Ranchos, NCCC & Lake Henshaw Randos

Lake Henshaw Century route we rode today.

Weather check before I left home indicated chance of a shower toward the mtns. Like a ding-dong, I strapped on a rain jacket to my HB bag, just in case.  Also the recent cool front indicated a 3-layer top and no leg covers. Arm warmers over my long sleeve layer came off real quick as early skies were threatening but no rain drops for us today.

Posted this route up last week on the SDRando forum and response was lite. Osvaldo came up from San Diego and was on fire most of the day. He brought a new riding friend along, Milton on a red Fuji.  Our Albany friend Sam Thomas... now almost retired...dropped in from Fallbrook and was plagued all day with cassette problems on the steeper climbs. John Fry took a few days off from running to join us and was giving fueling advice to newbie. Usual others were busy or the route had too much climbing for them.

We were off rolling on Mission Ave at 0700. Osvaldo shortly turned around and picked up his buddy Milton, who was a minute too late for the start. They would track us down before Escondido. Easy riding thru town as it's flat and no school today. Saw a large group of riders ahead turn south on Andreason. Never figured out who they were. Might have been from CSUSM.

First climb of the day up Valley Center Road, passed a rider in red. Sam seemed to know him and they chatted a while before he dropped back. Osvaldo, Milton & John cleared the hill in good order while I was sucking wind already. Regroup before the Woods Valley turn.

Decent pace line before the construction zone flagman. Always something going on Woods Valley Rd. Scenic for sure, but traffic makes it sometimes tough riding. Easy blast down Rincon Grade to Harrah's Casino. We took the road and stayed away from the "bike lane". 7-Eleven is a premier rando stop. Even the bathrooms are clean! A few NCCC long riders came in while we were getting ready to leave.

Older pic shows Sam, Bill, Mac & Keith on Mesa Grande climb.

John & I were pacing up Hwy. 76 grade as the others were out ahead. A few of the elite NCCC riders came flying as we approached Henshaw and proceeded to track us up the road. Group of 10 Rancho racers passed as we started the Mesa Grande climb. I was looking for air and John Fry was following close in. We cleared Sam who was doing zig-zags up the steep stuff due to cassette slippage. After the INFO regroup, Sam joined up as we pacelined into Don's Market. The Ranchos, NCCC & us few randos were all together as we fueled in Santa Ysabel before noon.  Had a chat with Robert Abrahim and Tony Long, among others. Ranchos left first and we followed a bit later.

We had just chatted about a nice pace-line into the WSW winds buts Sam was soon on his own off the front. A little coolish at the higher elevations today but that soon changed as we tracked downward toward Ramona via Old Julian Hwy. Another quick trip and a back alley brought us into JIB, where the vagrants hang around counting their coins on the outside tables. Water refill, bathroom break and we were shortly off into the headwinds under warming skies.

Several nice pace-lines till we hit the rollers where Sam & I took off. We know every hill & vale here and soon lost touch with the others. We pulled off before the Highland Valley twisting downhill as John indicated maybe Milton had a flat. Several passing NCCC riders verified this. Ten minutes later, we were back together on the downhill and soon lumbering along HVRoad into the headwind.

We brushed by the Chevron en-route and split at Citracado Ave. with most clinging to the route up steepish Gamble Lane, while I showed Sam (cassette problems) the longer bike path route and finally a regroup on Country Club Dr. for the relaxing ride in to the finish.

Weather displayed clear skies and much warmer after the Highland Valley Road plunge.

With the headwinds, 1 flat tire, shifting problems and multiple stops, 8:31 was a decent time on this route today.

Lake Henshaw Century Video


-randorides