09-17-2026 Ride

I slept pretty well, waking up a little after 5:00. But I dozed and got back into a light sleep, waking up again around 6:05 and then having to rush to get ready for a bike ride to meet Paula by Harmony Grove Community Park. I mistakenly thought we were supposed to meet at 7:00, so I was late to start. That caused me to push the pace more than usual on the ride over. I also took the freeway, since that's a faster route. Rode up Via Rancho Pkwy to Felicita Rd and took it to Hamilton Ln, where I turned and rode up to Continental Ln, turning there and then using Calle Catalina to get to the top of Gamble Ln. Over to Scenic Trails Way, taking it to Citracado Pkwy and heading down the hill to Harmony Grove Village Pkwy. As I turned left on Harmony Grove Rd and started riding I gradually came to the realization that our meet-up time was supposed to be 7:15. I kept on riding, probably rode about two more miles before I saw Paula coming from the other direction. I stopped and waited for her, then we rode back towards Harmony Grove Community Park, our original intended meeting place. At the top of a rise by the Elfin Forest Preserve, I stopped and loaded up the route, intent on avoiding the mistakes in following our map from the previous week. We rode back to the park and\ stopped there as well to review the route before continuing on. We stayed on Harmony Grove Rd up to its end at Kauana Loa Dr, using that to get to Citracado Pkwy, then over to Andreasen Dr. We followed it through the industrial part of Escondido, not so scenic and kinda rough road conditions. Over to Mission Ave, where we turned right and took it all the way into east Escondido. It was less traffic after we got past Broadway, but the bike lane was okay until then, so all was generally good. No bike lane past there, so we had to watch out for passing cars. Took it all the way up past Midway Dr until we turned left on Paula St. We stopped at an intersection there to take a picture of Paula standing by the street sign. Then we continued over to Lincoln Ave, turning right there and then right again on El Norte Pkwy. We stopped for another pic by the Escondido Creek Trail before continuing on past Valley Pkwy, where the street changed names to Hidden Trails Rd. Paula hadn't been on this road, which has a short, steep climb that gets up to 10% gradient. We took this road all the way to its end, where there was a fire access road that led us down to the neighborhood to the south, on Hidden View Ln. This was a nice little descent to Hidden Estate Ln, where we turned right and followed it to Reed Rd, taking another right. This got us over to Citrus Ave, where there was morning traffic to contend with. A left turn there, then a right on Glenridge Rd, taking us past Orange Glen HS. Over to BVP, where we turned right and rode to Oak Hill Dr, taking a left there. I had been on this road before, used to use it on my rides to yoga at church on Tuesday nights. But it had been a while. We rode up to Rose St, turning left and then right on Kingston Dr. A little climb here brought us to Paul St, where we stopped again and got some pictures of me by the street sign. We then continued up Paul St, turned right on Kenora St and then left on McLain St to get over to Boyle Ave. We turned left here as well, were very close to the Guy's house at this point before we turned right on Destree Rd and took it to Birch Ave. A left turn here took us back to BVP, where we turned right and rode over to Eldorado Dr, another street that Paula hadn't been on. We rode over to Juniper St, more morning traffic to contend with, turning left and then right on Vermont Ave. This got us to Escondido Blvd. My original planned route had us turning left here, but I wanted to shorten the ride and lessen the climbing challenge, so we turned right and rode to Felicita Ave, turning left there. We took this road over to Gamble Ln, turned there and rode to Bernardo Ave. Another right turn got us onto the usual route I have followed in the past to get to the meet-up spot, and we stayed on this route to the park, where we stopped and split up. I was happy we didn't get lost on this ride, with its many turns and unfamiliar streets. I rode home the normal way via Citracado Pkwy and Gamble Ln. On the Gamble Ln descent I rode down without braking at all, and it was both exhilarating and a little scary. One false move and it would not have ended well. I felt much stronger on the return portion of this ride than the previous week. It was 18 degrees cooler, and I was also a little more prepared.

Avg speed = 14.9 mph. Total mileage = 40.7 mi

Avg power = 120 W. Weighted avg power = 151 W

Total elevation gain = 2210'

Avg heartrate = 115 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 45

Training Load = 151

Intensity = 69%

https://www.strava.com/activities/20215966497

Got home, and I was hungry. I had only eaten a part of a banana on the ride, on the return portion after splitting off from Paula. Ate some cereal and felt a little refreshed. I had a little time to relax, then I showered and cleaned the kitchen before riding over to Los Panchos to have lunch with Earl. I miscalculated my travel time and was a couple of minutes late to meeting him, but no big deal. We chatted about the Barona Powwow, Kelly and Jason settling in to their changed circumstances, and Earl's upcoming intended efforts to declutter his life (good luck to him). As usual it was a good conversation, not as weighty as others but still interesting and convivial. Got home and watched a little TV in the afternoon before meeting a guy from a fence company, who walked the property with me to get an idea of what we want to do so he can send us a quote for the work. Rest of the afternoon was pretty quiet, I did avoid taking a nap. I watched some TV before dinner, then read for a while after cleaning the kitchen. In the evening we drove down to the Sharp Rees Stealy imaging center in Kearny Mesa for me to get a CAT scan of my heart, according to Dr Strouse's instructions. I'm hoping the results are tolerable for future quality of life. Ann drove us home, and it was a quiet rest of the evening.

I finished Bowl of Heaven and started Gregory Benford's Timescape. 

09-16-2026 Ride

Woke up in the night and read until I could get back to sleep. Then I woke up, had some breakfast, and got ready for a ride with John. I left early enough to take an easy pace over to his house, following the normal route. I had some time when I got close, took Alpine Way and up to the top before riding down to Dapple Ct and using it to get to Dapple Way. He was there by himself, but the others came out to wave us off. We rode to the top of Pomerado Rd (I went to the top of Angelique St), then rode down to Kearney Villa Rd, turning left there and taking it to Ruffin Rd. Followed that road to Balboa Ave, turning left there. This isn't a great road to use to cross the freeway, but we got through without incident. Then it was a gradual climb to Santo Rd, where we turned left and then took another left on Claremont Mesa Blvd. Back toward Ruffin Rd, using Chesapeake Dr to cut the corner. From there we retraced our route back to his house. Vivian made us smoothies, and we chatted for a while before I started back home. I rode a little harder on the way home, taking the W Bernardo Dr route. Felt okay on this ride, legs were in decent shape even though I didn't push hard.

Avg speed = 15.9 mph. Total mileage = 44.4 mi

Avg power = 135 W. Weighted avg power = 156 W

Total elevation gain = 2420'

Avg heartrate = 122 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 63

Training Load = 161

Intensity = 71%

https://www.strava.com/activities/20203089898

Had a little time to relax when I got home. I was hungry even though I had eaten cereal for breakfast and had a banana on the ride. So I ate some peanut butter crackers and felt better. Showered (I'd shaved earlier), rested a bit, and then got ready for my volunteer shift at the hospital. It was uneventful, steadily busy but not overwhelming. I left a little early, to get home in time to change and head downtown to see Weird Al at the Rady Shell. We left the house at 4:45, and Ann drove us downtown through rush hour traffic. We ended up parking in a lot kinda close to the Midway. Ate some sandwiches and salad at a park overlooking the bay, then we walked down through Seaport Village to the Rady Shell. I thought the show started at 7:30, but it was actually 7:00. We got to our seats just before the opening act, Puddles Pity Party, came onstage. This opening act was eminently mediocre. It was a guy in traditional clown makeup singing (he had a decent voice) to a backing track, with periodic audience participation songs. The audience participation stuff was better than the rest but still forgettable. He wasn't on stage too long, thankfully. The main act, Weird Al Jankovic, was quite entertaining. He used video much more effectively, and he had some well staged set pieces based on both his parody and original songs. The place was quite full, possibly sold out, and the crowd was enthusiastic. My view was obstructed by the lady in front of me, who had a teased hairdo that was impossible to see over. So that was annoying, it forced me for the most part to watch the video screens, which detracted from the live performance aspect of the concert. Still, it was an enjoyable evening. We parked more than a mile away, so the walk back to the car after the concert took a while. But we didn't have to deal with any traffic on the way home, got there a little after 11:00.

