Woke up initially around 4:00 and then dozed off and on until a little before 6:00. Then I got up and got ready for a ride meeting Paula. It was cool at the outset, not quite cold but brisk riding down Aguamiel Rd. I wasn't in a big hurry, since she had left early and was planning on meeting me before the official meet-up spot. Rode down by the park and then over the pedestrian bridge to Via Rancho Pkwy, turning left and taking it, at moderate pace, up to Felicita Rd. Then it was up to Hamilton Ln, turning left and riding to Continental Ln and thus over to Gamble Ln via Calle Catalina. To the top of the hill, then over to Citracado Pkwy via Scenic Trails Way. I rode down the hill looking for Paula, spotted her coming up just after I passed Valley Pkwy. I waited for her to turn around, then we both rode down to Harmony Grove Village Pkwy and took it to Harmony Grove Rd. Then it was down to the turn onto Elfin Forest Rd. I was pushing a little harder than usual, and I gapped Paula. I slowed my pace a little bit before the turn, then took the climb up to San Elijo Hills at moderate pace, not scorching but steady. I waited for Paula to catch up just before we got into the village. There was a lot of morning traffic on the climb, and that road doesn't have much of a shoulder, so it wasn't ideal. We rode into the village through heavy traffic and then took San Elijo Rd down to Melrose Dr. This was a fast descent, and I was super cautious because of all the traffic as well as shadows on the road. Right on Melrose Dr, and I rode down to RSF Rd, not realizing that Paula's final route had us turning earlier. I waited for her at the intersection and called her when she didn't show. We then met up at the intersection of RSF Rd and Boulderidge Dr. Continued on RSF Rd until turning left on Redwing St, and then it was a lot of neighborhood riding. Redwing St to a right on Paseo Cerro and then a right on Paseo Descanso. Left on Carrillo Way and then a right on Melrose Dr, followed by a right shortly after onto Paseo Corto. Another quick right on Rancho Quartillo, which turned into Paseo Palero. We took a right on Rancho Milagro, a left on Paseo Monona, and another left on Paseo Valiente, followed by another left on Rancho Bravado. A right on Paseo Valindo got us out of the neighborhood onto Palomar Airport Rd / San Marcos Blvd, where we turned right and rode down the hill and then climbed to Viewpoint Dr, turning right there. A left turn on Lake Ridge Dr took us to Lodgepole Rd, where we turned left and rode back to RSF Rd. Shortly after we took a left on Lake San Marcos Dr, taking it to the more familiar San Marino Dr. Across the lake, where the street turned into San Pablo Dr. Paula was looking for a street that had an access path to the lake, and she found it in La Plaza Dr, although we had to ride to the end of the street and backtrack to find the path. We stopped there for a break, with a nice view of the lake, and I ate my banana and took a couple of pics. After the break we rode back to San Pablo Dr, turned left there and then right on San Julian Dr, which got us back to San Pablo Dr. We took a left there and then a right on La Noche Dr, and this got us out of the Lake San Marcos neighborhood. Took a right on Honeysuckle Dr and followed it around to Applewilde Dr, where we took another right and then a left on Poppy Rd. This got us to Foxhall Dr, where we turned right. Then it turned into Buckhorn Ave. Right turn on Iron Horse Dr, then a left on Orchid Ave. That got us to Santa Barbara Dr, which we rode up to a right turn onto Twin Oaks Valley Rd. I had to pee by this time, so I wasn't ready to go hard up this climb. Again, I put it in my lowest gear and spun my way to the top. It's a little less than 2 miles and about 350' to get to Double Peak Dr, and I didn't set any records on this day. Turned there and rode to Paula's street, Atherton St, turning there and riding to its end before turning around and riding back to Double Peak Dr. She was just coming up, so I turned around and met her at her house. Stopped to pee but not so much longer than that, as it was warming up and I still had miles to go. I rode down San Elijo Rd into the village, that's always a challenging descent, mainly because of traffic and shadows in the bike lane. Once I got onto Elfin Forest Rd, I basically followed my earlier route home, with the only changes being an examination of Mesa Grande Rd and Fantero Ave, off Citracado Pkwy, trying to find a linkage to the neighborhoods by Gamble Ln (no luck), and taking the freeway route over the lake. Was tired at the end, not a lot of push left in my legs when I got home.
Avg speed = 13.7 mph (13.8 mph). Total mileage = 44.9 mi
Avg power = 118 W. Weighted avg power = 158 W
Total elevation gain = 3560' (3490')
Avg heartrate = 112 bpm (Coospo)
Relative Effort = 54 (57)
Training Load = 186 (178)
Intensity = 72% (71%)
Got home, was there just a little bit before Ann left to get her COVID booster and then go to the beach. I watched some TV and ate lunch, had a very little nap as I dozed off while the TV was on. In the evening, after dinner, we drove down to The Comedy Store in La Jolla and watched a slate of comics perform 10-minute sets. Rob Fogarty had some tickets that he couldn't use, so he gave them to us. The show started a little after 8:00, first two comics were new and still working on their material and delivery. The next few got funnier and funnier, there were several good ones there. But we probably overstayed our visit because the last several (starting with the bartender from the club) were progressively less funny. Left around 10:30 and got home around 11:15.
