07-31-2025 Ride

Good riding day, with a fair amount of suffering mixed in. I got up around 5:30 and started getting ready for my Palomar ride. Packed everything into the Sportage, double checking to make sure I had everything I needed, and I was on the road right around 6:00. Light traffic allowed me to get to the Harrah's parking lot a little after 6:30, and I was rolling before 6:50. It was chilly at the start, but as soon as the sun came up over the mountains, I knew it was going to be warm. I took a jacket, stuffing it into my jersey, in case it looked like it was going to be cool on the descents. Ended up not needing it at all, but it was only a minor inconvenience. The first section of the climb, on the 76, was harder than I had remembered. I spent nearly all of my time in either first or second gear, and I felt like I worked more on this section than on earlier rides. However, it also seemed to be over sooner than I expected. I was off my fastest time on this segment by about 30 seconds. When I had a PR on this segment, I started out slower but had more stamina to finish the segment stronger. When I got onto South Grade Rd, again it was seemingly slow going, but I noticed the parts of the climb where the gradient dropped down to 4% or so, to allow some recovery. I spent more time out of the saddle on this climb than last time, it helped to break up the monotony as well as allow me the opportunity to stretch my lower back. This time, I had a pretty good idea where the end of the climb was, which allowed me to push harder in the last mile or so. Still I was off my PR pace by 1:45 overall. On the plus side, my avg heartrate was measurably lower, albeit with a slightly lower avg power. Got to the top, and Mother's Kitchen was completely closed and the parking lot deserted. I ate a banana, then continued on Canfield Rd to the Observatory. This has a nice descent for about 1.5 miles before climbing for about 2.5 miles. I took it fairly easy, legs still feeling the effects of the bigger, earlier climb. They were just opening the gate to the Observatory when I got to the parking lot, so I walked my bike up to the steps and took a couple of pics before walking back down until I could get on my bike and ride. I made the mistake of pausing by Wahoo on the walk up, then I forgot to turn it back on until I had finished the descent from the parking lot. Drat! I did better on the last climb back up to Mother's Kitchen, in low gears but seemingly better able to push the pedals. When I got up there, I noticed that my right shifter wasn't actuating, so I walked over to some shade by the store and replaced the shifter battery. Problem solved. Tried to use the bathroom but it was locked, so I rode back down to the start. Captured video of the full descent, and it's pretty fascinating to watch, you get a good sense of just how fast you're going. I also used my Wahoo to help me see the curves ahead, as a way of influencing when and how hard to brake. I wasn't quite as fast as the last time, wind wasn't in my favor (and there weren't other riders behind me that I wanted to try and stay ahead of). Still, my legs felt fine at the end, no cramping and more tired than sore. It's been a while since I climbed that much in a ride, felt good to be done.

Avg speed = 11.9 mph. Total mileage = 33.6 mi

Avg power = 165 W. Weighted avg power = 193 W

Total elevation gain = 5640'

Avg heartrate = 136 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 144

Training Load = 224

Intensity = 88%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15299870571

I stopped and bought an overly expensive Coke at the Harrah's convenience store, then drove home. My stomach was a little queasy from the high exertion, so I took it easy for a while when I got home before Ann and I drove to have lunch at Poki Poki in Escondido. The poke bowl was pretty good, with a spiciness that lingered for a while after I was done. We got some junk food snacks at Aldi while we were there, then drove home. It was a light afternoon. Around 4:00, I rode over to Karl Strauss and met James for a drink (I drank Pepsi). He is going through a lot at work, a fair amount of uncertainty about his short- and intermediate-term prospects. I gave him some advice about trying to influence the nature of his position and some people to talk to for their insights. Wishing him luck. Ann went to see Sandi Love-Baxter, who is homebound and recovering from a broken leg, among other ailments. She is not well. Jennifer Kennedy is staying at her house to help her out. Ann and I had a light dinner when I got home, then we chilled. Around sunset, I went to the 7-Eleven to get my free monthly Slurpee, then I parked by the Sharp Rees Stealy clinic and walked a little to get the rest of my steps in. The Slurpee was probably a mistake, as I didn't end up sleeping well.

07-30-2025 Walk/Ride

Woke up early enough to get an hour-long walk in and log most of my steps for the day. As soon as I got home, I started getting ready for a bike ride. Headed out through the neighborhood to RB Rd, then into 4S Ranch, turning right onto Camino del Sur. From here, it was a standard route, to San Dieguito Rd, down the hill and across the flats to El Camino Real, turning left and climbing up into Del Mar Heights. On the descent after that, there were road construction crews out, and it seemed that I got stopped at every light, which was set to its default pattern. Down to the 56 bike path, where I started back. I got to Carmel Country Rd and turned right there, riding up this climb to get some more elevation in, then turning left onto Carmel Mountain Rd. Took this to Del Mar Mesa Rd, which has that short, sharp descent to get back to Carmel Country Rd. Then I got back onto the bike path and took it to Camino del Sur, turning left there. I saw that I was running a little late, so I decided to take Carmel Valley Rd back (had more climbing anyway). To Dove Canyon Rd and then to Camino San Bernardo after the little climb, turning right there. Then it was back to RB Rd and home the usual way via W Bernardo Dr.

Avg speed = 16.2 mph. Total mileage = 36.8 mi

Avg power = 143 W. Weighted avg power = 174 W

Total elevation gain = 2420'

Avg heartrate = 119 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 48

Training Load = 157

Intensity = 79%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15288414275

I had just enough time when I got home to shower and change before riding my scooter over to John's house. We drove to downtown San Diego and parked in a lot near Petco Park, then walked over to the Knotty Barrel and met Dennis and Karen. The place wasn't open yet, so they had time to move their car to a different lot while we waited for Ross and Kenda to show up. We got in there right around 11:30. Food was decent, I stayed away from beer and had Coke instead. Good conversation, as always. Kenda's business has been upended by the new White House administration, but it seems like she is adapting (not liking it much, but making do). Dennis and Karen had a good time with Sam and his family on Oahu, although Karen isn't much of a traveler (doesn't like to leave the dog and the pool). Then we walked over to the ballpark, got in with no problems, and found our seats. We only had five close to each other, so Kenda spent time walking around and sitting in seats until she was shooed away. Apparently, she got a baseball from the ball girl, but then the ball girl made her give it to a kid. Hilarious! Was a good game. Yu Darvish pitched like his vintage self, and the Padres scored five runs over the course of the game, winning it in a shutout. Game took about 2.5 hours to play, which was also a good thing. The drive back to John's house was through really busy afternoon rush hour traffic, so that wasn't so fun. Then I rode my scooter home from there and got home around 5:15. Dinner and some TV in the evening. I also switched out the tires on my Canyon to the Gatorskins for the planned Palomar ride as well as the Saturday Padres Pedal the Cause ride.

07-29-2025 Run/Swim/Hike

Woke up early, about 5:00. I read for a bit in bed, then got up and got ready for a run. Originally planned to walk down the hill on Aguamiel Rd, but instead I started the run from our house, after taking the green waste bin out to the curb. This was going to be a slower run, but I still wanted to run negative splits. Down the hill and over to the park, doing two of the mile-loop laps before heading back home. After I turned back onto Aguamiel Rd, I ran up to the intersection with Aguacate Way and then walked the rest of the way home, having gotten my 5k distance in. Overcast but humid enough for me to be sweating at the end.

Avg pace = 8:31/mi

Total distance = 3.18 mi

Elapsed moving time = 27:05

Avg heartrate = 123 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 7

https://www.strava.com/activities/15274547449

I got home early enough to have a little break before heading to the WWC. Took out the regular trash and then sharpened the teeth on the chainsaw chain. I got ready after that, met Avi there, and we swam some intervals. First, a warm-up 250, then 5 100s on the 2:00 mark, followed by three 100s with an attempt to decrease my stroke count at each 25. That didn't work so well. I was alternating between three- and four-stroke breathing. I think I need to focus on lengthening my three-stroke pull, Avi suggested using a snorkel as a general way to work on lengthening strokes. Might try that next time. We finished up with two 100s of one-arm, other-arm, arm-catch, and regular. I think the arm-catch drill is another good way to work on lengthening my stroke. Totaled 1250 yds in an elapsed moving time of 23:54. Here are the times for the intervals:

Warmup 250

    4:41

5 100s at 2:00 intervals

    1:40

    1:44

    1:48

    1:49

    1:44

2 100s with successively lengthened strokes every 25 yds

    1:51

    1:49

A 25 to get to the other side of the pool

    0:28

1 100 successively lengthened strokes every 25 yds

    1:45

A 25 to get back to the near side of the pool

    0:24

2 100s with one-arm, other-arm, arm-catch, and regular strokes

    2:06

    2:05

Got home and had some toast and a smoothie for breakfast, enjoyed a fairly light-duty late morning and afternoon. I did work on deleting videos from Google Photos, to free up space. There is still more work to be done to go through the 2024 photos and delete/copy them. I also finished AI Valley, by Gary Rivlin. He does a decent job of sharing some history of AI development up to early 2024, with in-depth access to Reid Hoffman and Mustafa Suleyman. I started reading Kevin Bryant's Spies on the Sidelines, a fairly light piece about how NFL teams use various ways of scouting other teams, most of them off-limits. In the afternoon, I tacked the wire down between the solar panel and the tree where it is attached. Tried to install a microSD card, but it wouldn't format properly. I ordered a couple of 1 TB microSD cards, which should be here in several weeks. The latch to the microwave oven broke, Ann and I tried a simple fix recommended by the appliance repair folks, but it didn't work. I did go online later and tried to find some tricks to get the oven door open. Turns out the control panel for the microwave pulls right out, and I was able, after turning the power off, to stick a shim in between the door and the oven and release the latch. The broken part is apparent, now I'll have to see how to remove it and if it can be replaced. In the late afternoon, I rode over to RB Community Park and met Emily for a hike, looping around by the lake. Talked about general topics, nothing really important. I rode back home and we ate dinner, then I watched Divergent, a movie on Roku that I think I'd seen before on an airplane. 