09-15-2026 Ride

Slept fitfully again, woke up around 2:00 and need to read before I could get back to sleep. I still got enough sleep before waking up and getting ready for a coffee ride with Nel, Andy, and Perse. I rode through the neighborhood to W Bernardo Dr and then over to RB Town Center, where we met up. Then we took Bernardo Center Dr and Duenda Rd to W Bernardo Dr, then took Poblado Rd to Capilla Rd and through the neighborhood that way to RB Rd. From there it was the usual way to San Dieguito Rd, then down the hill to Little Hidden Bakery at El Apajo. We had coffee and a chocolate croissant, nice long conversation with wide-ranging topics. Perse had pushed the pace on the CdS bump, which bugged Andy a little. So on the way back we slowed it down and rode at Andy's pace. We retraced our route back to RB Rd and then took Matinal Rd down to Hada Dr and over to Duenda Rd. Back to RB Town Center, where I split up with the others and took the standard route home from there. Was a nice easy-paced ride with cooperative weather.

Avg speed = 14.0 mph (14.2 mph). Total mileage = 25.7 mi

Avg power =119 W. Weighted avg power = 142 W

Total elevation gain = 1900' (1890')

Avg heartrate = 114 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 28 (29)

Training Load = 90 (89)

Intensity = 65% (68%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20188729077

Ann was at the beach when I got home. After talking with Perse, I went up in the attic and took down my golf clubs. May go to the driving range and hit some balls for the first time in a long time. After that I went out in the front yard and trimmed some of the bushes. I scraped my arm on a branch, and it was bleeding quite a bit for a while. Finished up there, then I watched some TV and ate a light lunch. I read in the afternoon for a while. Did a little bit of clean-up on my cycling analysis code. I watched some TV and read after dinner on a quiet evening.

09-14-2026 Swim

Slept kinda poorly, likely because of the nap. I woke up in the night and ended up watching some TV before getting drowsy again and going back to sleep. I still woke up fairly early and lay in bed reading. Then I got up and got ready for a swim at the WWC. It was overcast and cool on the ride over, and so I was surprised to see so few people waiting to get in. It was just me and Cathy in the pool for about the first half of my workout, there were still open lanes when I got out. I did intervals, working on strengthening my shoulders and upper body.

Warmup 250

    4:31

Five 100s with each successive 25 faster than the last, on 2:00 intervals

    1:39

    1:38

    1:40

    1:41

    1:39

300 with swim pads

    5:24

Two 100s with alternating single arms, tap-to-touch, and standard stroke, with pull buoy

    2:00

    2:02

Cooldown 600

    5:36

As usual, my watch didn't count the laps I took where I wasn't rotating my right arm, so Zepp only recorded 1500 yds.

Avg pace = 1:48/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1550 yds (Video)

Elapsed moving time = 27:50 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 128 bpm (maybe)

Relative Effort = 15 (seems a little low)

SWOLF = 38

Avg stroke rate = 21 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.32 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/20172564074

Got home, had some coffee and toast, and scheduled my CT scan to test my arteries. Showered and then rode over to Elmisa Café to have lunch with Pat Harnett. We talked about our moms, his kids (Lauren, Emily, and Shane), and the EER process for him. He isn't done with work, so his future will include figuring out that next job. Was an interesting conversation as always. I headed home after that and had a quiet afternoon including taking a nap and watching some TV. In the evening I talked for an hour with Ross. He starts his new job in a week, I'm hoping it goes well. Also sounds like he's on the outs with Terri, whose life is crashing down around her. Rest of the rvening was quiet (<!>).

09-13-2026 Run/Ride

Slept okay, did get up in the early morning and read before falling back to sleep. And I got up around 5:30, hung around the house for a bit before heading out for a run. I took an easy pace and ran the usual 5k route, nothing special to report. I did run negative splits, which was a plus.

Avg pace = 8:41/mi

Total distance = 3.17 mi

Elapsed moving time = 27:33

Avg heartrate = 123 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 6

https://www.strava.com/activities/20158728831

Got home and cooled down before getting ready for a bike ride. I left a little before 7:30,headed down by the park and then up Pomerado Rd to RB Rd. From there I followed the time trial route. Didn't have a real strong push in my legs and cardio, so I focused on steady effort, and that seemed to work. Also, I found a couple of coins on the road, second day in a row that I picked up money. 😊

Avg speed = 16.4 mph (16.6 mph). Total mileage = 19.6 mi

Avg power = 153 W. Weighted avg power = 176 W

Total elevation gain = 1040' (1060')

Avg heartrate = 125 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 27 (26)

Training Load = 80 (86)

Intensity = 80% (82%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20160488819

Got home, showered, and had toast for breakfast before getting ready to ride to church for the 140th anniversary service. The ride over was uneventful, got there in time to sit by Ann, Emily, and Caleb. Service was bilingual, and that was generally a treat. I particularly liked Ruben's mini-sermon, it was humorous, meaningful, and uplifting. Didn't spend much time on the patio after the service, there really weren't many people I was looking to talk to, and Ann was putting the bells up. Rode home after that and watched some TV and, after that, football. Afternoon was quiet, I had a nap (I've been more tired recently) and am re-reading Bowl of Heaven, by Gregory Benford and Larry Niven. It's the first in a trilogy, not sure if I finished it the first time I picked it up. Ann and I watched some TV in the evening before turning in.

09-12-2026 Ride

Slept well, the best in a week. I did wake up early but got back to sleep. Got up around 6:15 and got ready for the Bisikleta ride. I rode through the neighborhood and then took the new extended route through the 4S Ranch neighborhood. Perse was there when I got there, and others started showing up. On this day we had the following riders: Perse, Ray, Jed, Fritz, Paula, Nel, and Cam. I'd planned the route, and we took CdS to RB Rd. We then followed it past the freeway and on Espola Rd up to Bridlewood Rd. We turned there, then Cam and I sprinted up the little climb. He rode strongly throughout the day. He and I rode on Summer Sage Rd to Lake Poway Rd, waited for the others there, then Fritz and I climbed up to the turn onto Riparian Rd. I waited to make sure everybody also made the turn, then we rode to Titan Way and used it to get back to Espola Rd. Up and then down the hill. Around this point I had a turn planned but got it mixed up, which caused Cam and Ray to be on the planned route while the rest of us rode further down the hill and turned right on Los Nietos Ave, taking it to Roberto Rio Rd, turning left and getting to Twin Peaks Rd. We rode to Tierra Bonita Rd and waited for Cam and Ray to catch up with us. We were all together again, riding down to Community Rd and turning there to ride to Metate Ln. It was Poway Days Parade day, and they were lining the floats up on Pomerado Rd. We were able to get through and take Pomerado Rd south. On the climb Ray, Fritz, and Cam rode out ahead, but I kept to my pace and high cadence, picking them off one by one. Cam had gotten ahead quite far, but I caught and passed him near the top. We waited for the others to get to the top before continuing the climb past the light at a shallower gradient. Then it was a gradual downhill to the right turn on Blue Cypress Dr. This is a really nice descent, with a sharp right turn at the bottom onto Cypress Canyon Rd. This took us to the top of Angelique St, and we had another fast descent, to Scripps-Poway Pkwy. Left turn there, some gradual climbing and the steady descent down toward the freeway. We stopped for a break at a Sinclair station, then continued down to the bike path running along the east side of I-15. Around here Jed and Fritz got behind us, for reasons I couldn't figure out. The rest of us took the bike path to Poway Rd, riding up to Sabre Springs Pkwy and turning left. We rode to Evening Creek Dr and turned left there. Then another left turn, on Sabre Hills Dr, and up the short steep climb. Cam and I both pushed hard to the top. Turns out that Jed lives in the subdivision at the top of this climb. Looped around and back down to Evening Creek Dr, then back toward Sabre Springs Pkwy. I turned into the parking lot by the Park n Ride and got us onto the sidewalk to make it to the beginning of the 56 bike path. We ended up taking the bike path all the way to CVR, paying attention to the numerous dicey intersections that we crossed. Started back on CVR, seemed that the pace decreased a little bit here. We rode back to CdS, and I waited after the turn for Paula to catch up while the others kept going. Paula and I rode back via PdS, stopping after the turn for a pic. Back to Target via Templeton St. It was heating up and already muggy, so I didn't stay too long. Rode home the new normal way, and Nel followed me, since he had ridden from home as well. We split at Camino San Bernardo, and I took it fairly easy on the rest of the way home.

