Mike's Ride... Coronado XP

Route for Mike's retirement ride today

After decades of hard work at HP, rando and NCCC cyclist Mike Shaw was hanging up his tools. Yep. This was his selected route for the "retirement" ride. Mike not only was on target for his P-12 &R-12 RUSA Cycling Awards this year, he also was stepping into the den of the K-Hound (10,000km + of documented RUSA routes) this week! Nice job Mike.

Daytime weather had been warming up of late, so I rechecked the Underground Weather site and it said 49F leaving San Marcos with hi today along the coast of lo 80's! November in San Diego again. I rolled out before 0530 with just arm warmers and a vest over the RUSA jersey with a sleeveless under-layer.  Camera hanging from my neck and I managed to lock on the GoPro to the handlebars just in time. HB bag stuffed with a few gels and bars, along with my usual banana and half-dozen pretzel crackers laced with cashew butter. A few scoops of Infinit in my bottle and I was good to go.

A few riders at the Oceanside Pier start

A little nippy with the sunscreen cooling off my legs as I made my way toward the coast. Took Palomar Airport Road to miss the colder temps on northern bike path to Oceanside. Blinkie guarding behind and my removable $12 Dorcey headlamp blazing the road ahead. Pulled into a vacant Oceanside at 0640 and rolled over to see Keith Olsen at his "office" in the Transit Station parking lot. We cycled over to Transit bathrooms & then Circle K to "ice up".

Mike Shaw, Sandy Aniya, Dan Phillips, Bill Stevenson, Mel Cutler were waiting for us at the Oceanside Pier. John Fry came rolling in a few minutes later. Hector Maytorena hadn't arrived as Mike lead us out southbound at 0700. Of course, the first few miles were dedicated to stories of rider achievement and great things of late! Pace picked up as we doubled up for the pleasant ride along the coast to Encinitas. Short stop at Swami's added a few more riders.

Banana fest at the top or Torrey Pines!

Phil Auchter and Ken Hartman joined up there. Phil is along time NCCC rider and needs to get his LHTrucker back on the long rides again. Ken is a OFR rider, just back from his Border To Border West Coast ride in September. Southbound in short-order, more riders just ahead. Rando Jim Wisener set up for the Cardiff riders to join up near the Surfer Kook. Group was now approaching 20 riders. PBP rider Mac IMacseng hooked up in Solana Beach and NCCC climber Tony Long was waiting after Del Mar. Torrey Pines climb was interesting as the gruppo stretched out. Banana fest ahead!

Water and bananas at the top for us. In the rando recruiting mode, I handed out a rando card or two there. 10 minutes and our large group was up to pace speed thru UCSD campus. Way ahead of schedule to catch the 1000 ferry to Coronado, we didn't let a few red lights bother us. Boys were crankin' it up down Rose Canyon. Welcome red light at Damon/Mission Bay Dr. brought the group back together again. Hector had hammered hard from Oceanside and was not with the group.

Ferry mate forgot the side panel. Walk-off!

No traffic to speak of on the Mission Bay Dr. mess before we cruised past the kite-flyers near the bay. Old Towne was another welcomed non-traffic event and soon we were in downtown San Diego. Revised route took Hawthorne St. and on to the waterfront in short order. Mike led us right to the ticket booth. $4.75 now for a one-way with bike. Rando guy Dave Horwitt with surfing shorts,  was waiting there for us with his flat tire. Perfect timing for his upcoming on-board tire repair!

I did manage to get a few good shots of riders boarding the ferry. Only a single carbon-orange Orbea and one fat bike on-board. The 300 lb. owner was having a good time chatting with several slim-fit riders on board. With a few strollers and all our bikes, the lower lever was packed now! Good time for some walk-around photos and topside videos.

Rando legend Tim Sullivan in Coronado

I noticed the mate only attached a chain across the port entrance & forgot to lock in the panel. Someone warned the near-by mother with children as I ventured upstairs to tell the captain about his inept crew. Back to normal, I walked around taking a few videos of passing sailboats. Calm bay and approaching Coronado made for some good shots. Once on dry land again, rando legend Tim Sullivan met us as we regrouped by the bathrooms. Tony found the single faucet that had cold water and I waited in line. Bottles filled, we mingled around a bit before Tim led us around his home turf to the Bayshore Bikeway.