07-28-2025 Swim/Run

Woke up around 6:00, after having woken up in the night and read for a fair amount of time. I lazed around in bed until around 6:45, then got up to get ready for a swim at the WWC. Also packed my running stuff. Pool was crowded at the opening, five out of six lanes taken, with the sixth taken not too long afterward. I practiced breathing on three strokes, it's becoming more comfortable, but I think my strokes are being shortened. Not sure yet if I am swimming faster, and it will be difficult to gauge if that's the case. I kept losing track of my laps, so I ended up swimming 1700 yds instead of the originally planned 1500. Here are the splits from the three 500s and the last 200: 9:28, 9:47, 9:47, 3:53. So far, I'm disappointed in the splits, maybe more practice will speed things up.

Avg pace = 1:56/100 yds

Total distance = 1700 yds

Elapsed moving time = 32:55

Avg heartrate = 153 bpm (Amazfit)

Relative Effort = 58

SWOLF = 40

Avg stroke rate = 25 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/15266381649

After the swim, I put my heartrate monitor on and then rode my scooter down to the park for a run. Did five extended loops to get five miles in and had negative splits for all of them, particularly the last mile. The others were at a more leisurely pace, not relaxed but not too stressful other than on the little climb back up to the park entrance. Even though it was overcast, I was sweating pretty good by the end.

Avg pace = 7:49/mi

Total distance = 5.05 mi

Elapsed moving time = 39:33

Avg heartrate = 137 (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 23

https://www.strava.com/activities/15264827284

When I got home, I had some toast and coffee for breakfast, then I went out into the back yard to see about fixing the posts holding up the sun screens for the original vegetable bed. The one in the middle had broken near the base, so I took it out and replaced it with a spare post I had in the garage. Then I reattached the sun screens to all the posts, and we're back in business. Talked briefly with Joe Swoboda about camping and bike stuff, and he gave me a recommendation on the water filtration system to use. I went online and bought one, then gave Ben a call to talk to him about Richard Lee's passing. Ben is still processing it, so we ended up talking for over an hour. It seems that he will inherit Richard's estate, but that may be messy. Wishing him luck in the endeavor. Took a break after lunch, watched some TV, then headed to Home Depot to get some miscellaneous stuff. I was able to find the tack-downs for attaching wires to wood, but they didn't have the adjustable sprinkler nozzle heads that I was looking for. I ended up getting something similar, but when I got home I found you can't adjust the spray volume, so they probably won't work. I chatted with James Kiang about his job situation, and he is suitable anxious about future possibilities. Arranged to ride down on Wednesday with John to the Padres game. Ann got home from playing Mah-Jongg (<>), and she made pizza for dinner. I also chatted with Pat, who is in the process of reserving the bikes for us while we will be in France. I was finally successful in getting the second Europcar reservation to go through, so I think we're set there. Still need to reserve bikes for while we are in Spain. Started re-watching the first season of Severance on Apple TV, in preparation for watching the second season. That is a weird and compelling show.

07-27-2025 Ride/Walk

Woke up around 3:30 and was afraid I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. Was up for a while but did fall asleep again, and my alarm woke me up at 5:00. I got ready for the bike ride, including getting some food to bring with me, as well as bottles of water and electrolyte drink. Packed everything into the Sportage and was moving by 5:40 to meet Paula at her house. Got everything ready for the ride, it was overcast and just starting to get lighter when we started. We headed down San Elijo Rd, and Paula was really riding fast. I was more cautious, my eyesight isn't as good when the light is lower. Made it down into the village okay and continued down to Melrose Dr, where we turned right. We ended up staying on Melrose for quite some time, past Palomar Airport Rd, eventually turning right onto Shadowridge Dr. There were some little hills to negotiate, and my general strategy, for the entire day, was either to slow down on the shorter ones and ride with Paula or push some on the longer ones and wait for her at the top. We turned right on Lupine Hills Dr shortly after and stayed on it as it looped around, eventually turning right onto Live Oak Rd, which we took back to Melrose Dr, turning right and then right again onto Buena Vista Dr. It was around this time that I realized I had left my water bottles in the car. Drat! Took this road, which went through some surprisingly old and kinda run-down houses, until we turned right onto Sunset Dr. Stayed on this road until turning left onto Emerald Dr, then right shortly after onto Lake Blvd. This took us to Mira Monte Dr, left turn and through another older neighborhood before going past a gate in the road and turning right onto Foothill Ave. A short downhill, then a left turn onto Tamarack Ave, which we stayed on for a while until turning left onto El Camino Real. We weren't on there very long before we turned right onto Cannon Rd. This had a little climb before a nice descent onto the flats, which we stayed on until we got to PCH. We took a fairly easy pace heading south, enjoying the coastal vibe. Decided to stop for a break at South Carlsbad SB, took a couple of pictures and used the restroom before getting back onto PCH. As soon as I got on PCH, there was Romeo, on his way to meet a group of fast riders. We said hi, then he was off. Small world. We stopped at the 7-Eleven by Cancun, and I bought a bottle of juice to help keep me hydrated. Kept riding through Leucadia and Encinitas, taking the usual side streets when we got there. As we got to the outskirts of Solana Beach, we noticed the road was closed off, due to the Solana Beach Triathlon. So we ended up needing to take a detour through the side streets of Solana Beach to avoid the bike route. This dropped us at VdlV, which we took past the freeway until turning left onto ECR. That road is in bad shape, and Paula complained about it. The road quality got noticeably better as we rode into RSF. Up that climb to Linea del Cielo, then down the nice descent until turning onto La Orilla, where Paula suggested we stop in RSF and get some more water. We turned left onto Rambla de Las Flores, another road in crappy shape, then took a right turn onto La Granada to ride up into RSF. We rode by the park in town in the hope that there was a water fountain, no luck, so we ended up stopping at a cafe on Paseo Delicias. The owner, Tom, was really nice, he filled Paula's water bottle, and I bought two croissants. We took our second break, ate the croissants and rested up before the real climbing began. Then we headed over to Avenida de Acacias, taking it to San Elijo Ave and turning right there, which put us back on the original route. Over to El Montevideo, turning left and riding up to Via de Fortuna, where we turned right and took it over to El Camino del Norte. A left turn there, and the nice gradual downhill until the little climb to RSF Rd. We took a right there and did the little climb following, then descended until turning right onto Calle Acervo. I really like this road. It took us to Camino de Los Coches. Here is where Paula really slowed down on the climbing sections. I would ride ahead, then several times I turned around and headed back to make sure she was okay. Right turn on La Costa Ave, then another right onto Circulo Sequoia. This is another nice road, gentle grades that were easy on the legs. Onto Camino Junipero via Avenida Amapola, and we then rode back to RSF Rd. Up the little climb, then down to the turn back onto San Elijo Rd. We turned right on Dove Tail Rd and then got onto Shadetree Dr, which turned onto Weatherwood Ct. This took us to Fallsview Rd, where we turned and got back onto San Elijo Rd. Up that climb into the village and a right turn onto Elfin Forest Rd, taking it to Calistoga Way, where we turned left. I waited for her at this turn. The road dead-ends, but there is a service road we took to get over to Genoa Way, which also had some climbing in it. To Baylor Dr, had to go through the pedestrian gate to get to Questhaven Rd, where we turned right. Paula had talked about cutting the route short around this point, but she was feeling good, so we continued on the original route. We stayed on Questhaven Rd until turning left onto Attebury Rd, which has a short, steep section before leveling out somewhat. We followed this road all the way to a turnoff for a parking lot by the public school. I rode up to the school and then turned around to ride back to where Paula was. Then we rode together to San Elijo Rd, where we had another little climb to the top before descending to Double Peak Rd. I was close to 4500' of elevation gain, so after the turn I continued on Double Peak Rd for a bit before turning around and riding back to her house on Atherton St. Legs felt fine throughout, although my left quad was a little sore, presumably from the combination of this ride and the previous day's ride. Catalin was in the garage when we got back, and he got me a beer, which tasted wonderful after the long ride. Paula sent some potato salad home with me, turns out I could have stayed a little longer, since Ann ended up having lunch with Emily. In any case, I was ready to go home.

