Ursa Minor At Months End

Standard Ursa Minor route today.

Several randos needed a late month 200K to keep their R-12 hopes alive, so a post up ride was advised. Of course it was listed as a "training ride" on the sdrando blog. Nice response for a short notice: Keith Olsen from Point Loma, Oceanside Mike Shaw and Mac Imacseng from Solana Beach would be joining up for this 0600 start time. Several other randos emailed me to show their interest, but other commitments nixed their adventure. John Fry would normally ride with us, but he is almost recovered from his recent mini-crash. That will give him time to build up his new bike frame he recently purchased.

Meeting up a the 7-Eleven start, Mike showed us his latest creation from the cutting room: small glass wiper for those rainy days (or foggy starts)! Mike is retiring later in the year and of late is coming up with all sorts of neat gadgets for cyclists. I was limping around a little due to a nasty hi-speed downhill hit I took last Thursday in La Jolla Cove by the park. The usual knee, elbow embedded road trash along with the hetoma left hip/thigh area. This time I scampered uphill and got lots of ice on the wounds. That really seemed to help the healing and with a few Tylenol would keep me on pace today.

Mac was waiting to join up on Del Dios Hwy. Seemed he rode over to Escondido Auto Pkwy before he realized where the route was! (And this guy is riding PBP in August! Good luck at not getting lost in France, Mac!) Our small gruppo made good time thru Rancho Santa Fe and the rollers to the coast. We didn't stop at Solana Donut, but instead cycled north toward Swami's Park in Encinitas. Mac picked up a racer guy and blasted off ahead. Regrouping at Swami's, we ate a few bars and munchies we had with us before riding north thru Encinitas. We made fast time up to Carlsbad, where we stopped for a water/ice refill at the local 7-Eleven. Then off to Magee Park to the bathrooms.

Ripe banana info. Add ice cream for a rando treat!

Thursday OFR gruppo were there getting ready for their 0830 ride to Dana Point. Guess we'll mix in and have a chat-time. Large group by now as we entered Camp Pendleton. Mac & "Goose" were off to the races on the first climb with a few of us tracking them down. Bruce Tipton and Keith were closing up for our 20mph gruppo blast off thru the camp. Only separation was achieved with the help of the 2 rollers. Nice workout as we regrouped at the Las Pulgas exit.

Our rando group followed ahead, joining up with 2 other "Boeing Jersey" riders who were cranking-up good. 19mph to bathroom #1, where we all decided to stop. Good water there and it's always nice to feed the bees around the spigots! A couple of crackers later the randos left. Boeing guys stayed and might have turned around? Just us randos now as we tracked the route thru San Clemente and onward to Doheny Park.

Easier riding now as the tailwind pushed us eastward on the San Juan River Trail to SJCapistrano. We decided to stop at the new McDonalds instead of Carls Jr. this trip. Burgers were the favorite here while I laced my Hot fudge Sundae with a Peanut Butter GU gel pak and dipped my almond butter crackers in the mix. I added a well worn banana to make a makeshift banana split. After a nice break and Mac's cellphone call, we were off on the return trip.

We made good time with a lite tailwind to San Clemente. Spirited climb thru town and didn't even stop at Carl's Jr this trip. Instead we hit SO Campground #1 again for water. Mac and Keith were hitting it hard down to Las Pulgas Road. I rode over and checked if the "Construction... No cyclists allowed" sign was still up on SB I-5. Yep, it's still up so we chatted with a touring rider on the detour thru the base. We joined a line of cyclists who were just off a SAG stop at the parking lot. Seems they were on a Metric Century to San Diego. The Marine gate guard was yelling orders about "no cameras & single file". Mac said we were doing a "Double Metric Century" today.

Touring rider had to "detour" thru Camp Pendleton today

Once in the base, a fast group broke away from the Metric group, and of course we dropped right in with them. They seemed a little "jittery" in a pace line so I backed off just a bit. All was well till we hit the first roller and after a set-up, we passed them. Later on we had a rando regroup and mixed in with the Metrics again till they stopped to help someone with a flat tire. Exiting the base, we had a water stop along Harbor Drive. Mac would be leaving us here and riding south back to Solana Beach. Just Keith, Mike and me now.

Temps were warming up as Mike led us on the SLR Bike Path. It's close to home for him and he knows all the bumps. The helping tailwind pushed up the speed to the hi-teens. Once on Hwy 76 Keith really liked the push-wind and took off. After several red lights, I was spinning 25mph to close the gap by Bonsall town. Time for a recheck at McDonalds. I tried the CC Cookies this time. Dropped a little powder in the bottle and iced it up. Time for the last climb ahead.

More comfortable riding on Camino Del Rey with the tailwind. This was about to end as we turned onto Old Hwy. 395. New sun-warmed asphalt greeted us warmly as we enjoyed the smooth mini-climb toward Old Castle Road. They even had the lines sprayed on this trip! The 3rd 1000gm Tylenol knocked down the hip discomfort as I paced shirt-flying Keith up Champagne Blvd. After a regroup we were off downhill back to the finish in San Marcos.

SAN MARCOS WEATHER
Fog early, clear later
Hi: 78     Lo: 64
W: SW 11mph
127 miles

-randorides