#5639

My happy place, part 1

2011-11-13T18:17:00.000-08:00

Palomar Mountain. Full of local history, and there's a very nice 200 inch reflecting telescope up top too. It's also close to home, and happens to be my favorite local climb. Ok, Kitchen Creek is my favorite, but sometimes I'm not in the mood nor have the time to ride all the way out there. As long as I've been riding up there, the "climb" up Palomar is referred to as "store-to-store". That is, after you turn right onto Highway 76 off of Valley Center Road, the climbing begins, and there is a taco shop and mini-mart. You continue on Highway 76 for 5 and something miles, then make a left turn onto South Grade Rd. The climbing ends at the top of South Grade when you pull into the parking lot at Mother's/Palomar General Store. The ascent actually begins about a mile west of VC Rd, but we never bother with that because it's more of a why bother, and if you start at the casino, you get a mile or so of climbing out of the valley anyways.

Ride with GPS is a website that I use to map routes. Sometimes the milage is not accurate, other times it is. I think the map it gives me above is a half mile or so shy. Regardless, it's 12-ish miles of climbing. Steep, beautiful climbing. It averages about 7%, but in the last few miles on South Grade, there are sections that ramp up around 10% or so.

Usually I start my ride from home, which means I get a good warm up on the climb up the grade into Valley Center. Sometimes I might catch the bus and start at the casino, especially if I'm doing the double (ride from the casino and climb South Grade, descend East Grade, turn around and return the way you came). After turning and beginning the climb, the section on Hwy 76 is pretty mellow. The gradients are pretty consistent, the turns are open and and most of the road has a decent shoulder. It's a nice climb. You get some lovely views, and in the spring and summer the wild flowers are in full bloom. Often times, much to my great amusement, there will be interesting items of refuse on the side of the road and in the drainages ditches. Once I saw two shoes, but not a matching pair, along with a baby doll with no head. Also found some nice sunglasses, though apparently smashed by a passing vehicle. Usually though, it's just beer bottles and fast food bags. Sad.

It takes me a half mile or so to get settled into my climbing rhythm. I like to take off my gloves if it's not cold out. I can't really give a good reason why I do that, I've just always liked to for long climbs. If it's cold weather, this is also where jackets and such come off. Depending on the bike I am riding that day, this is where I get settled into a gear and generally don't change it all the way up. My Soulcraft has low gearing, so I might down shift all the way then go back up a few gears to get my cadence, and I will often times shift up or down a few times as I have a wider range of gearing to use If I'm on the Viner, I drop all the way down and grind away in what is more or less race gearing. If I'm feeling good, I might upshift one cog, though often times 2 cogs when alternating between climbing in and out of the saddle. If I'm in the mood to Five and Dime it, I'm out of the saddle most of the way up.

At around mile 5, you top out and have a short downhill onto a flat section of a half mile or so before the left turn onto South Grade. This is where the gradients steepen and the turns tighten. 21 or so switchbacks. After the turn there is a big oak tree and little spot to pull off for a quick break. At this point, I should be halfway through one bottle (hydration is key here), and I might take a minute to stretch and eat a gel. Also, there are some boulders and bushes, for, er, ya. The road narrows now, with minimal shoulder. The trees are also very thick. If you are like me and try to ride Palomar only on weekdays, it will be very peaceful and little or no traffic. If it's a weekend and nice weather, it will be busy with BoyRacers™ on crotch rockets. Prepare to be harassed, irritated, and generally bothered by the sounds and smells of illegal exhaust systems. They also use the entire road, so if you happened to get buzzed it's your own fault for being on their road before they got there.

Continuing on, the roads weaves it's way up the mountain. Now and then you pop out of the trees to be treated with soaring views of the valley below. As I said, it's much better on week days. It's so peaceful. A very soothing type of quiet. The sounds of your bike are accompanied by the chips and calls of birds, the wind in the trees, and miscellaneous invisible critters rummaging about in the the under brush and fallen leaves. The nice part about days of little or no traffic is safety. I have had a few encounters, which I will go into in a moment. However, with no traffic, one is free to use the entire road. when going into a turn on a climb, the inside is always steeper if the road is banked properly. Therefore, I will move into the middle of the lane towards the center line as I go into the turn, and move back to the side of the lane as I exit out of the turn. It helps to even out the grade and keep a good rhythm. There are a few nice places to stop if you want, as well as a full turn out where people will often park to take photos. In the last two miles you start to get a peek of the summit, and of East Grade Road. But it's not as close as it seems. As fate would have it, this is also the steepest section. Once you pass the 5000' elevation sign, you're almost done, but don't let up. As you come out the final turn, the last quarter mile is a straight shot and the road sign comes into view. Left turn at the intersection to roll into the parking lot at the store. Mother's Cafe has good food if you're hungry.

So far my best time is 80 minutes.