Avg speed = 13.3 mph. Total mileage = 59.1 mi

Avg power = 109 W. Weighted avg power = 143 W

Total elevation gain = 4570'

Avg heartrate = 109 bpm (Coospo)_

Relative Effort = 58

Training Load = 212

Intensity = 65%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15256775075

Ann was still gone when I got home, I had cheese and crackers for lunch, along with some of Paula's potato salad, and watched a little TV. I tried to reserve the rental car for France, no luck, so I sent a note to their email help line. Fingers crossed. I looked into potential places to stay for one night on my way up to the backpacking trip in August, Crowley Lake seems like a decent bet. There's a BLM campground there, but they don't accept reservations. I'll probably leave super early and try to get in right around noon check-in time to have the best chance of snagging a spot. In the late afternoon, we went over to Old Poway Park and watched the Pomerado Community Band perform at the gazebo, getting a beer at the Hop Stop beforehand. They were billed as "big band," but they were just a big band. Won't need to go see them again, but the picnic and the weather were nice. Was a quiet evening.

07-26-2025 Ride/Walk

Got up early, took my time getting ready for the bike ride. Headed through the neighborhood and then the extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood, including the little climb up to the top of Four Gee Rd. Nel, Perse, and Fritz were there, and others started showing up. At the start, we had the following riders: Perse, Nel, Jed P, Fritz, Jamil, and Ryan Henderson. We headed to Potomac Ridge Rd from Paseo del Sur, then took Nicole Ridge Rd to Camino San Bernardo. Ryan and I were riding in front, and this was a general theme for the ride. We rode up to Camino del Norte and took it to Carmel Mountain Rd. At the turn, we met Kamal on the road and Rob at the corner. We took Rancho Carmel Dr down to Sabre Springs Pkwy, using Evening Creek Dr N as a different route and back to Sabre Springs Pkwy. From there we rode to the bottom of the Springhurst Dr climb, had a brief stop, then climbed all the way up to the top of Angelique St. Ryan got out ahead, but I almost caught up to him before the top. We waited there for everyone to gather up, then took Cypress Canyon Rd down to Blue Cypress Dr, turning there and riding up to Spring Canyon Rd. Left turn there and another little climb, this time with Fritz not too far behind, to the Pomerado Rd intersection. We rode down to Stonebridge Pkwy and turned right. I stayed at the turn to make sure everybody made it, then I started from the back. It was a pretty big effort to catch up to the others, especially Aaron, who was taking it easier on this day. I eventually passed everyone except Ryan, who was probably 30 seconds ahead of me. Set a PR (13:47, 220 W, 154 bpm) for this road, which was a nice accomplishment for the day. Again, we waited until everybody was gathered up at the top before continuing, turning right onto Via Santa Pradera and taking it down to its end, where we got past a gate and rode down the steep Beeler Canyon Rd, carefully for me. This time, the gate typically blocking the road further down was gone, so we - Ryan, Aaron, Fritz, and I - zoomed down to the flats and then Fritz pushed the pace for a while until dialing it back. Back on Creek Rd to Pomerado Rd, which we crossed and then headed to the convenience store on the corner for a break. Aaron had ridden ahead, he was taking his sons for a hike up by Mt Palomar. While we were there, Jed A showed up, after having followed the route for a while from his place in Mira Mesa. After the break we continued on Pomerado Rd for a short time until turning right onto Stowe Dr, taking it up to Community Rd. It was Ryan, Fritz, and I in the front, with Jed A not to far back. They kept going at the turn, along with the others, while I waited for Kamal and Jamil at the back to make sure they made the same turn. The three of us rode together, me getting out in front of them, down Community Rd to Twin Peaks Rd, turning right there and riding up to Espola Rd. The others were still in front of us, I tried to catch the ones at the back of the group but was unsuccessful. Up that little climb to the high school, where they were waiting for us to gather back up. Fritz needed to get home sooner, so he split from the group and took the direct route back, while the rest of us started down the hill, turning onto Summer Sage Rd to go through this nice neighborhood. Rob wanted to take everybody on an up-and back stretch of Lake Poway Rd heading east, with a little loop at the end. Ryan and I rode with Rob for a while, then we pulled ahead of him. The road went up and down and got steep after we entered the loop, but it wasn't very long. Then we rode back to Summer Sage Rd and waited for everybody to catch up again. Took this road to Bridlewood Rd and used it to get back to Espola Rd. We turned left and rode down to Valle Verde Rd, turning right and climbing a little before descending to Old Winery Rd, taking it by Bernardo Winery and following a short bike path over to Paseo del Verano Norte, where we turned right. A little more climbing until the steeper descent back to Pomerado Rd. At this point, Jamil split off and rode home, while the rest of us turned right and rode down to Escala Dr. A left turn there, and another steep descent before the climb, which is really steep for a while before leveling off and just being steep. Ryan and Jed A took the descent fast and pushed hard on the climb. I tried to catch up with them, but that wasn't going to happen on this day. We all gathered up at the turn onto Duenda Rd. Nel and Rob turned left and headed home, while the rest of us, the remaining small group, turned right and took Duenda Rd into the neighborhood. Jed A, Ryan, and I got out front again, staying on Poblado Rd and then turning right onto Matinal Rd to get out of the neighborhood. I was fine on this last climb, but my legs were running out of energy after we turned onto RB Rd, and it was all I could do to keep putting power into them to stay up with the others. After it leveled out, we kept pushing the pace, but it was easier because it was slightly downhill. We made pretty good time getting back to the starting point. Perse came rolling in not too long after, saying that Kamal had split off to head home himself. Somehow, Jed P missed the turn onto Matinal Rd and ended up riding to W Bernardo Dr before getting himself back on course and returning to the parking lot. I stayed around just a little while after he got back, then I rode home at a fairly slow pace. Took the original way through 4S Ranch, then RB Rd down to W Bernardo Dr and home the normal way from there. This was a fairly big ride for me, more elevation than I've done in a while, certainly at this pace.

Avg speed = 15.5 mph. Total mileage = 52.8 mi

Avg power = 144 W. Weighted avg power = 181 W

Total elevation gain = 4280'

Avg heartrate = 127 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 113

Training Load = 274

Intensity = 82%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15245409568

Everything was back to normal with me and Ann when I got home. I had something to eat, then I worked some on my task list. Got back to Blair about when he could visit while he's in town in late August. Mapped out a route for the Sunday ride with Paula and made some adjustments, based on her inputs. I reviewed information on sleeping bags and ended up ordering a sleeping quilt (similar, but it has an open back next to the air mattress). I was able to make one car rental reservation (the one for Spain) but not the other, even after I called First Tech and got them to release the funds. Tried several times without success, will need to try again later. I went out in the garage and replaced the inner tube on the rear wheel of my Fuji bike with the one I had patched. Then I replaced the brake pads on the front wheel of my Canyon bike with new ones, that went pretty smoothly as well. I needed to get my steps in, so in the late afternoon I went for a walk that ended up being a hike, in the area west of RB Community Park. Hiked down to Lake Hodges but didn't go looking for little hills to climb this time. Got home and had dinner, then I watched some TV in the evening.

07-25-2025 Walk/Swim/Ride

Woke up around 5:00, stayed in bed for a while before getting up and heading out for an early-morning hour-long walk around the neighborhood at 5:30. Got back in time for a relaxed preparation to go to the WWC for a swim, it was really busy at the opening. Nearly all of the swim lanes were taken, but I got one to myself. They installed new lane markers and marked off lane 3 as well. Did a warmup 550, practicing breathing on every third stroke instead of every fourth one. It felt weird at the start, but I got kinda used to it after a while. This seemed to help me keep from getting out of breath, but I think there is something of an offset in being slowed down by more breathing. In any case, my 500 was about the same speed as normal. I'll have to see if it improves my overall time as I get more used to it. Then I did 5 100s on 2:15 to give me a little more time to recover. Not super speedy, again trying to get used to the new breathing technique. I finished up with a 250 using the swim buoy after switching into lane 5 from lane 4. Here are the splits for the 500, the following 50, the 5 100s, and the last 250: 9:27, 0:57, 1:39, 1:45, 1:46, 1:46, 1:46, 4:46. Some of the numbers below include the pauses I took between intervals.

