10-31-2023 Ride

Ride over to near Palomar Hospital to get a TB test for my volunteer work.  It was quite chilly at the start, coldest I have felt this season.  I rode across the pedestrian bridge and then to BVP, following the route behind the mall to get over to Centre City Pkwy.  Took it all the way to Washington Ave, then to Hale Ave, turning onto Auto Pkwy and then left onto Andreasen Dr to get up to Citracado Pkwy.  Over to the Palomar Health Center, which is close to the hospital.  Got my TB test and a flu shot as well, then continued down Citracado Pkwy to Auto Pkwy and Nordahl Rd, riding up to Knob Hill Rd and staying on the road when it turned into Nutmeg St.  Did a little detour by the Von's looking for a donut shop, no luck, so I rode all the way to Country Club Ln, turning right and going up to Broadway, where I turned right again and rode over to El Norte Pkwy.  Had a couple of donuts at Mart's, then I got onto El Norte Pkwy and took it up to Valley Pkwy.  Right there, and a left onto BVP, which I followed all the way back to the freeway, going over it and riding up W Bernardo Dr to Nevoso Way, turning there to get onto Cabela Dr.  Took this up to Matinal Rd, then Matinal Cir to Azucar Way and home.  Felt decent on the ride, didn't push the pace that much, was content just to get some miles in.  That's why my average speed was low.

Avg speed = 15.2 mph. Total mileage = 31.6 mi

Avg power = 129 W. Weighted avg power = 157 W

Total elevation gain = 1610'

Avg heartrate = 106 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10137350755

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59557918434

Later on, I packed the car up for the camping trip to South Carlsbad State Beach.  We headed out around 1:15, but I forgot to load my bike on, so we had to go back.  Oops.  Got gas in Escondido and then drove to the camping spot.  It was confusing to find the entrance, you have to come into the park on PCH driving south, no other way.  We camped at a site with a great ocean view, bracketed by two RVs.  Lots of RVs camping, not so many tents.  The site was okay, best for its view but not much shade.  We set up the screen tent as well but ended up not using it.  It doesn't provide as much shade when the sun is relatively low in the sky.  Ann set up the mattress and sleeping bags, and I later discovered that the mattress wasn't holding air.  That was a bummer, but luckily we found out at a campsite where there was a Walmart just 10 minutes away.  Also, we were having trouble getting propane out of the big tank, it's probably low or out.  We had grilled vegetables for dinner, and I was a little irritated about the air mattress, but eventually I got over it.  After dinner, we went there and got another mattress, this one with a USB inner pump that plugs into the car and pumps the mattress up in <10 minutes.  Pretty cool, although we had to figure out how to get an inflated mattress into the tent.  Hint, open the back flap and slide it in that way.

10/30/2023 Entry

Interesting day.  I went for a swim in the morning, with the normal routine and including 10 more lengths of the pool with straight freestyle, for a total of 2250 yds.  Finished in about 50 minutes.  Later, I tried to put up the screen tent I got Ann for her birthday.  It's a chore to do solo, impossible to do it without help when it's windy.  Speaking of windy conditions, Ann went to the beach for the afternoon, so I hung out at home and updated my cycling mileage log.  She called me later on and asked if I knew anything about the fire nearby.  Nope.  So I looked for more details and noticed that there was a lot of helicopter traffic by Battle Mountain, where there was white smoke coming off.  I rode my scooter down to the park to get a better view of what was going on, and it was a little scary.  You could mostly see smoke, but occasionally a fire would flare up.  When it did, a helicopter came by and dumped fire retardant on it.  I watched until it looked pretty well under control, then I came home and read.  Ann got home safely, but it took a long time.  I called Mom and let her know a little about my hiking trip, the fire scare, and the info that Laura was coming in for her birthday celebration.  After dinner, we gathered up our camping gear and staged it to be put into the car in the morning.  Then I went for a walk, again heading down by the park and around it, seeing fire crews with nightlights going up the mountain in a line to look for hot spots.

10-29-2023 Ride

Time trial route with Dave, who showed up about 15 minutes late for the ride from our house.  I used my old bike, since I suspected a slow leak in the rear tire of my new one (later confirmed).  We rode fairly fast, Dave is starting to get stronger.  A little slower on the gradual uphill on Pomerado Rd, and Dave shared some of his recent counseling sessions, including some breakthroughs about acknowledging his feelings rather than hiding them.  I could feel it in my legs on this ride, particularly toward the end, so I slowed down then.  Finished in about 1:08.

Avg speed = 15.5 mph. Total mileage =17.6 mi

Avg power = 136 W. Weighted avg power = 162 W

Total elevation gain = 1060'

Avg heartrate = 127 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10126044637

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59488115844

We went, with Emily, to San Dieguito UMC to hear Faith Conklin preach, it was pretty good.  Jan Baer and Bev Couty were there as well, and after church we decided to go to lunch and invite them.  However, Jan couldn't get her car started, and I was unable to help her out.  She tried to get her car towed but balked at the cost.  Eventually, Bev talked her into leaving the car in the parking lot until Monday and getting a better response from her insurance company about how to get it towed to an auto repair shop.  So we ended up going to brunch with them, then driving them both back to Escondido.

Later in the afternoon, I went for a walk for 2 miles while Ann was at a concert with Kay at the Oasis center in RB.  Talked to Laura as well, and she is still working through some colleague animosity issues at Sandia.