Fill up your bottles and have a snack. Stretch and get relaxed, because it's time to go back down. Leave the bike in low gear and spin out of the parking lot. It's a a few meters uphill as you turn onto South Grade. Both of my road bikes have traditional down tube shifters, so with one hand I can actuate both levers, dumping the cassette into the smallest cog and hoping up onto the big ring. Your top gear is all you'll need for the next 12 miles. It's a two wheeled roller coaster. Please remain seated for the entire ride. Get into the drops, two fingers on each brake lever and get some speed on before you roll into the first turn. After a couple times to get to know the road, you can make quick work of the descent. Brake, lean in, hit the apex, exit, turn the cranks over to get your speed back, repeat. South Grade usually requires slower speeds than Highway 76. The switchbacks are tight, and many are decreasing radius right hand turns, with one turn in particular that seems to almost loop back around on itself. Stay focused but relaxed. Brake before the turn, lean in with the bike, look where you'll be, not where you are, and enjoy. Once you reach the end of South Grade there is a straight section before merging onto Highway 76. Keep and eye on traffic. You have a uphill flat section, and then the road opens up. This is where you can forget about the brakes and go all out. I regularly hit over 45 mph and often times end up pacing road traffic. Because you can travel at or above the posted speed limits, feel free to get out into the lane and take it.

As I said before, there can be traffic issues. Number one is the motorcycles. While I generally do just fine and not worry much, there will always be negative encounters. Sadly one should expect to be buzzed multiple times while climbing. I usually turn my tail light on to flashing mode, but I suppose it just helps them home in on me. Once I was passed by a motorcycle while descending, which is normal, except that I was in a right turn and he passed me on the inside. He then had the nerve to tell me I'm number one. One thing I notice, however, is that the motorcycles that are polite are usually people on Harley type cruisers and touring bikes, as well as rides that show a smooth and experienced driving manner. I have never had a negative experience with auto traffic. In fact, on two occasions, a car has pulled over to let me pass while descending. An example of a positive encounter I had was on South Grade while descending. Before going into a turn I checked back for traffic and then moved out to take the lane. I saw a motorcycle approaching, but saw that the rider then backed off and gave me room, waited for me to finish the turn and move to the side of the road, then passed me safely and gave a friendly wave. I would like to see that more often.

I call this climb one of my happy places for a few reasons. Firstly, I love the mountains and the forests. Secondly and most important of all - I'm a climber. I love it. I'm not always the fastest, and sometimes I might be in the mood for it, but I always enjoy it somehow.

Sunset Beach 300k, 08-06-11

2011-08-09T20:38:00.000-07:00

I was apprehensive about this one in the weeks leading up to the actual event. Two years ago, this was my first official 300k event. With those memories, as well as the opinions of others, I was questioning whether I would enjoy it. A lot of people don't like to spend this much time on the coast, especially in the summer months (beach traffic). I decided to go for it. If I suffer, I suffer. If not, yay! It's not a particularly difficult route. Old Town San Diego to Sunset Beach, then return. Sure it's 187 miles, but there's only 6000 feet or so of climbing. Rolling hills, some big, some small, lots of flats. Torrey Pines is really the only climb, but that 15 miles between Dana Point and Newport Beach is like a roller coaster bombardment. That said, I went into it hoping for the best. Penny was set up perfect for this ride. I recently bought a small Berthoud front bag that fits nicely on the rack and has just enough space to hold all my gear and food.

It's 0530 and riders are gathering to check in with our RBA in front of the CalTrans building on Taylor Street in Old Down. It's a nice summer morning in SD - 61˚, overcast, humid. My bike and I were ready to go. 0600 and we're off. Out of Old Town and through Mission Bay. I was happy for the temps and no fog. Luckily, we would be fog-free this morning. As we started onto the path through Rose Canyon, I was in a group with fellow randonneurs Dion, Audrey, Elaine, and Osvaldo. We were moving at a nice pace, but something told me I wasn't in the mood to keep this up all day. Osvaldo left us in Del Mar, as he was just out for a morning ride and not actually taking part in the brevet. I dropped back from the group somewhere in Encinitas. I wanted to relax and settle in for the day ahead. Plus, I was enjoying the lovely morning.

South Carlsbad

So far, so good. I chose to make a quick stop in Oceanside at Pier View Coffee for an espresso. In the interest of being efficient, I ran to the loo while they were pulling my coffee. I walked out of the loo to be handed my espresso and downed it as I walked back to my bike. Moving again, I opted to follow the main route and go through Camp Pendleton, while I would select the optional use of Interstate 5 for the return trip. There was a triathlon happening on base. I had no ida and was suddenly surprise by the mass of people on bikes, until I saw what sort of bikes they were riding, as well as the numbers written in grease pen on arm and leg. It must have been an open comp with various classes, as I passed quite a bit of the "racers" with ease. Out of the base and on to Old PCH, the sun was starting show.

I pulled up to The Bagel Shack, the first control in San Clemente, around 09:40 or so. At that point I was doing well and on schedule as far as my plan went. I got my card signed and bought a giant asiago bagel. I think it had dried tomato and maybe olive in it as well as the cheese. Yummy! Also, the sun was waiting for us.

