Busted In DeLuz Populaire

DeLuz Road

Rando Route #452 is a local route of 157km/98mi which adds in a little climbing through DeLuz valley. This route also works good in reverse, or better yet, after the plunge down from Fallbrook, take a right and climb up the solid 17% Sandia Creek Road section! A real butt buster there.

Not this trip. I started out at the LaCosta Circle K around 8:30. Enough of this early 6 or 7AM starting in the 30 degree range. It was around 45F when I left. Rode over to the coast instead of up El Camino Real. Traffic would be too much up around the Hwy. 78 crossing for safety. Rode with a few racers up to O'side, where I hit the bathrooms and then upgraded my Compass Card for another 30 days at the Transit Station. Took my jacket, knee warmers, arm warmers, etc off and packed it neatly in from of my handlebar bag. Over on the SLR Bike Path into a headwind! Go Figure. Jumped off at College and headed to Old River Road. Not much traffic there since they opened up all lanes on the new Hwy. 76 to Bonsall. Felt like the legs were of lead.

Ultegra 6701 10 speed chain

Hit the 34T chainring and 24cog up Sleeping Indian. Also tried out the 27-30cog and the short DA derailleur. After adding a new Shimano 6701 Ultegra chain, was having a little problem with exact shifting. Yes, that's a 10 sp chain. I have 9 speed shifting. Done that for years. Also, dropped the KMC Missinglink last trip and messed up my rear wheel spokes/alignment. Perfect now grinding up those hills. Stopped at usual JIB in Fallbrook and then down into DeLuz. took the regular way on DeLuz Road. Construction part way through. Bush cutting, big time. Counted the 3-14%+ grades climbing out of the valley. Big rush down into Temecula. Took the "shortcut" around the side streets and over to Control at Carl's Jr. Got the cheapest thing they had: Ice cream sandwich with 2 CC cookies instead of the Oreo cookies. Not that great. Filled the bottles. Forget my extra Carbo-Pro. DUH.

Regular nifty climb under 73 degree weather climbing up Rainbow Canyon. A few fast downhills on Old 395, Oak Canyon and Green Canyon roads back into Bonsall. Jumped on to the new Hwy. 76 into a headwind. Off near GoHomme Park onto the SLR Bike Path. Banged into a nice headwind to the coast and jumped into some Tri racers down the coast to the LaCosta Ave. turn. Back to the Circle K in over 7 hrs. I spaced my mini-froggie lights, so had to hit it hard on the ride back to San Marcos before it got dark. Made it home on Palomar Airport Road in good order and didn't need any lights anyway! WHEW, close!

Very nice weather day under clear skies.
Rain predicted in the next few days.

-randorides