Recovery Ride + SLR Accident!

Garmin Stats from today's early ride.

Needed some quick miles early today so left just after 0500 in the cool dark. Had the double rear blinkies blasting on the SOMA to match the strong headlamp with 3 new rechargable AAA. Nice and cool at 51 degrees as I rolled down Mission Road eastward. Did the loop thru dark Country Club Lane where I almost planted a dude on a lightless bike! Only reason I saw him was I just happen to swing my headlamp over his way. NICE!

Hit Del Dios Hwy. with no traffic this early. Looked over a saw a 1/2 mile long line of traffic backed up on the road to the Lake Hodges Visitor Center/Boat Ramp. Must be some event over there today.. maybe a MTB event or something? Woke up when I rode thru a few pockets of the cold stuff around Rancho Santa Fe town. No traffic on the rollers to the coast. Didn't stop at my fav stop... Solana Donuts... for my usual Red Velvet fix. Nice quick pace up the coast into a slight headwind. Made the usual stop at Swami's where there were no cyclists yet.

Jumped on with a quick group up to Carlsbad, where I made a stop over at Magee Park, where I packed some things away and ate a banana, refilled my bottle and took a whizz. Back on Coast Hwy. 101, hooked up with a group of 4 and followed them at a race pace past the O'side Pier. Said hello to Dee Wells riding solo in her usual pink good looking kit. Split with the group at the SLR entrance. Headwind time ahead!

These guys had plenty of hands to fix flat tire on the SLR today!

Moderate Santa Ana blowing the last few days. Temps in the 90's today and headwind in the 20's early. In the drops and grinding along I kept moving along at a respectable 14mph. Police care blocking the SLR at Douglass underpass. I snuck by and saw two Treks along the rail, helmet lying on the path and a soaked towel in a 2 foot pool of blood! Ambulance must have already left with the injured when I arrived. Whatever happened, it was a heck of a hit to loose that much blood. WHEW! Stopped by the Buchannon Park on College for some water after that.

More light headwind on SR-76 over to Bonsall. I was in the drops and grinding along at a comfortable 15 mph. Good time to have a TT setup. Pulled into McDonalds before 9:30. No cyclists there yet. Had my usual and laced it with a GU Mocha with banana slices! YUMMY! After a bit, a group of 12 Velo riders came in for water. I was quite comfortable, or I would have joined them for a draft if they were going on Camino Del Rey. They had all cleared out by the time I was refilled and ready to roll.

Still a slight headwind over to Old Hwy. 395. Did meet a few cyclists going northward. Got a timer on my Champagne solo climb. Did see a rider far ahead and soon caught up to him. Shirtless guy with a helmet on a carbon Scattante bike. This middle aged guy was really struggling up the climb. I paced him a little, giving him some encouragement. He said he had been off the bike for a year. Soon left him and went after another rider, just a dot on the road ahead. Never did catch her. Turned off and caught a welcome tailwind down Deer Springs Road @ 38mph. Wasn't long and I was back home to my recovery drink mix. Good stuff. Good ride today for a shortie. Nice pace up Champagne for a 11min 30sec time, which included my time with the struggling rider.

Clear skies
Hi: 93     Lo: 51
Wind: NE-17mph
68 miles

-randorides