I'm sure I pay for this somehow

After Dana Point, leaving San Clemente means the big rolling hills begin. Aslo, the traffic. Oh yeah, the traffic. Hills: fun. Traffic: not so much. People drive like crap in Orange County. These roads are not exactly bicycle friendly, so if a few drivers got miffed when I was taking the lane, well, good for me. I put some speed on through Laguna and caught Elaine. After the last of the hills we drop down into Newport Beach. Along the marina you ride pass the dealerships peddling cars that cost more than my house and boats that are bigger than my house. Then you pass over the Santa Ana River channel.

Now we're in Huntington Beach. It goes on forever. Today it seemed like an eternity. There was some sort of big deal surfing competition going on. Which meant only one thing: way more beach traffic than usual. Although it also meant way more eye candy than usual. Yep. After battling it out and avoiding one to many near misses with doors and crap drivers, we're nearly there. Since she was having a rough morning, I pulled Elaine all the way through. Even with the usual head winds, I was feeling strong and was happy to help. It's always nice to ride with another person or two at times.

It's about flippin' time!

Elaine and I arrive at the control point in Sunset beach about 12:35, only to find that particular Chevron was just closed down. We thought about going across the road to something in the strip mall, but in our state and a bit of confusion, we ended up a few miles north at a different Chevron. As Elaine put it, we may have added a few extra miles, but we have a receipt from Chevron! That made my official time check 1242. We then ran back to the location of the original control that has a wee little park next to it with nice public toilets. I got cleaned up and fresh sunblock on, and as we prepared to leave, Ed pulls in. He said other riders were getting time checks at businesses in the strip mall across the street. Elaine needed to find a pay phone and I required a cheeseburger, so we made one last stop at a Jack in the Box as we began out return south. Again, we're back into the traffic. By this time, people are getting aggro and grumpy that the lots are all full and closed. Well no kidding eh! It's 2 in the afternoon during the summer at a major beach with a surf comp going on, and people actually think they might get a spot to park. About 5 hours too late I'd say. It was quite a nice day to be at the beach, or so I'd imagine.

Drill baby, drill!

At this time I was feeling much better than I anticipated. Once we made it through Newport and into the hills, I decided to go and left Elaine. I made quick work of those hills again. For several miles, I got into the slow traffic and paced cars to get through the cities. A different kind of surfing. Once again, I'm back in San Clemente and arrive at a specific 7-11 store that is another control point, with 15:48 as my time check. Bottles filled, some juice and a snack, I check over the bike and get ready to go. Elaine comes rolling in as I'm leaving. Actually I should say walking in. Her front tire went flat a block away. It's her fault though, as she was riding on a damaged tire and was waiting for it to happen. Still, flats are no fun. As I left San Clemente and began the run down Old PCH, I made the choice to give it my all. With my time so far and my speed, I decided I would ramp it up and finish before dark, which meant a sub-14 hour time. That was not part of my plan. That we added a few miles up north, I decided to use the return option, via Interstate 5 rather than Camp Pendleton. It would be a bit faster and shorter, but should even out. Once into Carlsbad, the clouds were beginning their return, though it was still a nice afternoon.

At this point it's all familiar territory and I'm flying down the coast. With a good time surplus (I had 8 hours to make the cut-off), I though it would be great to stop at Pannikin for an espresso. I walked up at 2 minutes after 6. Piss. They were nice enough to fill one of my bottles before they locked up. Another time. I passed Jack and Kathy on their tandem in Del Mar, then it's the one actual climb before I finish.

Torrey Pines

Not a problem today. I'm flying along and before I know it I'm making the left onto Taylor Street. The sun is preparing to dip under the horizon as I roll into the finish at 19:36, for an official time of 13:36 hours. My fastest 300k to date. Conditions were good and I kept myself hydrated and fed. I'm quite happy with myself on this one. The bike deserve some credit too. She performed flawlessly and loved getting checked out all day.

Jim Swarzman video memorial

2011-07-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

My friend Kelly made this.

San Clemente 200k, 07-16-11

2011-07-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

July 16, 2011 was SDr's San Clemente 200k. Unofficially it was the Jim Swarzman Memorial ride. We gathered at the South Shores park in Mission Bay for a 5:30 start. While gathering at the start, Stacy handed out black wrist bands for riders to wear in remembrance of Jim. For those unfamiliar of Jim, he was a wonderful person and top notch ultra distance racer. He died of injuries sustained after a hit & run incident in the wee hours of the morning of April 10 during a 600k brevet.

For this brevet, we would travel north up the coast to San Clemente, then return. The route took us out of Mission Bay and out of San Diego. We road along the Rose Canyon bike path and up Gilman Drive through UCSD and Torrey Pines. Through Del Mar and continuing North on Coast Highway through the various coastal towns. We then had the option of riding either I5 or going through Camp Pendleton. Onto Old Coast Highway (bikes and peds only) then through the beach camping area into San Clemente. Through town to Dana Point to the control and turn around at Tutor and Spunky's deli. To return, we rode back south the same way we came north.

Those sodium gas street lights give a nice effect in the photo. Zombies on bikes!

