OFR-Fix My Bike Meet Up

Rode the Reverse of this route today.

Thursday's are a good day to ride north when the OFR gruppo leaves Magee Park. I had sent out a email to OFR ride leader Troy Buss about heading north. Not to be as Bruce Tipton posted up a ride to Lake Hodges first. OK, well I'll think of something this morning as I pulled down the Fuji from the hook. Put some air in the tires (90/80 psi) and loaded up early. Only route that would work is Fix My Bike-R. Be nice to ride with the OFR'ers for half a route. Arm warmers only as I left the start at 0603 for a leisurely ride this morning. Had the new G'skin Hardshells on the Fuji from a last month long ride with the boys.Doing a reverse route today, with the Del Dios climb late in the route.

No fog today as I made regular time to the Bonsall control. Filled up ice and got a 40-cent Mounds mini-bar for receipt. Rolled east alongside heavy traffic. Moto-Cops were out in full force, with several stops by the tomato farm. Of course, blocking the bike lane. At the red-light, I watched streams of cars turn at Melrose to Vista Mission High School. Hadn't seen that before. Maybe school had just started up? Thought about stopping by and seeing Dan Phillips at Bussey's Auto in Oceanside. Nixed the idea and got to Magee Park with 10 minutes to spare. Only Kiwi Stuart, Lisa and Mike Tull there. Hadn't seen Mike in a year. He and new wife Cris were hiking the Colorado Trail when he fell and broke his clavicle. Almost had to crawl back to the trailhead with that pain. He's riding again and looking good.  We left Magee Park at the usual 0830 and rode the coast southward.

Lake Hodges shows low water levels this year. Maybe -20 feet?

Mike stopped off entering Encinitas for breakfast, as the rest of us made our way to Swami's Park. Around 15 others were there, chatting up a storm. Several were riding to Peet's, while the others were going over to Rancho Santa Fe town and Del Dios. I joined up with the latter group, leaving at 9:30. They took an alternate route over, which involved several extra turns to avoid a few climbs. One regroup at RSF before the race up Del Dios was on! Bruce on his new 13 lb. AG2r Focus DI2 and Troy led out with me. Soon Troy dropped off and it was Bruce and I hammering away around the dam. Bruce is a big Giants baseball fan and there are in the NLCS again this year. My tendons were feeling it, so I added some "White Flower" to the mix. We stopped before Via Rancho where Bruce and the others were to turn off.

Alone now, I rode the route around Harmony Grove and the back way to Barham and finished up at 1100 in San Marocs. Looks like a 3/5 ride today, with some good climbing pace and hitting Del Dios hard. Ankle is still jacked up in occasional pain, but I'll manage as always.

Overcast early, clearing later AM
Hi: 86     Lo: 64
69 miles

-randorides