07-28-2014 Ride

Solo ride after work and after dinner, since Ann was going to work out at the gym.  I headed through the neighborhood and up to RB Rd,  taking an easy pace.  It was warm enough to build up a sweat but not overly hot.  I headed over to W Bernardo Dr using Via del Campo, then got onto Bernardo Center Dr to take it to Camino del Norte.  The wind was coming in from the west at a fairly brisk clip, and it was a definite help on the stretches where I rode to the east.  I rode over to Carmel Mountain Rd and then turned on Rancho Carmel Dr, taking it all the way to Poway Rd at a fast pace.  The stretch up Poway Rd to Pomerado Rd was also fast with the wind at my back.  I took the little jog on Oak Knoll Rd, then got onto Pomerado Rd.  Here, the wind was coming slightly at me, which slowed my down a little bit.  I took it all the way down to the freeway, then back home by the park.  I caught a greater number of lights than usual on this ride.

Avg speed = 17.2 mph. Total mileage = 20.4 mi
Total elevation gain = 1100'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/487218524

07-27-2014 Ride

Time trial ride with John up to Jim's place, where we met him and continued on.  For me, nothing remarkable about this ride, not too fast but maintaining a decent pace throughout.  On the downhill from work on W Bernardo Dr, I was in the rear, and a car almost turned in front of John, which would have wiped him out and probably led to a pileup crash for me and Jim.  Luckily, the guy woke up just in time to stop rather than turn right.  Finished in 1:01:30.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 17.8 mi
Total elevation gain = 1040'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/486015514

07-26-2014 Ride

Solo ride initially, heading over the freeway and up BVP to Encino Dr, which has more of an incline than I had remembered.  I took it to 17th Ave, turned and rode over to Juniper St.  I made good time over the little crest here.  Took Juniper down to 5th Ave, then connected back to Centre City Pkwy.  I started heading back to Dave's house, turning on Felicita Ave and then onto Brotherton Rd, taking it back toward his place.  I met up with him, John, and Jim, and we headed out on the road that goes by the Kroeker's house.  It got a little steep, then a lot steep for a short section on Clarence Ln before heading downhill to Felicita Ave, which we took over to Via Rancho Pkwy.  We then took BVP all the way over to Citrus Ave, riding it to get to El Norte Pkwy.  At this point, I put in a short burst of high output and rode solo for awhile on the flat sections until we got to Ash St.  We rode up and over the little crest, then down to Rincon Ave, connecting to Broadway.  Then it was Jesmond Dene Rd, where John and I rode together for a little while on the slight climb before the incline increased.  I was able to keep it above 10 mph on the last little climb without getting out of the saddle, but it was a max effort to do so.  We gathered up and rode over to Deer Springs Rd, then down to Twin Oaks Valley Pkwy.  John and I got out ahead and rode at a fast clip for a little while until we stopped and waited for the others.  Then we all rode loosely together until and beyond the turn onto Barham Rd.  Dave and Jim were starting to slow down by this point, so I slowed down somewhat as well.  We rode over to Mission Rd and down to Enterprise St, using it to connect to Auto Park Way.  Over to Valley Pkwy, then up the slight rise and down to Via Rancho Pkwy.  It was warm and humid by this time, and I was sweating quite a bit.  I rode out ahead on the slight uphill sections, then waited at the top for all to gather together.  We took the downhill but turned left near the bottom, before Felicita, onto Bernardo Ln, which has a nasty little steep climb up to a stop sign for Bernardo Ave.  We headed right and down to Gamble Ln, which turns into Citracado Rd.  We took it under the freeway and turned by the fruit stand onto Miller Ave, which intersects Brotherton Rd, back to Dave's house.  He had peach smoothies ready for us at his place, and they went down really smoothly.  I rode back home the normal way, except that I had to take the bike path across the lake due to some road construction at the entrance onto the freeway.  This ride ended up having more climbing than I thought it would, and with the weather factor, I didn't ride as fast as I would have liked.  However, my legs held up all the way through.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 51.0 mi
Total elevation gain = 2860'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/484839906

07-25-2014 Ride

Stationary bike ride before work, finally able to get a decent internet connection that allowed me to watch parts of two Dr Who episodes on Netflix.  I was able to ride 11.2 mi in the first half but dropped off slightly in the second.  Not as high a cardiac output effort at the previous week, though.