Avg pace = 1:50/100 yds

Total distance = 1300 yds

Elapsed moving time = 23:52

Avg heartrate = 135 bpm (Amazfit)

SWOLF = 42

Avg stroke rate = 24 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/15233983331

I had some breakfast when I got home, then at Ann's request I removed the HVAC air filter and cleaned it using the hose nozzle. Later in the morning, I installed the first outdoor security camera by attaching it to the pine tree behind the fence and affixing the solar panel to one of the fence posts. Had to trim some pine boughs to create a good viewing area. I also put a patch on the hole from the inner tube I used when I did the first ride with David in Reno. A little after 11:30 I drove the RAV4 down (with my bike on the roof rack) to the airport to pick up John, Vivian, and Jayden after their trip to Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. Traffic by the airport was bad on the way in and worse on the way out, and the flight was also delayed, so that put me behind schedule and a little anxious. Got them loaded into the car and then drove, again, through bad downtown traffic (Comic-Con is going on) back home. I dropped them off and then drove to the Pacific Highlands Ranch shopping center, where a Pedal the Cause group ride had already started. I unloaded my bike and got my gear on, then took off to catch them. Down Carmel Valley Rd to the 56 bike path, taking it west all the way to the end and then getting back over to Carmel Valley Rd. I took it up to PCH and then headed south to the bottom of Torrey Pines climb, where I stopped and waited for them, not sure if they were still on the climb or had already passed me. Waited for a while, didn't see them, so I left a couple of messages and started north, figuring I would meet up with them when they saw the messages. Shortly after I started, I got a note from Paula saying they were at the top of TP, so I rode back to the bottom and waited for them. Not too long after, three riders passed me, then a little while later Paula and another rider came along. I caught onto their wheels, and Paula told me the three riders were in the group, so I put in a bigger effort and went to catch them. I caught up with a couple of the riders, Betsy and Nicole, as we were entering Del Mar, and the other rider Dan was waiting for us a little further up the road. Through Del Mar, turning onto Jimmy Durante Blvd to take a shortcut. I waited there to tell Paula and Ravi, the other rider (on a mountain bike with big tires and a rear rack bag), about the route change. We all met up just before turning onto VdlV, and from there I rode at or near the front, and the faster riders all pretty much stayed together. Usual route back to the intersection of San Dieguito Rd and Camino del Sur. I took it easy up Three Witches, Nicole was not too far back but the others were further. We four gathered at the intersection, then continued back over to Carmel Valley Rd. I rode out front with Betsy for a while and chatted with her. Turned right onto CVR and rode back to the starting point without any issues. The four of us were about the same pace, Dan a little further back on this last leg.

Avg speed = 15.1 mph. Total mileage = 24.9 mi

Avg power = 120 W. Weighted avg power = 150 W

Total elevation gain = 1070'

Avg heartrate = 120 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 33

Training Load = 89

Intensity = 68%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15236211499

We hung out by Starbucks for what seemed like a long time until Ravi and Paula showed up. Ravi is pretty slow, and Paula stayed with him the entire time. By that time, Dan had already left. Paula bought drinks from Starbucks for the rest of us, and we talked about logistics for the ride next Saturday. A little too much on the details, for my taste. Eventually, I said I needed to get home, so I stopped by her car and picked up my jersey, shorts, and arm warmers, all in an HP backpack. Then I drove home, where Ann was mad at me for taking so long. I let her have her say and agreed to make a better effort to be home for dinner more regularly. In the evening, I had dinner and cleaned the dishes, watched a little TV.

07-24-2025 Swim/Run/Ride

Slept pretty well, even with the large Pepsi for lunch on the previous day (<!>). I had a little time before getting ready to go to the WWC, so I took it easy on prep. Got over there, and there were a fair number of people waiting to get in when it opened. Still, I was able to get a lane to myself. Ended up swimming 1550 yds, switching from lane 3 to lane 4 after 1000 yds to give that lane to Cathy, who had just showed up. I felt okay in the first 500 but the second and third 500s were not good, form-wise. I need to schedule more distance swims to build up my endurance once more. Here are the times for the 3 500s and the last 50: 9:32, 9:41, 9:49, 0:58.

Avg pace = 1:56/100 yds

Total distance = 1550 yds

Elapsed moving time = 30:00

Avg heartrate = 145 bpm (Amazfit)

SWOLF = 39

Avg stroke rate = 22 bpm

https://www.strava.com/activities/15223609861

When I got out of the pool, I headed to the locker room to change into my running gear, then headed out for a 5k run following the normal course that starts from the WWC. I was a little faster at the start and maintained my pace through the second mile, then I sped up a fair amount for the last mile+. Felt pretty good, legs held up with no pain, and perhaps my breathing was a little easier at this lower elevation.

Avg pace = 7:25/mi

Total distance = 3.12 mi

Elapsed moving time = 23:12

Avg heartrate = 144 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 24

https://www.strava.com/activities/15222213337

Picked up my stuff when I got back and rode home, cool breeze felt good on the way back. I ate some cereal for breakfast and then made coffee while I changed to go to the HP site and have coffee with Brooke and Gary. Sue is doing better, still not able to walk a flat mile without stopping and resting, she has good days and bad days. Gary is doing okay, lower back pain appears to be manageable. Christine's husband Atticus is in the SAG, and they're coming down for Comic-Con this weekend, along with some others. Brooke shared some news about the site and HP, doesn't look so great for anything long-term (i.e. greater than 2-3 years). She and her family are doing a Panama Canal cruise in November. I rode home and did a little garage cleanup, also finding out that I can use the stakes from the old camping solar lights for the lights in the back yard, so I set one of the lights back up. I didn't finish capturing what I did on this day soon enough, so the rest of the day is a blank, although it appears I didn't go anywhere else.

07-23-2025 Walk

Another travel day, this one shorter than the previous. I woke up before 6:00, put the bike on the roof rack, then showered and packed up my stuff in the car. Ann did the same, and we headed over to the nearby Denny's for breakfast using vouchers from the motel. I like eating breakfast out, but that place can be avoided in the future. The eggs tasted funny, coffee was just a little weak. Still, it filled us up, and we were on our way. This part of the drive home was not so exciting. Boring roads until we got onto I-15, where we had to deal with an annoying traffic slowdown from the start of the descent all the way past the Wrightwood exit. There was road construction, and they had closed a lane off, so after we got past that it was much better. We took the I-215 route, a little congestion around the intersection with Hwy 60, but other than that we made good time all the way back. Home around 11:15, and we unpacked the car and stowed the camping gear. Then I got ready for my volunteer shift at the hospital, didn't really want to lay around the house and sleep, which is probably what I would have done. Nothing too remarkable about the shift, was slow in the first half (I was pretty tired but snapped out of it) and pretty busy in the second half. When I left, I think every bed in the ED was full. Rode home and gave Mom a quick call to see how she was doing. She seemed to be in pretty good spirits. Ate dinner and then took a little walk after dinner to finish getting my steps in. I watched some TV, and that was the evening.

07-22-2025 Walk

Travel day, so I went for a longer early morning walk to get most of my steps in. Got back around 7:30, and Ann was up and planning on leaving around 8:15. She had the right idea, I don't know where I came up with the thought of leaving around 10. So I packed our camping gear back into the car, along with the food into the cooler, my stuff, and the bike, then we were off. We stopped for a little gas and ice and snacks, then we followed the same route back into Bishop, taking some side streets there to avoid road work. Had lunch at the Pupfish Café, which was decent but had a long wait for the food to arrive. Then Ann drove us down to Ridgecrest, near China Lake. This is a pretty desolate town, at least the section by where our motel was. We got checked in to a very basic motel, no frills at all but clean and comfortable enough, then we walked over to DJ's Bar for happy hour. Ann had a margarita and I had a very large beer in this giant glass mug. Was pretty buzzed by the time I finished it, and we walked (me carefully) back to the room to figure out where to go for dinner. A little time for the alcohol to wear off somewhat for me, then we ate at a place serving Thai and Vietnamese food, both of us had Thai food. Then we got gas and headed back to the room for an early night in preparation for the next travel day.

07-21-2025 Run/Ride

Woke up after sleeping all the way through the night for the first time in a long time. I caught up on blogging and then got ready to go out for a run. Had a little to eat and tried to map a longer route on Strava, then I got going. Over to the wetlands path nearby, turning right and heading to Wilbur May Pkwy, where I turned left and ran on the sidewalk. Took it to S Meadows Pkwy and turned left there. This took me down to Double Diamond Pkwy, where I turned left again. Just past this turn I tripped over a raised part of the sidewalk and went down but didn't do any damage other than a slight scuffing of the palms of my hands. Kept going, slightly slower for a while, until I got to Double R Pkwy, where I turned left again and then left yet again onto Damonte Ranch Pkwy. Over to the shopping center, where I stopped and opened Google Maps and tried to map out a different way back to the house. I didn't read the map right and kept going the wrong direction until checking myself and turning around. From there, it was a straight shot back the usual way to the house. My fastest running took place in the last mile and a half. My left calf was a little sore but not painful, and it took a little bit at the start for my right ankle to loosen up.

Avg pace = 7:57/mi

Total distance = 6.50 mi

Elapsed moving time = 51:42

Avg heartrate = 137 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 34

https://www.strava.com/activities/15187772542

Ate some more when I got home, then chatted with Christine a bit. Her grandson Oliver appears to have a UTI and is on antibiotics after an ER visit yesterday that ended at around midnight. We hung around their house until it was time for me to get ready for a bike ride with Connor Witherspoon. I loaded the bike on our car and drove over to meet him at Lundsford Park. Got there right around the same time he did, and we both got ready to ride pretty quickly. His route had us heading generally west and gradually climbing on the outbound segment, roughly following the Truckee River. We rode into a stiff wind on the way out, with 20+ mph gusts that made it pretty brutal. At one point, on a little climb, I got out in front and ended up climbing more than planned, and Connor had to come get me and direct me back onto the route. We rode right up to the California border, along a road called Hill Ln that featured in a small loop before we got back on the same route we took out. Flew back, still pushing hard but having the benefit of a great tailwind that was perhaps even a little stronger. We were both pushing each other to ride hard, and I was happy to be able to keep up with him. He's taking a new sales job for Thermo Fisher, more responsibility and more money, will be able to work from home unless traveling. Got back to the cars safe and sound, legs held out but it was definitely a workout.

