8-30-2012 Ride

Solo ride after work.  I'd given blood on the previous day, so I intentionally kept my exertion level modest.  I headed out by RB Community Park with no clear route in mind but decided to take Highland Valley Rd.  This climb was a chore as usual, but I slogged up it at a low speed.  The weather was mild but the sun was out on this portion, which increased my effort level.  I headed out Bandy Canyon Rd, taking the downhill section very cautiously.  I'm still nervous on downhills with curves, particularly when the curve is off to the left.  The wind was generally at my back on this section until I started heading north.  It was more of a headwind when I headed back on the 78, so this section was a real workout.  I took Old Milky Way to San Pasqual Rd, keeping my exertion level low on the last gradual uphill section.  Back to BVP and home the normal route.  Across the freeway, I started out pretty fast but didn't (couldn't?) maintain the fast pace.  It was a plodding pace back home from there.  I was heated up at the end, felt okay but not much energy in my legs.

Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 21.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 149 bpm
Total elevation gain = 690'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/132290135

8-26-2012 Ride

Time trial route, riding with Jim, Dave, and John for the first time together since Jim's crash.  I rode over to Dave's house, and the weather was cool and clear.  I rode fairly quickly on Espola Rd, particularly close to the bend in the road.  But my quads were telling me that this was not going to be a fast ride, as I was feeling the effects of the previous day's ride.  We connected before the high school and pretty much rode together until the climb up to Poway Rd.  John was pushing the pace on the early section of this climb.  I passed him but couldn't keep up a steady pace of >9 mph, because of my lack of recent riding.  We stayed basically together on Poway Rd, I got ahead of the others a little bit before it crossed Pomerado Rd, but we connected back up briefly.  Then John and I separated from the others, and I ended up riding up Sabre Springs Pkwy by myself, although not at a fast pace.  From here, I took it fairly slow, only pushing the pace on the last section of the ride passing by the hospital.  On the following downhill section, Dave, John, and I were riding fast.  Dave led out, but John passed him in an all-out sprint, and I pushed the throttle to the stops to catch and pass John.  Finished in 55:45 on this ride, so I need some more consistent rides, including during the week, to get back into really good shape.


Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 155 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

8-25-2012 Ride

Ride up to Jim's house, taking the Azucar Way route, where I met up with him and Dave.  It was misting throughout this ride, including at the start.  We headed out across Lake Hodges and up BVP to Sunset Dr, connecting to Juniper St and taking it all the way to Washington St, using it to get over to Broadway.  The section on Juniper was particularly misty.  We headed out Broadway to Jesmond Dene Rd and took it over to Centre City Pkwy.  I was consciously trying not to get too far ahead of the others, and I was also feeling the effects of not having ridden in nearly two weeks.  We then headed over Deep Springs Rd and took it down to Buena Creek Rd.  I took it really easy on the downhill section of this road, as I didn't want to crash on the rain-slick pavement. We took Santa Fe Ave to Mission Ave, following the normal route here and staying pretty much together.  We followed Mission Ave all the way to Centre City Pkwy and took the normal route back toward home.  Crossing the bridge, I had enough juice to get my speed up over 30 mph, but I couldn't sustain it for long.  Dave split off after we got to Pomerado Rd, and Jim and I rode back home.  I originally planned on riding up to Jim's house, but my left quad started complaining on the last little climb, so I cut it short.

Avg speed = 16.7 mph. Total mileage = 36.7 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1180'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/129001999

8-12-2012 Ride

Time trial loop, starting from home.  It was cool for about the first 5 minutes of this ride, but that was it.  I got over to Dave's house and met up with him and Jim.  We started out riding at a moderate pace, but Jim fell behind.  I rode with Dave until before the curve, then rode out ahead, waiting for them to catch up before the high school.  I kept my pace above 11 mph on the little climb up to Poway Rd, felt good about that effort.  But I hadn't worked hard on the ride up to that point.  We all stayed pretty much together going down Poway Rd, and I pulled away again on the Sabre Springs Pkwy section.  Dave really slowed down here, I think his lack of sleep was catching up with him.  We rode, slowly, up Ted Williams Pkwy, basically staying together.  On the section of Pomerado Rd after the intersection at Twin Peaks Rd, I kept with the others for awhile, then pushed it all out to the top by the hospital.  We all then rode together back to Dave's house.  There were a couple of good portions of this ride for me, where I rode at or near my fastest pace.  However, it's going to be a long while before the others are in shape for me to consider getting close to my personal best time.  Finished in 58:00 on this ride.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi

Avg heartrate = 137 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

8-11-2012 Ride

Ride from home up to Jim's house, where I met up with him.  We were expecting Dave to ride as well, but his dog had had puppies the previous night, so he was catching up on his sleep.  Jim and I headed over to W Bernardo Dr, then up RB Rd to Camino del Sur.  Jim has put on some weight from vacation and travelling, so he was slow on the uphills.  We headed out toward the coast but got separated on the little climb up to San Dieguito Rd.  I rode ahead, trying to keep up with a strong rider who was on the early stages of a round trip to Dana Point, then I waited for Jim about a quarter mile beyond that turn.  For some weird reason, Jim turned right there and waited for me.  Strange.  I rode back toward where we had gotten separated and called his cell phone, but we didn't make the connection.  So I ended up riding the rest of the way solo.  Headed down to the 56 bike trail, where there was a fair amount of bike traffic, both ways.  Took it all the way to El Camino Real, then over Carmel Valley Rd to the coast.  It was starting to heat up by then.  I ended up taking the inside route up Torrey Pines, getting behind a guy who I couldn't catch, even though I was riding pretty well.  Alas.  Then I rode to the parking lot by the golf course to meet up with some church people for a hike around Torrey Pines State Park.

Avg speed = 17.7 mph. Total mileage = 24.0 mi
Total elevation gain = ??'

8-9-2012 Ride

Solo ride after work from home.  I started out intending to ride a modest pace, going up Aguamiel Rd and over to W Bernardo Dr.  Went up by work, here I didn't push it.  Then over to Camino del Norte, taking it to Pomerado Rd.  I rode over to Poway Rd and headed east.  I had a steady breeze at my back and made good time, even on the gradual uphill section.  I had originally planned on turning at Midland but decided to go up to Espola Rd, taking advantage of the tailwind.  On the climb, I was slowed down and it got hot, since I was riding with the wind.  Down Espola Rd, taking it to RB Rd and back to Pomerado Rd.  I was debating whether to ride home directly, then I saw a rider go by so I decided to follow and try to catch him.  It was an easy catch, as he wasn't going too fast.  The wind favored me here, and I rode fast on this section.  Down over the freeway, the wind started working against me, and I powered up the little climb before the park in high gear.  I didn't notice how hot I'd gotten until I returned home, but I felt good on the ride, just a little discomfort from my left shoulder but finishing stronger than I started.

Avg speed = 17.9 mph. Total mileage = 21.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 144 bpm
Total elevation gain = 780'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/123023903

8-5-2012 Ride

Time trial ride, starting from home and meeting up with John at Dave's house.  Dave was going to ride but decided not to on Sunday morning.  We started out at a modest pace, and any time during the entire ride when I pushed my speed even a little bit, John fell back.  I would ride out in front, notice he wasn't keeping pace, then dial it back to connect with him.  We rode this way to the bottom of the little climb up to Poway Rd, where I pushed the pace, keeping it basically above 10-11 mph up to near where it flattens out.  Fairly good cardio and leg strength on this section.  We rode together down onto the flats on Poway Rd, but John would fall back on the longer, faster or upward sloping sections.  I slowed down to ride with him as we turned onto Sabre Springs Pkwy, but even at my much slower pace he was behind.  I took it easy on this section, waited for John to catch up, then we rode together on Ted Williams Pkwy and about midway on Pomerado Rd up to the crest at the hospital.  In the last downhill section before the turn onto Rio Rd, I kicked out the jams and hit 36 mph.  Finished in 56:30, and I feel I could easily have taken 3 minutes off this time without truly pushing it.  We'll see how times come down on the time trial route as Dave and John get back into cycling shape.  Back home at a modest pace.

Total mileage = 23.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 144 bpm
Total elevation gain = 820'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/4958719

8-4-2012 Ride

Ride with John from home, the first time I was out on my bike after the crash two weeks before.  Throughout the ride, I could feel the stiffness in my shoulder, but it wasn't really painful, even in the times when I was standing on the pedals.  We headed through the neighborhood to RB Rd, then over to Camino del Sur.  I wasn't pushing the pace too hard, but John was lagging behind throughout the entire ride unless I slowed my pace down to keep with him.  Out to San Dieguito Rd and down to El Apajo, which we took over to Calzada del Bosque.  We connected with Via de la Valle and rode it over to El Camino Real.  On the little climb here, I kept my pace above 10 mph pretty much the whole way, working but not overdoing it.  Felt pretty good.  Then we rode down to the 56 bike trail, where John got something of a second wind and was riding pretty fast for a time until we started the climb up to Carmel Valley Rd.  I made decent time on the gradual climbing sections up to Camino del Sur, particularly at the end of the second climb, where I pushed it hard to catch up with a couple of riders ahead of me.  At this intersection, I ran into Kevin Miller, who was riding with a group of friends.  John caught up, then we headed back, essentially retracing our route after we got back to San Dieguito Rd.  I think I put a hurt on John.  I'll have to consider how I'm going to pace myself when riding with him and Dave, at least until their cycling legs and cardio get back in shape.  I felt good at the end, no tiredness or soreness and not much discomfort in my shoulder.

Avg speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 34.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 144 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1330'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/121715307