Avg speed = 15.7 mph (15.8 mph). Total mileage = 50.3 mi

Bisikleta route avg speed = 16.0 mph

Avg power = 140 W. Weighted avg power = 168 W

Total elevation gain = 3100' (3210')

Avg heartrate = 125 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 87 (90)

Training Load = 229 (216)

Intensity = 76% (78%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20148235385

Had some lunch and watched college football for a while after I got home. Rest of the afternoon was quiet. I rested and read for a while. In the late afternoon we drove to church for the 140th anniversary dinner. Was fun seeing some folks I hadn't seen in a while, including YAMs, whose table we sat at. Food from Olive Garden was meh as expected, some of the pictures in the slide show brought back good memories. We were home before 8:00, which was another plus, so I watched some TV before going to bed.

09-11-2026 Swim

Slept okay but not as long as usual due to the late previous night. I got ready for a swim with Avi at the WWC. Temperature was really nice on the way over and during the swim, although the pool water was a little too warm. My focus was on swimming distance without pausing. I ended up swimming 2000 yds for the first time in a while, the last 450 yds with a pull buoy. Here are the splits for the four 500s: 9:33, 9:56, 10:03, 9:19. My form was generally okay, but my stroke length was definitely shorter than usual, especially when I was breathing every three strokes. Avi was in and out of the pool switching lanes, pausing, but I just kept swimming at my slower pace. Not so much strength in my arms on this day.

Avg pace = 1:57/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 2000 yds (Video)

Elapsed moving time = 38:51 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 159 bpm (too high to be believed)

Relative Effort = 80 (nope)

SWOLF = 38

Avg stroke rate = 22 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.25 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/20132526154

Got home, had some cereal for breakfast, then watched a little TV. We then met Ed and Susan at Ali Baba for lunch. It was great to get caught up with each other on travels, family, and church topics. They were down in San Diego to test drive a Slate truck, which I understand they are going to buy. We drove home after lunch, and I had a little nap. Been more tired than usual lately. I then watched some TV in the late afternoon. In the evening we drove to Escondido to see a free outdoor concert at the CCAE. The opening act was The Lonesome Roses, and they were excellent, as usual, although Rheanna's guitar sounded strange at times, and her playing wasn't perfect. The main act was a band, Daring Greatly, that neither one of us had heard of. However, they had a pretty rabid group of fans show up, most of them middle-aged. We sat next to two big fans, Russ and Glenda, who have followed this band around. Russ told me that there is a connection between a couple of the band members and two of the female singers from the band, Twilight Highway, that we had seen on Thursday. Small music world in San Diego, apparently. We also saw Jeff Berkley wandering around before the show, and his name got mentioned during the concert as well.

09-10-2026 Swim

Slept okay, although I did wake up in the night and read for a bit (<!>). Got out of bed around 6:30 and did a little computer work. No rush on this day, as I was meeting Avi later than usual for a swim. We met up at the WWC at 8:45, had to wait for a bit until a lane opened, as it was quite busy and stayed that way through our swim. We did some intervals after a warmup 500. Here are the times:

Warmup 500

    9:09

Three 100s with alternating single arms, tap-to-touch, and standard stroke, with pull buoy

    1:58

    2:02

    2:06

Three 100s with each successive 25 faster than the last

    1:38

    1:40

    1:42

Cooldown 250

    4:39

I forgot to stop my watch during one of the recovery periods, so the Strava time is off. Also, distance is less because it didn't count two of my three 25s when I was alternating arms.

Avg pace = 1:51/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1350 yds (Video)

Elapsed moving time = 24:54 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 136 bpm (maybe these numbers are right)

Relative Effort = 31 (perhaps)

SWOLF = 40

Avg stroke rate = 20 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.37 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/20118946379

This workout felt pretty good, although I was gassed at the end of the fast 100s. Nice water temperature and outside temperature as well. I got gas for the scooter before I rode home. Ann had talked to the guy at the credit union who offers premier banking services, and it should be a good deal for us. I'd shaved the night before, so after showering I was ready for my volunteer shift at the hospital, moved to Thursday because of the previous day's Four Amigos Lunch. Ate a healthier lunch there than usual. It was noticeably busier at the start than usual, same staff with whom I have worked. A guy came in with heatstroke, and he got a lot of attention for quite a while. We don't see a lot of truly emergent cases come in, this was one. I left a little late, had to wheel an ornery old guy to his car by the main lobby. Still got home before 5:00. After dinner Ann drove us down to the Belly Up in Solana Beach for a concert. It was the first time at this venue for both of us. It was Jesse Ray Smith and Cassie B, wit Twilight Highway as the opening act. They were forgettable. Cassie B did a set where she mostly sang her original music. It's not relly my style of music, but she has a big voice, and she knows how to use it. Jesse Ray Smith had the longest set, his music is more to my liking. He's got some weird body motions when he sings without his guitar, but his voice is strong and his songs are better. One of the guitarists and the bass player are from his Music by Eras group. Our seats were in the loft above the stage, decent (not great) viewing, but the sound was muddy, since it was directed at the audience in front of the stage. And we had, of course, a group of young people by us who were more interested in socializing than in the music. It got to be annoying as time passed, particularly in the last music set. By the end of the show we were the only ones in the loft, I guess we should have gone down to the floor but didn't. I drove home, taking care on the dark roads, got back before 11:15.