Avg speed = 17.9 mph. Total mileage = 24.6 mi

Avg power = 162 W. Weighted avg power = 178 W

Total elevation gain = 1010'

Avg heartrate = 140 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 72

Training Load = 92

Intensity = 81%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15193777728

When I got back in the car, I called Ann and got directions to the amphitheater where the evening Artown show was going to be.The show, it wasn't really a concert, was at the Barley Ranch Regional Park, featuring an act called Uptown. It was three pretty good singers singing old R&B tunes with choreography, backed by a band. Some of the songs were complete, others were medleys. The show was fun, lots of familiar songs performed well, but I would have rather seen a concert focusing on the songs rather than the staging. Their friends Rew and Sue were there, they are big cyclists and very active, nice people. We danced by our seats to some of the songs. Traffic was pretty slow getting out of the parking lot after the show, but we were still back to the house before 10:00. It was a long day for me.

07-20-2025 Ride/Walk

Had some vivid dreams in the night, probably because of the previous afternoon's nap (<>). Got ready for another bike ride with David, another loop, this time starting from the house and taking surface streets with a little bit of Sunday morning traffic. Across the freeway and eventually climbing (not too long but a little bit of steepness) to an overlook above Audrey Harris Park, where we are going to a concert on Monday night. We rode back from there through some other nice neighborhoods before getting onto a road that was a long gradual downhill dropping us back to the neighborhood by their house. This was a shorter ride, about 14 miles, and we got done before the day started to warm up. Again, easy pace that benefited on the climbs from David's electric assist. Still, his fitness for riding is much better that when we rode while staying in Cayucos. He's had another catheterization, in January, and the effects are really noticeable.

Avg speed = 13.8 mph. Total mileage = 13.8 mi

Avg power = 84 W. Weighted avg power = 122 W

Total elevation gain = 55'

Avg heartrate = 98 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 10

Training Load = 34

Intensity = 55%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15178126711

It was a casual morning when we got back. I ate a little more breakfast when we returned, and we all chatted for a while. Later, Christine and I went out for a power walk for a little under an hour, then we got ready for a drive up to Donner Lake. Drive was nice, roads not too winding. We walked through the visitor center there, it told the story of the Donner Party, which was a tragic one. Some more information about the Washoe people as well as the oncoming civilization of the area. After that, we drove by the lake to see it, lots of people hanging out for the summer, then we drove into nearby Truckee and ate lunch at a Mexican food restaurant. Started driving over to South Lake Tahoe from there, when Christine realized that she had forgotten the vouchers for the tickets for a play we were going to see in the evening. So, David drove us back to the house, and we drove to South Lake Tahoe on a much more winding road that took us by the Mt Rose ski resort and almost to Incline Village before we turned off. The play was at this beautiful little outdoor theater right on the lake, next to some dandy beaches where folks were enjoying the summer. Christine had packed a large assortment of snacks for us, but we were all full from lunch and ended up not eating so much. We shared a bottle of wine, then David and I went for a short walk by the beaches before the show started. It was Peter and the Starcatcher, a play about the origins of Peter Pan. The concept was weird, and the play itself was kinda strange at times. But there were some funny characters including a nanny for the young girl (the Starcatcher, a quite strange SciFi element in the story) and the pirate who would become Captain Hook, along with his first mate. They had my favorite scenes in the play, and the actor there was very good. The rest of the cast was decent but not great. The staging was generally spare but very clever, especially in the first act. We had some purchased desserts during the intermission. It got cool after the sun set, but I had brought a jacket that kept me warm enough. The ride back was uneventful, but I wouldn't have wanted to drive those winding roads, with no streetlights, in the night. To bed when we got back, a pretty good day overall.

07-19-2025 Ride/Walk

I got up and had a little food, then helped David load the bikes onto the car rack. We drove out to just beyond the Bowers Mansion on Old 395 and parked, then unloaded our stuff and headed north on the highway. We had to turn back after a little bit for David to get his water bottle, then we were on our way. We rode on the overpass and through Washoe City, then up a short shallow grade to a turnoff that eventually headed back south and around the east side of Washoe Lake. It also took us through New Washoe City. All along this route, I was pushing an easy pace and being very careful not to speed up. David kept the pace throughout and only use his electric assist of the periodic little uphills, none of which were significant. We stopped at the campground by the lake for a bathroom break. Past there, at o e point I lost my focus and went into the dirt at the side of the road, but I kept it upright and got back on the road with no problem other than a little scare. Later, David did the same thing and scared us both. We rode down to the southern end of the lake, and the road eventually connected back to Old 395, where we started heading back north until we got to Franktown Rd, where we turned left. This took us through a nice wooded neighborhood of fancy houses, including a lot that they considered buying and building on. The first part of this road had some climbing, nothing steep but noticeable. Then we basically descended all the way back to an intersection with Old 395, right by where he had parked the car.

Avg speed = 14.2 mph. Total mileage = 24. 1 mi

Avg power = 80 W. Weighted avg power = 110 W

Total elevation gain = 700'

Avg heartrate = 99 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 16

Training Load = 44

Intensity = 50%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15168204016

We drove through some of the neighborhoods in this area on the way back, and David talked about some of the properties and areas that they had considered buying back in the day. Got back to the house, Ann and Christine were visiting ArtTown activities, so I ended up having a nice relaxing afternoon. Had to fix a rear tire flat, but I read and napped, it was very good. They eventually returned, and Ann later had a nap too. I went for a walk in the mid-afternoon, that was pretty hot. For the most part, I walked along the wetlands trails, got most of my steps in but not all. Later, we chatted in the back yard before heading to a nearby pizza place for dinner. They really like to load on the food at mealtime, generally not my style but I went along with it. After we got back from dinner, I went for a short nighttime walk to finish my steps, then it was time for bed.

07-18-2025 Run/Ride

Woke up after a decent enough night's sleep. I got ready for a run and headed down by a nearby marshy creek. Got about 4 miles in, then walked back to the house to cool down. This was an easy-paced run, and the cool-down walk afterward was also refreshing.

Avg pace = 8:20/mi

Total distance = 4.13

Elapsed moving time = 34:28

Avg heartrate = 124 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 8

https://www.strava.com/activities/15154980825

Had some breakfast and chatted, then I saw I had enough time to go out for a ride. David was at the office, so I went by myself. I picked a decent-looking route from Strava, when took me over to the old 395 and headed south, with a little loop hear the end before turning around and heading back. The route was fairly flat, had a long very gradual climb on the way out. I struggle keeping up a consistent high power output on flat roads, but I had a decent average speed for the ride, and my heartrate shows it was definitely a cardio workout.

Avg speed = 18.9 mph. Total mileage = 29.5 mi

Avg power = 156 W. Weighted avg power = 171 W

Total elevation gain = 950'

Avg heartrate = 142 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 95

Training Load = 98

Intensity = 78%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15157563314

After the ride I cleaned up, then we drove Danny to the airport to pick up his rental car. Christine gave us a tour of the area after that, including their old neighborhood and house, UNR, and the downtown area, which is being revitalized. We met David down there and had Cajun food for lunch, then walked around a little more before heading back. Easy conversation in the afternoon and a nice dinner, with wine, before we headed to the Grand Sierra Resort to see Alison Krauss and Union Station. We met Emma and Austin in the line to get into the theater, and David bought us all drinks. This was a mistake for me. Sat down in our seats, which were decent but a little far back, and nearly right away the concert started. I did have a little chance to talk with Austin while we were waiting to get in. Life is quite busy for them. Sat by Emma and talked to her a little bit about the CPB funding cuts, which is going to have a big impact on her job and workplace. Willie Watson was the opening act, he was forgettable. I enjoyed the main act, ended up having to pee during the intermission as well as in the middle of the concert, but I lucked out and picked a time when everybody was talking onstage, so I didn't miss any music. Here were the Union Station band members:

Russell Moore - past bluegrass singer of the year
Barry Vales
Ron Block
Stuart Duncan
Jerry Douglas

No alcohol at future concerts, I think. It tends to fuzz up my experience, not in a good way. Had another pee after the concert, then David drove us home and it was to bed.

07-17-2025 Hike/Walk

Travel day. I woke up early enough to get a short hike in before coming back to the campsite and making breakfast. I started up a pretty steep path but didn't have the time to go further, so I turned back. Made eggs and grilled vegetables with coffee, then we started breaking camp. Ann cleaned up and packed the cooking gear while I took down and packed up most of the rest of the stuff. We are getting pretty efficient at this, and I created enough room to add in the two bundles of firewood that Todd had left for us. On the road by 8:30. The drive to Reno was winding and occasionally scenic, also slowed down by a couple of traffic stops for road work. Highway speed limit dropped after we got into Nevada, then picked up once we got onto the interstate. We stopped to buy flowers before we got to the Thompson's house a little after 11:30. Danny was visiting from Kentucky, on his way to a sword-fighting martial arts tournament in the Bay Area over the weekend. We chatted through the afternoon, then Josh, Shelby, and their son Oliver came over for a Mediterranean food dinner. Nice to see them and hear about their lives. Oliver was a prime focus of entertainment. After they left we chatted a little more about Danny's future ministry plans, then I went for a evening walk around the neighborhood to finish getting my steps in. To bed after a pretty long once I got back.

