Palomar Mtn. Sampler... How to beat the HEAT!

 Palomar Mtn. Sampler HEAT RIDE!

SD Rando Brevet "Palomar 200" starts at 0700. We started at 0500 from San Marcos for this one. Temps in the 100's for the inland valleys today. Sam Thomas from Albany, NY, Mike Shaw, Bill Stevenson & Dan Phillips all from Oceanside, Mac Imacseng from Solana Beach with the ride-in. John Mestemacher said he would start from his house in Carlsbad between 0300-0400 and might meet us en-route. He gave me his timetable for Palomar Mtn. and Santa Ysabel. (Later learned John left at 0300 and was just 15 minutes ahead of us on Palomar!)

Left 7-Eleven early and rode over to Albertson's where Bill and Dan were parked. They were late as Bill left his bottles at home. Mac called Bill on his cell wondering where he should wait for us. I chatted with Mac and said: "Wait at the Nordhal Rd. station parking lot. We'll be by in a bit". Dan was lathering up as Mike rode around the parking lot to get warmed up. They finally were ready as we started the route from Albertson's promptly at 0500.  Beautiful starry morning under perfect temps as we hustled over to find Mac waiting near the station entering Escondido. He rode in from Solana Beach via Del Dios Hwy. and didn't quite make it to the start without missing us.

Road closed sign blocked Lake Wohlford Road

We cruised along at a good pace, chatting on Mission Road through Escondido. I had my headlamp only and it worked real good for "flashing" the intersection lights. We decided to turn onto Lake Wohlford Road due to no traffic at this early hour. But turning there was a full barrier: DETOUR, ROAD CLOSED! No thru traffic! I kept going straight up Valley Center Road per the route as the boys were pondering their position. Normally we would have gone around the detour sign, but passed this trip just in case. Mac said he was going to stick with the group this trip as he had learned his lesson from last trip. Of course, he took off ahead up the climb! The rest of us just ground up in the dark. Sam was the sweeper for sure. Enjoyable pace-line along Woods Valley Road with only a few cars around. Several dogs went wild as we "flashed" them too! Fun time! Smelled the chicken shit long before we turned onto Lake Wohlford Road and were soon flying past the Valley View Casino as the sun was lighting up the early sky.

Look back shot of So. Grade Road

Down Rincon Grade is getting rougher every trip! Take the full lane just to miss the holes. It was just light enough so we could see what was ahead of us. Temp was really up in the Pauma Valley. Hi 70's now. I suggested taking an extra throwaway bottle for the climbing ahead, as nothing would be open on top of Palomar yet. (Depending on how fast we climbed). Most riders got a banana and iced up their bottles. Good idea! After 10 minutes, we rolled out onto the horrible bike lane toward Hwy. 76. With the recent hot temps, the road had expanded and the bumps were higher than ever. I rode over in the smoother (somewhat) road. Sam stopped on the climb to adjust something on his Specialized. We turned the corner and started the first part of the Palomar climb.

Mike, Dan and I led the way up. Bill and Mac rode just behind. Sam was out of sight already. Some light racer guy went around us with ease. We had a nice easy pace on the way up in the shade. I like that first part of the climb, as my gearing seems to fit the pace well. Dan & I chatted on the way up. It's a normal 40 minute peaceful climb.

This is it. Sams shot of the Palomar junction!

At the So. Grade turn, I stopped and strapped my helmet to the front bag. Mike Shaw paced up a little quicker than us and was soon out of sight. A few motos were blasting away, even this early. Bill and Mac were behind us. No Sam at all. We were in the shade most of the way up to the top. Bill was feeling it and rode by us. Mac tried to follow. Dan was keeping his heat down and I paced up slowly with him. Mac was barley ahead of us and was zig-zagging all over the road. At the top, I told Dan I was turning on East Grade and stopping at the Firefighter Memorial. Dan joined the boys at Mothers Kitchen, which hadn't opened up yet at 0850.

After paying my respects at the Memorial, I hung around a while before deciding to blast down the hill to Lake Henshaw. Saw the same racer guy pedaling up East Grade. Guess he was doing hill repeats? Met another rider near the bottom. Thank goodness, road crews had patched several of the bad sections on the corners. Temps were in the high 80's now as I rolled into the Lake Henshaw Store, looking for Sam. We had talked earlier that he could waive the So. Grade climb and go straight to Henshaw per the "Lake Henshaw Century" route. Not to be. About 10 minutes later the boys rolled in with Bill leading the way.

