. As usual, the little climb back to the camp on Elm was awful. I hammered out the first part then ground out the last, not having anything left to give. Weather turned out to be a great day for riding.

Avg speed = 13.2 mph. Total mileage = 18.9 mi
Total elevation gain = 2240'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/36172068

5-22-2011 Ride

Originally, this started out to be a time trial route, but the misty weather and my weak legs caused us to shorten it. Same route up to Poway Rd at Pomerado Rd, where we turned and headed back to Dave's house. It was just the two of us. I was behind him for most of the way and couldn't keep up on the uphill sections by the high school and up Espola to Poway Rd. Just no drive in my legs, from a combination of no riding recently and the ride/hike combo on Saturday.

Avg speed = 18.2 mph. Total mileage = 19.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 159 bpm
Total elevation gain = 650'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/35066876

5-21-2011 Ride

First ride after a couple of weeks off while Ann and I were in Hawaii. Met up with John and Dave and left from my house, heading out to BVP. We turned right on Mary Ln and rode up here, the first time I had gone this way. It wasn't awful, but it was a chore, particularly the first section. Turned left on Summit Dr, which connects into the 78. Headed out Citrus Ave to El Norte Pkwy, all of us staying pretty much together. Up Centre City Pkwy to Mountain Meadows, then left to go back via Twin Oaks Valley Pkwy. Again, all of us were riding together here. Turned right on Borden and headed up behind Palomar College. Left on Las Posas, which we took over to San Marcos Blvd. Down to Bent Ave and over to Craven. We split at this point, with John and Dave heading back and me riding up Twin Oaks Valley Pkwy to meet up with the church group doing a hike. I miscalculated how difficult this last climb was, having never ridden or driven it. It was probably a little over a mile, and it seemed pretty steep. I was pretty wiped out when I got to the top. The hike went well, and it was nowhere near as physically taxing as the bike ride.

Avg speed = 15.7 mph. Total mileage = 30.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 157 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1510'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/35017028

2011 Alpine Challenge Metric Century

2011 Alpine Metric Century. Rode with John. It had a rolling start time, so we got there pretty early, got ready quickly, and got on the road a little after 6:30. This turned out to be a good thing, as much of the climbing section up to Descanso was done in really nice weather. The start/finish location was in Flinn Springs, which worked out okay. It was in a park, and the parking was a little sketchy but otherwise a good spot. A little climbing before we got to Harbison Canyon Rd. I was with two other guys out in the lead, and they were setting a pretty fast pace, so I was pushing to keep up. I stayed with them until early in the Dehesa grade climb. At the first sag stop, I waited for John to catch up and took off my long-sleeve jersey and full-fingered gloves. I pushed the pace a little too hard on this section of the climb. Nobody passed me, and I was the first one to stop at the third sag stop about 2/3 of the way up the Japatul climb. My back had stiffened up pretty significantly, so I did a lot of stretching while waiting for John, and it helped a lot. Up to Descanso, then we did the 12-mile loop out to Pine Valley and back. On the way there, there is a longer, fairly gradual climb, then the road goes down a little more steeply, but shorter, into Pine Valley. This is a nice little community, and the route took us on a loop through it, bringing it back to the main road right at the base of the climb back. My legs were feeling it, so I took it slow and steady, no real problems. Waited for John again at the Descanso sag stop, and I was worried. My legs were twitching and there was still some climbing and pedaling to do. John, of course, took off fast from this sag stop, and I kept up with him at a price. On the little climb back up to the freeway, my legs were really complaining. I was very slow here, then did a lot of coasting on the downhill sections, suffering through the minor climbs here and there. I kept up a cadence in a low gear and didn't stop pedaling. On one of the downhill sections, I must have gotten my second wind because I was able to handle the climb back into Alpine fairly well. It was slow but I made it, and I was really concerned that my legs were going to give out on me. The new route seemed to have less climbing at the end of the ride, but it made up for it with the Pine Valley loop. Don't know the exact time, since my cyclometer quit reading around mile 38. At the very end of the ride, the last mile, my legs were again complaining a lot. Thankfully, it was pretty much downhill by this point, so I was able to complete. Finished in right around 4:00, which I was pretty proud of.

Avg. speed = 15.6 mph. Total mileage = 62.8 mi

Avg heartrate = 159 bpm

Total elevation gain = 4660'

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/33059322

4-27-2011 Ride

Solo ride from work at lunchtime down W. Bernardo Dr and over the freeway to BVP, then up to Sunset Dr, which I used to connect to Juniper St. Took this all the way into town to buy some inner tubes at the new Bike Bling location on Grand Ave. They were really expensive! No more buying them there. On the way back, it was pretty toasty. I hadn't brought a water bottle, so I was really parched and a little dehydrated at the end of the ride, and I was very flushed.

