02-26-2022 Ride

Solo ride over to Gideon's house, where I met him and we rode together to the 4S Target.  This ride featured the following riders: Ray, Mer, her friend Darryl, Kamal, Jamil (joined us by the community park), Andy, Darnell, Mohammad, James, Zac and his girlfriend Joey (they ended up riding separately), Jed, and Gideon.  We headed over to RB Rd and down to W Bernardo Dr, turning north and taking the pedestrian bridge over the freeway.  Then it was up BVP to Valley Pkwy and over to Lake Wohlford Rd.  On that climb, I couldn't keep up with Mer or Jed, but it was a big effort for me.  We continued on Lake Wohlford Rd to Woods Valley Rd, at which point Andy, Gideon, and eventually Darnell headed back.  A break at a gas station, then we rode to Lilac Rd and headed west.  There was a consistently fast group on this day, and I hung with them, even finishing at the front of the little climb once we got onto Old Castle Rd.  My front wheel was wobbling again on the steep sections of the downhill afterward, so I rode the brakes and then did my best to catch up with the rest of the riders once we hit the flats.  The climb on Champagne Blvd was challenging.  I caught and passed everybody, including Mer near the top, but I ran out of gas and both she and Jed got back ahead of me.  We continued on after regrouping, turning left onto Jesmond Dene Rd and taking it over to Broadway.  Some of us made the turn onto Country Club Ln, but others missed it and the pack got separated.  A short break to try, unsuccessfully, to find a restroom, then five of us - me, Ray, Jed, Mer, and Darryl - continued at high pace on Centre City Pkwy, suffering through the stops at lights.  Left on Citracado Pkwy, then right onto Escondido Blvd to head down to Kit Carson Park and Beethoven Dr, getting over to BVP and then to the bike trail, where the others were waiting for us.  Back home the normal way, really feeling it in my legs on the little climb before the park but leading the way.  I turned off at Aguamiel Rd rather than ride all the way back to the group start location, was glad I did because it was a hard riding day for me this time.

Avg speed = 16.2 mph. Total mileage = 57.5 mi

Avg heartrate = 121 bpm

Total elevation gain = 3570'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6742718096

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/46245290478

02-21-2022 Ride

Solo ride over to Dave's house, for a Presidents' Day ride with him and John.  No Jim, who backed out when he woke up feeling sick.  Normal way over there via going behind the mall.  I made pretty good time to get over, feeling in good shape.  We headed south on Alexander Dr to Citracado Pkwy, turning right and taking it down to Bernardo Ave, where we turned left.  Then a right onto Hamilton Ln, which has a short, steep little section before the turn onto Eucalyptus Ave, where there is another short little climb.  Then it drops down to Via Rancho Pkwy, where we turned and headed over to Del Dios Hwy.  Down toward Rancho Santa Fe, and on the downhill by the dam, in swirling winds, my front wheel and fork started vibrating, due to some kind of resonance thing with the wind, I guess.  I slowed down, got control, then rode to catch up with the others.  Right onto El Camino del Norte, noting that Dave was starting to slow down.  Took this road over to Rancho Santa Fe Rd, turning right and taking that little climb easier than usual.  Then we headed up Rancho Santa Fe Rd toward San Elijo Hills, and I made good time on this section, with a quickening breeze at my back to help push me up the gradual climb.  Dave took a while to make the climb, and he was definitely slowing down.  Up San Elijo Rd and then right onto Elfin Forest Rd, slowing down on the slight climb before it started to drop down toward Harmony Grove Rd.  John and I paused several times to allow Dave to catch up.  Right on Harmony Grove Village Pkwy to get over to Citracado Pkwy, where we turned left onto Via Rancho Pkwy and rode up to 11th Ave, taking a right there.  There was another steep pitch to climb, not long but challenging.  Then it was onto Bernardo Ave, heading down before we had to get by a car barrier, after which there was another steep little climb, the last one, before we turned left onto Gamble Ln / Citracado Pkwy.  Back to Alexander Dr and then to Dave's house.  He was wiped out at the end, ran out of gas somewhere on Rancho Santa Fe Rd and just gutted it out for the rest of the way.  I kept going, not wanting to get caught in the changing weather.  Back home the normal way, keeping it above 10 mph on the climb before the park, into a stiff breeze, then seeing Pat Harnett after the turn onto Aguamiel Rd and stopping for a few minutes to talk to him.  I tried to push through on this last little climb, directed into the wind but couldn't quite do it.  Still, I felt good on this ride, some evidence of payoff from recent rides building my core cycling power.

