Rainbow 1.24 Permanent +

Mist shrouded Couser Canyon climb today.

Working on a great local ride for RUSA. I think I will call it "San Marcos Century". Wow, that's original? Needed a few pictures to fill in a video to send in with the paperwork. (It's great to make up a route video before the route is approved, that way the "RUSA Perminista" can get a birds eye view of the route before approval. Haven't done it this way in the last 3 routes. In fact, haven't done those route video even after riding the route!) Why not do this ride and jog over and get a few extra pics? Same start and finish routes. Good idea. Right?

65F temp outside this AM. No need for any extra clothing on this ride. Left the house at 0430 and rode over to the start. Real nice to have a route that starts in the same town as you live! Riding the Fuji Stealth today with all the climbing. Mounted up a solo Planet Bike 2W headlight and the PB strong rear blinkie for the first few hours ot this route. Wore my worst set of bibs. These were caught in the washer agitator several years ago and the straps got chewed up. The pad is in good shape, but the spandex is showing through in several butt crack places. I make up for this by wearing a long jersey, large size. It covers the rear stuff real well. Brought along a packet of Chamois Creme. These bibs tuck up and rub in the left crotch area. I usually carry a packet of this creame anyway. Wearing the several year old version of the NCCC jersey. Mostly yellow and white with some shades of blue. Good choice for a warm day of climbing.

One of several neat signs from ride today!

Left the 7-Eleven at 0500 sharp. Headed NE under overcast skies and misty shrouded hills around. No traffic to speak of. Too dark for pictures to reveal much. No signs of the sun till after climbing up Circle R. Finally blew my lungs clear after that climb. I usually keep my front & rear lights on flash through here with the curves. Avocado pickers were out in force on both sides of the Couser Canyon Rd. climb. Avocados lying all along the roadside. More foggy mist at the top and down the other side to Hwy. 76. Just overcast on the climb up Rice Canyon to Rainbow. Nice ride through here and I stopped to take several unusual pictures for the video.

Took a few pics of Rainbow Oaks Market and used the bathroom next door. Rinsed out my rag and wiped my bike down a little. Fun part of the route next. Did some rolling video down Oak Park and Green Canyon Rd. Tried to catch a smooth section for that. Stopped at the Bonsall McDonalds for a Parfeit yogurt. Girl never gave me back my 11 cents in change. She didn't understand English so I let it go. As I was sitting there, Shawn from NCCC club came it. We chatted a bit. He was going over to the church and ride with the Pete Penseyres group today. They leave at 0900.I went over there and chatted a bit. Pete is a Hall Of Fame rider of RAAM and his brother Jim is quite a rider too. Rode with them down Old River Road. They soon turned off as continued on the route.

Pete Penseyres Group meets Wednesday at 9 in Bonsall

SLR was quiet today, with no one to hook up with into the headwind from the coast. Also no detour at Benet street either! Rolled down the coast and stopped at the Carlsbad 7-Eleven for a control check and Smores Ice Cream Sandwich. Rode over to the strand. Sat there and viewed the ocean and lots of joggers, cyclists and surfers. Low tide under clear skies now. Stretched out before riding southward with a slight tailwind. Kept passing this middle age lady cyclist. In retrospect, should have given her a rando card. Stopped at Swami's for a bathroom break. The bathroom there still hasn't been retrofitted with a roof yet. Outside porta-potty was lined up. Forget this as I cycled south to Cardiff Beach. Nice cycling along here with the views and tailwind. Bathroom at Cardiff was a mess! Took a few pics of this for the archives.

Did a zig-zag and took a few pics along Loma Santa Fe for controls. Soon I was back on route headed for UTC. Short stop there and the usual Sorrento Valley traffic/rail/turn mess. Felt OK riding the El Camino Real section and after San Dieguito Road, went up to Ranco Santa Fe town. Took a few "ride through" photos of the turns there before doing the Del Dios ride past the Lake Hodges Dam. Single MTB rider was on the trail there. Full suspension bike. I remember lots of good riding along there in the dirt.

Surfer's Delite: Shit covered toilet at Cardiff State Beach!

Instead of the usual turn on Citracado Pkwy., I opted for a straight ride to the Wendy's new route control at Home Depot Center on Valley Pkwy. Seemed hot there. Didn't have any "outside the counter" cola or ice machines either. Sat outside eating my Frosty. Added a gel pak to make a ice cream sunday! Did the triple Harmony Grove turns and soon I was into a headwind through the fire area in the canyon. Plodded up to San Elijo for the Chevron Control stop. Drinks were really expensive there. Ended up with a 99cent Gatorade from the machine. I snuck in a Cherry Cola sip and filled the bottles with ice.

New route goes reverse and up the San Elijo climb to San Marcos. Bottome starts out a 9% and slowly tapers off to 6% at the top near the fire station. 50-mph downhill on the other side past the CSUSM Campus. Barham Dr. was quiet this time of day. Soon rolled into the 7-Eleven Finish in San Marcos.

Good day on the road. Ended up with 222 pictures and 38 video clips for the new route. Need to put together some time to complete the project. Legs felt sore at times, needed a lot of on-bike stretching, but good on the last 3 mile climb up San Elijo Rd.

Misty overcast early, clear later
Hi: 91  Lo: 65 (In-shade Garmin temps)
125 miles

-randorides