Total mileage = 22.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 153 bpm
Total calories burned = 780

07-22-2014 Ride

Solo ride in the evening over to yoga, following the normal route.  The wind was blowing more from the north and west than usual, so it was much more difficult to ride up BVP at a fast pace.  Same thing for when I turned off and started heading toward downtown.  Other than that, it was an uneventful ride.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 10.7 mi
Total elevation gain = 730'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/481270802

07-20-2014 Ride

Solo initial ride in the morning, heading through the neighborhood to RB Rd and out to Camino del Sur.  I rode over to Carmel Valley Rd, feeling okay but not super strong.  A decent push up to the crest by the small climb near Black Mountain Rd, keeping it above 10 mph the whole way but having to work at it, particularly by the intersection there.  Then it was down to Dove Canyon Rd and back toward 4S Ranch, turning on Camino del Norte and riding up to Camino San Bernardo to get back to RB Rd.  Over and down to W Bernardo Dr, taking it down to Aguamiel Rd and back home that way.  I met up with John, and we rode up to Jim's house to meet him and ride the time trial route.  No real noteworthy events on the ride, as I generally stayed with them except for a short stretch before the turn onto Poway Rd where I pushed it to the stops, as well as some separation on the little climbs on Sabre Springs Pkwy and Rancho Carmel Dr.  John rode fast on the last stretch on W Bernardo Dr, and I was able to hang on his wheel with an effort.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 35.1 mi
Avg heartrate = 133 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2550'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/478468782

07-19-2014 Ride

Frustrating day for me.  I was planning on getting out early for a ride before meeting up with Dave, John, and Jim at Jim's house.  When I went into the garage, I had a rear flat, so I fixed it with a tube that had been patched but looked okay.  It also had a slow leak, so I replaced it with another one, again patched, and started my ride.  I headed up through the neighborhood to RB Rd stayed on it through the intersection at Camino del Norte, where it turns into Lone Quail Rd.  I rode up to Dove Canyon Rd, then turned left and noticed that my rear tire was going flat.  I stopped at the intersection with Camino del Norte and fixed it, then headed back at a hurry to meet up with the others.  It wasn't too much longer that my rear tire went flat, so I coasted to the intersection with RB Rd and called Ann to ask her to come pick me up.  Done for the day.

Avg speed = 14 mph. Total mileage = 4.8 mi
Total elevation gain = 400'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/477455720

07-18-2014 Ride

Solo ride on Friday morning, leaving the house a little after 5:30.  It was still a little dark when I started, so I had my lights on.  Headlight was low on batteries so not much use.  I headed down by the park and up Pomerado Rd to Poway Rd.  Not a screamingly fast pace, but I felt my cadence was good.  It felt like the wind was coming from the east on the Poway Rd section, and I cruised on the flats here.  Intentional slowing down on Sabre Springs Pkwy and Rancho Carmel Dr, not wanting to push it too hard and suffer on the Saturday ride.  I turned on Carmel Mountain Rd at the light and rode to Camino del Norte, following the time trial route home.  Had a good strong first push up the little incline after the turn but I didn't take it all the way to the crest.  On W Bernardo Dr, I rode down to Aguamiel Rd and finished with the little climb, really strong on this section with legs feeling good.

Avg speed = 18.1 mph. Total mileage = 19.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 133 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1070'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/476603972

07-16-2014 Ride

Stationary bike ride before work, 22.8 mi in an hour at level 13. I couldn't get a steady video or music stream, so I just rode and focused on my effort.  I made 11.2 mi in the first half and 11.6 in the second.  I could tell toward the end that my effort level was dropping off.  My heartrate in the second half probably didn't drop below 160 bpm, so it was a sustained high output effort.

Total mileage = 22.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 158 bpm
Total calories burned = 800

07/13/2014 Ride

Time trial ride with John.  We both were feeling the effects of the previous day's ride, so we started out slow.  I resolved to basically stay with John's pace, and so we rode together over to Pomerado Rd and up to Poway Rd.  On the section past the hospital, John was setting a pretty fast pace, and we traded leads.  It was a little slower on Poway Rd, and I took it slow up Sabre Springs Pkwy and Rancho Carmel Dr.  Even still, I got out ahead of John by a little bit.  We rode on Camino del Norte together, with just a little separation near the top of that little crest.  John pushed the pace on the rest of the ride and came up just short of a PR.  I finished in 1:02:40.