10-28-2023 Ride

Bisikleta ride in the morning from a different starting point, the Mobil station at the bottom of Three Witches.  I rode there through the neighborhood and taking the Albert Ave route through 4S Ranch neighborhood, including the little climb up to the top of Four Gee Rd.  Then it was the normal way over to San Dieguito Rd and down to the Mobil station.  It was dark at the start, and I had my headlight on (more on this later), but it lightened up pretty quickly.  It was also cool enough for me to wear my lightweight jacket and for my toes to get cold.  At the starting point, we had these riders:  Perse, Ray, Rob, Cheng (with a new e-bike), James (training for the Arizona marathon in a couple of weeks), Eric, Nel, Jamil, Cam, and Charlie.  I talked to Charlie about settling up for the Havasupai trip hike and got a commitment from him to figure out what I owe them.  Our route was pretty straightforward and flat, heading down to the coast by taking San Dieguito Rd to El Camino Real, over to Via de la Valle, and to the coast highway.  The road conditions near the freeway on Via de la Valle were terrible, and my headlight got shaken out of its holder.  I didn't notice it right away, and by the time I rode back to try and pick it up it had been run over by a car and destroyed.  So, bummer.  Cheng and I rode back to meet with the other riders and we continued on.  On the PCH stretch, I found myself out near the leaders, and we were keeping a good, not scorching, pace.  Jamil kept jumping out in front and then we would catch up with him.  We had a short break at the parking lot by La Costa Ave.  When we left to continue the ride, it was me and Nel, with the others trailing.  The two of us rode together for a while, then I pulled away and rode solo almost all the way into Carlsbad, until I caught a red light and Rob and Cam (?) came in, after having sat on the wheel of a strong rider who was in the middle of a high-energy interval.  We had a longer break at the Starbucks in Carlsbad, gathered everybody together, then rode in to Jed's new house on the coast in Oceanside.  Address is 1105 S Pacific St in Oceanside.  We hung out there and helped with set-up of the pop-up, tables, and chairs.  Jed provided snacks, which was nice.  On the way back, we retraced our route, and I ended up leading out for a fair amount of the time.  Legs were holding up, although I was glad that nobody in the group was really pushing the pace.  We ran a pace line for a decent part of the section on San Dieguito Rd, and toward the end Perse picked up the pace and I really struggled to hold on.  A brief break at the meet-up point before Cam and I rode back toward 4S Ranch.  I took it pretty slow up Three Witches, and Cam was just a little bit behind me.  We rode together on the Camino del Sur part until Cam turned left at, I think, Coyote Bush Dr.  From there, I was pretty slow on the ride home, taking RB Rd down to W Bernardo Dr and then up Duenda Rd to Corazon Pl, taking it to the end of the cul-de-sac and turning around to get back to Aguamiel Rd via Pajaro Way.  Was tired in the afternoon and had a nap.

Avg speed = 17.3 mph. Total mileage = 65.9 mi

Bisikleta route avg speed = 18.1 mph

Avg power = 145 W. Weighted avg power = 169 W

Total elevation gain = 2330'

Avg heartrate = 124 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10120899787

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59481558568

In the evening, we drove back to Jed's house to celebrate his birthday with his family and Bisikleta friends.  It was a nice evening, and his house is really magnificent.  Got a chance to talk with Cam in more detail about his retirement activities, and we had a nice chat with Rob and Isabelle.  This is a really great group of people to hang out with.  Food was from Lutchi and Mary, pretty good.  Lots of good desserts as well.

10-27-2023 Entry

Ann's birthday.  I made gingerbread pancakes for breakfast, and then later in the morning we drove down to Torrey Pines State Park, Ann had a park pass from the library that allowed us to park without paying.  It was just after high tide when we got there, and the water was all the way up to the cliff edge.  So we walked up the inside route and then down to the beach.  It was overcast at the start of the hike but the sun came out while we were walking, and the temperature was just right.  By the time we got down to the beach, generally taking our time and stopping by Yucca Point, the water had receded enough for us to give it a go.  It was a mixture of walking on the rocks and on the sand, and we mostly avoided the tides.  Got back to the car and headed home.

Total distance = 2.91 mi

Elapsed time = 1:20:25

https://www.strava.com/activities/10115022343

In the afternoon, I went for a swim, with more flip turns, some of them good, 2000 yds with the normal method over the 80 lengths.  Finished in 45 minutes, I thought I was faster but the clock didn't lie.  That evening, we went for a progressive dinner for Ann's birthday, meeting Johnnie and Mike at Los Panchos for drinks, guacamole, and chips.  Margaritas there don't have tequila, so that place is to be avoided for drinks in the future.  Then we went to Ali Baba and all had flatbreads, which were huge.  Probably too much food (and lots of bread) for the meal.  We wrapped it up at Esco Gelato, but everybody was pretty full, so Ann and I split an apple cider sorbet and Johnnie had pumpkin spice gelato.  Wasn't the best birthday event I've planned, but Ann had fun, and some indigestion after the big dinner.

10-26-2023 Ride

Went for a swim in the morning, hadn't been in a week.  Still, I felt good and did the normal 2000 yds, half with swim pads and half with snorkel.  Before I put the snorkel on, I did some flip turns, most of them were pretty bad.  Much more practice needed.  Ann and I went out in the early afternoon for birthday Blizzards at DQ, then I went on a bike ride, starting down the hill and past the park, then climbing Pomerado Rd up to RB Rd, where I turned left and followed the old time trial route, including the climb up to Poway Rd.  Just after Community Rd, I got a front tire flat.  I thought the bike felt a little squishy, and after having to slow suddenly to avoid a lady who almost turned in front of me, I noticed it was very low on air.  Tube replacement went okay, although I probably didn't put enough air in it.  Let Blair know I would be late, but I significantly underestimated the time I needed to get to the meet-up spot.  Stayed on this route until continuing on to Rancho Carmel Dr, turning right onto Carmel Mountain Rd.  Then it was the normal way to the back parking lot at HP, where I met him and borrowed his battery-powered pump to reinflate my front tire.  After this delay, we were off, heading over Bernardo Center Dr to Camino del Norte and taking it to Camino del Sur and then to the 56 bike path.  I was riding a little faster than I usually do with Blair, but I could tell my legs were tired.  Took the 56 bike path up to Black Mountain Rd, benefitting from a tailwind out of the west.  Then it was over to Carmel Valley Rd and up and over the little summit.  Just after I got over the summit and Blair was coming, a kid on an e-bike zipped by me in the car lane, not noticing until it was too late that there was a cop on the side of the road.  So he got pulled over.  We continued down to Dove Canyon Rd, turning right there and then right again onto RB Rd.  Back to HP the normal way, and the sun had set by then, so it was getting dusky.  I didn't stay around too long once we got back to the meet-up spot, taking W Bernardo Dr until I got into the neighborhood, then I cut through surface streets to get back home.  Felt fine at the end, but legs were tired.  My Fitbit ran out of battery during the ride, so the average heartrate below is not for the entire ride.

Avg speed = 16.5 mph. Total mileage = 42.5 mi

Avg power = 146 W. Weighted avg power = 177 W

Total elevation gain = 2620'

Avg heartrate = 131 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10110977568

10-24-2023 Hike

 Up pretty early to eat a cold breakfast and finish packing up and getting ready for the hike out.  We left the lodge around 6:07, it was dark but not quite dark enough to require headlamps.  By the time we got through the village, it had lightened up enough to be able to see the trail clearly.  On the way out, I ended up setting the pace for much of it, and I tried to set a fast one.  It was cool in the canyon and got a little chillier as the canyon walls opened up.  Steady uphill grade, which I had noticed on the way in but didn't equate to as much of a gradient as there was, on average.  Still, we made good time, with the three guys pulling ahead of Leslie, who was moving at a decent, but slower, pace.  We stayed together until the grade kicked around mile 6.5, at which point Connor and I got out ahead.  We paused in the middle of the climb before the switchbacks began for the others to catch up, had a very short break, then continued on.  Connor was setting a mean pace, and I was able to stay with him for maybe a quarter of a mile before he outpaced me.  Still, I pushed as hard as I could to get up the switchbacks quickly, and I finished a couple of minutes behind him.  It was a chore, a real workout on the quads, but my legs held up okay.

