 |
| Corona 300 Garmin Stats |
Much awaited reverse route is upon us.
John M. was riding this year and nice enough to give me a lift down to the start. Good idea but now warm up. Arrived at 5:35 and had just enough time to pee and say hello to a few riders before blasting off. John had bought some strong helmet lights and gave me two.. one spot and one wide beam. Cost was $12 per online from somewhere. I ripped open the package and took one with me! Didn't know how I was going to hook it up to the helmet. I would figure that out later on.
Rode the climbs from the start with the usual riders. Big headwind on the Del Dios climb into Escondido. I tucked in behind Dave Horwitt. No helmet for him, but rides a big heavy bike.
I dropped a glove on the Champagne downhill and had to turn around in traffic. Group got separated on the pee break just before the big 395 climb over I-15. I did my usuall stop at the Shaun Harrison memorial at Lilac Road. Got separated from the group at Hwy. 76 red light. John Mestemacher came up to Andi and me. We all rode together to Rainbow. Andi asked how long at Rainbow. I said "3 minutes with a bathroom break". Greg set up before the park, citing mad roaming dog up the road. 3 minutes later I was out of there headed to the Rainbow Market bathroom. Someone shit on the walls, seat and floor there! Real nice!
Mac Imacseng, Bill Stevenson and Robert Abraham and Dave Horwitt finally got together the the ride up to Lake Elsinore. We agreed that we should take a short stop at the Circle K there. While there, Andi, Mike Shaw and John Mestemacher rolled in. We left together, minus John, who was sitting down eating a sandwich.
We stayed together up to the Corona JIB stop. Mike Shaw rolled in a bit later. John and Dave when we were leaving. Andi was antsy to leave, left 5 minutes ahead of the rest of us. New Jersey Joe joined up too. He was leading to Featherly Park and led the unwary on a off route tour. Not me. I kept the route in my head and yelled them back on course. We later caught Andi on SART, and made the circle loop to Memory Lane and the Control at Shell Station. Devin was just ahead of us, but Paul Torkin was there. After a short break, we all left together: Andi, Bill, Paul, Mac, Robert, NJ Joe and me.
Paul was lead out and once again missed a turn. We yelled him over and continued on. Mac and I rode this route last week so we knew where we were going. Mac just got a new Garmin Friday night, so didn't figure out how to load the route on yet. Paul new Garmin 810 was out of juice, so he plugged in a booster.. which didn't work. Nice to try things out before a big ride.
My route calc said we should be in Carls Jr., San Clemente around 5 PM. After a regroup and bathroom break at the LaPaz running track, we finally arrive a bit late at 5:20. Paul and I raced up the hill in San Clemente. After a 50 yard lead out, he still lost! Bill was real late to leave Carls Jr., so I coaxed the group to wait for him. I had sort-of put on the new helmet light with a rubber tube strap. It sort of worked, but I couldn't click it up enough for a far beam. I'll fix that when I get home.
 |
| SART River Trail into a moderate headwind. |
We rode together at a high pace to the Las Pulgas, where my hamstrings were screaming for a stretch out. I bid adios and stopped to stretch out and re arrange my hastily mounted rear seat bag. Feeling better, I hit the I-5 at 22 mph.. of course there was the usual tailwind. Bumper to bumper all the was to Oceanside.
Mac was waiting for me at the Harbor Dr. turn. I scolded him out good and then thanked him for waiting. We rolled southward at a too fast pace. Passed Robert, Paul and Andi at the Magee Park bathroom. Later on before Encinitas, the caught up and all left me for good... maybe. I continued on trying to stretch out on the bike. I took a gel pack and Tylenol. I continued by southward push, seeing their tail-light over a mile ahead.
"It's never over till it's over". In Solana Beach, I cut over on the East sidewalk, turned off my lights and rode over the pedestrian bridge to the finish! Guess what? The gruppo was just arriving, so I clicked on my lights and joined them to the finish. Don't count me out, just yet. We arrived under 14 hrs. I had ridden a few extra miles to make up anyway. (Greg later told me he and RBA Dennis did the same thing!)
Bill offered me a lift. He was taking Mac home on his way north. I said I would wait for John, who would be about 30 minutes behind...WRONG! I chatted with Greg for a while, as NJ Joe came in after getting off course in O'side. I chatted with Greg while freezing my butt off. John came in just after 9:00 PM with Dave and Mike Shaw. He had a good ride.
I felt good the whole route at the advanced pace... till Las Pulgas turn. After stretching out, it was much better.
Notes:
For
some reason, this reverse-inland route took 30 minutes longer than last
year. Andi says it was do to all the red lights and stop signs, not us
riders!
Nice to see New
Jersey Joe Kratovil out here riding with us! And once again he kept his
SoCal record perfect with a lead-out tour of Featherly Park AND got
turned around-off route after the Harbor Drive Exit. Being a experienced
rando and all around good guy, he corrected quickly and finished up in
good order.
Dave Horwitt (rando with the pink cap) flatted before Corona(now we know where he went, not for a coffee break) and flatted again on I-5 (John M. and Mike Shaw were with him and offered gobs of advice how to change a flat)
Kudos to Devin M. (bearded guy with white jersey) for
leaving cool water for us at the Memory Lane control. He also sent out
his big clone white jersey riding twin climbing on Margeurite Pky. to
lure us into a false sense of catch-up riding!
-randorides
No comments:
Post a Comment