Total mileage = 17.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 132 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1060'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/471514646

07-12-2014 Ride

Ride over to John's house in the morning, following the normal route using Pomerado Rd.  I set a steady pace and was feeling pretty good, so I made decent time riding over there.  We headed over to Scripps-Poway Pkwy and up to the 67.  On the initial climb, I was able to keep my pace above 10 mph, which isn't all that common for me.  On the second climb, I kept up a pretty good pace, not scorching.  We gathered together at the top and then headed down toward Lakeside.  On the last steeper climb, I hit a rock with my front wheel that jarred me pretty good but luckily did no damage other than to knock my speed sensor out of alignment.  I stopped at the bottom and adjusted it, then raced to catch up with John ahead of me.  We headed over Riverside Dr to Riverford Rd and El Nopal to Magnolia Ave, using it to connect to Mast Blvd.  The ups and downs on this road weren't as bad as I had remembered them, and I had a pretty good riding section here.  We then rode on the 52 bike trail over to Santo Rd.  This road has a steady climb that's a little over 2 miles long, and I was able to chase down 4 riders who had started a fair amount ahead of us.  John and I met up at the crest and rode together down to Santo Rd, taking it over to Tierrasanta Blvd, which turns into Balboa Ave.  Took a right on Ruffin Rd and rode over to Kearny Villa Rd.  There is a short climbing section at the beginning, then it's generally flat to uphill all the way to the top of Pomerado Rd.  John and I rode together for most of the Pomerado section.  When it started to get steeper near the top, this guy in a Navy jersey passed me, so I latched onto his wheel and followed his pace.  He tried to shake me near the top, but I was able to pass him and finish this little climb with a flourish.  John and I then rode back to his place, where I had a quick soda before heading toward home.  I rode back to Poway Rd, then followed the time trial route back to Bernardo Center Dr.  I was tired and feeling the effects of the combination of temperature and humidity.  I decided to continue on Camino del Norte to pick up my contact lens order at EyeLux in the shopping center by Dove Canyon Rd.  Then I headed home, at a fairly slow pace, riding over to RB Rd, then down to W Bernardo Dr and home the normal way.  Legs held out okay, as did my cardio.  I just need to work on my endurance and ability to maintain a steady pace at higher cardio output for longer periods.

Avg speed = 16.9 mph. Total mileage = 62.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 137 bpm
Total elevation gain = 4570'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/470827338

07-11-2014 Ride

Stationary bike ride in the morning before work, riding at level 13 for an hour and watching an episode of the Office, then listening to music.  I put in a significantly higher level of effort in the second half hour, not as distracted by listening to music than by watching a video.  I had a nice strong finish as well.

Total mileage = 22.0 mi
Avg heartrate = 150 bpm
Total calories burned = 770

07-06-2014 Ride

I was originally planning on riding solo, but Jim sent out a text to find out if anybody was riding.  So we connected and rode the time trial route, starting from his house around 6:45.  The pace was slow, as he hadn't been riding lately.  We rode together up to Pomerado Rd and over to Poway Rd.  I kept my pace at the level to match his, and he caught me up on how his vacation went.  We stayed basically together down to Sabre Springs Pkwy, where I got out ahead.  I wasn't riding too fast, but his pace was slow.  We continued riding on Rancho Carmel Dr, with me getting out in front on the way up to Carmel Mountain Rd.  I would get out ahead on the little climbs, then wait for him to catch up, with some breaks for him to recover.  Back home the normal way.  Finished in 1:08:05.

Total mileage = 17.9 mi
Avg heartrate = 114 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1050'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/464495474

07-05-2014 Ride

Solo ride in the early morning, leaving home just before 6:00 to get done early and avoid rising temperatures in the day.  I headed through the neighborhood onto RB Rd and down to Dove Canyon Rd, taking it over to Bernardo Center Dr and Carmel Valley Rd.  I was not that fast on the section up to Black Mountain Rd, turning left here and riding all the way until it turned into Kearny Villa Rd.  I got onto Pomerado Rd and rode it up to the top of the hill, not able to push a fast cadence but keeping the pedals moving okay.  Early on this stretch, I was riding into the sun, and it was at an angle that made me squint quite a bit.  Then it was down into Poway, using a steady pace but no effort to push it hard.  I took this road all the way down to the freeway and then rode back home the normal way by the park.  I had a good small push up the hill before the park, probably benefiting from not having to fight the modest breeze that had been in my face while riding north.  No big push at the finish, just happy to have gotten my miles in for the day.  My cardio looked really good on this ride, probably because of the previous day's ride and my slower pace on this day.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 28.8 mi
Avg heartrate = 125 bpm
Total elevation gain = 1980'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/463561480