We had a pretty good turn out, and after a quick briefing by our RBA, we hit the road. The weather was quite nice. I got into a group with Andy and Molly (two very lovely women that can easily out ride me), as well as Wayne and Dion. We were at a pace that was a bit quicker than I planned to ride, but I felt fine and was enjoying myself. We had the usual fog and actually a bit of mist from Del Mar all the way to Leucadia. We stopped in Encinitas to see the poster that had been put up as a memorial to Jim. Kelly was there taking some pictures. As we rode into downtown Carlsbad, I could continue no longer. I was in dire need of a comfort stop (nice way of saying "Toilet, now, or I'm gonna stab a baby!"), so I pulled off for a break at It's a Grind. I really like that place. The staff are nice and the coffee is pretty good. I sat down outside to down my coffee quickly, when the owner came out with a pitcher of water and offered to fill my bottles. How cool! I saw many of the riders pass. As Jaime and Per rode by, I shouted that I would catch them up. I was soon on the road and flying through Oceanside. I think I passed Jaime and Per at when I took a side street to avoid a section of Coast Highway that I'm not too comfortable riding on. Going north I decided to ride through the base. I was pushing a bit harder than I normally would, and I passed a few other rides getting into San Clemente. I kept my pace up, hoping I might catch Andy and that group. Finally arrived at the control about 20 minutes after they did. Soon they were ready to go, so I decided to take a break and wait for Jaime and Per. Other riders soon arrived. Greg and Stacy rode up and went in to get stamped, then invited me to stop with them back in town at a cafe. I said I might if I see them as I passed by, but I never did. Not to worry. Jaime, Per, and I began the return south. This was Per's first brevet and Jaime was riding with him to make sure he was doing well. That's the randonneur spirit! We settled into a good pace and had a favorable wind. We decided to ride I5 going south. Sometimes the traffic is backed up and it's faster on a bike! In Oceanside, they stopped for a break as Per needed to stretch. I continued on as I wanted to stop off at Pacific Coast Cycles and say hi to my favorite bike shop. There was some sort of event going on and I think I put on a few extra miles when I got stuck in detour near the pier. Apparently, Jaime and Per passed me when I had stopped, but I caught them at Swamis. Going through Del Mar, the traffic was awful, as usual. Jaime decided we would put it in overdrive on the climb up Torrey Pines. 11 mph all the way up. He stopped to wait for Per as I continued on. I still had legs and decided to go for it. I made a good pace all the way to Mission Bay, but the wind ended that. The wind is always screwed up riding through Mission Bay. A tail wind becomes a head wind, then it's on your right and you get little gusts that poke through the gaps in all the campers and vans parked along the road. I must have looked like I was drunk, weaving to the left every time a gust hit me! I finished with an official total time of 09:22. Not so bad. It was good ride, and all riders finished successfully.

Next weekend is a 300k that is the same route but goes further north. I'm 70% yes on riding it at this point. I can only handle so much of riding on the coast this time of year, especially north of The Orange Curtain. I'll probably do it anyhow. I need to best my time from 2009, when this same brevet was my first 300k event.

Mother's Kitchen permanent, 07-09-11...

2011-07-18T20:29:00.000-07:00

...or, my very first ever DNF. It's bound to happen at one point or another.

Early Saturday morning July 9th, I departed from the pier in Oceanside at 5:30 to ride the Mother's Kitchen 167km permanent (#945). The route itself is somewhat basic, and out & back from Oceanside to Palomar Mountain via Bonsall and Valley Center. Not the most difficult, but fairly challenging.

The weather was not my favorite that morning. No fog, but thick overcast and muggy. Cool temps, but it felt warmer with the humidity. It seemed to be humid all day. Riding along the river path I kept a moderate pace just wanting to settle in and warm up. I tried to pick up the pace a little to get through North River Rd. It get narrow and most traffic is at least 10 - 15 mph over the limit. Riding through Bonsall on Camino Del Rey was peaceful, however the clouds kept their death grip on the sky, locking in the humidity. After turning onto Hwy 395 I zoned out and missed the turn onto Old Castle, so I added an extra mile right there. I always get confused with that turn when heading south because of some confusing signage, or maybe it was just because I didn't get my coffee that morning. I always enjoy climbing up Old Castle, but this morning seemed odd. I just couldn't get into my rhythm. I was really starting to feel it getting over the top a sit becomes Lilac Road in Valley Center. I'm not sure if it was the weather or I was just having an off day, because I just wasn't feeling my normal self. As I rolled on through Valley Center I began to have my doubts. I arrived at the first control, Stage Stop Market, just after the turn onto Highway 76. I was more or less on schedule. Some stretching, a snack and water, then I was off. The climbing up Hwy 76 seemed to go quicker than normal but also felt dreary. After the turn onto South Grade, I stopped at the oak tree and met up with a few other cyclists. I took a quick break and ate a few gel packs, hoping to feel better and get my legs back. The motorcycles soon showed up in force with the usual rudeness. About halfway up South Grade it dawned on me that I was in my lowest gear and struggling, barely pushing 5 mph. It was in these last few miles that I had to stop three times. I finally arrived at Mother's. Later than I planned but still with a reasonable time margin for the control. I sat down to relax and ponder just why I am feeling so awful. That was so unusual for me to struggle and take so long on the climb. It was when I had trouble trying to eat that I decided I may have to abandon. I knew I couldn't stay too long or my legs would cramp more than they already were. I got on the bike and rode back down the mountain at a more relaxed speed, being cautious of my body and worried that my blood sugar was low and my reaction time slower. As I rolled into the control at Martha's Market on Hwy 76, I stopped and made a phone call, then doubled back to Valley Center Rd to the casino to be rescued by my wonderful mum. I'm still not sure what went wrong. Perhaps I just had an off day, and with the busy few weeks at work, I may have never fully recovered from the club century. Live and learn. It was still fun. I'll just have to try again soon and smash it with a better time than I had planned for this attempt.

