Temecula 600 Flashback

2011 Temecula 600 Route

Lot's of discussion on the SDrando blog of late. Something about some rider not wearing a helmet while riding in Brevets... also the planned 600K this month was changed to the Temecula 600* route of years past. That got me to thinking about the memorable ride I did in 2011. That was the 600 we lost Jim Swarzman on.

Around 11 riders were at the hotel in Temecula for the start. Must have been an early start, because I'm thinking I left San Marcos at 0100 for the ride up Old Hwy. 395 to get there. Way too much climbing on the way, but I did manage to time it with 15 minutes to spare! 3 riders from San Fran Randos there, including my buddy Joseph Maurer. Weather was perfect as we climbed out of Temecula in the dark.

Carl Anderson
Adam Bickett
Kelly DeBoer
Chris Hanson
Nicole Honda
Joseph Maurer
Andi Ramer
Mike Sturgill
Tim Sullivan
Jim Swarzman
Ann Trason

Nicole Honda couldn't wait to find a tree as we turned south on Sage Road. We had a nice little group riding up thru Aguanga as Joseph was really hurting keeping the pace. Jim, Andi, Tim, Nicole, Chris Hanson, Joseph and me were still together at the Stagecoach Control in the desert. Adam Bickett was in race mode and long gone by this time. group broke up as we climbed up Hwy. 8 toward Jacumba in the sun. I was hanging around with Joseph as we made our way along Hwy. 94 to San Diego. Andi was chatting away while riding with Tim out ahead as Nicole, Chris & Jim had their group just ahead of us.

Rando & good guy Jim Swarzman

Riding along the coast  northward in the dark, I was waiting for my riding buddy Joseph at the top of the Del Mar hill. He buzzed by and disappeared off route to the Del Mar Fairgrounds! I later managed to wait around for him entering Encinitas. Riding together, we came upon the crash scene on Hwy. 101, just north of Encinitas Blvd. We waited around as they took Jim away as Nicole went with them. Joseph, Chris & I were in a daze as we later decided to carry on and cut off route around the blocked road and took a nap later in Oceanside.

I think the only words said for the last 130 miles to the finish were when Chris ask: " Anybody have any Chap-Stick?" Cycling in zombie mode we made our way on SART, thru Corona and back to Temecula. We were the last riders to arrive, but we finished! Jim would have wanted that. I stuffed my bike into Josephs little VW for the welcome ride back home. I was done!

Later on I managed to work up a short video on Jim:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOfnjLcYf_8

-randorides

* Since this writing, the Temecula 600 has been changed back to the Hotel Circle 600... April 23. Go figure?