Crusin' The Detour - Quad Perm.

Q-Perm: A new term? Not really. That's when you do 4 Permanents in a row. A few years back, I used to do this quite regularly.. bang off one 200K after another. Three, four, five.. no problem. Just go and ride. Drag your ass out early and just start peddling. Climb, flat, desert or mtns., didn't make any difference. Wipe your chain, add lube and you're good to go. Get the waivers in early and try to sort the receipts somehow.

UNO

Crop dusting helo left me wondering...

Yesterday (Monday) I started my July Quad Quest.  Oh, yeah, I was after it with a modified Sandia Creek Century route. Modified? Yep,  throw in boo-ku climbing Circle K, Lilac, Cooser and Rice Canyon on the way to Temecula. Started out well enough till I got to Rice Canyon climb. My stomach was growling and I had to GO! Helicopter up ahead doing something. I'll check it out. Just great.. crop dusting by the road. Thanks as I stopped, covered my nose and watched the action ahead. Malathion? I finally made it to Rainbow Community Park and did my business. Didn't feel that great now, but kept plugging along. Thanks for the poison, helo! Chatted with a older rider on Rainbow Cyn. Blvd. All he did was complain about how old he was, his replacement knee and how slow he was. I amped it up to distance him.

Rancho California Road still has road construction. No fresh tar, but instead one way traffic. Flagman waived me on into oncoming traffic. Thanks dude! Managed the other rollers in due order. Construction at Bonsall McDonald s. Ended up sitting outside in the shade eating my melting choc sundae. Finished up the bonus route...finally. Prep the bike for tomorrow's ride. One down, three to go.

Overcast early, clear later
Hi: 76     Lo: 66 (Start Weather)
Wind: W-10mph
121 miles


DOS

Performance classic knit gloves

I'm heading north today. Heck, got up early, made the smoothie and packed things up. I'm outta here heading for the OC. Ride north from Oceanside via I-5 in the dark was no easy matter as usual. "Shoulder Closed Ahead" was the first indication. T-Rails isolated the shoulder from the travel lanes. I stopped and hopped over for safe travel to the Rest Area. Further north, several spots where I had to veer a bit to get by.  Las Pulgas offered sanctuary. and a little crusin' time.

San Onofre Campground was 2/3 full. All sleeping still. Carl's Jr. offered some water and ice for the ride up to Newport Beach. Same busy traffic down thru Laguna by the Main Beach Park. After the road opens up and I met a few riders along the way. Full sun as I left the clean Newport Chevron and followed the paths inland. Hooked up with some guy who I noticed wore those classic Performance Crochet Gloves. Said this was his last pair and couldn't get them anymore. I used to wear those to keep my tire brush in!

Later on noticed the "Peters Cyn. Bike Path Closed 7/14-8/18" sign. Asked another rider about that and he didn't know much either. Made good time on the climbs up to Chevron/Subway at Jamboree/Santiago Cyn. Limited my break to 10 minutes, while I filled my bottles and got a Levita Biscut for receipt. A few MTB'er around.

Yesterday's fire closed Santiago Canyon Road.

Santiago Cyn. road has another "Road Closed" sign. Noticed a rider coming my way. I rode up a few miles to the barricades. Big guy said "closed" due to yesterday's fire. I tried to bribe him with a biscuit, but to no avail. Turned around back to Jamboree. Retraced my track back to San Diego Bike Path, where I turned East instead of heading back to the Ocean. Made my way to Irvine and followed Aliso Creek South Path and finally to Dry Creek Path to Dana Point. I think there were 4-11% climbs in there somewhere.

Touring rider from Germany ask for camping directions. Showed him the way thru Dana Point and on to the Doheny  Campground for his hiker-biker rates. He said he was out of money and would be flying back to Frankfort on Sunday from San Diego. This guy was young, fast and had a older steel fendered bike with DT shifters. Started on the east coast and rode to Washington State, then down the coast to San Diego. Wasn't using the Adventure Cycling Maps, as they were too expensive. I concur. Said he was riding alone. After leaving him at the campground, met another loaded couple at the "San Onofre Campground" They were also heading to San Diego. More of a "credit card" tour for them. Finished off the route with a receipt in Oceanside and a ride back home via Palomar Airport Road. I was all over the place today.

My chain was making a little noise, so I'll have to take it off and do a real super cleaning on it for the next ride. In addition I'm still shot from Mondays Malathion ride. I'll need to get some of that stuff the Tour riders take.


Clouds early, followed by sunny skies
Hi: 87     Lo: 64
Wind: W-10mph
129 miles


TRES

Madison SS for today's Permanent

Chemicalized but not out yet, today looked like a good go for the Madison SS. Also the OFR gruppo was heading inland over past Peet's Coffee and I might hook-up with them to say "hello". That calls for leaving San Marcos before 0600 and I was up for it. Got up plenty early and hung around too long. Even after stretching and stuff, still felt like I had brakes dragging as I plodded up Old Hwy. 395 to no early traffic. Had changed the front chain-ring on the SS to a 42T for a little easier climbing with the 16 cog in the rear. Over the years, I've collected various ring sizes to accommodate different routes.