09-09-2026 Ride

This was not the greatest ride. I slept poorly, waking up in the night as well as tossing and turning while I tried to get back to sleep. I got up around 5:30 and had cereal and a banana for breakfast, then got ready to ride over and meet Paula for a bike ride. Left the house a little after 6:10, headlight and taillight flashing to give me more visibility. It was cool on this ride for about 20 minutes, that was all. Down by the park and then over the pedestrian bridge, using the bike path to get over to Via Rancho Pkwy. I took it up to Felicita Rd, climbing was challenging on this day. Then I rode on Felicita Rd up to Hamilton Ln, turned left and then took a right on Bernardo Ave. Up and then down past the gate, then up to 11th Ave. Down to Del Dios Rd, taking a left and then a right on Avenida del Diablo. To Citracado Pkwy, taking it to Harmony Grove Village Rd and then down to Harmony Grove Rd. I took it over to the park where we were supposed to meet and kept riding for a little less than a mile before I met Paula riding the other way. She stopped, and I turned around to ride with her. We rode back to the park, where I stopped and, for some weird reason, couldn't load the route I'd made in Strava the previous evening on my Wahoo. It didn't show up on the list of possible routes, and I couldn't find my routes on Strava either. In retrospect, I think Strava was having a hiccup at the time. Paula eventually sent me an earlier version of the route, which I was able to load on my Wahoo. We continued, and of course the first thing I did was make a wrong turn (first of many routing miscues on my part on this day). I turned on Riding Trail Dr, then took Starry Night Dr, Trail Blazer Ln, and Trail Ridge Dr to get to Country Club Dr, which I should have taken in the first place. Turned left, then I almost missed my second left turn to stay on Country Club Dr. This road is in bad shape, we stayed on it for just a little bit until turning right on Kauana Loa Dr. Just a little more climbing, then a nice little winding descent to Citracado Pkwy. We were riding pretty much into the sun at this point, and my vision wasn't so great. We got over to Andreasen Dr and took it to Harmony Grove Rd, turning right and riding to the bike path, aka the Escondido Creek Trail, along the drainage canal. We followed this all the way to Quince St, including going under a road and having to navigate through a group of unhoused folks and their dogs. I inadvertently took us off the bike path a street early, wasn't reading my map on the Wahoo well. We rode over to Grand Ave and started heading east. At this point, the map really lost track of where we were supposed to go. It gave me indications to get back to Valley Pkwy and follow the Escondido Creek Trail. Maybe I just wasn't following it well. In any case, we took Escondido Blvd over to Valley Pkwy, then used the two-lane bike path there to get to Broadway, where we stopped for a picture, then turned left. Around Woodward Ave we got back on the Escondido Creek Trail, this time on the north side of the canal. The city has done a good job with the bike path here, it's well-paved, well-maintained, and landscaped nicely. But we were way off route, and Strava wasn't giving me clear directions (I wasn't paying enough attention as well) on how to get back. We ended up taking the bike path up to Rose St before getting off it and then riding back the way we came on Valley Pkwy. It was bad traffic and not a good road to ride a bike on. Strava routed us back to Date St, where we headed south. We stopped and tried to figure out where we were relative to the original planned route, and Paula eventually suggested taking 4th Ave to get to Juniper. Unfortunately, that road had a couple of steep little climbs and descents to navigate, but we successfully got to Juniper St. Took that all the way to Sunset Dr, with Strava regularly trying to reroute me away (maybe because it had an older version of the route?). In any case we finally got back on route, turning left on Sunset Dr and then right on Royal Crest Dr. This little climb is short and not too steep for long, then there is a really nice winding descent to BVP. We turned right at the intersection, then right again on Las Palmas Ave, which took us into the north part of Kit Carson Park. A right turn on Castaneda Dr led us through the park, to Park Dr and back to BVP. I was wearing out by this time, not much left in the tank. We rode to Via Rancho Pkwy, and Paula wanted to follow the original route, which had us doing the climb up Via Rancho Pkwy in morning traffic. I was a little concerned about this part of the ride, but there was generally enough bike lane to ride safely, albeit slowly. I rode behind Paula and just pushed the pedals to stay up with her. Up to the top, then down to Eucalyptus Ave, where we turned right, stopped for a short break, then continued on up this nasty little climb. It was only half a mile at 7%, but on tired legs on a hot and humid day it was a workout. This got us to Hamilton Ln, but again my Wahoo wasn't keeping up with my position. It had us continuing, but we made the right decision to turn left on Hamilton Ln and follow it up to Continental Ln, turning there and riding to Calle Catalina to get to the top of Gamble Ln. From there it was the normal way back to the park by Harmony Grove Village. I rode a little past the park before stopping and turning around. Paula still had the huge task of climbing back to her house, I'm not sure I could have done it in my condition. As it was, I turned around and retraced my route to the top of Gamble Ln, then rode down it to Bernardo Ave, turning right there and retracing my morning route back to I-15. I rode over the freeway, no push in my legs left, then slow-pedaled up the last two climbs to get home. I was wiped out at the end of this ride.

Avg speed = 13.6 mph (13.7 mph). Total mileage = 39.0 mi

Avg power = 113 W. Weighted avg power = 147 W

Total elevation gain = 2380' (2360')

Avg heartrate = 125 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 78 (80)

Training Load = 147 (144)

Intensity = 67% (68%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20105124148

Got home and drank a little soda and a lot of water to help me cool down. Then I had a shower, which also helped to cool me down. Late in the morning Ann and I drove to Stone Brewery to meet up with the Four Amigos and their spouses. Karen and kenda didn't make it. Food was good, service was terrible. It was a fun time, I talked mostly with Ross about his situation with Kenda and Alex, as well as their plans to split time between California and Florida. Ross paid for lunch. After the meeting we drove towards home, but Ann got notices saying our house was without power. It was 109 deg outside, so we headed to the mall to walk around and kill some time. I hadn't walked around the mall in a very long time, it's kinda depressing. We stayed there for about an hour and a half, then Ann got an update that our power was restored. So we drove home. I was exhausted from the morning as well as the poor sleep from the night before. Felt much better after a nap. I watched some TV in the late afternoon. Evening was quiet. The power went off a little before bedtime, while I was reading. Thankfully, it didn't stay off long, so we were able to sleep with the fan on.

09-08-2026 Ride

Maybe too much caffeine the previous day, I woke up around 1:30 and couldn't get back to sleep, so I got up and watched some TV. After that I was able to sleep, waking up around 6:20. Didn't have a lot of time to get ready for a coffee ride, so I gathered my stuff, prepped my bike, and rode over to Albertson's to meet up with the others. On this coffee ride we had Andy, Nel, Cam, and Cynthia (a rider whom Andy met from an RB retiree's cycling group). We headed north, taking the now normal neighborhood roads to avoid having to ride on Pomerado Rd as much as possible. Down to Pomerado Rd and then over Lake Hodges via the pedestrian bridge. We got to BVP, and Cynthia split up from us, as she didn't want to take the longer way to our coffee spot. Not sure which route she took. We kept on BVP up to Sunset Dr, turning there and riding up to Juniper St. On this stretch Cam, Nel, and I put in a bigger effort than usual, and we waited for Andy to catch up at the turn. We took Juniper St all the way to Grand Ave and turned left there, riding down to A Delight of France, which wasn't open yet. About five minutes later Cynthia showed up, so we were all back together. We got in when they opened at 8:00, had coffee and almond croissants, and sat indoors to enjoy the A/C. Chatted about 9/11 (25th anniversary coming this Friday) and COVID lockdown experiences, among other topics. It had been cloudy on the way over, humid but not too hot yet. When we rode back, the sun was out, so it was noticeably hotter but not yet uncomfortably hot. We rode down to Escondido Blvd and then took it to El Ku Ave to get to Kit Carson Park. Home the normal way through the mall and across the pedestrian bridge. Cam and I split off at W Bernardo Dr, while the others headed up Pomerado Rd. I got home around 9:30, pretty good timing for the expected heat coming during the day. 

Avg speed = 13.9 mph (14.2 mph). Total mileage = 19.2 mi

Avg power = 111 W. Weighted avg power = 143 W

Total elevation gain = 980' (980')

Avg heartrate = 110 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 19 (20)

Training Load = 68 (64)

Intensity = 65% (65%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20090321240

Also on a positive note, my brakes didn't squeal after I made the adjustments the previous day, and my shifting was also a lot smoother. So, new wheels are working well. With this knowledge, I switched back to my DT Swiss wheels, using the new rotors. I also swapped out the SPD MTB pedals on my Fuji bike after charging the Assioma pedals. We talked to Jeff Ross about our investments in late morning, made only minor changes. I had a quiet afternoon, read both books in progress, avoided napping. Later in the afternoon I used Claude's assistance to modify my cycling analysis code to display a route map and elevation profile that are linked to display position on the map, distance, and gradient simultaneously. It is actually pretty cool. I watched some TV while Ann was at bells.