Total distance = 8.09 mi

Elapsed time = 2:38:27

https://www.strava.com/activities/10102607297

We got to the top and waited for Charlie and Leslie to get there.  A couple of pictures, then it was over to the car, where we all changed and piled in for the drive back.  That drive was uneventful, stopping at a Jersey Mike's in Kingman to pick up subs for eating in the car on the way to Las Vegas.  We dropped Connor off at the airport, then headed home.  A stop in a Costco for gas in south Las Vegas, where Leslie took over the driving and handled it all the way into Norco.  Not too much traffic on the way back, just some slowing around the I-10 interchange and past the 91.  Got home around 7:10 and put some stuff away, took a shower, and went to sleep fairly early.

10-23-2023 Walk & Hike

After a long previous day hiking, our intentions were to have an easy day with fewer miles, so I went out for a walk through the village center and around the village outskirts in the morning while the others were getting ready.

Total distance = 3.15 mi

Elapsed time = 56:57

https://www.strava.com/activities/10090987335

When I got back, they were pretty much ready for the day's hike, so I got ready quickly and we were off.  We headed back down toward Havasu Falls, but took a detour on the way to try and find several other falls.  Our first stop was 50 Foot Falls, where Leslie had gotten some intel from a Facebook page about how to find the trail, which is not well marked.  On the way there, we were passed by a four-wheel drive buggy carrying passengers and some Amazon Prime packages.  Classic!  We found the sign pointing us in the right direction, and after one false attempt to avoid hiking in water, we backtracked, replaced our boots with water shoes, and waded through the trail to get to the falls.  The area was busy with other hikers, different from when we had gotten to Beaver Falls on the previous day's hike.  Still, it was a nice vibe.  The water was not as clear, and there was a lot of wading needed to get into a good position to see the falls.  Also, the bottom of the pond into which the falls emptied was pretty uneven, so I had trouble keeping my footing.  I put my phone into the dry bag and felt a little safer, although I dunked my smartwatch a couple of times.  The others went further in their exploration of the falls, and eventually I made my way over to the other side of the falls from where we came in.  I decided on the spur of the moment to go into the water and stand behind the falls to get my picture taken.  The water spray was cold, and the feeling was exhilarating.  But I was chilled when I got out.  We stayed there for a bit longer before hiking back out the way we came in, this time keeping our water shoes on.  We followed the trail and, after a little searching, found our way to Navajo Falls.  Similar vibe there, a fair amount of people around.  Some guys decided to get into the water and make it up to a little cave behind the falls.  I followed them, and it was scary having to navigate the rushing water by the cascade falls, then pass through a waterfall itself to get to the little cave.  Connor followed me in, and we stood there shivering for a minute or so before retracing our path to get back out.  Some more pictures afterward, as the falls started to look quite different in direct sunlight.  We hiked out and up to the trail leading to Havasu Falls.  Hiking in water shoes on this trail was not so comfortable, but we made it work.  Back down to the base of the falls, where we had lunch at a picnic table next to the pool.  Charlie and Connor went into the water after lunch, and eventually I joined them.  The current formed by the falls into the pool was pretty intense.  All three of us had a go at trying to swim as hard as we could to get through and behind the falls, all unsuccessful.  Took some cool pics while we were there, and we hiked over to another cavern, this one beside the falls.  Final stroll over to see where the water continued to cascade downriver, then we started our hike back to the lodge.  It was uneventful, although I ended up losing my water bottle somewhere along the way, as it fell out of the pocket in my backpack.

Total distance = 5.78 mi

Elapsed time = 2:50:44

https://www.strava.com/activities/10092760907

The afternoon was laid back, just hanging out in the room and on the porch next to it.  We walked in the late afternoon to the store and got some junk food snacks.  Dinner for me was the TVP and rice soft tacos, and they were easy to make.  The TVP could have used some more salt and pepper, and maybe other spices, along with hot sauce packets.  So, thoughts for next time.  In the evening, the Astros were eliminated by the Rangers, which was a little disappointing but not so surprising to me.  Their pitching was uneven throughout the playoffs, and it seemed like a matter of time before this would catch up to them.  I spent time getting all of my gear packed up into my frame backpack, which was noticeably lightened by the absence of much of the food I ate during the trip.

10/22/2023 Hike

This was a signature day. We got ready early and were on our way to the falls by 6:40. This turned out to be a good thing. Hiked through the village outskirts and saw some cascade falls on the way to Havasu Falls. I didn't notice it at the time, but the elevation drop started not too long after we left the village. It was gradual at first, and we passed by some cascade falls on the way. I thought they might be the major falls but no. Continued on down to the descent to the base of Havasu Falls, which is steep but not overly so. The view at the bottom was sublime, the water color is so blue in the deeper pools. Then we hiked through the campground. It was a little depressing seeing all of the stuff that campers had left behind, gathered up around a picnic table. Onward through the campground, which ends at the top of Mooney Falls. This is when it got interesting. There is a steep rocky descent after some nice views of the falls, and you get to an opening in the rock, with steps leading down a near vertical cave to a stretch of rocks to be descended, followed by another passage through a tunnel. Then you get to the area with chains to hang onto as you descend a slippery rock face, using a log ladder with steps cuts out at one point. More rock face descent brings you to a ladder that drops you to near the base of the falls, by the pool. There are gloves at the top and bottom of this descent, which people use to get more traction with the chains. They were useful. At the base, the mist from the falls is significant. We all got down safely and didn't have to wait to descend. We continued on for a time before coming to the first water crossing. Tom off our hiking boots and put on water shoes. The water was cool but not cold, and it got above my knees. Current wasn't too fast. To the other side, where we continued on the trail, which would periodically ascend through rocks and descend to near water level. Hiked for less than as mile before crossing back to the other side. We just kept our water shoes on for the rest of the hike until getting back to the initial shoe-change point. Water was a little less deep at the second crossing. We continued on through a leafy plant area again periodically heading up and down to break up the monotony. There was a third river crossing, about the same as the first, and here we started down several descents with some steepness and length to them. There were periodic cascade falls in the river, and the water color was sublime. Eventually we got to the approach to Beaver Falls, but before that we had to climb a ladder ascent that was kinda sketchy. The descent to the base of Beaver Falls was not trivial but worth the effort. As far as we could tell, we were the first ones to get there on this day. We had some food and a break, and I tried to recharge my watch, with not much success. After the food break, Connor walked along the water by the cliff edge and through the water to get into the second pool above the last cascade. Eventually the others joined him, so I got my dry bag out and put my phone in it and waded into the water. It was worth it. We walked around that pool, and Charlie and Connor swam further up toward the next cascade. I wasn't set up to do that, so I just hung out in the pool and got some good pics. Others started showing up as well, so that it was quite busy by the time we packed up our stuff and started the ascent. The hike back followed the same route, and the descent on the aluminum ladder was still sketchy. I stopped after this descent and rinsed out my shoes, getting behind the others and having to scramble to catch up with them. We also missed the point where the last water crossing was, following the trail until it couldn't be followed any more. Turned around and crossed at a point that was a little deeper than the original crossing, and I almost lost my footing at one point. Would have gotten my phone wet again, but I kept upright. We made it across and backtracked to the picnic bench where the original crossing was, and we switched out our shoes. Not too long afterwards, we got to the base of Mooney Falls, where it was slippery and muddy and a little chilly. The ascent was, by all accounts, easier than the descent. You could see your footholds better and using your arms to pull you up was easier to do. My trekking poles, which I didn't end up using, kept getting in the way on the ascent, and it made things more dicey at times. Past this stretch, it was just a slog to get back to the village. For the most part, Charlie and Connor walked ahead while I kept my pace the same as Leslie's. I didn't remember there being as much climbing after we got to the top of Havasu Falls. This was the one major time in the hike where we were consistently in the sun, so we lucked out on the hike. I was feeling okay during the uphill sections, but I was getting tired. Made it back to the village outskirts and then into the village proper, where we stopped at the café and had a snack, with me going for the fry bread with honey, chocolate sauce, and powdered sugar. It was pretty good, definitely worth trying. Then it was back to the lodge, which we reached around 3:00. The rest of the day and evening were low-key, showers and dinner and conversation. The portable stove worked very well again, what a cool little gadget. My leg muscles were sore in the evening, will see how they feel in the morning. 