Avg speed = 15.9 mph. Total mileage = 40.6 mi

Avg heartrate = 121 bpm

Total elevation gain = 3060'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6718191129

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/46122453384

02-20-2022 Ride

Solo ride after church, didn't want to ride early when it was still cold.  Down by the park and then over to Highland Valley Rd.  Originally intended to ride the flats and turn around, but I ended up riding the first climb and out to Bandy Canyon Rd before turning around.  Took it slow.  Back to Pomerado Rd, feeling a headwind coming from the southwest.  Then it was up to Ted Williams Pkwy, turning right there and getting over to the time trial route.  I followed it home except for the earlier turn onto Carmel Mountain Rd, where the wind was at my back for a change.  Nice easy ride on a pretty winter day.

Avg speed = 15.2 mph. Total mileage = 1680'

Avg heartrate = 132 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1680'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6713729247

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/46111319609

02-19-2022 Ride

Ride with Bisikleta, headed through the neighborhood my usual way and up to the 4S Ranch Target.  Other riders were: Ray, Perse, Gideon, Audrey, Andy, Darnell (new rider that Andy met last week while waiting for me and Robert along the 56 bike trail), Kamal, Jamil, Jed, and Cam.  We headed out Camino del Sur to the 56 bike trail and took it heading east up to Black Mountain Rd.  Then it was down to Mercy Rd, where we turned left and rode this little climb up to the freeway and just beyond, turning right onto Scripps Highland Dr.  This road climbs at a pretty good grade, turning into Trail Crest Dr, and I was able to mark Cam up the climb and pass him at the summit.  Was feeling pretty good on this day.  Left onto Stony Ridge Way, taking it until turning right onto Swan Lake Dr.  Left on Farmingdale St, and then another left onto Scripps Ranch Blvd, at which point I really didn't know where I was on the map.  Right onto Spring Canyon Rd and up to the summit by Pomerado Rd, where we rode down and took a right at the light onto Stonebridge Pkwy.  This is a really nice riding road, with some rollers that presented a challenge and a climb at the end that was challenging.  From there, we rode down Via Santa Pradera until it hit a dead end, where we got onto a paved fire road, Beeler Canyon Rd, that was really steep at the beginning, I was riding my brakes most of the way until it straightened out and I could let it fly.  Bore right onto Creek Rd, which intersected Pomerado Rd near Scripps-Poway Pkwy, we stopped at a gas station for an extended break with water and drink refills.  Then it was up Scripps-Poway Pkwy to Kirkham Rd, turning right here and riding up a little climb to some more nice cycling road.  Left on Danielson St to get over to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, which we rode until turning off on the little access spur to get to Sycamore Canyon Rd.  Down this nice grade to Garden Rd, which we used to get to Poway Rd.  Folks were starting to feel the effects of the climbing, but I was still doing okay.  I was first up the climb to Espola Rd, some others were right there with me.  Espola Rd climb was slower, I kept near the lead, and then it was an enjoyable, and fast slight descent down RB Rd into the village.  We stayed on RB Rd under the freeway and then Gideon and I split off at Olmeda Way to get over to Capilla Rd and back to W Bernardo Dr, home the normal way from there.  This ride didn't have as many miles, but the ones that were there had some notable climbing, and there weren't too many flat parts.

Avg speed = 15.1 mph. Total mileage = 42.9 mi

Avg heartrate = 127 bpm

Total elevation gain = 3520'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6707975205

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/46060908366

02-13-2022 Ride

Time trial ride with Jim and John, after a lengthy time of not riding together.  Not much to report from me on this ride, I was feeling a little of it from the previous day's long ride.  But I kept up a decent pace and finished in 1:04.

Avg speed = 16.8 mph. Total mileage = 17.8 mi

Avg heartrate = 119 bpm

Total elevation gain = 1110'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6678397189

