University Loop Permanent

Full University Loop as ridden per Garmin Connect

Inaugural ride for this new route. Ended up just Bill Stevenson and I. Keith was sick, Dan's fathers heart condition got worse and Troy's cold was clearing up. I didn't post up this ride, due to the fact that Bill and Keith wanted to it as a RUSA R-12 qualifier and the extra racers wouldn't add to the completion goal one bit.

After rechecking the weather forecast (60's with chance of showers), I finally decided on the Fuji carbon bike with 700 x 28mm G'skin Hardshell tires. That would be lighter, no fenders needed and I would still have the comfort of a lower air pressure wider tire. I ended putting in 80/90 psi and worked well. Bill had some brand new Conti Grand Prix tires on, 25mm. pumped up hard! Setup worked well.

I wore a under-layer spandex singlet, long sleeve wool shirt and wool SDrando SS jersey with old IP bib shorts. Started out with a woolie stocking cap over the ears, but soon replaced that with a regular cycling head rag. Also I had fingerless gloves with long sleeve liners. That was all I wore all day, even the cooler ride home. I carried along arm warmers and a cycling illuminite wind vest. Lately, my clothing selection has been spot on for the cooler day-night rides. Hurrah for wool!

Bill had on a red wind jacket with leg warmers and a warm stocking cap over his ears. Long sleeve gloves and long sleeve undergarment.  We left at 7:00 on the dot.

The sun was trying to break through as we rode through San Marcos under warming temps. I felt comfortable and it was warmer than expected. A few little climbs kept us plenty warm and the long Champagne downhill wasn't cool at all. We were rolling along at 17+mph and the 28mm tires with lower pressure took out the sting out of those rough road bumps. We upped the pace somewhat along Camino Del Rey and a tailwind pushed us into the Bonsall control. 40 cent candy, bathroom and refill of ice for a 10 minute break. More light tailwind on Hwy. 76 to the SLR Bike Path. Nice!

Not a lot of early bike traffic on the path. New skate park was busy. Nice to see the people use that million dollar park! Stopped at the Circle K Control in Oceanside for a quickie receipt. Uniformed stiff lipped Oceanside officer behind the counter. Don't know what he was doing there. Someone said "security". Probably checking I.D.'s or getting kickbacks.

No riders going our way down the coast. We were hoping to hop on a faster train. Met with Mike Tull after an intersection stop. We stopped and chatted some. He is back from Utah with Cris. Said he would pick up some kids bikes from me for the orphanage in Mexico. For years, I come up with these trashed bikes, fix some up and give them to local kids. Got too many now and new tires cost more than the bikes. Need to clear out the garage too.

After Palomar Road, we did hook up with about 10 San Diego Tri-rider club members. They were going about 26 mph and carried us almost to Encinitas. I dropped off and chatted with one of the tail-enders who said they do an up and back 40 mile route every week from Del Mar. No longer than that. We did start chatting with a Cambodian racer type guy who lived in France and wanted to do the PBP someday. He saw my wool jersey and started asking questions. I put him off to Bill, who I said just got back from a Swiss Alps cycling tour! He was all over that and I didn't hear from him anymore. I did manage to give him a SDrando card for hook-up info and point out my name on my bike. We stopped at Swami's and rode with him to Solana Beach, where he stopped at a coffee house where lots of other riders were lounging about.

San Diego State University- Turnaround point for this route.

Riding up Torrey Pines, we saw Jimbo Wisener racing down the opposite way. We yelled, but he didn't hear us. Heard he got lost on last week's Honey Springs Brevet! Bummer! Nice ride near UCSD and the Rose Canyon Bike Path, where I pointed out the trails to our left in the hills offering alternate rando trail rides. One racer left the trail, came up behind us and passed us on his light cross bike. This guy looked FAST! Off onto Santa Fe street, Bill stopped for a 5 minute cell call. Nasty off ramp traffic near Morena Blvd. before the pleasant downhill over to Friars Road. Of course a tailwind ensued and made pleasant riding up to SDSU. On the way up, there is this "new" green safe bike lane, but every time I ride there, it's like a mad dash to keep from getting hit by crossing cars!

Keith said he might meet us up at SDSU. He didn't. We did, however spend 35 minutes there. I always go and order my yogurt first thing in, then do other stuff. Bill waited around and ended up in line ordering. They seem to be very inefficient there with all the school business. I was stiff when we left, good thing for a fast downhill! I made the short bike path merge and turn in one swipe. Bill caught traffic, red light as I waited for him up the road. Headwind all the way to the India St. turn. We did also have the normal side wind going up Morena Blvd. They have a new "safe green bike lane" now on the Morena Blvd. split.

After the "iffy" loop around from Morena Blvd to Santa Fe street, I hooked up with an old couple riding northward. She liked by wool "retro" jersey. Said they were going north to the Morman Temple off LaJolla Colony Dr. somewhere. Hope they brought good lights for the return ride home!

Side headwinds now from Torrey Pines up the coast. I had on my one front flat spoke wheel, a Velo-Max super smooth hub laced to a 30mm aero wheel. That sucker rolls fast but you will notice any side wind with the flat spokes! The rear was trashed on a night-time race downhill into Pine Valley last spring. Hit a huge hole and had a double flat, crinkled the re-drilled rear rim. I did manage to finally find a similar rim with 20 spokes from Velocity. It's a deep V and is 30mm deep too. Joe ordered me one. That should be in next week. I'll lace it up and have some speed again on the Fuji Carbon. That rim cost the same as a top-notch Mavic Open Pro rim! Go figure.

We limped along up the coast, picking up some riders to help out along the way. Stopped at Swami's for a breather and water. Time looked real good for a sub 10 hour ride here. Rolled up the coast, watching a rider on a old MTB race through one red light after another! We were sitting at a red light watching traffic cross. Someone honked their horn. He took off across the intersection! We waited for the cross traffic to clear, then the turn traffic, then for the green light! He was out of sight by then. We did catch this guy before Carlsbad. Some older guy with earplugs listening to his favorite redneck music. He had a helmet on, which wouldn't help him from a "T-Bone" crash!

Last Control at 7-Eleven in Carlsbad. Quick stop before we took the back streets to Tamarack Ave and
some more climbing before the blistering downhill to El Camino Real. Quite a drag up that hill southbound. I dropped a chain at the intersection too! I was in a low gear and shifted the chain-ring to the 34T without rotating the crank. The chain just drops to the BB. Need to tweak that some or get the long awaited chain keeper. We plugged in our rear blinkies now and encountered one big sewer line construction on Lionheads Ave. before the turn onto Palomar Airport Road.

Picked up a pumpkin pie for Zaharah at the finish!

More traffic now past the new San Marcos High School. This thing must be 4 stories high and with the new football field, looks impressive. Rolling, I put on my front light into "strobe" mode for the rest of the way in. A few more climbs and we took the back way into the finish. Stopping in front of Ralph's, we bid "good ride" as I left to go inside and pick up a pumpkin pie for Zaharah. Always bring something home for the wife after a long one! Ride home wasn't bad with the bagged pie swinging from the handlebars.! I switched the headlight into regular mode now.

Pie filling had too much cinnamon and the crust wasn't cooked . Happy Thanksgiving.

Video link for this route on the right--->

-randorides