10/21/2023 Entry

This was a good day with a challenge built in. Got up pretty early and had a shower, read a little bit. Once the others were up, I consolidated my stuff and took some items out to lighten my load and make my trekking poles a little more securely stowed on my backpack. Charlie, Leslie, Connor, and I 

checked out of the motel and drove to the Havasupai trail parking lot. Made good time on the drive. I was still worried about the weight I would be carrying. On the drive there, a cow crossed the road in front of us, not enough to panic but enough to stop for it. I made a joke about a real live T-bone. It was the third time in 2 days. The previous day, we had two times when cars pulled out from a side road in front of us, and the second one was a fairly close call, Charlie did a good job reacting to all three incidents.

On to the hike. We got on the trail at 9:42 and started down a series of switchbacks, pausing several times for horse or mule trains to pass going down or up. Dropped steeply for 0.8 miles, then the grade lessened as we continued descending from the canyon rim down into the valley below. Much of the drop took place in the first 1.8 miles, then we were on the canyon floor and walking either in the dry riverbed or alongside it. Stopped around the 4 mile mark for a 10-15 minute rest and refuel break. There was almost constant helicopter traffic, as Saturday is apparently a supply restocking day. My shoulders were feeling it on the second part of the hike, legs held out okay. As we descended and got closer to the village we started to see greenery, then we came into a stand of trees, cottonwood I think, and eventually we're walking parallel to a stream with beautiful green-tinted water. Around this time we saw signs directing us to Supai village, and then a couple of signs welcoming us to the village itself. The houses are spread along the trail leading into the village center, and we walked by an LDS church on the outskirts. I was ready to be done by this point, but it was at least a half mile into the center of the village. There are some rough houses here and evidence of subsistence living. But the official buildings are in good shape, a nice school and tribal house. We walked through the village to get to the lodge, and Leslie got our room key. The room was quite nice, remodeled recently. The lodge itself has just reopened after being closed during the pandemic. It felt good to put the pack down and eat something. I had a little nap in the afternoon, which we spent just hanging around. Later in the afternoon the three men walked over to the store and got some snacks. It was pretty basic but certainly met our needs.

I used the little backpacking stove that Laura got us way back when, and it worked just great. Had pasta and sauce, and it really hit the spot. Got my smaller backpack loaded and ready for the longer hike on Sunday. 

10/20/2023 Entry

Couldn't sleep after waking up around 3:30, so I got up and went for a long walk, starting a little before 4:00. Then I had breakfast and finished up getting my gear together for the trip. Ann drove me down to Charlie's and Leslie's place, and we were on the road a little after 8:00. The drive out to Kingman went by pretty quickly, lots of conversation and storytelling. We had lunch there, then drove the rest of the way, first to a small motel where the check-in the the hike in to Supai Village was, then back to Peach Springs. This town doesn't really have much, just a motel/restaurant and a small market. We hung out at the motel in the late afternoon, and I did a little check-up of my gear. Think I need to pare down what I'm bringing, to lighten the load. I did some of that in the evening after dinner at the restaurant in the motel. I had a veggie burger and fries, and it was decent. This motel was right next to the train tracks, and there was a crossing nearby, so all through the day and night we could hear trains coming through, a least one every half hour. I also finished the second book in The Expanse series, Caliban's War. This one has the crew of the Rocinante connecting with a biologist from Ganymede station, whose child is abducted to be turned into a warrior infected with the protomolecule. It was another good read, introducing some political maneuvering at the UN, which is Earth's ruling government. Decent science is followed, but the storyline is a little predictable for the main characters. I started The Lathe of Heaven, a novella by Ursula K. LeGuin. It's about a man whose most vivid dreams end up altering reality to make them come true, and a psychologist who uses the man's abilities to effect change in the world, with some pretty drastic changes and consequences. 

10/19/2023 Ride

Walked for an hour+ in the morning before doing 2000 yds swimming using the half swim pad and half snorkel method. Finished in 44 min, but I felt a little stronger at times. Am considering adding flip turns for the first half, but I'm not sure I'm ready for the increased exertion at the turn.  Later in the morning and afternoon, I did some shopping, finally found a water bladder, and started organizing my stuff for the hiking trip. It took much longer than expected, but I was basically done before my afternoon ride.

Headed through the neighborhood to RB Rd and then to HP using Via del Campo. Stopped to get some cash, then rode around to the back parking lot to meet Blair. He was feeling a little off, so we decided to take it easy and keep the distance shorter. We rode down to RB Rd and turned right, staying on it and Espola Rd past the high school and down to Twin Peaks Rd. Slow and steady up the gradual climb. We took Twin Peaks Rd to Midland Rd and turned right there, to get some flat distance in. Over to Hileary Pl, where we turned right and got over to Community Rd. Took this back to Twin Peaks Rd and then over to Camino del Norte. Again, gradually up the little climbs, and the suspected headwind didn't turn out to be a problem. Back to the starting point the normal way, then back home the normal way as well. Didn't feel a high exertion level on this ride, but the distance and pace were just right for me.

In the evening, I finished gathering my stuff and packed it into my backpack. It's pretty heavy without the water, a lot of weight in the food. Should be an adventure on the 8-mile hike on Saturday.

