09-29-2021 Ride

Solo ride on a mid-week day off, we went to the Wild Animal Park later.  Just a steady pace throughout, nothing pushy.  Down by the park and across to Pomerado Rd, taking it up to RB Rd and turning left to head up to Espola Rd.  Turned left onto Lake Poway Dr and rode up to the entrance, it's steeper than I had remembered.  Then back down, continuing to Twin Peaks Rd until it turned into Camino del Norte, following the time trial route home from there.  When I turned on Aguamiel Rd, there was water on the road so I swung wide and into the path of a car, thankfully nothing happened.

Avg speed = 16.4 mph. Total mileage = 21.9 mi

Avg heartrate = 125 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1540'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6038034966

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/43129012693

09-26-2021 Ride

Solo ride in the late afternoon, no early morning Sunday ride on this day.  Instead, I headed over the pedestrian bridge to BVP and rode up to Peet Ln, don't think I've ever been on that road.  Turned north on it, and it was pretty steep, some 10+% gradient there.  Then I turned onto Ranchito Rd and took it back to BVP.  Out all the way to the end, then out Valley Pkwy to Hidden Trails Rd, taking it up to the first turn and then turning around to head back.  Retraced my route back to Citrus Ave, turning there and taking this alternate route back.  To BVP and back over the freeway and the normal route home.  It was a cool day, overcast, but I was sweating from the effort.

Avg speed = 16.? mph. Total mileage = 20.6 mi

Avg heartrate = 125 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1100'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6025427101

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/43084321789

09-25-2021 Ride

Ride over to Robert's house, where I met up with him and then with Gideon at his house before heading over to the Target in 4S Ranch to meet up with the others.  14 riders in total on this day: Gideon, Robert, Ray, George (his first ride with the group), Mer, Gary, Andy, Edson, Ferdie (his first ride with the group), Perse, Audrey (her first ride with the group), Jhonar, Kamal, and me.  There was a greater range of riding fitness on this day, and it slowed the pace down a little.  I also was much more intentional about fueling during the ride, and it made a huge difference.  Out Camino del Sur to San Dieguito Rd, Gideon had a flat on the little climb beforehand, so Ray, Robert, and I rode back to make sure it was all okay.  Then it was down into the flats, where we had a long pace line to get over to El Camino Real, taking it to Via de la Valle and then to Calzada del Bosque.  This is a short, sharp climb up to Linea del Cielo, and I got up to the top first.  Then it was over to PCH via Lomas Santa Fe, turning right and stopping for a break before continuing.  On the way out, Gideon and I got a late start and were behind the lead group, and we tried to catch up to them when they were riding at pace.  He made it, I didn't.  But I caught them at a light and stayed with them.  Out to La Costa Ave, where we had another break before turning around here.  Another rest break at the 7-Eleven in Leucadia before heading back south.  I felt strong and successfully attacked on each of the little climbs.  Mer is a strong climber and is building up her endurance to keep pushing.  Through Del Mar to Carmel Valley Rd and then over to the 56 bike path.  Folks were slowing down a little bit here, I was still feeling pretty good.  Another break at the cul-de-sac area, same as last week, before we continued up to Carmel Valley Rd, turning left here and taking a different way back to Camino del Sur.  Ray was leading out here, and I tried to keep in contact with him, it was a struggle.  On that last little climb up to Camino del Sur, a lead group was pacing, and then Ray and I attacked and got free of the others.  I hung with him for a while, even passed him briefly, but he was too strong and I fell back.  Audrey had a flat at the base of that hill, so we ended up waiting at the turn for the others to join.  Gideon, Ferdie, and George had cut their route short in Encinitas, and we got back together with them on the 56 bike path, but by this time some folks were hurting.  A group got out in front of the others on the way back, and I hung with this group, which whittled down to Gideon, Ray, Robert, and me.  Gideon got out ahead, and I kept trying to push myself to close the gap without much success until the end, when he slowed down.  After the end, a group stopped for pizza at Marco's, and I joined them by riding over.  The last little ride home was short and slow, it was an overall good day on the bike for me.  I'll have to pay more attention in the future to how and when I attack, as sometimes others are expecting us to ride as a group.  It's difficult for me to slow my pace down on the climbs, might need to dial it back a little.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 56.9 mi