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/45952818644

02-12-2022 Ride

This ride could have turned out differently.  I wasn't planning on riding with the others due to the meeting location, then Gideon suggested we ride down to the Park n Ride to meet them, and the three of us - me, Gideon, and Robert - planned to do that.  In the morning, Gideon bowed out, so it was just me and Robert riding down toward Sorrento Valley.  He was late getting started, so I dropped the hammer for most of the way and put in an effort to get there close to on time.  Normal way to Robert's house, then up to RB Rd and left on Dove Canyon Rd.  Down to Carmel Valley Rd, taking it all the way to the 56 bike trail.  Was glad I kept my jacket and long-finger gloves on because it got cold on the bike trail by the creek.  We got to the Park n Ride off Carmel Valley Rd and met up with the others.  Here's who else I saw riding - Ray, Zac, Robert, Andy, Charlie, Julius, Jed, Perse, Arnold, and Ogie (?).  I didn't spend a lot of time chatting with the others on this ride, more focused on getting in a good workout.  We took the bike path to Sorrento Valley Rd, which is still in bad shape for riding.  Over to the bike path running parallel to I-5, I finished third after Zac and a late push from Perse.  Then we got onto Gilman Dr and took it through UCSD campus, nice road with a steady slight downhill for much of it.  Then we got onto the Rose Canyon trail, parts of it are new and really nice, but the older parts are narrow and the pavement isn't in great shape.  Took us down into Mission Bay, where we rode on some roads trying to get to Fiesta Island for some time trial loops.  But we found out that there was a triathlon going on, and it was closed off.  So we turned around and started riding back.  I wanted to get back earlier, so I decided not to tackle Mt Soledad on this ride (glad I passed on it).  Robert and Andy rode back with me, retracing our route to the Park n Ride to drop Andy off and then continuing back home via the 56 bike trail all the way to Camino del Sur.  Stopped there for more water and a Snickers bar, and Andy met us there to check and make sure we were doing okay.  I slowed down some at this point, my right quad was feeling a little sore.  Back home using Camino del Sur, and after we passed Carmel Valley Rd, Robert's bike started making some really nasty noises from the bottom bracket.  He kept riding for a while but eventually stopped at Casey Glen and called Isabelle to come pick him up.  I rode home solo from there, using surface streets in Del Sur to get over to Paseo del Sur and riding back to Potomac Ridge Rd, Nighthawk Ln, and Del Sur Ridge Rd to get to Lone Quail Rd.  Home via RB Rd to W Bernardo Dr and normal way from there.  Felt like my legs still had more to give, but not much more on this day.  Toward the end, it was warm enough for me to feel the effects, will probably have to start taking electrolytes either before or during rides from now on.

Avg speed = 16.2 mph. Total mileage = 60.4 mi

Avg heartrate = 134 bpm

Total elevation gain = 3000'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6673402844

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/45931754718

02-05-2022 Ride

Not a great riding day for me.  I didn't eat anything before the ride, and it was over an hour in before I had something to eat.  Big mistake!  A number of the riders wanted to try and average 20 mph, so Ray mapped out a route without too many stoplights, but with a fair amount of climbing.  Here's who I think rode: Ray, Robert, Cam, Perse, Gideon, Jed, Arnold, Kamal, Mohammad, James, and Zac.  We headed down Camino del Sur to San Dieguito Rd, then rode down into the flats and over to El Camino Real, where we took a U-turn and rode back to El Apajo.  On this flat stretch, we tried to keep in a pace line, with moderate success.  Up to Via de la Valle, where I dialed it back and tried to keep the pace at a level keeping other riders together.  To Paseo Delicias, turning right and riding up to El Montevideo, where we took a left and then a right onto Lago Lindo.  This got us to El Camino del Norte, which we stayed on until turning left onto Via de Fortuna.  This was a nice stretch of road, and Robert started to show he was in good form at this point.  Right onto San Elijo Ave, and then a jog to get onto Rambla de la Flores.  It was at this point that I grazed a pothole and flatted my rear tire, while Arnold hit the same pothole and broke the plastic holder for his GoPro.  I started feeling sub-par on the climb up to S8, where we turned and headed over to the coast.  We stopped at a service station just past the I-5, and I think it was here where I first ate something, too little too late.  Down to the coast, and north on the Coast Hwy until we got to Chesterfield Dr, where we turned onto San Elijo Ave and started heading back.  Turns into Manchester Ave, and these are some nice riding roads.  Stayed on Manchester Ave through a right turn, taking it to Encinitas Blvd and then onto the winding road that heads back to Rancho Santa Fe.  I think I burned most of my last matches on these climbs to get back into the village.  Right on Avenida de Acacias, then onto La Gracia until another right onto Via de Alba, which dropped us onto Calzada del Bosque.  From here, it was the normal way back home via Three Witches, which I went up very slowly (while Robert and Kamal set PRs).  Also very slow on the last stretch for Camino del Sur back to the 4S Target, no gas left in the tank.  Robert, Gideon, and I rode back to Westwood, and they were gracious in keeping it slow.  I got a little bit of a second wind, so this last stretch home wasn't terrible.  During the ride, Ann texted me that there was a barricaded man in a home by La Terraza Apts, so I avoided riding through the neighborhood and took RB Rd down to W Bernardo Dr instead.  Got to be better with fueling up before and during rides with this group, otherwise it is not going to go well.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 52.9 mi

Avg heartrate = 122 bpm

Total elevation gain = 2960'

https://www.strava.com/activities/6636841215

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/45770045419