10/18/2023 Entry

Up fairly early, a little after 7:00, to start breaking camp. I got most of the stuff taken down and packed up while Ann made oatmeal, and we were on our way back home a little after 9:00. Drive back was uneventful, and the unpacking went smoothly. I did some shopping at Walmart in the afternoon for the hiking trip, including getting the food. In the evening, I went for a fairly short walk while it was dark.

10-17-2023 Hike & Ride

After yogurt for breakfast, we went for a hike, walking down to Doane Pond and all the way around it looking for the Lower Doane Valley Trail.  It's the same as the Doane Valley Nature Trail, which was a little confusing.  We got onto the trail and immediately had to cross a small stream, which made Ann nervous. She made it across, and we continued on to the Weir trail.  Most of the early part of this hike was in shade, walking parallel to the stream.  Out to the old weir, where we stopped for a break before backtracking and getting over to the Lower Doane Valley Trail for a short stretch until it connected with the Lower French Valley Trail.  Took this one, which was more out in the open, out to an overlook before turning back and taking the trail back into the park.  In the latter part of this trail, we were again hiking through wooded areas, although it was a little more up and down than before.  Made it back to the trailhead by the park just fine, then hiked back to our campsite and had lunch.

Total distance = 3.78 mi

Elapsed time = 1:29:50

We chilled for a while by the camp, but the bugs were very annoying, so I proposed going up to the Palomar Observatory in the mid-afternoon.  I decided to ride up there, with Ann following in the car a little later.  The climb out of the campground back to the park entrance was not trivial, a little over 2 miles with an average grade of about 6%.  Then there was another 1 mile climb before descending to Mother's Kitchen and on to Canfield Rd.  This road has a long downhill followed by a 2,5-mile climb all the way up to the steps of the observatory.  It was a grind, and I could definitely feel the effects of the previous day's ride.  Wasn't as hot as before, probably because I was already at about 5000' of elevation at the base of the climb.  I got up there in a little over 50 minutes, including a little backtrack to take several pictures of the observatory from Canfield Rd.

Avg speed = 11.6 mph. Total mileage = 10.1 mi

Avg power = 167 W. Weighted avg power = 194 W

Total elevation gain = 1730'

Avg heartrate = 133 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10062804839

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59259648460

Ann met me in the parking lot by the observatory, and she was tired, so we just spent a little time, about 30 minutes, in the museum before heading back.  We stopped at the general store next to Mother's Kitchen and talked to the manager, who also manages the restaurant.  It's been closed since the start of the COVID pandemic, and he has had trouble finding people to work there as well as perform the repairs needed on the building.  Maybe he'll open it in the spring.  We drove back to the campsite and had party enchiladas in the Dutch oven for dinner, using Impossible Burger meat.  They were really tasty.  I was feeling a little down and quite tired, so I was in the tent early, reading for a while while Ann built a fire and sat beside it.

10-16-2023 Ride

Well, this one was a challenge.  Ann and I were camping up at Palomar Mountain State Park, so I decided to ride up there starting from Lake Henshaw.  We had all our stuff packed up and left home around 11:45, and it was a warm day.  We got to Lake Henshaw in about an hour, and I was moving a little before 1:00 PM.  Ann drove over to Santa Ysabel and had a snack at Dudley's Bakery.  The climb started after a downhill run to the S7 East Grade Rd.  The climb starts with about 4 miles at 5-7%, then it levels off for about a mile before picking up at around the same average grade.  What made it more difficult than in the past was that I am more than 10 years older and it was over 90 deg for most of the climb.  In the latter half especially, I was in either my lowest or second lowest gear nearly the whole time, and my back was aching.  Thankfully, when I stood on the pedals the backache went away and I could get some periodic relief.  I got to the top of the climb and Strava says I did it in about 1:13.  Then it started going downhill, and I wasn't sure if I was on the right road, so I backtracked and stopped to check Google Maps and get oriented.  From there, it was a downhill to Mother's Kitchen, which has been closed since the start of the COVID pandemic.  Nice to have that downhill.  Then I started climbing again on the way to the entrance to the park.  This stretch was about 5 miles, including 2 1-mile climbs that weren't as bad as before.  Ann drove by me on this road just as I was about to enter the park, and I continued on to the campsite, looping around the campground before finding ours, #8 (pretty good, no steps from the car but near RV camping spots).  I took a couple of pictures near the top before riding down to the campground.  Felt good at the end, tired but no cramping.  My average heartrate hasn't been that high in quite a while, am attributing it to the combination of temperature and effort.

Avg speed = 10.4 mph. Total mileage = 17.2 mi

Avg power= 158 W. Weighted avg power = 183 W

Total elevation gain = 3170'

Avg heartrate = 144 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10062806607

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59227187440

We set up camp and I ended up putting my bike inside the vestibule, where it was pretty well concealed.  I locked it up when we weren't around the campsite.  Dinner was a vegan stew, which was very good, and a lemon berry cake made in the Dutch oven, which was okay, not a repeat item for me.  We didn't get the coals onto and around the oven quickly enough, and it needed an hour to cook, so we ended up finishing the baking on the gas stove.

10-15-2023 Ride

Time trial route ride from home with John.  Dave was going to join as well, but he had trouble getting his bike into his new car (he sold the Tesla), so he backed out.  Slow and easy pace for me, it was cold enough for full-finger gloves the first half of the ride.

Avg speed = 15.4 mph. Total mileage = 17.6 mi

Avg power = 135 W. Weighted avg power = 154 W

Total elevation gain = 1140'

Avg heartrate = 121 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10044228167