09-07-2026 Ride

Slept okay, even with the previous day's naps. I woke up a little after 5:00, read for a while. Then I got up and ate some bread and cheese for breakfast. Then I received a text from Rob about meeting for a ride. I got ready and then rode over to his house the normal way. He was ready to ride, so we headed up to RB Rd and took it at measured pace to Dove Canyon Rd. Rob was slow but had been riding some, so he wasn't that slow. We rode over to CVR and took it up to Black Mountain Rd and then down the hill. Rob wanted to keep going straight, so we rode on to Rancho Santa Fe Farms Rd (not counting a false turn through a neighborhood) and took it over to the 56 bike path. Headed back to CdS, again at Rob's pace, not pushing it. We then took CdS all the way back to RB Rd, turned there, and rode to Mostra Coffee (Rob's preferred shop), where we stopped and had a nice conversation about recent activities and some work topics. We headed home after that, through the neighborhood. It was a nice little ride for me, I hope he enjoyed it as well.

Avg speed = 13.5 mph (13.7 mph). Total mileage = 22.9 mi

Avg power = 109 W. Weighted avg power = 134 W

Total elevation gain = 1460' (1500')

Avg heartrate = 107 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 19 (18)

Training Load = 68 (68)

Intensity = 61% (60%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20076306805

Got home, read some more, then watched a little TV and had some toast as a second breakfast. In the late morning I went out in the garage and tried to readjust my rear brakes so they wouldn't squeal and wouldn't rub either. Made some adjustments, we'll see how they work out. If this doesn't work, I'll swap out the rear rotor with my older rotor that doesn't have as much wear. I also tried to change the rear derailleur Microadjust setting to optimize it more for this wheel. Settings shown below.

DT Swiss wheel rear derailleur Microadjust setting - 5

EliteWheels wheel rear derailleur Microadjust setting - 12

In the afternoon I looked through my paint cans to find the right one for painting the gate caps. I think it's the large Sherwin-Williams can with beige paint, the color seems to match. I also used Claude to modify the elevation profile display in the cycling analysis program to dynamically show the distance and gradient. With its help I got it to work, looks decent. After that I went out in the garage and painted the gate caps. Later I applied a second coat, should be enough after the two coats of primer, so my fingers are crossed that this paint will last and not flake off. Started reading Earl's book, it's pretty well written but dense with fantasy and alternate world elements from the start. After dinner Ann and I watched TV, and the rest of the evening was quiet (<!>).

09-06-2026 Swim

Slept all through the night, woke up a little after 5:00 and read for a bit before getting up around 6:00. I watched some TV and had breakfast. Eventually I got ready for a swim at the WWC. Headed over there in a very light drizzle, and it sprinkled on me while I waited for them to open the gate. I was a little surprised at how many people were there to swim, lanes were almost full before too long, but I got lane 3. Started with a warmup 500, and I could tell my legs were tired. So I focused on my stroke form. I followed this segment by a 300 using the swim pads, am going to include these more to try and strengthen my shoulders. I followed this segment with two 100s using alternating arms and tap-to-touch with a final normal 25, using the pull buoy. Then I finished with a 500 followed by an extra 150 for good measure, all with the pull buoy to reduce the strain on my sore legs. Here are the times for these segments:

Warmup 500

    9:32

300 with swim pads

    5:44

Two 100s with alternating single arms, tap-to-touch, and standard stroke, with pull buoy

    2:02

    2:00

500 with pull buoy

    9:20

150 with pull buoy

    2:54

I didn't record the second 100 on my watch, so my Strava workout only shows 1525 yds (it probably also didn't capture the 25 yds when I was windmilling the non-watch arm).

Avg pace = 1:55/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1650 yds (Video)

Elapsed moving time = 31:32 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 127 bpm (maybe these numbers are right)

Relative Effort = 14 (perhaps)

SWOLF = 37

Avg stroke rate = 20 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.48 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/20063738749

Got home, had coffee and toast while watching some more TV. I was weary and dozed during the TV show. In the early morning I had noticed a big leak spewing water out of a surface line, so I turned the sprinklers off. In the afternoon I had Ann turn the sprinkler on while I watched to see where the water was coming from, then I spliced fresh line in and buried it to reduce sun exposure, which causes the line to be brittle. Later on I pulled the caps from the metal front gate, since the paint was peeling from them. I scraped the paint off and then used wire mesh to remove the rest of the paint, then I primed all of the caps with primer paint, including a second coat on the top. Will let that dry and then paint them to match the rest of the gate, which as far as I can tell was last painted on 10-14-2024. Read for a bit after that task was done, then I talked to Mom in the early evening. She had a great time at Ben's house, stayed Friday night and went to Matthew and Lauren's house for a baby shower for Hannah on Sunday (?). Ben drove her home after the shower, she wanted to sleep in her own bed. Was a decent phone call, she didn't talk too much about her health issues. After dinner I tried to read, aiming to catch up on my latest book, Gregory Benford's Shadows of Eternity. I fell asleep early and then couldn't get back to sleep. So I got up and watched a little TV before retiring for the night.

09-05-2026 Grape Day 5k

Slept okay, had quite vivid dreams throughout the night. Woke up around 5:00 and laid around in bed until 6:00. Then I got up and got ready for the Grape Day 5k. Ate a banana and drank some water but didn't eat a big breakfast. I made sure I had the necessary items to take loaded on my scooter. I left a little before 7:00 and, after navigated around some blocked roads, was able to find a spot pretty close to the start. It was a very cool, not quite chilly ride over the bridge and into Escondido. I got to Grape Day Park and did some stretches to loosen my legs up. Then I met Caleb and chatted with him until it was time to line up. I got in the 6-8 min/mi group, and we were eventually able to move up to the start. The national anthem singer was not good, we were off right around 8:00. I started fast, pulled along by other fast runners. I think they shortened the course on Grand Ave, so it wasn't a full 5k. Nick agreed at the end of the race. Ran a sub-7 minute first mile and then put in a big effort on the second mile, which had some significant little climbs that really hurt. Came down 5th Ave after the climbs and didn't have a lot left. The rest of the course was flat, and I could see a couple of older runners ahead of me. I caught and passed one but didn't have enough of a push to catch the second one (he finished second in my age group). Tried to stretch it out on the last mile with only limited success. According to the time keepers I finished in 21:05, and I think the course was about 3 miles. So I averaged a little over 7 min/mi, which was my target pace. Felt pretty good about that, didn't know if it would be enough to place in my age group. I cooled down for a bit, had some chocolate milk, a granola bar, and an orange segment, then I saw Nick cross the finish line. I congratulated him, then we stood around until Caleb came across the line. Not too long after that they announced the people who placed in their age groups. My group was the fourth last to be announced, and I was happy with the third place finish. Another guy in my age group finished a second slower than me, so I just made it on the podium. Overall I placed 33rd out of 662 male runners, also a nice accomplishment.