Avg speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 18.8 mi
Avg. heartrate = 149 bpm
Total elevation gain = 790'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/33056742/

4-23-2011 Ride

Ride from home with John and Jim, preparing for the Alpine Challenge. Headed over to Escondido and BVP, which we took to San Pasqual Rd. Into the San Pasqual Valley and onto Old Milky Way, which we used to connect to the 78. From here, it was up to Ramona. On the initial flats, I got out a little ahead of the others, but we regrouped before beginning the climbing section. I felt pretty good on the climb, keeping up a decent pace on the first part, then really having a good ride on the second, flatter part. It felt like I had a tailwind on this part. We regrouped at the stoplight in Ramona. It was cool and breezy here. Headed out San Vicente Rd to Warnock Rd, then over Dye Rd to the 67. Here, we traded leads and worked in a loose pace line, and it was a real energy-saver. Out of Ramona, we separated again. There we a little bit of a headwind on the uphill section to the crest around Mt. Woodson. Reconnection again, then downhill into a stiffer headwind until Scripps-Poway Pkwy. Here, John and Jim split off and headed west, while I rode down the Lakeside grade into a pretty steady headwind. At the bottom, I took Vigilante Rd over to Moreno Rd, then turned around and headed back. On the first section, I had the advantage of that tailwind and it really helped push me up the hill. My back stiffened up somewhat near the end of the second section. Headed down Scripps-Poway Pkwy into a freshened headwind. Took it to Pomerado Rd, then followed this road all the way back home, by the park. On this section, my legs felt good and I was able to keep up a good pace, again helped by a tailwind. I had tired legs at the end but no cramping, a good day on the bike.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 58.1 mi

Avg heartrate = 154 bpm

Total elevation gain = 2950'

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/32560680/

4-20-2011 Ride

Solo ride from home after work. Headed over by the park to Highland Valley Rd, then up to the top and a little beyond. I got to the place where the palm trees line the road, then turned around. I was really struggling on the steeper sections of the climbs; my lower back was giving me lots of problems. Not sure why, unless I still haven't recovered from last Sunday's draining ride. The weather was cloudy at the start, then the sun was out as I headed toward Ramona, then cloudy on the way back home. Again, my average heartrate was low because I couldn't keep up speed on the climbs.

Avg. speed = 15.0 mph. Total mileage = 21.6 mi
Avg heartrate = 145 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1430'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/32247528/

4-17-2011 Ride

Ride #1
Time trial ride with Dave and Jim. John was supposed to ride but texted Dave the evening before bowing out. I took it slower, knowing I was going to ride in the afternoon. Basically, I let Dave lead out on the uphill sections, and I stayed on his wheel. It worked out alright. My max heartrate was usually in the low 160's with the exception of the climb up to Poway Rd. Even there, I didn't feel I was really straining. I put a little bit of separation on Dave going up Sabre Springs Pkwy, and he was able to separate at a slight uphill section on Poway Rd. On the climb up to Pomerado Hospital, he was giving it his max effort, and I kept up easily and passed him. I've been riding a lot more than him lately. Finished in 56:15 or thereabouts.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Average heartrate = 147 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

Ride #2
Ride from church out Broadway to Mission Rd, which I took all the way out to Los Posas Rd. The wind was right in my face, and it was a steady breeze. No fun. Over to San Marcos Blvd and Palomar Airport Rd, where the breeze was a constant challenge. Even the downhills weren't fun. Got onto the 101 heading south, where there was a quartering wind to keep me slowed down. I had forgotten to bring water bottles, and I didn't put sunscreen on. Bad Paul. Slogged my way to Solana Beach, looking for a water fountain at the beach park to no avail. I had a small water bottle but it was gone by about this time. I was taking electrolyte cubes, and they seemed to help somewhat. Going up Lomas Santa Fe to Rancho Santa Fe, I had the breeze at my back, and it was really helpful. It was slow going on all of the uphill sections, as I was tired and dehydrated. Through Rancho Santa Fe and onto Del Dios Hwy. Same thing here, slow up the grades and benefiting from the tailwind. The uphill sections on Via Rancho Pkwy seemed to particularly tough, as I was running out of gas and sore in the saddle. I stopped at the Subway by the freeway and drank three cups of soda. Boy, did they taste good! They gave me the energy to finish the ride, and I was able to negotiate the final two small uphill sections without cramping, the last one standing on the pedals. My average heartrate was down because I didn't have the strength in my legs to keep my speed up.

Avg speed = 15.5 mph. Total mileage = 46.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 144 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1220'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/32005342/