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59197127839

10-14-2023 Ride

Ride over to the 4S Target the usual way through the neighborhood and the extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood.  On this day, the riders were: Nel, Fritz, Jamil, Jed (moving into his second house in Oceanside later), Rob, Andy, Eric, Arnold, Perse, and Gio.  Out Camino del Sur (CdS) to San Dieguito Rd, then down to El Apajo.  I didn't push the pace too hard on the CdS bump, tried to let others lead out on this day for long stretches.  We rode over the normal way to Via de la Valle, then up the climb, where I marked Fritz for most of the way and passed him near the top when he ran out of gas.  Then it was over Paseo Delicias to El Camino del Norte, which we took down to Rancho Santa Fe Rd.  Same approach, I rode near the leaders and saved enough at the end to finish ahead of the others.  We turned left here and stayed on this road until it turned into Manchester Ave, turning left at the light to stay on this road.  Took it all the way to San Elijo Rd, which we used to get to Chesterfield Dr and then onto the Coast Hwy.  Then we rode into Solana Beach (I couldn't match Arnold's acceleration on the little climb after Cardiff) and on into Del Mar, where I was able to outpace the others on the climb into the village there.  Stopped for a break in the village, then continued on to Carmel Valley Rd.  Down the hill there and into the parking lot to allow some riders to use the restrooms.  Then it was over to the 56 bike path, which we took all the way to Camino del Sur.  We had a pace line going on the stretch past Carmel Valley Rd, but it disintegrated when we started climbing the second section.  I led out here for a while, several other riders passed me, and I put in a big effort to pass them back and get out ahead.  Thought I was going to keep the lead, but Fritz put in a big push and I just couldn't match it.  At the intersection with CdS, Perse discovered that he had a flat, and I lent him an inner tube, tire tools, and cartridges to get him rolling again.  By this time, I was ready to ride without more stops, so as we got back onto CdS I just kept riding.  Rob was with me, and we got out ahead of the others and stayed there until the end.  But some of the others must have been pushing hard, because Arnold made good time on this stretch and almost caught up with us.  That guy was the strongest rider today.  Home fairly slowly, taking RB Rd down to W Bernardo Dr and then down to Aguamiel Rd to try and get over 50 miles and 3000' of elevation gain.  I had to continue a little further on Azucar Way, past the house, to make the numbers.  Felt good on this ride, legs held out, although I could tell once we got onto CdS that my ability to accelerate and push a fast pace was limited.  So I pretty much matched Rob's pace, going perhaps a little faster on the last stretch.

Avg speed = 17.6 mph. Total mileage = 50.1 mi

Avg speed for Bisikleta route = 18.1 mph

Avg power = 149 W. Weighted avg power = 186 W

Total elevation gain = 3030'

Avg heartrate = 131 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10038727937

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59196130898

It was a light day otherwise.  I talked to Leslie Witherspoon to get more details about the Havasu Falls hiking trip, looks like I'm going to do it.  Should be exciting.  So I bought some new water shoes for the trip and started looking at what kind of food to bring.

10-13-2023 Entry

Went for an hourlong walk in the morning after a quick breakfast, then swam at the WWC for 2000 yards following the standard mix of swimming with and without swim pads and snorkel.  Felt better this time than the previous day, finished in about 44 minutes and had some stretches where my stroke felt stronger.

Ann and I drove down to La Jolla to pick up a package for Oren Perets at the Embassy Suites by UTC.  It was bike stuff, and he had had it sent there for Rotem Rave to pick up on his next trip to San Diego, but it was canceled because of the war.

In the evening, we went with the Guys out to dinner at Urban Thai and then to see Nickel Creek in concert at the Rady Shell.  Oh, and I had a dermatology appointment in the afternoon with Mark Vierra.

10-12-2023 Ride

Went for a swim in the morning, 60 lengths of the pool, the first 20 without my swim snorkel, and the middle 30 with swim pads.  Right shoulder felt a little sore.  Finished in about 33 minutes, didn't feel fast on this day.  Afterward, I had a quick shower and then had coffee at the HP cafeteria with Gary, John, and Brooke.  John brought donuts.

Later, I cleaned up my bike from the previous day's ride and then tackled the sprinklers in the yard.  One drip sprinkler in the front had broken and was spraying water into the street.  Fixed that one.  Then, in the backyard, there were several cracks in an exposed drip water line and they were spraying quite a bit of water.  I had to fix it twice, the second time with a splice of new line in place.  Looks like it's holding.  I also trimmed back some of the succulents near the sprinkler control box and had to replace a drip sprinkler near the corner of the back yard.  I think that one's fixed as well, but it bears watching.

On to the ride.  In the afternoon, I rode through the neighborhood over to Via del Campo and then to the HP site, taking the long way around the site to meet up with Blair in the back parking lot.  James was there as well, and we chatted briefly.  Then Blair and I headed back out Via del Campo to RB Rd, taking it to Alva Rd and through the 4S Ranch neighborhood up by the water tower before getting to Camino del Sur.  Right turn there, then a left onto Babcock St to get to Paseo del Sur, where we rode back to Camino del Sur after taking a short little detour into the neighborhood itself.  Up to Carmel Valley Rd, turning right there and taking it to Rancho Santa Fe Farms Rd to get over to the 56 bike trail.  Blair was riding pretty well on the flats, just falling behind a little bit on the latter portion of the climbs.  Took the 56 bike trail back to Camino del Sur, turning left there and heading to Carmel Valley Rd.  Just past the freeway I hit something, probably a rock, in the bike path and thought I had flatted my rear tire.  But it was fine, so we continued on to take a right at Carmel Valley Rd.  I slowed down here and rode with Blair until we got to where the incline stepped up.  Up to the top and then down the hill, riding quite fast with a steady tailwind.  We stayed on this road and took it to Bernardo Center Dr, riding that last climb together for the first 2/3 of it.  Then it was back to our starting point, where I paused briefly before heading home the normal way, other than coming down Azucar Way at the end.  Felt fine on this ride, not high exertion for most of it.

I also finished Leviathan Wakes, by James S. A. Corey (a pseudonym for two authors, Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, who wrote The Expanse book series).  Book was pretty well written and a good tale, although its ending was somewhat abrupt, almost like they ran out of time or pages to finish it.  Am starting Caliban's War, the next in the series.  I'm also beginning Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver, who we saw at an author interview at USD on Wednesday night with Kay and Ruth Cameron.  I'll be reading the paper version, which will be a throwback change.

Avg speed = 15.0 mph. Total mileage = 27.2 mi

Avg power = 123 W. Weighted avg power = 164 W

Total elevation gain = 1890'

Avg heartrate = 118 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10028506329

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59191825528

10-11-2023 Ride

Ride in the morning after returning from Portland the previous day.  I was surprised to see the streets wet when I got up, thought briefly about not riding but it wasn't actively raining, so I suited up.  To the Ted Williams Pkwy Park n' Ride the normal way through RB town center.  The roads were wet, and there was some mist in the air but no active rain.  I met John at our normal meeting spot, and we headed up Ted Williams Pkwy to Pomerado Rd.  I knew he would ride, since he tends to like riding in the rain.  Go figure.  We rode all the way down to the freeway and across it to BVP.  On the climbs, John dropped back, so I didn't go all out on them, waiting for him at different points so we didn't get too separated.  We rode up B\VP to San Pasqual Valley Rd, past the high school where kids were getting dropped off and it was a little dicey.  We turned right and rode up the gradual climb, then descended into San Pasqual Valley.  I was out ahead and was feathering my brakes, since the road was wet and the winds were a little swirly.  Then we stayed on the 78 out to Old Milky Way, turning there and taking it over to San Pasqual Rd to get back out of the valley.  There isn't a bike lane on this road, and it was a little sketchy.  But the wind was at our backs, so the gradual climb out went pretty quickly.  Then it was back to BVP, over the freeway, and up W Bernardo Dr all the way to Bernardo Center Dr.  I took this climb slowly, particularly the first stretches.  Then it was over to Camino del Norte and back over to Carmel Mountain Rd, turning right onto Rancho Carmel Dr and taking it all the way back to our meet-up spot.  The weather cleared about halfway through the ride, and the roads were much drier afterwards.  Home via the time trial route, going a little faster but not killing it.  Felt fine at the end, legs didn't suffer too much from not really riding over the weekend.