NCCC club century, 07-02-2011

2011-07-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

Every year my club, North County Cycle Club, has a century ride. This year was a pretty basic route with some nice climbing in the beginning, a run up and down the coast and back inland with a few more hills. Nothing special, but it made for fast group ride and a lot of fun. The weather was nice too.

We departed San Marcos at 7 with a slow pace to warm up, but soon enough were got moving as usual. After flying up Hwy 395 and into Bonsall for the first break, we got into some climbing. Olive Hill and then Morro Hill to come up over Sleeping Indian. It's a lovely climb but it will get you if you're not ready. The ride was going nice, but what would a nice day and a great ride be without a little road rage? And so, as we begin the descent down Sleeping Indian, I hear a car horn sounding behind me. Not just a polite honk mind you. This guy was on it for 3 or 4 minutes, and then passed, shaking his fist as he shouted, and I quote, "Get the fuck out off the road you fucking assholes!" He then pulled in front of me and slowed somewhat, pacing us for a minute, then took off. Lucky for him it was a fast descent, or I would have my phone out to photograph his face, the car, and the plate. Sorry about your shortcomings Mr. Shiny Blue Mustang. Please don't go home and beat your kids over this. Instead, go home and read up on CVC 21202(A). We didn't let it bother us though. Into Oceanside and onto the San Luis Rey river trail for a high speed paceline to the coast, which more or less became a team time trial team, which continued trough Camp Pendleton and Old PCH all the way to San Clemente. The turn around break stop was at Carl's Junior. Cheeseburger time! Funny thing about that. They apparently had a full staff, but half of them were either on break on more concerned with fussing with tables and straws at the soda fountains than actually working. That was the slowest fast food I've ever had. I chose to stay behind after the fast group left. Eventually it was Chip and I with a few other guys cruising back south. We kept a good pace though, and after Carlsbad it was just the two of us. I finished with an 18 mph average speed. Pretty good I might say. I t was fun, and I still had it in me to ride the 10 miles home at about the same pace.

I crashed!

2011-07-18T19:16:00.000-07:00

I've been busy and lazy, as well as needing some time to deal with what happened. But now I have some time to write about an incident that occurred on June 4th, 2011.

The Ride

It began as a 90 mile ride with my club beginning at the usual meet up in San Marcos. Leaving at 7 that morning, we headed north east out of San Marcos, through Escondido, and up through Valley Center bound for Palomar Mountain. The weather was quite nice and we were riding at a good pace. I was feeling quite that morning. After short break at the market on Highway 76 just after turning off of Valley Center Rd, we began the climb. Tony, Rex, and I were together, but Rex began to drop off a bit. There was very little traffic, something I certainly did not expect. Usually this time of year, the crotch rockets are out in force. IT turned out that there would be almost no traffic at all during the entire climb. Tony and I battled it out. If it wasn't for out banter, it would have been dead quite. The weather continued to be beautiful - clear skies and around 70˚. I dropped Tony the last 10 meters over the crest and rolled into the parking lot at Mothers for a new personal best of 80 minutes for the climb. So far it has been one of the best Palomar rides I've had to date. After a break, we continued on. Some of the guys chose to head back down South Grade, while the group I was in continued on the route down East Grade. About a half mile down, I realized I forgot a bottle at Mother's, so back I went to pick it up, then off I go chasing the group. East Grade is great because the turns are gentle, so braking is not needed much at all, just sit up a bit for some air resistance. I caught Jeff, our ride leader, halfway down. We group up at the bottom and turn onto Hwy 76 to head back west. On the short climb Jeff and dropped off from the group. We would ride together for 4 miles more to point at which the ride ended for me.

The Incident

Aside from the usual rudeness of the motorcyclists on South Grade, I have never had a problem out there. After a short flat section on Hwy 76 after passing South Grade, we began descending. Hwy 76 is a decent road, with your average rural county road chip seal pavement. There is generally some shoulder, but not much, and no bike lanes. The speed limit varies but in most of the turns it is posted from 20 to 35 mph.

