We'd been having Santa Ana conditions, so I was worried about the wind and dryness. It turned out that the wind seemed to help more than hurt, but the heat and dryness were definitely a factor for me. Rode it with John and Dave, and we all parked by the Smoothie King, then rode over to the start at Old Poway Park. Start was good, it was a little chilly at the beginning. I felt good on the climb up to the 67, nobody passed me this time, and I recorded 15:36 as the time from Espola Rd up to the top of the climb just before the turn. Waited for John and Dave to get there, then we continued. I kept a pretty fast pace up to the the top of the grade by Mt Woodson and waited for them again. On the downhill, they got out ahead of me and into a group with a tandem, and I couldn't close the gap. I tried, mightily, to make it up, but I was riding solo and just didn't have enough juice to close it. It stayed there after the turn onto Dye Rd and around to Warnock Dr and San Vicente Rd. We turned right on Hanson Ln, then left on Ashley Rd, whicdh connects into 7th St. We rode to Elm St, skipping the first rest stop and keeping on to W Haverford Rd, taking it over to the 78. Down the 78, both John and Dave got out ahead again, I just can't keep with them on the downhills. I was slower on the turns, still not wanting to get into a situation where I was carrying too much speed and having to make a sharper turn. They stayed out ahead until I reeled them in on the flats before Bandy Canyon Rd. We stayed on the 78 and rode together until the base of the hill climbing out of the valley. My cyclometer had quit reading my speed for a second time, so I don't know how I did on this little climb. It felt okay but not super fast. I waited for them at the top, then we continued down to BVP, taking it to Beethoven Dr and using the route behind the mall to get to Del Lago Blvd and onto the freeway. I had put space between them again on the little climb over the freeway, then some more on the climb before the park. We stopped at this rest stop, where they were just opening up. Refueled with a couple of cookies and some Gatorade, then we continued on. Up W Bernardo Dr, where I was slowing down due to the heat. low humidity, and starting to feel tired. Turned on RB Rd and rode over to Camino San Bernardo, again out on my own. Then it was down to Dove Canyon Rd and onto Carmel Valley Rd. I was able to keep my speed above 10 mph for this climb, but it was a struggle. I waited for them to catch up at the top, then we rode together on the downhill and around to Camino del Sur. As soon as it started to climb a little, they fell back, so I dug in and rode solo up to Camino del Norte, where there were a couple of 50-mile riders. I turned onto Pomerado Rd and waited for them. We rode together down Pomerado and through the turn onto Metate Ln. Around this time, my left inner thigh started balking a little bit, and I got worried that it might get worse. I dialed it back a little bit, slowing up to the turn onto Community Rd. We rode together to Poway Rd, then I kicked in for the last stretch to go for the best possible time and benefiting from a tailwind and a slight downhill. Turned on Aubrey, then another turn on Midland Rd to the finish, completing the ride in 3:25:03. I left it pretty much all out on the course (see heartrate below!), but my legs held up until the end without cramping, just barely. After a short rest, we headed over to Smoothie King, where Ann met us for some much needed cold refreshment.
Avg speed = 18.0 mph. Total mileage =61.4 mi
Avg heartrate = 157 bpm
Total elevation gain = 3020'