Mike said he had a big cramp in his thigh. Mac stated his legs were "done". Dan was breaking out in a heat rash. Bill got some water from the store as Mike was using a cold soda bottle to massage his thigh. I rubbed on some "Chinese White Flower Medicine". 15 minutes we were on the road again.

I stopped at the Paecho Firefighter Memorial on E. Grade Rd.

With the heat rising and us feeling it, I opted for a straight run to Highway 79. I figured Mesa Grande would have to wait for another day in this heat. With several riders feeling it already, we didn't need any more dangers. The group slowly climbed up the 6% grade past the close Santa Ysabel Casino. Mac blasted off into the downhill headwind as we approached Santa Ysabel. I kept with him, as the others choose more wisely! We pulled into Don's Market at 1045 and sat in the shade.

Most of the guys got some sandwiches to munch. I opted for a banana and ice cream sandwich, which promptly melted before I could get much GU on it. No wind in the corner as the temps rose. Some racer guy pulled in on a Cervelo racing bike... deep dish wheels and areo-bars. When he came out of Don's, he had 2 quarts of Gatorade and 2 liter bottles of water. Said he was riding up Mesa Grande and then downhill to Pauma Valley. We were on the road to Ramona in 25 minutes and I was the lead out. Temp was 97 degrees now.

Slight headwind made it feel cooler as we made the first little climb before lots of downhills ahead. After the turn onto Old Julian Highway, Dan said he needed to steady the pace because he didn't want to be sick tomorrow at his wife's party. I rode with him back from the main group of Mike, Mac and Bill just ahead. Up the road another rider joined in with the gruppo and did well to stay with them. He dropped at each hill. Finally Dan and I passed him. Something didn't look right and I backed off and rode with him. A older guy in his sixties with head down wasn't good. He zagged off and nearly took out a pole. Said he hit a rock! I stayed with him as he struggled up the road. I offered some electrolytes and B-6. Said he was from Ramona doing a short loop. Left him as I turned onto 2nd street. Got a Citrus Vitamin Water at 7-Eleven before meeting the group at JIB for some shade and ice. Temps in the 100's now. Dan rubbed some lotion on his leg rash. Stayed around 15 minutes and bloated up on water.

Bill led the back-way out and over to the Albertson's red light intersection. Normal busy traffic as we picked our way out of Ramona westward. Seemed to be a tail wind of sorts after the turn on Highland Valley Road. Nice pace line till we hit the headwinds before Archie Moore Rd. Dan was backing off. I rode with him through the HV rollers. We regrouped before the twisty downhill. Nice pace-line along the river bottom to Lake Hodges Bridge. We stopped and said "adios" to Dan. He had enough today and was taking the train back to Oceanside and prep up for Lisa's party tomorrow. A whole lot cooler now as you could feel the onshore breeze way out here. I played games with Mac on the climb up Bernardo Ctr. Dr. We made a optional cool down stop at the AM/PM at the top. Welcome relief indeed. Still some climbing left on this one!

Sam's selfie Palomar shot

Vitamin Water for my refill as Bill packed in the Powerade. We sat outside on the stacked gallon water bottles and reviewed the route ahead. 15 minutes later, we're climbing up RB Road. Mikes climbing legs left him by now with the cramping earlier at Palomar. We made better time to San Dieguito Road with the cooler headwinds now. Mac turned off toward home after Apajo. Good job by him today with the ride in. Just Bill, Mike and me now. No stop for us at the Stump's Market Control today. The downhill on La Granada along the golf course was really cool, but the climb after wasn't that great.

Bummer through Questhaven with all the stop-signs. Bill and were climbing good now and using a roll-back pace to gather in Mike who was gutting it out, off stride. So. Rancho Santa Fe was the last of the longer climbs before we turned into Lake Discovery residential area. Straight on Craven through the CSUSM Campus where there was a soccer game going on. School must start up next week because this place was empty! A quick turn onto Woodland Parkway to finish up at Bill's truck near Albertson's. What a long day on the road. We said thanks to Bill and rode back to the 7-Eleven to Mike's car. Sam's rental car was gone, so looks like he got SAG relief today. Iced up my bottles and hit the road home, dirty and stinky! Good job by all today, just getting through in the heat was victory in itself. Not so with the Brevet riders today.

Felt good throughout and will give my efforts a 4/5. Felt much better the longer the day went. Didn't do that great on the So. Grade climb. Maybe the off pace? After the long week with the rando rides for Sam in the heat, I fared well today. Might have something to do with recovery and my using the INFINITE fuel on the rides(even though I was short again today).

Clear skies all day
Hi:  100's     Lo: 67
120 miles+

more later,
-randorides