• A side note: one of my club mates, Chip, had not been feeling well all week and he drove up to do the climb with us. He parked a few miles up Hwy 76 in a long, sweeping turn about 3 miles up that has a generous turn out on the east-bound side. On the descent, we saw him loading up his truck to drive home. That he would be behind us turned out to be a wonderful thing.

So to continue, as Jeff and I continue down, heading west on Hwy 76, I see a CHP car pass us heading east. As usual, we were traveling close to the speed limit and taking the lane. There was no traffic, and even if there was, we were well within our rights as road users afforded to us by the CA vehicle code. A few minutes later, as we started into a turn, that same car would be behind us, shouting over it's loud speaker for us to slow down and ride in the shoulder single file. I was very startled by the noise, as it was not easily understood. When I looked back the car was very close behind us. When I say "very close behind", I mean my first though was "I'm about to be hit by a car". I tried to slow down, and I was already close to the outside edge of the road going into a left turn. I could not brake in time, and my concentration was destroyed. I went off the road onto a gravel and dirt should, rear wheel lost traction and began to slide out. My front wheel then caught on a crack and was jerked sideways, throwing off the bike. I hit the ground, rolled over a few times and slid, coming to a stop laying on my back. I can easily remember where I went down because of the flowers at the side road entrance on the east-bound side. If you look to the right of the truck in the photo, there is a post. I was laying on the shoulder just before that post. I hit the ground as we came out of the turn.

As I looked up the CHP car passed by without giving any room. I sit up and see my bike laying in a bush, Jeff walking towards me. I took a moment then stood up to assess myself. I had abrasions on my forearms, my left leg, thigh, and biceps. My clothes were torn up and I was dirty and bleeding. Of course my first though is if my bike is ok. I was riding my white Viner. Minor damaged but better shape than I. A few minutes after I went down, Chip drove by and stopped. The CHp car returned. It turns out the driver and passenger are senior volunteer persons, not actual CHP. The man seemed to have no idea about what to do, nor that his idea that we should not be riding on those roads is totally wrong. He was useless, but I got his name. He made an effort to not identify himself, but I caught his name tag. Chip put my bike in his truck and drove me home.

Once home, I could see I was a mess. I was in pain but not horrible enough to need emergency services. Nothing was broken. I enlisted the help of my sister to go get me first aid supplies, but not before she got some pictures of me:

In the first picture, notice the abrasion on my hip. That would, in a matter of hours, become a black and purple bruise as big as my hand, as my hip bone took the brunt of the initial impact with the pavement. Some other pictures I will leave out show the cuts on my knee and the small stones embedded in my elbow. So yes, I get a beer, take some ibuprofen, and run a warm bath. Into the bath I go, with a cloth and a bottle of Hibiclens. Scrub scrub scrub, and scrub some more. I probably invented a few new swear words that afternoon. Though after some time, you get over the pain and just start to laugh at it as you sit there shaking. I spent the next week with my arms, hip, and left thigh wrapped up like a mummy. Road rash is just terrible. I'd have rather just broken something than to have all that.

The Aftermath

I healed up nicely. There is some scarring in a few places, but nothing significant. Many people suggested I go after the guy, sue him, file complaints, work it for all I can get. I had no desire for legal action at all. Jeff and I put together a report of the incident and submitted it to the CHP station captain. I later had a discussion with a Sergeant that was in charge of the volunteer patrolman in question. After speaking with him, I feel confident that he will deal with his man. He was very receptive to the incident report and dismayed that it was the particular volunteer involved. The sergeant understood that his man was in the wrong. I am not a very confrontational sort of person, and I know that filing an official complaint most likely would not have done much at all. By speaking to the volunteer's supervisor directly, he could better deal with it. I also declined to file a claim. Mostly because it would ultimately be the tax payers that would be funding it, and that I was in no mood to drag this out. Besides, I was only out a few dollars in bandages and I'll take a torn up jersey and shorts any day if I can get up and walk away.