Avg heartrate = 133 bpm

Total elevation gain = 2750'

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/43056052072

09-23-2021 Ride

Solo ride after work, nobody else was available.  Headed out Bernardo Center Dr to Carmel Valley Rd and up and over to Camino del Sur.  Then out to the end of that road, where they are building an extension further south into a new subdivision.  Then I turned around and headed back, turning left on Lazanja Dr and riding through that area until I came to a dead end, turning around and retracing my route.  Then it was back to Paseo del Sur, riding through that neighborhood and continuing on across Camino del Sur to follow a route we had taken before through 4S Ranch.  Then it was back home via the neighborhood.  Felt okay on this ride, it was a little warmer than I thought it would be.  No real hard pushes, just trying to keep a steady pace.

Avg speed = 16.9 mph. Total mileage = 19.3 mi

Avg heartrate = 129 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1270'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6009290619

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42988149420

09-21-2021 Ride

Solo time trial on a Tuesday morning during Sukkot, so no early meetings.  I pushed hard on this ride and was able to keep a good pace for the first half or so.  Slowed down on the second half but kept pushing for a good time.  Not much left at the top of that last little hill on Camino del Norte, still room to improve my stamina and keep my pace higher throughout the ride.  Finished in 58:40, which I believe is a new Post-Israel PR for me.

Avg speed = 18.2 mph. Total mileage = 17.8 mi

Avg heartrate = 132 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1090'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5995904173

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42954156703

09-19-2021 Ride

Time trial route with Jim, spending a fair amount of the time that didn't involve climbing talking about COVID-19 response philosophy.  So these flatter sections of the ride were slower.  Finished in 1:08, legs were tired from the previous day's exertions.

Avg speed = 15.7 mph. Total mileage = 17.9 mi

Avg heartrate = 112 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1110'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5986973712

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42871588544

09-18-2021 Ride

Solo ride generally through the neighborhood to Robert's house, didn't see him, so I rode up to the tee with Matinal Rd and then back down, seeing Gideon coming out of his house, we then rode back to Robert's to meet him.  Up to the Target parking lot meeting spot, where there were a number of other riders:  Arnold, Andy, Ray, Perce, Charlie, Kam.  We started on the same route as the previous week, down through the flats by the Fairbanks Ranch CC and over to El Camino Real to get to Via de la Valle, where we turned right and rode up to Paseo Delicias, then did the reverse stud loop to get back to Paseo Delicias, turning right to get to a left onto El Montevideo and then a right onto Lago Lindo to ride up to El Camino del Norte.  From there, it was a little climb and then a steady, fast downhill ride to Rancho Santa Fe Rd, turning right and taking another little climb until we dropped down to Olivenhaim Rd.  This turns into Leucadia Blvd, which we followed down to PCH, stopping just before for a break at a 7-Eleven.  I was feeling pretty good, weather was milder than the previous week but the route was tougher.  Gideon and Andy had turned back earlier, so we were 7 riders when we got onto PCH.  Everybody was generally staying together and riding at a good clip as we stayed on this route, with a short jaunt to avoid some of the traffic lights in Encinitas.  I set the pace on the climb into Del Mar and through the town, turning left onto Carmel Valley Rd and using the normal route to get to the 56 bike path.  Here, in the initial stretch, others took the lead and I followed.  We stopped at the cul de sac by the underpass for another break before getting onto the 56 bike trail again.  On the stretch up to Camino del Sur, we were generally slower, and I was feeling the effects of the pace.  Kam and I traded leads, and I got to the turn in front, but with an effort.  From there, we followed Camino del Sur back to the starting point, and I ran out of gas around the first turn onto Paseo del Sur, slowing down significantly until the end.  I just ran out of energy, legs weren't cramping (thankfully), need to have a better plan for fueling during these long, challenging rides.  From there, it was home via the neighborhood, slowly, as I was pretty much done.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 61.0 mi

Avg heartrate = 134 bpm

Total elevation gain = 3350'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5981582702

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42870965069

09-16-2021 Ride

Afternoon ride after work with Justin and Robert, keeping the pace down.  Same route as the previous week with Blair, it was nice weather for a ride.