Avg pace = 7:09/mi (Zepp)

Total distance = 2.97 mi

Elapsed moving time = 21:17 (official race time was 21:05)

Avg heartrate = 148 bpm (Zepp)

Relative Effort = 28

https://www.strava.com/activities/20048810159

After the race I rode over to Grand Ave and met Nick and Caleb at Burger Bench for brunch. In hindsight, this wasn't the best restaurant choice, it was jam-packed with runners. We waited a long time to place our order, then waited an even longer time for our breakfast burritos to arrive. They were decent enough, nothing special. We chatted about F1, the church's upcoming anniversary, our Houston trip, and some Escondido history from Nick (he grew up in this town). It was pleasant conversation for the most part. After the meal I rode home, temperature was ideal for riding on a scooter. Got home, Ann was still out, so I ate a little more and watched some TV. In the afternoon I rested but avoided taking a nap, was still energized from the morning run. I put my aero bars back on my Fuji bike, it went much more quickly than in times past. Caught up on blogging and watched some TV before we drove up in the late afternoon to Barona for a Native American celebration. The event was at the Barona Sports Complex, which is separate from the casino. It was hot when we got there but cooling down, we walked around the large number of booths selling mostly Native American arts and crafts. Then we went back to the car to get our camp chairs and set them up to watch the dancing. We got some food and ate it before the dances started, ended up moving our chairs to get a better view. We watched a number of gourd dances, which involved drumming, chanting, and stepping around the arena in time with the rhythm. There were some long-winded speakers interspersed with the dances that we had to listen to as well. Then there were some small drum and chanting circles that got brief spotlights before the big Native American procession in costume, which was quite impressive. There were some smaller processions around the arena after that, and we decided to leave around this point. Google Maps had us going back through Ramona, and the section of Wildcat Canyon Rd leading back to Ramona was winding and unlit, not easy to navigate in the dark. I made it, although there was a car tailgating me the entire time down to San Vicente Rd. We turned left there, let the car pass us, and then drove down to Warnock Rd, turning left and following it to Dye Rd and then to Highland Valley Rd. I don't know if I've ever gone down this road in the dark, but it helped to have ridden it many times, so I knew where the sharp curves were, for the most part. Home the normal way from there, arriving a little before 10:00. It had been a long day, and it wasn't long before I was in bed and asleep.

09-04-2026 Swim

Slept okay, woke up but got back to sleep. I looked at the computer code to display multiple charts in one window, had some success but ran into a problem displaying the underlying street map. It appears that something has changed in this code that will need to be investigated. I got ready for a swim at the WWC, started a D: drive file backup before I left home. Met Avi there, it was a little crowded but we got adjoining lanes. I swam four 250s with pauses in between to chat. He has lost weight on a GLP-1 at a lower dose than recommended. His daughter is adjusting well at college. Here are the splits for the four 250s, the last one with a pull buoy: 4:27, 4:29, 4:27, 4:29.

Avg pace = 1:47/100 yds (Video)

Total distance = 1000 yds (Video)

Elapsed moving time = 17:52 (Video)

Avg heartrate = 125 bpm (probably too low)

Relative Effort = 14 (too low)

SWOLF = 35

Avg stroke rate = 20 bpm

Avg pull distance = 2.52 yds

https://www.strava.com/activities/20035283778

Got home and watched some TV before heading to the clinic for a blood draw and urine sample at 11:00. Got home and I was pretty hungry, hadn't eaten since early the previous evening. I had lunch and felt better after that. Was tired in the afternoon, so I ended up reading and napping alternately for about an hour. Eventually I got up and decided to work on my cycling analysis code problem of the street map underlays not displaying. It turns out that the map library I've been using has tightened its restrictions on usage. I used Claude to help me find this issue out, and I also got a referral to an alternative street map database that appears to be richer in features, albeit it's slower to load. With this fix I tackled the issue of displaying two different displays of gpx data in the same window and had success here too. Now I have a plot that displays power output over a street map and shows the elevation profile for the route next to this map. It would be nice to link these two maps so that I could trace the elevation profile and follow on the map where I am. For a future project. We went out to dinner at a Nepalese place on Via Rancho Pkwy. Food was good and plentiful. Watched some TV together after we got home, then we settled down for the rest of the evening.

09-03-2026 Ride/Run

Slept pretty well, no reading in the middle of the night (<>). I was scheduled to meet Paula for a morning ride but didn't have to start as early as usual. Rode my Canyon, hoping that the squealing brake pad issue would not be as bad. Down by the park and over the pedestrian bridge to get to the entrance to the bike path on the mall side. I got there pretty quickly and waited for Paula to show up. She was a little late, ran into some traffic that she had to navigate around. She passed right by me, as she was intent on making up lost time. So I rode to catch up with her, then we rode back to Pomerado Rd and up the gradual climb until turning right on Mirasol Dr and taking this very bumpy descent down until we climbed up to Sintonte Dr. Right turn there, rode through the RB Inn parking lot to Bernardo Oaks Dr (this road is also in really bad condition), taking it all the way to Lomica Dr. A left turn there, then a right on Pablo Dr followed by a left on Nacido Dr to get back to Pomerado Rd. Paula had enough time for a coffee break, so we rode to the Einstein Bagels by Sprouts and had pastries. I also had an Iced Creme Brulee Coffee just because it was at an introductory price. It was very sweet, didn't taste much like coffee. We talked about her kids and their school activities among other topics, including old cars and the possibility of them getting a used car for the girls to drive. Then we headed back to Stone Canyon Rd and took it up to Avenida Lamega, turning left and up to Avenida Villaha, turning left there too. That got us to Bernardo Heights Pkwy but past the steep part of the climb. So we climbed the rest of the way to the top, stopped for a photo op, then rode down to Bernardo Center Dr, where we turned right and headed back to W Bernardo Dr. I was soft-pedaling on most of this ride, again not wanting to stress my legs. I rode with her down the hill there and then stopped at the light by the park, where I turned around and rode home while she continued riding to her place.

Avg speed = 12.6 mph (12.7 mph). Total mileage = 14.6 mi

Avg power = 104 W. Weighted avg power = 132 W

Total elevation gain = 1020' (990')

Avg heartrate = 104 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 12 (12)

Training Load = 50 (50)

Intensity = 60% (65%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20021801506

Got home, had a little time to change before heading over to the cafe by the old HP site to meet Gary, Brooke, and John for a chat. No more coffee for me, we talked about some org changes and issues with the new site that are still being worked out. It was a pleasant chat. I rode home after that and put in some fence replacement quotes through Yelp when I got there. Will see how that works. Ate some lunch after that, then I went out in the garage and located my front bike light and its handlebar attachment. I put the light on, will use it more regularly in flashing mode to make myself more visible during rides. Next, I had seen some errors with my cycling database code, so I looked at the code, made some minor mods, and ran it again. Success this time! In the mid-afternoon, after watching  I checked the temperature and decided to go out for a last run before the 5k. The temperature wasn't too bad, but running in the direct sun was noticeably harder. I started slow in the first mile and picked up the pace in the second mile before slowing down a little on the climb back up to the house. Showered and went to Happy Hour at Phil's, talked to JJ about IPOs and some Indigo history. Had dinner after I got home, then I drove to Escondido to pick up my 5k race packet from the Chamber of Commerce building. I mailed the November party invitations at the post office, drove home, and watched some TV before reading for a while.

Avg pace = 8:14/mi

Total distance = 2.22 mi

Elapsed moving time = 18:21

Avg heartrate = 138 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 13

https://www.strava.com/activities/20026052079

Got home and enjoyed the relative coolness of the house.