Julian out & back, 05-13-11

2011-05-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

Forgot to write about this one. It was good fun and the first century on my new bike. Met up with Frank at a local Starbucks to have coffee before heading out. As my luck would have it, I run over something that immediately relieves my tire of all air pressure. It's the rear tire too. Piss. We roll out around 7 and head out of town. The weather was nice, cool with a bit of fog going into Poway. As we head through Poway, we meet up with Tony. The climb up Scripps Poway Pkwy and then Hwy 67 is pretty nice. Nothing special, just a nice climb. Though if it's hot, you get cooked because it's completely exposed. A stop in Ramona and then we're off onto Old Julian Highway. This is a nice section of the route. It's mainly a rolling climb but has a few steep sections. The scenery is nice and traffic is usually minimal. You feel much further away from civilization than you actually are, and the views are beautiful. The downside is the last 2 miles into Santa Ysabel on Hwy 78. The road is narrow and traffic is not always polite. Especially if it's a Sunday with people returning from the desert in their enormous trucks with travel trailers and such. The wind started to pick up a little as we started up the hill to Julian. That last climb gets steep in a few places but otherwise it's enjoyable. A quick break to regroup, then back down to Santa Ysabel for an actual break to refuel. There we met a woman from The Netherlands (?) that was just starting out on a 3 month tour using an inland route that will go up through the Sierras all the way to Canada. Too cool. By this time, the wind had picked up. Back the way we came, we had to ride out a head wind all the way home. The nice part is that "it's all downhill". After going through Ramona and starting on Highland Valley Rd, my rear tire goes flat. The puncture I had earlier in the morning was worse than I thought. The tire casing had been cut and the tube exposed enough to wear, resulting in a slow leak. Hilarity begins. I get out my patch kit but Tony offers me a tube. I get the tube in and the wheel back on the bike. As I pumping it up, I notice the tire is not airing up as I'm pumping it. Checking it over I can hear air leaking. I pull the wheel off and the tube out to find that it had been patched and the patch did not set right. Thanks Tony. Frank offers me a tube and a strip of gaffer tape to boot the cut in the tire. Finally were off on the last leg or the route. Highland Valley Road is fun, but downside it the best descents also have some of the worst pavement. I took my time, more worried about my tire than anything. Tony leaves us at Pomerado and Frank and I finish up with a run back into Escondido. After having been off the bike for several weeks, this was the longest ride I've done recently. I was tired but not destroyed. Though it was a pretty basic route and not overly challenging, it was enjoyable and made better by good company.

Next month: Palomar ride with my club on the 4th, then Kitchen Creek 200k on the 11th.

A bit of a break

2011-04-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

I'm beginning to go nuts. I've been off the bike for 5 weeks now due to some terrible tendonitis of my left achilles. I still need a bit more time to heal and then I'll go easy for a while. During my time off I've adopted something wonderful.

Ride report: Solana Beach 400k

2011-03-22T22:36:00.000-07:00

March 19, 2011. 400 kilometers of all kinds of fun. It was tough, it was cold, and I loved every minute of it. Put on by San Diego Randonneurs, it was ACP certified. At 0400, we set out all on our onesies for parts all over. The route looked something like this:

It was a bit climby, but not obscene. see that second little bump from left on the elevation profile? That's the climb up Torrey Pines, just to give some perspective. But then, I like that sort of stuff.

I was a bit nervous, but not worried. The controls for this event would not be staffed, which means we have to get receipts and not loose them. It also means we're all on our own and must be very self sufficient.

The day started out nice. I enjoy the early mornings, so I was pretty happy with an early start. It was chilly, but not terribly cold. In hind sight, I could have dressed differently. I was wearing shorts, long knee warmers (covered my legs from my thighs to a few inches below the knee), thick wool socks and toe covers on my shoes, a light, long sleeved wool undershirt and long sleeved jersey, plus my light weight jacket and long fingered gloves of course. I dressed as I did expecting the forecasted weather to be somewhat accurate. Ha! In hindsight, I ought to have worn my nice insulated knickers. I never did need to take off the knee warmers. I also found myself wishing I had worn a warmer undershirt. I was pretty much cold all day. The jacket came off in Alpine for all the big climbing, but went back on for a bit to get through Julian, and then later for the night.

I started out wondering about Kelly and Andi. There were not at the start when we were all sent off. I knew I needed to settle in for the long haul, so I focused on my pace and not getting too excited and zipping off like I often do. Out of Solana Beach we had a nice ride up through Del Mar. The ocean looked pretty good with the moon light. Up Torrey Pines, which I always find very enjoyable in the dark, and then east through Mission Valley. At the first control point, Kelly caught up. He was 20 minutes late to the start. As I was heading out, I met Wayne, and he and Kelly and I got together and would end up doing to entire ride together. I have a great deal of respect for Kelly after the Yuma ride, and felt much more comfortable about the long day ahead knowing we would likely do the ride together. And so we continued on, east through Santee and Lakeside, then Old Highway 8 to Alpine for the second control. It was a slightly warmer now, and with all the climbing ahead, my jacket had to come off. It was daylight now, but with all the clouds, the sun was out only in concept.

Out of Alpine, Old 80 (Alpine Blvd) ends. As we got onto I8, we could see we were heading up into the clouds. That was a mellow climb, with a wide shoulder and nice road surface. We caught a few guys that were ahead of us. Tim and Steve stayed with us for most of the next section. At mile 58, we turn off onto Highway 79. That's where the good stuff begins. A quick little drop into Descanso and then it's up and away, climb, climb, climb. This was one of my favorite sections of the route. It's such a nice climb. Into Cuyamaca State Park. A stream runs next to the road and it was flowing pretty good. Trees and birds and such, how could this not be fun? Finally getting up, were pass by the camp grounds were Don is waiting with a smile, water and some food. A quick stop to say hi, then the jackets and wool caps come on. It was cold up on the mesa, especially because of the awful wind around the lake. If it was raining, it would be snow. The only way to really describe it is "very wintery". We finally get to Julian around 1130 and it's 40 degrees. It's a control point, so we stop at the gas station long enough to buy a Hershey bar to get a receipt. With the cold and wind, we decided to get down into Sanat Ysabel ASAP and take a break there at Don's Market.