Avg speed = 14.5 mph. Total mileage = 15.5 mi

Avg heartrate = 122 bpm

Total elevation gain = 900'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5972483094

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42873636958

09-12-2021 Ride

Time trial ride from home with Dave and John, taking it slow because of my bigger effort the previous day.  A little slower pace this time than last week.  Finished around 1:09.

Avg speed = 15.4 mph. Total mileage = 17.9 mi

Avg heartrate = 111 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1100'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5949193689

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42727472426

09-11-2021 Ride

A notable ride on this, the 20th anniversary of 9/11.  I rode through the neighborhood up to where Capilla Rd cuts into Matinal Rd, meeting up with Robert and his neighbor Gideon Abraham, who is affiliated with a San Diego cycling club, Bisikleta Club of San Diego.  We rode up to RB Rd and then over to the Target in 4S Ranch, where we met up with other club members: Andy, Arnold, Jed, Charlie, and Kamal.  Gideon tried to get everybody on board with maintaining some semblance of a pace line, but it didn't work so well.  Headed out Camino del Sur, riding up to San Dieguito Rd.  Gideon showed he is a climber on that little rise up before the turn.  We rode down into the flats by Fairbanks Ranch, forming something of a pace line with four of us, at a pretty fast pace for me.  At the turn right onto El Camino Real, Gideon tried to get everybody to slow down and maintain an 18-20 mph pace.  It worked for a while, over to Via de la Valle and taking it to the Coast Hwy.  Once there, the pace was faster but generally manageable for me.  The group spread out some, not too bad, and we rode to the La Costa turnoff for a short break there, deciding to continue riding into Carlsbad.  Stopped at the Starbucks there for a break, then headed back the way we came, stopping for a longer break at a 7-11 in Leucadia, where I had a candy bar and some Gatorade.  The group was spreading out more now, with a couple of riders falling back.  We slowed down a little bit, not a lot, and rode back to Via de la Valle.  By this point, I was feeling it but my legs were holding up.  Retraced our route back to the flats, where a group of us rode a pace line in a decent fashion until another stop before making the Three Witches climb.  I was slower up the climb than in past efforts, but I still finished right at the front, along with Arnold, who came from nowhere on the last climb to catch me.  Four of us split from the others on the gradual climb on Camino del Sur.  I was feeling some twinges in the backs of my thighs, but they didn't come to anything.  We split up at the Target parking lot, and we rode at a slower pace back into the neighborhood, first to Gideon's house on Capilla Rd and then me and Robert to his house on Palacios Ct.  From there I rode down to Poblado Rd and then to W Bernardo Dr, home the normal way from there.  This was my longest ride since coming back, and it was a pretty fast one too.

Avg speed = 17.2 mph. Total mileage = 60.2 mi

Avg heartrate = 138 bpm

Total elevation gain = 2280'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5944209407

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42728187452

09-09-2021 Ride

Ride with Blair in the afternoon after work.  He had been experiencing some knee pain when he rode last, so we stayed nearby and flat.  Down W Bernardo Dr past the park and then to Pomerado Rd, turning left onto Highland Valley Rd and riding the flats the the first little part of the climb before stopping and turning back.  At the bottom of the climb, Blair tried to avoid the ruts in the road and ended up going into the sand on the side.  He was fine but shaken up.  We headed back to Pomerado Rd and then rode up to Higa Pl, shortening the ride somewhat.  To Lomica Dr and over to Bernardo Center Dr, then back to work with that short climb up to the parking lot.