09-02-2026 Ride/Hike

Got up and got ready for a ride with John. Rode my Canyon, still testing the new wheels out. Through the neighborhood on Matinal ircle to the end, then W Bernardo Dr to RB Rd. Normal way over from there, taking it slowly, since it was going to be a climbing day. Jayden counted us down at the start, and we headed down to Mountain Pass Rd, turning right for a change and climbing this little hill to Oakview Way turning right there and riding to Caneridge Rd, which had a nice little descent back to Springhurst Dr. Then we rode to Springbrook Dr and took it past Scripps-Poway Pkwy turning left on Candy Rose Way. That took us up to Cypress Canyon Dr, where we turned left and then left again on Cypress Wood Dr. Down to Swan Canyon Dr, using it to get to Legacy Rd. Then it was up to Pomerado Rd, turning right there and heading up to Stonebridge Canyon Pkwy. We took this road all the way to the top. John initially got out ahead, and I slowly caught up to him, riding at his pace for a bit before getting ahead. Got to the top and waited for him. We took a short break when he got there then headed down Via Santa Pradera to Beeler Canyon Rd. Down the steep part, around the closed gate, then on the flats over to Creek Rd. Over to Pomerado Rd and then down the hill and to Stowe Dr, where we turned right and rode up to Community Rd. Then we rode down the hill and on to Twin Peaks Rd, where we continued straight onto Hillndale Way. Some climbing in this neighborhood, left on Poway Mesa Dr and up to Triumph Dr, taking it to Laurelwood St and then to Stoutwood St, turning left and then left again on Lakewood St. This took us to Ted Williams Pkwy, which we followed up and then down to Sabre Springs Pkwy. Left turn there, following it back to Springhurst Dr. Then it was up the hill and back to John's house. About halfway through my ride with John my brakes started to squeak, and it got progressively worse. When we got back to his house I used his tools to adjust the brake positions and minimize rubbing. It was better after that but not perfect. Vivian made smoothies, then we chatted for a bit before. I headed home the normal way via Bernardo Center Dr. I was slow the whole way, just getting miles in and not stressing my legs.

Abg speed = 14.2 mph (14.3 mph). Total mileage = 40.8 mi

Avg power = 134 W. Weighted avg power = 161 W

Total elevation gain = 2850' (2890')

Avg heartrate = 118 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 53 (54)

Training Load = 179 (182)

Intensity = 73% (78%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/20009142458

I only had a little time once I got home to get ready for my volunteer shift at the hospital. It turned out to be an unusually slow shift, particularly toward the end, when it usually gets busy. I did meet new nurses Dani, Devyn, and Amber as well as get reintroduced to the housekeeping aide Angie (very nice and capable). I ended up leaving just a little bit early, rode home and changed for a hike with Emily at Kit Carson Park. We had a nice chat, mostly about her work, as we walked around the park. After the hike I rode home and had dinner, then Ann and I watched some TV. The rest of the evening was quiet.

09-01-2026 Ride

Slept okay, although I did wake up in the night and have a little trouble getting back to sleep. Woke up around 5:15, read for a bit, and got up at 6:00. I got ready for a coffee ride with Andy and Nel, using my Fuji bike with new SPD MTB pedals. Headed MI there the fast way and got there around 6:55, Nel and Andy were there and waiting. We chatted briefly in his driveway before heading out. Took Bernardo Oaks Dr to the RB Inn parking lot, through there to Sintonte Dr, then up to a left turn onto Mirasol Dr. This got us to Pomerado Rd, where we turned left and headed down to the lake. On the descent we were over 20 mph with Andy in the lead, and a car pulled out out and almost hit Andy. He swerved, and I braked and swerved to avoid hitting the car. Very scary! Nel and I stopped, and I gave the guy the what-for. He was apologetic, and we were all shaken up but uninjured. Andy kept riding, and Nel and I caught up with him at the other end of the pedestrian bridge. He had cal. Ed down a little as well, so we continued riding. Over to the mall and through the parking lot, taking Beethoven Dr to the path through Kit Carson Park. I slowed down to their pace as we took El Ku Ave to Escondido Blvd, eventually connecting to Centre City Pkwy. We rode through town and then turned left on Washington Ave. My mind was still a little distracted, and my right shoe cleat was loose, making it nearly impossible to unlatch my shoe. So I missed the turn to stay on Washington Ave and got us on Hale Ave inst2. Poor road quality and off-track, so not great. We rode up to Auto Park Way and turned right there to get to Mission Ave, where we turned left. I stopped when I got ahead of the others on Auto Park Way and retightened my cleats (they held up through the end of the ride). Shortly after we turned left again on Barham Dr. I got a call around this time from the Gringo's event coordinator, but she was gracious enough to allow me to reschedule our phone call. So no time constraints as we rode to North City and stopped at Christophe Rull Patisserie. Andy ordered a matcha, which they had just added to their menu, so he got the first one ever from the shop. The chocolate almond croissant that we shared was also good, coffee was fine as well. We chatted with Christophe, who came out to talk about the matcha and the upcoming first anniversary of his shop opening. Had a nice chat with the fellas, talking about our kids and instilling in them a good sense about the value of money and savings. Then we headed back, this time taking Barham Dr to Mission Ave and then Washington Ave to Tulip St to get to Valley Pkwy. Left turn there, followed by a right on Quince St. Over to 13th Ave and thus back to Centre City Pkwy, where we headed south. We turned on Citracado Pkwy and then basically retraced our earlier route back to Andy's house. Was a good ride again, apart from the car scare. I rode home via RB Rd to W Bernardo Dr, was an easy pace throughout this ride.

Avg speed = 14.1 mph (14.3 mph). Total mileage = 34.4 mi

Avg power (est.) = 113 W

Total elevation gain = 1590' (1590')

Avg heartrate = 108 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 30 (29)

https://www.strava.com/activities/19993834377

Got home, Ann was at the beach. I took a call from Chloe at Gringo's and got some useful info about renting the semi-private room in November. Then I worked on fixing some bugs in my cycling analysis program as well as the database creation program. It took a while, but the latest version pretty much works as expected. Had some lunch while I watched TV. The I went out in the garage and adjusted the shifting on my Fuji bike, which was skipping on some of the middle gears. I also put some loctite on the screws holding the SPD MTB cleats to my shoes, hoping to keep them from loosening up on a ride. I started measuring the fence line that needs to be replaced but got a reminder about my physical exam, so I grabbed a quick shower and headed over to the RB clinic of Sharp Rees-Stealy. No issues in the physical, Dr Strouse scheduled some follow-up tests to look for any abnormalities. Then I rode home and finished measuring the fence dimensions. Called a fence company after that and got some preliminary numbers, then I emailed another company to get a quote from them. Watched some TV before and after dinner, then read before settling down.

08-31-2026 Ride

Pretty restless night trying to sleep, I'm guessing I had too much caffeine in addition to the nap. I ended up waking up a little after 6:00 and getting ready, slowly, for a bike ride to try out my new wheels. Through the neighborhood via the long way to get to W Bernardo Dr, turning right there and heading up the hill and past the HP site. Over to Bernardo Center Dr, turning right and riding down the hill to test how the wheels felt (they were good). Right on Cayenne Ridge Rd, taking it over to Dove Creek Rd, which I used to get to 4S Ranch Pkwy, turning right and heading up to CSB. Left turn there, taking it up to Nicole Ridge Rd, where I turned left. I rode around that neighborhood and then got back to Nicole Ridge Rd, taking it to Potomac Ridge Rd and using that road to get to PdS. Left turn there, taking this road down to San Dieguito Rd and turning there. Down the hill and over El Apajo and Via de Santa Fe to Calzada del Bosque. I used that road to get over to VdlV, turning left there and riding, not too fast, to ECR. I turned left there and rode partway up the hill to the turn onto Derby Downs Rd, climbing up to Old El Camino Real. I initially turned left but then turned around to see where this road led heading south. It dead-ended into a street with no exit out of the neighborhood, so I rode back up and then down Old El Camino Real to return to San Dieguito Rd. Across the flats and then slowly up the Three Witches climb, just no energy on this day. I got back to CdS and plodded home the new normal way until turning off RB Rd into the neighborhood and riding that way back to the house.