Avg speed = 15.9 mph. Total mileage = 45.5 mi

Avg power = 136 W. Weighted avg power = 168 W

Total elevation gain = 3030'

Avg heartrate = 128 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/10020368835

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/59138963025

10-10-2023 Entry

Travel day.  It was overcast and raining a little bit on our walk to the bus stop up on 23rd Ave.  The bus rides back to the airport were largely uneventful, just quite long, since we were staying on the opposite site of Portland from the airport.  Got the chance to see a little of the northeast neighborhoods, and they were interesting, perhaps a little less gentrified than where we had been staying.  No crazy folks on these buses, just a lot of students heading to school.  The time in the airport and the plane ride home were uneventful, similar layover in San Jose without having to change planes.  The cat was happy to see us when we got home, and it was good to be home.  I went for a long walk, half before and half after dinner.

10-09-2023 Entry

This was a decent day, with the first Portland-typical weather of our trip.  After breakfast, we walked down to the Peculiarium, which was on the same street as our Airbnb.  I knew it was going to be hokey, and I was not disappointed.  But Ann and I got into the kookiness of it and had a good time walking through the small "museum."  Surprisingly, there were a lot of people there, and it was only then that we realized it was Indigenous People's Day and a federal holiday.  After going through the museum, we walked up 23 Ave, looking at shops and eventually getting to an oddities shop, Paxton Gate, that specialized in taxidermy and skull/skeleton displays.  They also had some nice insect displays as well as rocks and minerals.  It was mildly entertaining, and Ann talked to one of the people who worked there, who turned out to be from Escondido.  Small world!  We walked back down, stopping in a couple of shops before having lunch at a Burmese food restaurant, where we were served by a robot for the first time.  They got my order wrong initially, but eventually it came (jackfruit curry), and it was decent, perhaps a little too plain in the number of different vegetables but a good general idea.  We walked over to the supermarket and got some snacks for the plane and other food items.  Then we walked back to the Airbnb and hung out in the afternoon.  Had thought about going to see a movie, but I didn't see any films that would be appealing to both of us.  Dinner there.  Ann proposed going to a music jam session at a bar in the Pearl District, and that sounded different, so we went.  There, we met a couple of really chatty guys, one of whom was a drummer/bassist who worked as a software engineer.  He tried to get me to sign up to play bass in one of the jam sessions, but that wasn't going to happen.  The other guy was a little older than us, had grown up in Hawthorne, and was very knowledgeable about music and concerts.  We talked about different concert experiences, and he really was into Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys.  It was nice talking with him.  Near the end of our conversation, he said he didn't have long to live, but we didn't get into the details.  Back to the Airbnb via the bus.

10-07-2023 Entry

Nice walk over to a popular breakfast place, Stepping Stone Café, where we waited in line for about 20 minutes before being seated. It was very Portlandia. Food was decent, Ann's was better than mine, but I had chosen something pedestrian, so it figured. Late in the morning, we hiked up through Forest Park to the Stone House, which has some connection with witchcraft. The forest trails were beautiful. Then in the afternoon we took the bus to the Pearl District. Walked to Powell's Books and saw this cool bookstore. Ann wasn't as interested as me, so we went to a paper store afterward. Boring. Then we had slushies at Pink Bunny, and that was good. Finally, we went to a video arcade with pinball and classic video game machines, which was quite fun. On the walk to the bus stop from there, we walked through Chinatown, not so impressive and filled with a lot of people on the sidewalks getting ready to rough it for the night.

10-07-2023 Entry

Relatively quiet day while staying in Portland.  We took the bus in the morning down to Waterside Park and initially walked through the open air market. Nothing major to say, the booths were typical. Then we walked down to a bike rental place and rented a couple of 3-speed bikes to ride along the river. Back to the market area, where we used the Porta Potties and the continued north until we rode across a bridge to the other side. Then it was to the south for a while before we turned around and headed back the same way we came. We only had the bikes for an hour, but it caused Ann's sides and back to hurt. After a rest, we walked over to have lunch in a very little food court in downtown, it was decent, and then took the bus back to the Airbnb. Afternoon spent hanging out there, had a nap and watched some football.

I finished Wayward, second book in the Wayward Pines trilogy.  This one continued the story of Ethan Burke, now sheriff of Wayward Pines.  He visits the offices of the people who are controlling the town, including billionaire David Pilcher, who foresaw the devastation of earth and arranged to have the town built and populated.  Burke eventually tells the townspeople about the situation in the town, and at the end of the book we are left wondering what will happen after power to the protective electric fence is turned off.

10-06-2023 Entry

First full day in Portland. We went to Washington park in mid-morning, taking the bus. Ann fell down on the initial way to the bus, so we headed back to the Airbnb where she cleaned it up and put a bandaid on it. Then we were back on the way. We initially went to the Hoyt Arboretum and walked through the fall foliage, which was quite pretty. Lots of different kinds of maple trees. Then we took the free park shuttle over to near the rose garden, walking around there for a while. It was mildly interesting, then the roses started looking repetitive, so I sat down and waited for Ann to get her fill. From there, we walked up to the Lewis and Clark Memorial, which was underwhelming and not well-described. Then we walked down to 23rd St, which has a yuppy, upscale vibe, not to my taste. Had a small burger for lunch and then some really good ice cream at Salt & Straw. We ended up walking back to the Airbnb from there. Chilled in the afternoon and then took the bus and tram to the Siren Theater for a Halloween comedy show. On the way there, we had to get off the tram after there was a car accident on the tracks ahead. Waited about 10-15 minutes for a bus to come pick us up, and it was a little crazy as people boarded the bus, which was full. Two stops before we got off and walked through some dark, kinda scary streets over to the neighborhood where the theater was. The show was in its first night, and about half of the skits were mildly funny, the others not as much. We took a different bus route home, and it was a little more on the beaten path.

10-05-2023 Entry

Went for an hour long walk early in the morning before heading to the airport to fly to Portland for a long weekend. Parked remotely and got to the gate with plenty of time. Flew Southwest using discount fares that Ann had purchased earlier. Had a short layover in San Jose but didn't need to switch planes. The tram station at PDX was under repair, so we ended up taking a shuttle bus to a station where we could pick up the train into downtown. There was a really loud lady on the tram as well, and she was quite vocal in not fully understanding what was going on. It was mildly entertaining. Bus from next to the Moda Center out to our Airbnb, located at 2664 NW Thurman St. Nice neighborhood, kinda mixed, definitely not fully upscale. The Airbnb was below the ground but laid out nicely, with a kitchen, living area, bathroom, and bedroom. We had an early dinner at a pizza place and then got groceries at a yuppie grocery store. Walked back from there, and my arms were really tired by the time we arrived. Quiet evening there. 

