Bike Fix & Ms.Hard Body Racers

Early wet road riding today. Add the fenders, dude!

Ready to ride at 0600 today. Big rain shower came through San Marcos just then, so I sat down at the computer to sketch out another Permanent route instead! Might call it "Commute To SDSU"? No reason to load up the rain gear and just take it off after a few minutes of riding.  Put my fenders on the SOMA early this morning as I figured the roads would be wet for sure. RE-checked the online weather radar. Big yellow cell moving through and heading SE. Zipper wouldn't work on my wind vest, so I played around with that for 15 minutes and finally left the house at 0810 under clearing skies and wet roads. I'm heading NW!

Met only one rider leaving San Marcos. Dianna W. was riding on Country Club Lane heading for the NCCC club ride . It starts at 0830 from Restaurant Row in San Marcos. She'll be late for sure. Wet roads make nice quiet riding. Fenders deflect any water away from your shoes. Pedaled like I was in mud. Couldn't figure it out on the way to Bonsall. Stopped at McDonalds, where I noticed a bike outside. Chatted with a CSC jersey guy. Said he rode in from O'side and just finished off Lilac Road and was heading back. We chatted about long rides, etc. Gave him a card. His cell rang and his uncle had some "emergency". Rolled up all my stripped off clothing; arm warmers, leg warmers & vest in a nice neat pack. Strapped it onto my HB bag and I felt a lot lighter now.

I was flying on the damp Hwy. 76 to the SLR. Fenders did their job and kept shoes dry. Near vacant SLR Bike Path & got a slight push from the East wind. Stopped at Magee for a refresh and caught the red light in Carlsbad. 2 Asian girl riders and their pseudo-pro wannabe coach pulled up. I hooked up with them on the green and we took off down the coast. All was well till they hit the mini climb at So. Carlsbad Beach. I paced up with the hard-bodied racer girl hottie. She had the nice flower kit on that matched her racing carbon ride! We picked up another lean racer on a TREK as we were rolling at 23mph. Unfortunately, when our little gruppo hit the next little "bubble", hottie was done. She blew off the back like she had a flat (maybe she did?).

Handy carry-along WD40 chain lube worked today!

TREK rider is from Santa Cruz, CA. Long way from home. Visiting friends in Del Mar and out for a ride. His drive-line was grinding real bad (no fenders today for his lite TREK), so I offered some WD-40 Chain Lube. I always carry a few of those vials with me. We lubed it real good roadside. I suggested we stop and pick up some lube for him to use later on today when he cleans his bike. Pulled into Revolution Bike. Micki was there and fixed him up with some ProLink lube. Good enough. Bruce Tipton was therealso, off loading his bike for a front derailleur adjustment. Dropped his chain a few time yesterday he said. I said "adios" to Santa Cruz, after giving him a SDrando card. Good rider with a nice attitude. Need more like him.

I went over to Solana Donuts to get a Red Velvet to take home to Zaharah. I packed it up real softly in my front HB bag and hit the road eastward to Rancho Santa Fe. Looks like the water level in Lake Hodges is up about 4 feet from the recent rains. ( I forgot to look on the front-side of the actual LH Dam to check). Roads were all dried out now and the sun was heating up to make it warm on the climbs. Legs felt a little tired after the race effort keeping up with the Asian chicks. Since I was doing a "reverse" route today, I almost followed the correct route back to San Marcos! Good day today on the bike and the weather ended up sunny after the early morning showers.

Showers early, clearing later AM
HI: 68     Lo: 52
74 miles

-randorides