07-16-2025 Hike/Ride

Had vivid dreams during the night, probably because of the naps. In the middle of the night we both woke up and went to the bathroom. There was a prodigious snorer at a nearby campsite, and for a short while I thought it might be a bear in the campground. Nope, no wildlife to worry about. Slept until early morning, then got up to go to the bathroom again. I snuggled with Ann when I got back and fell asleep again (<!>). The it was time to get up and have breakfast. I made pancakes and coffee, and Ann heated up leftover peach cobbler, then I did the dishes. Our camping neighbor Todd left us a bunch of firewood as he checked out. We sat around for a bit and looked at possible hiking options, then decided to walk over to Gull Lake and hike around it. Through June Lake village, pretty typical small tourist town, then onto the trail. It was flat and mostly in shade on the southern side of the lake. The trail got much more up-and-down on the west side, where we walked by a rope swing into the lake. Ann got tired and concerned about hiking in full sunlight on the northern side of the lake, some we turned around and retracted our route. On one stretch I didn't see a low-hanging branch over the trail, and I gave myself a hell of a whack on the forehead. Luckily, I had a hat on, or I might have split my head open. It slightly broke the skin but didn't really bleed, so we continued heading back. Stopped to look at the Gull Lake Marina and Resort on our way back, again pretty standard stuff. When we got back to the campsite, I made PB&J sandwiches for lunch, then got ready for a bike ride. I had looked at possible routes and decided on a loop around the local lakes. It took a while to get everything ready, then I was off. I rode back to the intersection of the June Lake Loop with the 395, which was the start of a Strava route, then I turned around and headed back into June Lake Village before continuing on the loop, which took me by Gull Lake and Silver Lake on an extended downhill run. Then the loop started heading north, and I had a 20+ mph tailwind helping me along on a generally flat to slightly downhill section. That pretty much got me all the way to the northern intersection of the loop with the 395, and this is where the payback began. Although it was generally gradual, this section was uphill for about 6 miles, and I had a cross wind to deal with. There were several sections where it got steeper but never more than about 6%. Still, it was a grind at altitude, and I was glad to see the turnoff to the June Lake Loop again. I was noticeably slower on the return to our campsite, legs and cardio got a decent workout.

Avg speed = 17.5 mph. Total Mileage = 27.4 mi

Avg power = 149 W. Weighted avg power = 170 W

Total elevation gain = 1570'

Avg heartrate = 133 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 65

Training Load = 94

Intensity = 77%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15137959038

Ann went for ice after I got back, and I changed clothes and relaxed with a frozen (kinda) Margarita that she made when she returned, using a battery-powered blender she bought on Amazon. We grilled vegetables and sausages for dinner, and it was pretty good. Since we had all that wood, we made a campfire after dinner, even though it wasn't cold, maybe just a little bit cool. Roasted marshmallows as well, then it was time to turn in for the night.

07-15-2025 Walk/Hike

Travel day. I woke up around 3:40 and decided to go for an early morning walk to get most of my steps in. Walked around the neighborhood, and Ann was up when I got home around 5:00. I was busy finishing packing up and putting my bike on the roof rack. For a short while, it didn't look like it would fit, but I figured it out. Got all my stuff checked off and packed and made some coffee for the road. Then I packed the cooler and we hit the road. We got to Valley Pkwy before I realized I had forgotten my coffee and left the coffee maker on. I turned around and drove back, got my coffee, and we were truly on our way. No traffic until we approached the 91, and we had another wait on I-15 around the intersection with the 60. From there, it was smooth sailing. Stopped for gas in Adelanto and had a restroom stop at a gas station convenience store before we got to Lone Pine (the rest area was closed). Ann started driving then. We stopped for lunch at Amigos Mexican Restaurant in Bishop. I  had a couple of short naps in the 2+ hours it took to get to June Lake after Ann started driving. We got there right around 2:00, made pretty good time. Had the camp set up around 3:00, so we relaxed for a bit, took a short hike down by the marina. I had another short nap in the tent, and we started making dinner around 6:00 after a big lunch. Heated up chili for the meal, then we made a peach cobbler in the Dutch oven for dessert. It was slow to cook the topping, perhaps because of the altitude (7700'). I cleaned up all the dishes and packed our stuff into the bear locker, then got ready for sleep. Sheets on the mattress and a sleeping bag for a comforter, and it was fine for the night. 

07-14-2025 Swim/Run/Ride

Had a restless night after the caffeinated iced tea in the early evening. I got up in the night and ate some cereal, then read for a while. When I did get up in the morning, I went out into the garage and went through the camping bins to check off the items on the camping list. Then I got ready for a swim and run. Headed over to the WWC, expecting a big crowd at opening on Monday. Surprisingly, while there were folks there the pool wasn't as crowded as last Monday. I talked to Kevin about ocean swimming, he goes regularly, fairly early in the mornings. Then I swam 1500 yds without stopping, here are my splits for the 3 500s: 9:30, 9:42, 9:38. Fairly consistent, but I wish I would have been faster. I struggled with keeping my stroke count down, it averaged 21 for the entire time. After the swim I got ready for a run, heading out into the neighborhood and running around a bunch of cul-de-sacs to try and get up to 5 miles total. Didn't quite make it, I will need to figure out how to add just a little more distance to the run to get there. My splits were not all negative, not sure why I ran some miles faster and other slower.

Avg pace = 7:37/mi

Total distance = 4.77 mi

Elapsed moving time = 36:22

Avg heartrate = 135 bpm

Relative Effort = 16

https://www.strava.com/activities/15111961768

When I got home, I had a little breakfast and a cup of coffee. Looked at Jeff Ross' investment suggestions and pushed back on one. I cleaned the kitchen and wet-mopped the downstairs floors, then gathered up the stuff for riding my bike, including charging the pedals. Then I packed my stuff up, including riding, running, and swimming gear. Got ready after that for a short afternoon ride with Paula. I won't detail the route, which took us through Westwood, 4S Ranch, and Del Sur neighborhoods. We ended up at the Avis rental car place in RB, where she picked up a car to get her family to the airport in the morning. I rode home the normal way from there.

Avg speed = 12.2 mph. Total mileage = 14.8 mi

Avg power = 104 W. Weighted avg power = 135 W

Total elevation gain = 1290'

Avg heartrate = 100 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 11

Training Load = 50

Intensity = 61%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15115970341

Had dinner after I got home, then it was a quiet evening. I did spend time putting the old bike rack on the new car, after having attached some fabric pads to the metal parts to keep them from marking up the car's roof rack bars. I also finished organizing the camping gear and packed most of it into the car so that we could get an early start to the drive on the following travel day.

07-13-2025 Ride/Walk

Had an early planned start to a ride with Paula, Catalin, and Rob. Rode through the neighborhood to Matinal Rd and took it to W Bernardo Dr to get to RB Rd. Down to the Albertson's parking lot, where I was early enough to get a coffee before the ride. Once we were ready we took RB Rd back to Bernardo Center Dr and turned right off Duenda Rd on W Bernardo Dr. Across the pedestrian bridge and over to Centre City Pkwy the usual way via Kit Carson Park. We took it out to Country Club Ln, with me and Rob getting out ahead the waiting for them to catch up. Left turn there, taking it until we got over to El Norte Pkwy. We stayed on this road until Borden Rd, then turned right onto Richland Rd. This is a nice way to get to a twin Oaks Valley Rd via Mulberry Dr and Olive St. We got onto Buena Creek Rd and took it over to Rancho Santa Fe Rd for a short jog onto Robelini Dr, which turns into Sycamore Ave. Under the 78, then we took a short bathroom break at an AM-PM, and I bought a Clif Bar. Stayed on this road until turning left on Brookhaven Pass, which got us to Faraday Dr. We turned left onto El Fuerte St and took it down to Gateway Rd, where Paula had us turn to stop by Bressi Gazebo Park for a picture. We continued on Town Garden Rd until turning left onto Alicante Rd and taking it down to Poinsettia Ln, where we turned right and rode for a short distance before turning left onto Estrella de Mar. This is a nice little street through an old neighborhood. We got across Alga Rd, waited for Paula and Catalin to catch up, then rode down into the Omni La Costa resort, stopping for another picture before taking Costa del Mar Rd over to El Camino Real. Continued heading south until we got to Olivenhain Rd, where we were back on a familiar route, albeit in the opposite direction. Back into RSF via Rancho Santa Fe Rd, El Camino del Norte, Lago Lindo (another stop to eat some food and take a picture), El Montevideo, and reverse Stud Loop to VdlV. We took Via de Santa Fe and El Apajo to San Dieguito Rd, then rode fairly slowly up Three Witches. Regrouped at the turn onto CdS, then took it to Paseo del Sur, turning there. On that slight climb to the turn, Paula showed that her fitness is definitely increasing. She has more endurance and can push harder on climbs when she needs to. Over to Potomac Ridge Rd, then to Camino San Bernardo via Nicole Ridge Rd. To RB Rd and down the hill. Before we got to W Bernardo Dr, Rob got a screw in his tire and had a flat, so we helped him change it before continuing. Right on Bernardo Center Dr, then left on Lomica Dr and left again on Acena Dr to get to Callado Rd, which was thankfully downhill, turning into Rios Rd. We then turned left onto Bernardo Oaks Dr, which took us back to RB Rd and to the Albertson's parking lot. Everybody did fine on this longer ride, Catalin probably had the most difficulty, but he will be fine for the actual ride, just likely slower than his riding colleagues. I rode home via the RB Rd and W Bernardo Dr route, legs fine at the end but overall tired. This was a fairly low-impact ride for me, nearly all time in first and second heartrate zones.