Avg speed = 14.8 mph (14.9 mph). Total mileage = 33.0 mi

Avg power = 131 W. Weighted avg power = 164 W

Total elevation gain = 2000' (2030')

Avg heartrate = 112 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 34 (35)

Training Load = 134 (133)

Intensity = 75% (75%)
https://www.strava.com/activities/19977586445

After the ride I had some breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen dishes, then watched a little TV. Next, it was time to do some tasks. I went out in the garage, took my new wheels off and measured the new rotor thickness to be about 1.80 mm. Because I had the issue with my rotor lock ring I took the ones that came with the wheels off and replaced them with the ones that came with my bike. I also measured the old bike rotor thickness values for front and rear wheels, they were 1.30 and 0.93 mm, respectively on average. I was surprised at how much wear they showed, probably won't put them back on the bike. My brake responsiveness is measurably better with the new rotors, just a little grabbing on the front rotor that hasn't resolved yet. A little after noon I talked to Blair, hadn't chatted with him since April. He's doing okay, seems resigned to not working, although I didn't bring the subject of job-hunting up.  After we ended our call Ross texted me, so I called him back and gave him some pointers about how to set up the old Canon Pixma printer on his Windows laptop. Initial efforts didn't work, but I sent him a video that showed how to download drivers and get it working, and apparently that did the trick. I watched a little TV in the afternoon, and read as well. Later on I went in to try and do some cycling analysis code upgrades but got sidetracked updating my cycling database program so it would work with recent changes I'd made to the general code. That took longer than expected. After dinner Ann and I watched some TV, then I read for a while. I also put the SPD MTB cleats on a pair of cycling shoes and installed my MTB pedals on my Fuji to test them out on the coffee ride in the morning with Nel and Andy.

08-30-2026 Run

Had trouble sleeping. The cat got really agitated around 1:00 in the morning, turns out that she hadn't been fed earlier, and she was hungry. Ann had the A/C on full-blast, and it was too much for me in our room, so I eventually went into the other room to sleep, after reading for a bit. Woke up a little after 6:00 and got ready for a longer run at a slower pace. Down to the park and looping around, then running back to get five miles in. I had negative splits throughout, along with a pretty decent last mile. Stretched a little bit before the run and didn't feel any discomfort.

Avg pace = 8:28/mi

Total distance = 5.12 mi

Elapsed moving time = 43:22

Avg heartrate = 130 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 19

https://www.strava.com/activities/19963955330

Got home, made some coffee, and chatted with Joe, then Laura, before they packed up their stuff and started back to Berkeley. I did some stuff around the house (Ann had gone to church), including cleaning up some of my emails. Then I went out in the garage and unboxed my new EliteWheels ENT 3.0 carbon wheels. Here are some of the details.

    Front wheel    R260607269 02010474   D110G1-J2F06734-213 02010474-29R38C31Z

    Rear wheel    R260608377 02010475   D110G1-J2F07454-242 02010475-29R38C31Z

I measured the inner and outer widths of the rims, and they are approximately 23 and 31 mm, respectively. I first attached the disc brake rotors I had purchased earlier (I attached them finger-tight, since I don't have the right spline tool to tighten the rotor lock rings.  The wheels came with a small roll of rim tape, so I carefully applied the tape around the interior surface of the rims to cover the holes for the spokes. Found a couple of old inner tubes with shorter valve stems that I could use, since these wheels are 38 mm depth. I was also lucky enough to find two 25 mm matching Gatorskin tires, purchased at different times and likely having different riding history. Put the tube and tire on the front wheel, it was more difficult with this rim to seat the tire bead, then I pumped the tire up. I tried to put it on the bike and ended up having to remove the brake pads, push the pistons back in, loosen the screws holding the brake to the frame, and reinstall the brake pads before I put the wheel on. I had to adjust the position of the brake to minimize rubbing against the rotor, then I tightened everything up and started on the rear wheel. I don't have a spare cassette, so I ended up taking the cassette off my DT Swiss wheel and installing it on the new wheel so I can try them out. Will have to decide if I'm going to buy another cassette to keep on this wheelset, since it will likely be $100-150. Then, using the same process, I put the disc brake rotor on and applied the rim tape to the interior of the wheel. Installed a tube and tire, then followed the same process to align the brake with the rotor. All looks good after both wheels were installed. I'll give it a test ride tomorrow. After that exercise I had some lunch, then in the afternoon took an short nap and read for a while. The rest of the afternoon was pretty quiet. After dinner and cleaning up the dishes Ann and I watched some TV before settling down for the night (<>).

While I had the wheels out, I also took pictures of the barcodes on my DT Swiss wheels. They have inner and outer rim widths of about 20 and 27 mm, respectively.

    Front wheel    2599476    W018922

    Rear wheel    2241859    W019084

08-29-2026 Ride/Walk

Got up early for a short bike ride before we went out for the day. I rode a little faster than I have been riding, legs felt a little sluggish from the regular exertion on previous days. This was a pretty standard route for the most part, through the neighborhood and out RB Rd to CdS. I took this out past the 56 and then turned on CMR and climbed to Black Mountain Rd. Left turn there, riding to CVR. I wasn't riding very hard at this point, but a guy on a beautiful Colnago bike passed me, and so I sped up to try and catch him on the subsequent climb. I was able to catch and pass him after we turned on CVR, but he eventually passed me again on the descent, and I wasn't interested in trying to catch him again. Down to Dove Canyon Rd taking it back to RB Rd and home the normal way from there.

Avg speed = 16.3 mph (16.4 mph). Total mileage = 20.9 mi

Avg power = 141 W. Weighted avg power = 181 W

Total elevation gain = 1400' (1390')

Avg heartrate = 114 bpm (Coospo)

Relative Effort = 21 (22)

Training Load = 87 (88)

Intensity = 82% (81%)

https://www.strava.com/activities/19950085900

Got home and had time to shave and shower before Ann drove the four of us down to the Zoo to meet Emily and Caleb. We met them by the lion at the front gate right around 9:00 when the park opened. Caleb got the passed for us, and we headed directly to the panda exhibit, getting in line for the 9:30 opening. Only the male was out, it was underwhelming. Then we walked through other parts of the zoo, including the Australia and Africa regions. We waited in line for about 30 minutes to take the bus around the park, that was also disappointing, since we mostly saw the animal enclosures but not the animals. Caleb's employee discount allowed us to get refillable souvenir cups, they we expensive but useful on this warm (almost hot) day. We saw most of the highlights, including some interesting close-up views of adult male and female lions. Did a fair amount of walking, and everybody was hot and a little irritable by the end. We drove back and stopped at Best Pizza & Brew in CMR for lunch. Ann didn't order enough pizza, IMHO, but it was okay. Emily, Caleb, and I sat at one table and had a nice chat. Then they drove to their place, and we drove home. A little later, the four of us drove to Stone Brewery, which is likely closing this year. We had to wait about 25 minutes for a table (there weren't enough servers), and the service was initially lackluster. Had drinks and snacks, it was fine but started to get hot near the end, even though we were in the shade. Got home, and I scrounged around for some food to eat for dinner, there wasn't much in the house. Laura, Joe, and I watched Best in Show. I'd seen it at least once before, but it held up pretty well. Joe had never seen it, and he also thought it was funny. I was ready for sleep after that.