2014 Scripps Ranch Old Pros Ride

Dave gave me a ride over to the starting point for the ride, where we geared up and met up with John.  We were near the lead group at the start of the ride, and it was a large group that was able to hang together, due in part to lucky timing at some stop lights.  I was able to stay in this group without a huge effort, but it was dicey avoiding all of the riders in close company as well as the road conditions.  We rode to Camino Ruiz, and there was initially some separation here, but the peloton came back together on Calle Cristobal.  I was in the middle of the group, while John and Dave were more on the outside, having to work a little harder to stay there.  I saw John every once in awhile but not Dave.  The downhill into Sorrento Valley was fast but not too scary.  More separation on Vista Sorrento Pkwy, where I worked to get a little closer to the front.  I actually led for a short period just before the turn onto Carmel Mountain Rd, but I dropped back  at the turn onto El Camino Real, where some guy came really close on my right side at the turn.  I stayed with the group up to the top and down into the flats by San Dieguito Rd.  I was working hard to stay with the group, not really feeling strong enough to push up to the front.  Stayed with them onto El Apajo and then Via de la Valle, keeping in there on the little climb up to Paseo Delicias.  By this time, the group was spread out, and I was toward the back end.  I stayed here to the base of the climb up Del Dios, giving it a very good effort on my part up this climb, particularly the first part.  At the turn  onto Via Rancho Pkwy, I stopped to wait for John and Dave, as we had agreed earlier.  It was about a 20-minute wait.  We rested briefly, then kept going.  I got some more separation and waited for them by the freeway, where we crossed and got onto Pomerado Rd.  We started on this section together, and I kept a decent pace but not super fast.  It was warm and quite humid, and I was sweating with my effort.  I got out ahead and rode to the last sag stop by Twin Peaks Rd, where I waited a couple of minutes for them, having some Gatorade and a couple of pieces of banana.  We continued on, more separation for me on this gradual climb up to the steeper climb to the top of Pomerado Rd.  I made a decent run on this latter climb but not great.  Kept my speed above 8 mph but couldn't do any better on this day.  We gathered back together at the top and rode down together for much of this section.  I kept a fast pace even on the downhill, feeling good in my legs and wanting to have a solid finish.  On the last little climbs at Willow Creek Rd and Carroll Canyon Rd/Scripps Ranch Blvd, as well as Scripps Lake Dr, I pushed myself to drive hard.  The finish was downhill, and I was able to complete the ride in 2:30:01, feeling pretty good about this time.  My legs held up really well, no cramping or tightness at all.  I pushed my cardio several times during the ride, getting up to 175 bpm in stretches when I rode to stay with the lead group in the first half of the ride.

Avg speed = 19.7 mph. Total mileage = 49.4 mi
Avg heartrate = 153 bpm
Total elevation gain = 3220'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/462946958

07-01-2014 Ride

Solo ride on a weekday morning when I took a vacation day.  Ann and I went to the fair later in the day.  I rode out through the neighborhood, onto RB Rd and then down to Camino del Sur.  Took it to San Dieguito Rd and headed down into Fairbanks Ranch.  It was pretty foggy, with some intermittent mist.  Around the flats to El Camino Real, then up into Del Mar Heights.  I was able to keep it above 10.5 mph on this climb, working hard but feeling good.  Down to the 56 bike trail, which I took all the way to Rancho Penasquitos Rd.  Through the traffic by the freeway and on Poway Rd until I got up near Pomerado Rd, where I stopped at the Starbucks and had a coffee and a break.  Then it was down Pomerado Rd to the freeway.  I saw that I still needed a little more distance to get to 40 miles, so I headed over the freeway and then took the bike trail back over Lake Hodges.  Then it was back home the normal way by the park.  Legs felt fine the rest of the day, but I was pretty tired walking around the fairgrounds.

Avg speed = 17.8 mph. Total mileage = 41.2 mi
Avg heartrate = 136 bpm
Total elevation gain = 2520'
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/459934038