Avg speed =- 13.9 mph. Total mileage = 60.6 mi

Avg power = 110 W. Weighted avg power = 143 W

Total elevation gain = 3670'

Avg heartrate = 105 bpm

Relative Effort = 53

Training Load = 222

Intensity = 65%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15104257568

Ann still wasn't home from church when I got home, had a little bit to eat and a short nap in the early afternoon. I wanted to get my steps in, so I went for an hourlong walk, fairly slow-paced, down to the park and looping around a couple of times to watch the baseball and softball games going on. Later in the afternoon, I drove us down to Coronado to see Cassie B in concert at Spreckels Park. We put our seats down and then walked a little further into town to have a drink and some chips before the show started. We had a picnic dinner once the concert started, then ended up dancing for roughly the second half of her show. She has an amazing voice, and the band was also really tight. Not exactly my favorite music that she performed, but the show was a good one. Ann drove us home, and in the evening I got the camping stuff down and started piling it together before calling it a (long) day.

07-12-2025 Ride/Walk

Had an okay night's sleep, perhaps a little caffeine-disturbed, especially with vivid early-morning anxiety dreams. Got up and got ready for the Bisikleta ride. I left early enough to be able to ride through the neighborhood and take the extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood. Several riders were already there when I arrived at the 4S Target, and others kept showing up. At the start, we had the following riders: Perse, Ray, JoJo (visiting from Japan), Nel, Fritz, Jed, Arnold, Aaron, James, Cam, and Kamal. We rode Camino del Sur to RB Rd and took it down to W Bernardo Dr, then rode down to Lake Hodges and crossed the pedestrian bridge. We met Rob T. at the Chevron station, then cut through the mall parking lot and took the route through Kit Carson Park to get to El Ku Ave. Up to Escondido Blvd, where Aaron and I were riding together at the front. In fact, I was at or near the front almost the entire ride, should have dropped back at times to mix with the others and talk to them. We rode up to Brotherton Rd and cut onto Centre City Pkwy, taking it through town and over to El Norte Pkwy, where we turned left. Not long after we made the turn, Romeo joined us. We stopped at the gas station by Iris Ln and had a longer-than-expected break as folks got themselves ready for the upcoming climb. I got everybody back riding, and we continued to Borden Rd and up to Twin Oaks Valley Rd. Romeo and I were out in front along with a few other riders, so I stopped at the turn to gather everybody up again. We rode over the freeway and soon after started the climb up toward Double Peak. Aaron was on his gravel bike, with wide tires, and he still dusted everybody else. JoJo and Fritz tried to match his pace for a while, to no avail. I got into a sustainable rhythm and eventually passed and gapped Fritz while getting closer to JoJo. I was close enough to him at the turn onto Ledge St to let him know to make the turn. Aaron also made the turn ahead of us. JoJo and I went through the main gate by following a truck. This climb is generally easier than the other way. It has a couple of really steep pitches, including one just past the gate, but there are some less-steep stretches where we could recover. JoJo and I pretty much matched each other's pace on this road up to the other gate, where he got past the gate faster than me and kept the space as we got onto Double Peak Rd for the last really steep section by the water tower. Still, I did pretty well on this stretch, benefiting from the little break in climbing that came before it got really steep. Aaron came back down the hill and climbed this last stretch again with us, and I rode up to the end of the parking lot, where a new weather station has been installed since I was up there last. I ended up riding up a dirt and gravel path to the very top, where Aaron was, then we rode down to the end of the Double Peak segment, by the sign. It took quite a while for the others to show up, and most of them had ended up missing the turn at Ledge St, going to Double Peak Rd and climbing up from there. Kamal got a little lost after making the turn onto Ledge St. Arnold and Fritz totally missed that turn and rode all the way down into San Elijo Hills town center before turning around and riding all the way back up to just below the water tower. We saw them there as we were coming down from the top, and they joined us. Rob and Romeo turned left on San Elijo Rd, while the rest of us turned right and rode down into San Elijo Hills village. A left turn onto Elfin Forest Rd, where we rode for a little bit before stopping to regroup everybody. Kamal thought we should try a pace line on this stretch, but I wasn't up for that, so I rode ahead. Eventually, several riders passed me on the last downhill stretch before turning onto Harmony Grove Rd, including Arnold, Aaron, and Fritz. I pushed pretty hard to catch up to them after the turn, ended up passing them, and from there led a smaller group all the way to the turn onto Citracado Pkwy. Didn't know who else was riding with me, I just put my head down and pushed without thinking too much about it. I waited at the turn to make sure everybody made it, then we rode up to the turn to stay on Citracado Pkwy, then up to Valley Pkwy, turning right there and riding down to Via Rancho Pkwy. Single file on this stretch, and I was in front again, pulling the others up this gradual climb. We rode down to the Chevron and gathered everybody up for a final time, while James rode across the freeway. The stop extended into a bathroom and electrolyte break, then we got going again. Jed and Nel were out front, and Jed kept in the lead as we crossed the pedestrian bridge again and turned onto W Bernardo Dr. I passed him on the first climb, and I kept expecting others to pass me as we started the second climb. Eventually, Fritz and JoJo caught up before the light, and the three of us rode together to the turn onto RB Rd. I led up this stretch again, and Aaron pushed hard from quite a way back to catch us and talk us into turning onto Broken Bow Ct, the left onto Via del Campo to suffer through a really steep but short climb before dropping back to RB Rd. We took the normal way back to the starting point from there, passing James near the turn onto Camino del Sur. I think Kamal turned off earlier and headed home, since he didn't come back to Target. I stayed around for a little while until everybody else showed up, then I rode home, pretty slowly, the new normal way. Legs held out really well all the way through this ride, I could probably have fueled a little better, but I did better than usual with taking in fluids.

Avg speed = 15.3 mph. Total mileage = 53.7 mi

Avg power = 140 W. Weighted avg power = 176 W

Total elevation gain = 3870'

Avg heartrate = 123 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 101

Training Load = 264

Intensity = 80%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15092786372

It was pretty warm by the time I got home. Had some food, a pretty light lunch, then watched a little TV to unwind. I had a little nap in the early afternoon. Ann went to the store to get groceries for the car amping trip. I watched some TV and then, in the late afternoon, I had to get >8k steps in, so I walked down toward the park and then turned under the freeway to get over to Escala Dr, then I took an extended walk around that neighborhood before getting to Bernardo Center Dr and heading home from there. Had a light dinner when I got home and watched a little more TV before a quiet evening. 

07-11-2025 Run/Walk

Woke up early after decent night's sleep, Ann slept in late so I decided to go for a run down at the park. Rode my scooter over there and then ran four laps on the extended loop, getting just about 4 miles in. Ran slightly negative splits for the first three miles and then pushed myself harder on the last mile. It was overcast during the run, there were a fair number of people walking or running around the park. Humidity was noticeable, so I was sweating pretty good at the end.

Avg pace = 8:00/mi

Total distance = 4.02 mi

Elapsed moving time = 32:12

Avg heartrate = 130 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 12

https://www.strava.com/activities/15080079867

When I got home, I did some chores around the house and then read in bed for a little bit (<!>). Ate some breakfast, then I finished preparing the bike rack and mounted it on the car to judge how it fit. So far, so good. I'll put a bike on it over the weekend and see how that goes. I worked on the computer for a little while, then I went out in the back yard to go after the pepper tree suckers. This time, I focused on a small patch near the fence by the original garden bed, where they were intertwined with the chain link and thus a mess to get rid of. I took a break after that. I set up the four water sensors under sinks and connected them to the hub that will alert us if they detect water. In the early afternoon, we drove to the credit union and met with Jeff Ross, who has taken over for Brett Everhart. Jeff is more approachable and friendly, but I don't think he is as good at understanding all the market forces and making recommendations as Brett has been for us. He may also want to make his mark in our portfolio by recommending more changes, so that will bear watching. We tried to get our free Slurpees on 7-Eleven day, but the machines weren't ready. I watched some TV in the afternoon and then ordered new battery-powered security cameras after having been refunded the money for the other Tapo cameras I bought and returned. I also checked out the details of Wednesday's ocean swim to gauge the actual distance better. It looks like I swam pretty close to the distance logged in Strava, not what showed up in the Zepp app. It was a little over 2 miles, which is probably still my longest swim but not by a lot. I think the choppiness of the water is what made it a bigger effort. I still have a little rash on my neck where my wetsuit was rubbing against my rash guard and irritating the skin underneath. Will need to figure out a better solution there. I'm also seeing pretty different results from when I directly download the Zepp file into Strava vs. when I save it as a GPX file and then import it. I think the latter approach is preferred, since it doesn't appear to include the times when I wasn't actively swimming in my elapsed moving time. Watched some TV after dinner and then we tried to get our free Slurpees again, but that that store they stopped the promotion at 7:00. So it was a quiet evening. I was settling down when I noticed that I still needed more steps, so I went out for a short evening walk.