Still construction at the Bonsall MickieD's so I got a 30 cent Snicker at AM/PM next door. Planned on stopping off at Busseys Auto to chat with Dan Phillips on the way to the coast. Pulled up on a recumbent tri-cycle and started chatting with the rider as we entered the SLR Bike Path. Seems he hurt his back in 04 and was on $$isabiliby lying around on the couch eating donuts for years. Got up to 290lbs before he had a stroke in April. Lost gobs of weight and cycles every day around 30 miles. Age of 59 and is around 200lbs now. Likes the tri-cycle because it's fun and drivers give him lots of space while passing. Said there was a shop in Escondido on Mission Rd. that does recumbent stuff. Left him as I exited the Bike Path in O'side. No time to stop at Dan's shop today.

Nice OFR Gruppo leaving Swami's Park

Rolled into the Magee Park bathroom for water and then met up with Paul N. and Judy F. Kiwi Stuart just left riding ahead. Chatted with them as Judy set a fast 18mph pace down the coast. I was spinning real good. Quite a group of 8 riders at Poinsettia Lane as we rolled southward.

I pulled over to help a hard body on the roadside near LaCosta Ave. Of course Paul pulled over too. Seems her chain dropped and did a double wrap around the BB of her new looking Cannondale Carbon ride. Driveline was a black gumbo mess, so Paul took over and got his hands nice and greasy while pulling and pushing the chain. I wouldn't touch that method with a carbon frame and offered a chain tool. Paul finally gave up and the girl said she had a car coming for pick-up. Good idea!  While leaving I mentioned she might solve future problems by cleaning her chain. I'm sure that won't happen soon.

Me and Judy Frankel on SR-56 Path

Big group at Swami's. Had a little chit-chat before riding south. Crankin' hard up thru Del Mar before a regroup at the start of the SR-56 Bike Path. Correct gearing for those lesser climbs as I kept the cadence up. Turned up Black Mtn. Road to their snack stop. Said "adios" and headed north on Black Mtn., before turning onto Carmel Valley and Dove Cyn. into Rancho Bernardo.

Picked up a receipt near RB at a new 7-Eleven. Couple of MTB'er near Lake Hodges made me think of Ham Hock Trail rides. Took the Inland Rail Trail alternate south route and met a older Euro interested in the TdeFrance. We chatted all the way to Hale Street about all the drugs they take! I left and rode the Barham route over to Ralphs near CSUSM  Parked the bike inside the cool store with my helmet lock method and browsed around for energy bar sales. 10 for $10 was the deal on Balance Bars today. Got a few things and bagged them up thru self-check out. Still had a few miles to go before calling it a day.

Clear mid-morning
Hi: 95     Lo: 62
Wind: W-12mph
101 miles


CUATRO 

I was looking for a treat at Winchell's

I'm rolling at 0300 today. 50% chance of showers, wouldn't that be nice? Double tail lights and just a Dorcey headlamp. Arm warmers came off after my receipt start at 7-Eleven. Great riding, cool weather with no traffic as I crossed Lake Hodges on I-15 (pedestrian bridge wasn't open yet). Put in some extra miles eastward and finally ended back on Poway Rd. where I noticed a Winchell's Donut place. Hey, I remember them from the old days. Good stuff? Time for a treat! Pulled in to darkness with a cutie gal behind the counter. Chocolate was on the menu today for me. All I could taste was the dirty oil they fried it in as I pedaled westward. Guess I must have been thinking of "Dunkin Donuts" instead! On Sabre Springs Road I was wondering where Tony Long (NCCC) lives. He used to do rando rides with us and when I last chatted with him, he was hoping for some more long stuff after his broken clavicle last year.

On the SR-56 path I thought I saw some lightning down south! Must have been my headlamp reflection. Came upon a firm body and asked if she was on lightning watch. Yes, she saw it too. It was starting to get a little light now and I could make out rain showers heading my way. I clicked it up a notch to beat the "strike"! By the time I got up to Del Mar I was wet and thunder was booming all around. Time to pull over just past Starbucks. No other riders on the road now. I waited it out for a while while the bad stuff cleared and then headed north on white roads.

This roadie know how to ride in the rain!

Encinitas had the most standing water and by Oceanside the rain had went NE toward San Marcos. I wonder if the NCCC are riding today? Stopped at Circle K for a "proof of passage" and hit the SLR to little traffic. Finally, my old buddy Wally Pistone came up. We pulled off at the Skate Park and chatted some. He just retired from teaching at Palomar College and rides with the Swami "B" group. He likes the Fiesta Island TT stuff. Wally was always thin and fit looking and now with his new green/white carbon ride he is fast too.

I was planning on finishing up the ride before 1100 to catch the NBC version of todays Tour Stage, so I continued east with heavy legs. Made the turn to San Marcos and could see the next storm approaching. I was looking for cover as I felt those big cold drops.... made it to a roadside shed just in time before it cut loose. Ten minutes and I was back on the wet road with both blinkies full on. Managed to sneak back home before the next one arrived. Actually the cool damp ride felt good today! Now to clean the bike for the next route.


Cloudy, rain, lightning
Hi: 76    Lo: 68
Wind: S-5mph
97 miles