Crusin' The OC

Garmin stats from today's Crusin' The OC

Hopped the 0414 Sprinter train from San Marcos to the coast. It's the earliest one going that way. Chatted with a commuter riding a lugged carbon TREK with new Gatorskins. Talked with him before on the train. He is from Orange County years ago and we discussed different roads there since I was riding that way today. Left the Circle K with a 15 cent receipt time of 0500!

It was a warm 67F as I encountered no base traffic on Harbor Dr this early. Had my headlamp for the run up I-5 this morning. Added the 2-rear blinkies to the SOMA and reflective leg bands for added visibility this trip. Always a tail wind with the spotty early traffic. Rest Area was loaded with cars. I didn't need to stop this trip and quickly made my way northward at a moderate pace of 19mph. In 35 minutes, I exited at Las Pulgas where there was a trash truck smoking real bad. I stopped and used my headlamp to light up the undercarriage while the driver was on the fire extinguisher. Looked like a hydraulic-line fire on the muffler or something. That taken care of, I passed through the parking lot and rolled past the early arriving rail construction workers. Made a quick stop at the heli-port porta-potty. The cleaning truck was just pulling away, Perfect timing! Still lots of Labor Day holdover campers at the San Onofre Campground. Nothing but quiet through there. Pulled into Carl's Jr in San Clemente for a ice break at 0615.

Washed up sand was all cleaned-up at Doheny State Beach. Last week, you needed a wide-tire bike to get through there. Hwy.1 had new surface in progress for the first few miles out of Dana Point. Nice and smooth now. Seemed I hit the peak traffic time at the nasty Laguna Park curve. What a mess there for cyclists. I took the sidewalk up the hill to avoid any problems or brush-offs. Couldn't wait for the turn to Bayside Dr. and out of the heavy traffic at Newport Beach. Some Filipino guy was riding his MTB on the sidewalk and waving to everyone while his radio was playing! Same guys working the cash register at Bayside Chevron. Iced up my bottles, hit the head and got a pak of Belvita biscuits for receipt.

Hibicus "tree" by Bayside Chevron

Couldn't wait for the bike path along the lagoon. HUH? Gate was shut at the end of Bayside Drive. In rando terms this means "full speed ahead"! I walked around the gate and rode through littered tree branches. Crews were trimming the roadside bushes. Not to worry, soon I was around the other gate and clear riding again. Stopped to chat with a friendly ride group at the turn to Brown' Trail. Guess what? On San Diego Creek Trail, came up on the same Filipino rider I met earlier. Slowed and had a nice chat with him. He rides 4x per week, from Irvine to the coast and back on this trail. Joggers, cyclists and walkers all seem to know him on his 2-hr ride. Good exercise he said. Made my way up Peters Canyon Trail. Made my turn onto Jamboree and noticed 2 riders ahead. Ramped it up some and joined up at the first climb. They were talking about "bi-polar" and the drugs you have to take. One rider from San Diego was riding back to his car. They were going the same way I was, down Santiago Canyon, but I needed a stop at the Orange Chevron ahead. Bummer. Seems they put about any price on stuff at Chevron. Most things were 50% higher here. Picked up a Fiber-One Brownie for cheap, filled my bottles and sat outside for a bit to stretch while eating my carry-along snack. Walked over to check out the unusual purple Hibiscus tree nearby.

My Carl's Jr. Sandwich didn't look like this!

Dicey riding leaving the Control, as you're climbing the 6% road crossing over the toll road amongst lite traffic going any which way. Soon enough I was packing southbound mostly downhill with a few short climbs mixed in. Passing the Silverado Canyon turn, I thought about the good MTB riding I did there, especially that one trip with Dan Phillips up and over Santiago Peak on our ill equipped bikes. This trip, I opted for an alternate route after Cook's Corner and jumped on the Aliso Bike Trail. This is part of the Rando "Santiago Peak Trail" route and I needed to check it out today. This route is about 2 miles different than the Trabuco route. I followed the Creek Trail, crossing several bridges and miles later was back on the roads near Mission Viejo. Made a stop at Carl's Jr. there and got a IC Sandwich. The bad news was they just made them up and it was runny soft! Scarfed a banana as I tried to add a Powerbar Gel to the mix. That stuff is like water and I had a hellva mess going on. The local "old boys" group were sitting next table yelling away about recent events. Couldn't wait to get out of there.

Cruising south toward SJCapistrano, a buff shirtless surfer boy flew by on a lite bike. This dude had massive triceps that I only hoped for.  Gave him 1/4 mile before reeling him in. He looked a little shocked and followed me a mile or so before turning off. Slight tailwind on the San Clemente climb and I felt good in the big gears. Had a blast off through town before catching a quick stop at Carl's Jr. for refill. It's a over an hour back to the finish in Oceanside, so I reduced speed and made a wash hands stop at San Onofre #11. There was the blue bar of soap there just for that. Quick riding down to Las Pulgas Road. There I decided to go through the base, hoping to pick up a Tuesday touring rider like last time. Not to be, as all was quiet. Made good time with the tailwind through the base and back to the Circle K finish. 15 cent receipt and I was off to catch the next Sprinter train back to San Marcos.

Average day on the road. Bike paths are always nice up north. Hwy. #1 by Laguna Park not so. I figured I'm up to 60% and breathing poorly. That pre-Temecula 600 ash ride is still hanging around in my lungs somewhere. Doc said lungs are good. What's next?

Overcast early with clear skies rest of the day.
Hi: 96     Lo: 66
127 miles

Control receipts: $4.66