I'll catch up here on some books I've read but didn't include in the blog.

John D. MacDonald, A Purple Place for Dying - Travis McGee investigates the murder of his client Mono Yeoman at a place out in the undefined west, perhaps Arizona.

Mark Synnott, Into the Ice - Synott sails a fairly small fiberglass boat from east to west through the Northwest Passage, with various crew members to help him along the way

Ian Douglas, Galaxy Raiders: Abyss - military SF book following Alexandra Morrigan as she wages war against a galaxy-wide conglomerate known as the Galactic Authority, ultimately getting to a point of cooperation by winning numerous space battles

John D. MacDonald, Bright Orange for the Shroud - McGee's old friend Arthur Wilkinson is swindled out of his money, and McGee works with him and others to recover the money

Steven Barnes, Star Wars: Mace Windu: The Glass Abyss - I'm currently reading this book. Mace Windu, who was played in the Star Wars movies by Samuel L. Jackson, travels to a world in the Rim Planets, where nearly everybody lives underground, there is a substantial criminal element, and the planet's main export is high-strength silk

07/10/2025 Walk/Swim

Woke up after a decent sleep, some effects from caffeine ingestion at lunch. I wanted to get most of my steps in before it got warm, so I took an hour+ long walk around the neighborhood. When I got home, I had a little time to get ready for a swim with Avi at the WWC. No intent to push really hard during this workout. I swam a warmup 250, then we did 5 100s on 2 minute turnaround. Next were 3 100s where we alternated arms for 25 yds, did arm catch for 25, and standard stroke for the last 25. Two more 100s with lengthening strokes, the latter using arm catch strokes. The last drill focused on alternating breaths from both sides, and here Avi gave me good advice about how many strokes to insert between alternating breath sides. I did two 100s by starting with alternating breaths every 5 strokes, then I breathed every 4 strokes on one side, every 4 on the other side, finishing up with alternating again. One final 50 with alternating breaths every 5 strokes. Need, in the future, to work on alternating breaths every 3 strokes, which could be better for longer swims to get more breaths in. Good workout and discussion. Here are the times:

Warmup 250

    4:41

5 100s at 2:00 intervals

    1:43

    1:47

    1:49

    1:50

    1:41

3 100s using arm catch

    2:12

    2:04

    2:03

2 100s with successively lengthened strokes every 25 yds

    1:50

    2:09

2 100s with alternating breathing sides (with pull buoy)

    1:47

    1:50

1 50 with alternating breathing sides every 5 strokes (with pull buoy)

    0:57

After I got home, I ate some cereal for breakfast and relaxed before driving the new car over to Mossy Nissan to get a smog check. I misunderstood the date that Ann had set for the smog check (she did too), but it worked out okay, after the service guys figured out how to charge the service back to Mossy Toyota. It took about an hour and a half, then I was on my way. I stopped at an ATM to get money and then filled the car up with gas before driving home. Had a little break before turning around and heading back to Escondido on my scooter to have lunch with Earl at Firangi, a new Indian food restaurant on Grand Ave. Food was very good, this place just opened. We talked about AGI, the meaning of consciousness, and our families. I hope he enjoyed the conversation, I sure did. Rode home, getting gas for the scooter on the way. Later in the afternoon, I rode over to Phil's BBQ for happy hour with HP and ex-HP folks. Avi, was there, as was Aadi Nath (for the first 45 minutes or so), Britt and Bill C. I had a soda and chatted with a guy, J.J., who I remember seeing around B65 and who works for customer quality for the WebPress business. Got back home around 6:00 and worked behind the backyard fence clearing out pepper tree root suckers for a while before heading back in and eating a light dinner. Watched a little TV as well. I also got the old bike rack that mounts on top of a car down from the attic and checked to see if it will work on our new car (appears so). I started mounting protective fabric-reinforced rubber strips to the metal on the bike rack so it won't damage the car rack cross-members when it's attached.

07/09/2025 Walk/Swim

This was an exceptional day. I didn't sleep all that well, got up and ate some cereal and read, but did get back to sleep. I woke up in time to have plenty of time to get ready for my ocean swim with Charlie. Left early to avoid some traffic and got there around 7:50. I walked on the beach and through the nearby neighborhood until about 8:30, then got my gear and walked over to the meet-up point. Charlie got there soon after, and we geared up and got into the water. Seemed about the same temperature as last week, but it was a little more shocking getting in, since the choppy waves poured some water under my wetsuit. We had more difficulty getting through the shore break, and even beyond the break the surface was more choppy. I had much better success with my breathing, got into a steady cadence and swam longer distances before stopping to wait for Charlie. We ended swimming all the way to La Jolla Cove, close to where the sea lions were in the water and on the rocks. There were several sea lions who come up to breathe very close to us, which was cool and a little disconcerting. Lots of sea birds as well, very cool. Then we swam over to the caves and swam through and out the normal exit point, where we saw Garibaldi fish in the kelp beds. Then it was time to swim back to La Jolla Shores, and that was a workout. We avoided the kelp beds this time, much better, but my arms were pretty tired at the end. They held up, I got out of the water further south than Charlie. We walked to the showers and rinsed off, then split. This was my longest swim ever, Zepp says it was 4273 yds, but it was really a little over 2 miles. It also looks like my watch stopped tracking the swim at times for some unknown reason. In any case, it was epic. I got back to the car and changed into dry clothes before driving home. Not as much need to rush when I got home to get ready for my volunteer shift. I got to the hospital early enough to stop at the cafeteria and have some snacks before my shift. The shift was unremarkable, slow at the start but busier near the end. After I rode home, Ann drove us down to Balboa Park for a picnic before going to see Noises Off at the Old Globe Theater. Traffic was pretty rotten on the way down, Ann drove. We had salad for dinner, then walked over to the Old Globe and sat down. Ann had bought $25 tickets, which were in Row 2 but on the left end. They were fine for the first and third acts but pretty limiting for the second act. It was a good show, well acted but not exceptionally well. The play was a farce that apparently we had seen back in the day in Gainesville. Fun, then Ann drove home, and it was to bed.

07-08-2025 Ride/Walk

Got up fairly early, around 5:40, to get ready for a longer bike ride. I decided to ride up to Santa Ysabel and back. Made electrolyte drink and took some food with me, then headed out, actually starting the ride at 6:15 after stopping a couple of times to come back and replace batteries. It was a simple route, down by the park and over to Highland Valley Rd, then up to the 67, turning left there and riding into Ramona until I turned right on 3rd St to get to the Old Julian Hwy. I was about a minute and a half slower than my PR on the entire Highland Valley Rd eastbound segment, would have liked to be a little faster but it was okay. I tried to stay more in the saddle on the steep climbs to build my core strength, not sure how successful that was. Through Ramona without issues. The stretch on the Old Julian Hwy was tough as always. The road condition was quite poor, awful in some places, and it was generally uphill with just a few flat or downhill stretches where I could recover. Weather was decent, not too hot on the outbound part of the route. There isn't much of a shoulder on the 67 in places after I got onto it past the Old Julian Hwy, and that was a little dicey. The climbing segments there weren't as bad as I remembered them from previous rides. Got into Santa Ysabel in about 2:37 without stopping other than at intersections and for a brief time before the Old Julian Hwy to unwrap a nut bar. I got a 32 oz Coke fountain drink and sat outside Don's Market (they sell sushi there) to drink it and eat the rest of my food (dates and dried mango). On the return on the 67, I felt good, a little refreshed from the food and perhaps aided by a modest tailwind. The climbs there were all minor, even the little ones on The Old Julian Hwy weren't as significant as I remembered. Back through Ramona and to Highland Valley Rd, where I had a headwind when I turned onto this road. It slowed me down on the flats and gentle rollers leading to the more significant climbs, which I took at measured pace and didn't have the strength to really attack. The downhills were fun, as usual, no incidents to report. I was also not super fast on the flats back to Pomerado Rd, but I made it okay up the last two climbs and got home feeling fine. Legs were tired but not sore or cramping, which was a good sign, as expected.

Avg speed = 15.7 mph. Total mileage = 66.7 mi

Avg power = 151 W. Weighted avg power = 178 W

Total elevation gain = 4660'

Avg heartrate = 127 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 115

Training Load = 292

Intensity = 81%

https://www.strava.com/activities/15048538462

Ate just a bit when I got home, wasn't particularly hungry then. Ann was gone running errands, so I watched a little TV and hung out. Had a light lunch later on and then spent the afternoon finishing getting up to date on my 2025 Event Log, as well as planning a route for this Saturday. I talked at length to Ben on the phone, just checking in. He can be really difficult to talk to. He lives by a credo that he must be true to himself, which can devolve into pushing his own agenda and opinions without taking others' concerns into account enough. I have difficulty getting this point across, at some point I should stop trying. Watched a little TV later in the afternoon, then went for a walk after dinner to get my steps in.