10-04-2023 Ride

Solo ride initially over to Bud's house, riding through the neighborhood to Matinal Rd and taking it to W Bernardo Dr.  Then over to Pomerado Rd via RB Rd.  Stayed on Pomerado Rd all the way to Scripps-Poway Pkwy, since I left early and was looking to burn some extra time.  Up to Sunshine Peak Ct before turning around and riding back to Springbrook Dr, then the normal way to his place.  Jayden was out front and talkative, very fun to talk to him.  John and I then rode to the top of Pomerado Rd the normal way and down to Kearny Villa Rd, watching out for lots of traffic backed up.  Then we took that road until it turned into Ruffin Rd, turning left on Clairemont Mesa Blvd and riding past a lot of union workers picketing in front of the Kaiser hospital at the corner.  We turned right onto Murphy Canyon Rd and took it down (and a little bit of up) to Aero Dr.  Turning left, we had a short climb up to Santo Rd, turning left there and riding over to Tierrasanta Blvd.  Exhilarating downhill before turning left onto Colina Dorada Dr and taking this short, steep climb up to an entrance into Mission Trails Regional Park at the top.  I got to the top first and turned around to ride back to where John was, riding the shallower climb again.  Over to Clairemont Mesa Blvd via Calle de Vida and Rueda Rd, again some nice downhill sections before we started climbing back to the freeway.  We turned right onto Chesapeake Dr and used it to get back to Ruffin Rd.  From there, we retraced our route back to John's house.  I slowed my pace down just a little bit on this flat, rolling section, and John and I stayed more in contact.  Similar on the first part of Pomerado Rd, where I started separating from him about 2/3 of the way up, when it started to have a little more of a grade.  Smoothies at his place before I rode back home, down the hill to Sabre Springs Pkwy and following the time trial route for the most part, except taking the Carmel Mountain Rd turn.  I was feeling it in my legs, so no hard pushes on the last stretches of this ride.  Felt fine at the end.

Avg speed = 16.1 mph. Total mileage = 53.0 mi

Avg power = 135 W. Weighted avg power = 165 W

Total elevation gain = 3740'

Avg heartrate = 123 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/9976763497

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/58953474548

Had lunch with the other Three Amigos at Stir Fresh, it was a lot of fun as usual.  Ross paid, it should be Dennis' turn to pay next time.  After lunch, I drained all of the gas out of the lawn mower in an attempt to keep the carburetor from clogging up.  Will see how this approach works.

In the evening, we drove down to Snapdragon Stadium and took the trolley (free on Oct 4) over to SDSU, to see Sting in concert at the Amphitheatre there.

10-03-2023 Ride

Solo ride over to the back parking lot at HP, following the normal route, where I met up with Blair for a Tuesday afternoon ride, since I would be out of town on Thursday.  We headed over to Camino del Norte and turned left, riding up to Carmel Mountain Rd.  On this ride, I kept it dialed back for the most part, since I was still recovering from the COVID booster and knew I would be doing another ride on Wednesday morning.  We turned right on Carmel Mountain Rd and then right again on Rancho Carmel Dr, taking it down to Sabre Springs Pkwy and keeping on this road until turning right onto Springhurst Dr.  Steady up this climb, taking it to Springbrook Dr and turning left there.  It was at this point that I decided to turn right onto Scripps-Poway Pkwy, and this was a pretty good choice.  We climbed a little further and then benefited from a long downhill, into the wind, to get to the bike path that parallels I-15.  Right there, taking it over to Poway Rd and staying on this road until Oak Knoll Rd, which we used to get to Pomerado Dr.  Left turn there, taking it all the way to Bernardo Heights Pkwy, where we turned left and rode up this short climb (about a mile, but only the first part is steep) before descending to Bernardo Center Dr.  Then it was another steep little pitch to get back to the parking lot.  Legs held out fine.  I rode home the normal way.

Avg speed = 15.4 mph. Total mileage = 24.8 mi

Avg power = 130 W. Weighted avg power = 163 W

Total elevation gain = 1810'

Avg heartrate = 113 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/9972301012

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/58985447562

Checked out and started reading Wayward, the second book in Blake Crouch's Wayward Pines trilogy.  This was after finishing the first book, Pines, in the trilogy.  In the first book, Ethan Pines, an FBI special agent, finds himself in Wayward Pines, Idaho and can't get out of the town or contact his family or his office.  He does find his ex-lover, Kate Hewson, living in the town but apparently having aged by fifteen years.  He finds an electric fence surrounding the town and discovers the complex outside the fence that controls the town, led by billionaire David Pilcher.  At the end he is reunited with his wife Theresa and son Ben, who were also transported to the village after being in cryosleep for a long time.

10-02-2023 Ride

Solo ride in the morning, after walking around the neighborhood for an hour earlier.  I had a COVID booster the previous day, so I was just trying to get in some miles, without a lot of climbing and without pushing the pace hard.  Mission accomplished.  I rode down by the park and then up Pomerado Rd to Twin Peaks Rd, turning left there and taking it up to Community Rd.  Then it was over to Poway Rd, where I turned right and rode to Carriage Rd.  I wasn't watching too closely, so I turned right there, thinking it was Pomerado Rd.  Nope, so I turned around on Papago Dr and Silver Lake Rd to get back to Poway Rd.  Then it was Pomerado Rd back toward RB.  I made decent time here, might have had a little tailwind.  I ended up riding by the RB Inn and then getting over to RB Rd via Bernardo Oaks Dr.  From there, it was the normal way home using the W Bernardo Dr route.  Felt okay, not much effect from the booster shot, maybe just a little more tired than usual.

Avg speed = 17.0 mph. Total mileage = 20.6 mi

Avg power = 136 W. Weighted avg power = 159 W

Total elevation gain = 1200'

Avg heartrate = 129 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/9963785376

https://www.fitbit.com/activities/exercise/58914701844

10-01-2023 Entry

Easy day, I walked for a little less than an hour in the morning and then went to get my COVID booster at Von's in the morning.  No real effects from it during the day, but my sleep was a little disrupted by it.  In the afternoon, Ann and I went to DQ for a Blizzard and a dip cone, and I made dinner.  Like I said, not much done on this day.  Oh, I did talk to Mom (she was generally upbeat) and update my cycling mileage stats in Excel and the blog.  That turns out to be quite time-consuming if I want to be more comprehensive about logging each recorded exercise.