Avg speed = 15.3 mph. Total mileage = 15.5 mi

Avg heartrate = 124 bpm

Total elevation gain = 900'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5934937549

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42667184608

09-06-2021 Ride

Tour de Labor, starting from my house with John and Jim.  We rode over to the pedestrian bridge over Lake Hodges, then took BVP to Beethoven Dr behind the mall and used that route to get onto Escondido Blvd.  We took this route through downtown to the parking lot by the cinema, where we met up with Joe.  From there we headed out Valley Pkwy to 9th Ave, then over to Harmony Grove Rd.  Out to Elfin Forest Rd and up into San Elijo Hills.  I was feeling pretty good and was able to keep it above 10 mph all the way into the village.  The others, particularly John, also put in a good effort, so we decided to ride up San Elijo Rd toward Double Peak.  John, Joe, and I rode up to Double Peak Dr, where I rode up a little bit while I waited for the others.  Jim met us on the way down, and we continued into the village, then heading back the way we came.  I felt pretty good on the little climbs on the way back, and we decided to turn right on Harmony Grove Village Dr to take it to Citracado Pkwy and get back to Valley Pkwy.  From there, we headed back to the meet-up spot with Joe, dropped him off, then rode Centre City Pkwy back toward home.  John and Jim were slower, I was still feeling okay.  Made good, not great, time over the freeway and stayed above 10 mph on the climb toward the park.  Then I was slow back to my house, where we split up and only Jim and I rode to his house for smoothies.  Was a good ride for me, pretty hot by the time we finished.

Avg speed = 14.7 mph. Total mileage = 38.0 mi

Avg heartrate = 117 bpm

Total elevation gain = 2460'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5916401986

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42554553836

09-05-2021 Ride

Time trial ride with Jim, John, and Dave, who I hadn't ridden with since before his knee surgery.  We took it slow, but Dave did just fine, showing signs of slowness on the uphill stretches.  Finished in 1:08 or so, but who cares on this ride.

Avg speed = 15.5 mph. Total mileage = 17.8 mi

Avg heartrate = 120 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1110'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5910796846

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42556922681

09-04-2021 Ride

Ride from home with Jim and John, heading over the freeway and over to Felicita Rd.  I intended to take the back way and stay on the west side of the freeway but didn't go far enough, so we ended up on Felicita Rd heading into Escondido.  Left on Tulip St, but I found out it doesn't go through, so we got onto Redwood St to get over to 9th Ave.  Stayed on 9th until we got to Valley Pkwy, where Jim found that his rear brake was rubbing and thought it couldn't be fixed.  So he bowed out and John and I continued, over to Harmony Grove Rd and then onto Country Club Dr.  Took this road over to Auto Park Way, not as long as I thought it was, and then onto Mission Rd.  We stayed on this until turning right onto Vineyard Rd, merging into Woodward St.  Turned left onto Borden Rd and then onto Twin Oaks Valley Pkwy, heading north.  This road is slightly uphill, so it was slower.  It gets steep for just a little bit before the freeway, but I made it up okay, and from there it was a straight shot back through Escondido and home.  Felt decent on this ride, although I would have liked to have done better on the climb up Deer Springs to the freeway.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph. Total mileage = 33.3

Avg hearrate = 125 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1700'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5905149031

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42550010707

09-02-2021 Ride

Ride after work with Robert and Justin, Blair and James were on vacation.  Justin and I headed out Via del Campo to RB Rd, where we met up with Robert and continued to Camino del Sur.  Rode past and then turned right, getting onto Paseo del Sur to take the more shaded route back to Camino del Sur.  Took this road all the way to the 56 bike path, and Justin was riding well, a little slower than us but we basically took turns staying close to him.  Back on the bike path to Black Mountain Rd, and I had a really good stretch climbing this little bit, with a tailwind that felt like somebody was pushing me in the back.  We stayed together on Black Mountain Rd to Carmel Valley Rd, then took it down to Dove Canyon Rd.  Again, taking it slower on the little climbs, with Justin hanging in there great.  Back to RB Rd, retracing our route and splitting with Robert at the same meet-up place.  No crazy efforts here other than the sustained pull on the bike path, but it was a good day.

Avg speed = 14.3 mph. Total mileage = 19.5 mi

Avg heartrate = 116 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1260'

https://www.strava.com/activities/5896370340

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/42489617973