Paceline and 20mph were the norm now, as the group split up in three. I was settled in with Dave and Tony, snapping pics as I dodged oncoming riders. One group took off the front wickedly-split like and the rest of us finally made the transverse near the salt ponds. More hi-speed riding along the east-side frontage road, as I hooked up with Sandy, chatting about a hike-a-bike campground in Yuma. Sandy's has ties there with his family and knows the area well. (Good info for a future rando dirt route).

Riders mob Jack-In-The-Box

After several regroups we were all together again before crossing Harbor Dr. The Cardiff boys headed north for their break bayside in San Diego and randos went to the listed JIB Control in National City. Mel, Hector, Tony & I hit the AM/PM, while others mobbed the JIB next door. I opted for a over-priced ice-cream sandwich and filled my bottles with water & ice. Later we went over to JIB to join the mayhem there. Shakes were popular and several had the full meal deal. Finally we were ready to roll. Mike led out on the backway thru Barrio Logan, missing the worse roads along Harbor Drive.

Slight headwind as we crossed the rail-yards to downtown. Mobs of people at the Convention Centre today as we waited patiently at a red light. Ahead, a rear end'er headlined a grey car buried under a SUV! All the police red-lights brought us into single file skirting the accident.

Pedestrian traffic @ Convention Center

Dave Horwitt left us at Washington Street to climb homeward. Rando pace-line developed past SPAWAR with the slight headwind. Sandy decided to drop off at Old Towne and grab a train northward. We made quick work of the packed parking areas around Mission Bay and soon Mike led us to the Rose Creek Bike Path. Lumpy-bumpy time.

This optional way vs the cue sheet is a little longer, but much safer than the merging traffic from right off I-5. The turn onto Santa Fe brought only a tiny headwind and the Cardiff boys again! Seems Randy had a flat and the other stopped to check out his tire-changing technique! Climbers Mac, Bill & Wild Animal Park Tony had ants in their pants on the gentle climb up Rose Canyon at 17mph. Looked like Mac was in PBP race mode now. I was latched-on taking pictures. Gilman Dr. climb brought more speed as calmer heads prevailed with a regroup near the UCSD entrance. Mac & Bill decided to go straight thru campus for a bathroom break. Others followed cue and slugged up Scholars Dr.

Cardiff group helps Randy tire repair

I followed Hector down Torrey and stopped with WAP Tony at the bottom. It was back on the bike path to Poway and home for him. Work tomorrow feeding the cheetahs at the Park. Hector led out thru Del Mar, with Keith, me and Mike in tow. John Fry was wondering where his buddy Ken was and pulled up to wait. Cold water at Nytro was on order now, as Mike, Hector, Keith & I made the stop. Soon, we waived as Ken, John & Mel rode by. We were off on the chase for a regroup now.

If there was a red light, we hit it. Leaving Encinitas, we came upon 2 hard-bodies cruising along at 17mph. These gals had the shorter-shorts on and were returning to Mission Viejo. After chatting a bit, Keith picked up the pace and they followed. We were in hot pursuit of John Fry far ahead. The younger hot-dog gal was doing her thing to drop Keith & I as we sped up the coast. Hector was behind trying to rando-recruit the other gal. The little dip-climb up to Palomar Airport Road brought hard-body out of the saddle one last time trying to drop us for good. Sorry, not to be today as she cracked and sat down as we passed. On Tuesday's ride we encountered the same thing, but with the USD cycling team boys. Practice paid off this time!

Keith, Mel, Mike, Hector & John at finish

More race-pace now as we could see John's yellowish jersey ahead as we caught every red-light. Finally, in downtown Carlsbad, we were together again to the finish. Hard-body was singing away as John was a little puzzled? Keith, John, Mike, & Hector all pulled into the Pier finish nearly together. Mel came in a short time later. Bill was much later, as the UCSD stop with Mac dropped them off pace..

I rolled over to Circle K for a ice-only refill and then sped over to Keith's office in the Transit Parking lot. Keith is our  official supplier of after-ride recovery kicker: Ensure. He poured a bottle over the my ice and after a short chat, I was off to San Marcos with enough daylight left for no-headlamp required.

Good turn out for Mike's retirement route. Got a few of the Cardiff riders in there and some NCCC riders too! I handed out some rando cards so all was well. Weather was perfect with only a light breeze today with temps in the 80's along the coast. Hard to beat a day on the road like this!

Mike enjoys his retirement at Nyto stop!

Mike's Retirement Ride Video


Clear skies all day
Hi: 85     Lo: 49
Wind: WNW @6mph
137 miles

-randorides