After a quick break for food, water, and a stretch,we're off again. 82 miles down and it's warmer down in the valley. Still windy but less so than earlier. We get into a pace line and settle into a rotation, though the traffic was light so eventually we were 3 abreast, chit chatting our way north through Warner Springs. It was beautiful out there. Everything was green, and the hills were covered in wild flowers blooming in yellows and purples. A quick stop at the market, then we push on. We stopped again just outside on Aguanga to fuel up and get water before we began the grind up Sage Road.

Mile 127. Turn right onto Sage Road. This is a back road that heads north into Hemet. It involves a series of three climbs, each shorter and easier. I pulled ahead and as I was about to crest the top of the first climb, where it's nasty steep, I hear barking. Fucking dogs. I look over to see two very large dogs running down a long driveway. I begin to asses things. "Ok, ok, it's gated, there's a gate, there's a gate, there's a ... shit, the gate is open." Up shift and it's time for hill sprints. The two dogs come tearing out onto the road behind me. I'm sprinting up this hill while yelling at these stupid dogs and trying to reach for my pump (not easy to do while in a standing sprint on a climb). I suppose they know better, as once I was so far from the driveway they just stop and walked away. Must have hit the limit line. I sat down and then yelled as best I could back at Kelly and Wayne. Wayne must have the magic voice, because he shouted at the dogs and they stopped short and made no effort to chase.

We're now 150 miles in when we get into Hemet. We stop at a Carl's Jr for a nice break. I get a super star. Must have my cheeseburger! It did the trick. At this point, the ride was going well, and I was actually feeling pretty good. I've been drinking a lot (which means having to stop often for a wee). I probably could have been eating better, but I was doing good. We then set off again. A stop at the Fresh & Easy market for the control, and we were ready to be off when our fellow comrade John pulls up. We wasn't riding but he drove out along part of the route to check up on everyone. We passed a few guys heading in, and a couple more heading out. It's nice to see some of your mates on a ride like this, just to know that they are still with it. It was nice to see John too. He's a great guy to ride with. He again met up with us at the Elsinore control to make it unofficially staffed.

Ahh, Lake Elsinore. Ick. We left Hemet into more wind. We settled into our line and push on. At the control, after the hook around the lake, it was dark now. We take a break for water and get sorted out for the night ahead. Check lights and put our reflective gear back on. Riding through Lake Elsinore and Wildomar at night is, well, effing creepy. It's the sticks out there. I swear I heard a banjo in the distance. Filthy roads with no shoulder and traffic that doesn't care, we put on the speed and got the hell out. Soon we get into Murrieta and can ease up a little. Temecula seems to be a pretty happening place at night. We made a quick stop there before the last of the climbing up through Rainbow Canyon and Highway 395. As were ready to leave, Wayne realises his rear tire is flat. So Kelly and I get and extra few minutes while Wayne gets to work. No big deal, and soon we start on the last of the climbing. 45 miles to go!

Rainbow Canyon is a fun climb at night, but then it's on to Old Highway 395. Two nasty climbs. Being late at night and cold, it was hard to enjoy the descents. Finally, familiar sights as we turn off 395 at Deers Springs to stop at the AM/PM for the control. 24 miles left and I'm focused on the hot shower and warm bed waiting for me. A quick run through San Marcos and Carlsbad to the coast, a quick stop for the last control (info, answer a question on the card), and I'm off flying down Coast Highway to Solana Beach to clock out.

249 miles. 21 hours and 20 minutes total time. I'm very pleased with myself and the ride in general. The route was tough but enjoyable. Veronica ran like clock work and took good care of me, no troubles, no flats. I finished in a good mood and in good shape. I was tired, oh so very tired, but not destroyed. Hell, I probably could have ridden home if I didn't have a ride arranged. I call this a success.

And it didn't even rain.

Yuma permanents on YouTube

2011-03-10T17:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx3ySgglBrs

Slide show of the Yuma ride so you can see what you missed out on.

Double Trouble in Yuma

2011-03-08T01:23:00.000-08:00

Back to back RUSA permanents, 594 kilometers, all kinds of, er, fun. That's the short version.

I was invited to join up with some of my local randonneur comrades for a weekend training ride. The plan was to ride the Yuha Scramble permanent on March 4, then turn around and ride the Of Waves and Cactus permanent on March 5. Basically an out & back to Yuma using two different routes. No problem, right? Right.

The route:

Yuha Scramble - RUSA permanent, 317 kilometers

March 4, 2011. 0500 departure. At least, that was the plan. I had some trouble that morning. I was a bit anxious about the trip all week, and so apparently my mind was a bit scrambled. 10 minutes after leaving the house and on the way to the start I realized I forgot my shoes. Can't ride the bike without the shoes. I get to the start a couple minutes late but it's ok. I called. Once at the start and sorted, I'm ready to go. Jaime, Kelly, Andi, Don, myself, and Greg. Our group of 6 gets underway a few minutes after 5. It's a lovely morning, not too cold and clear skies. The route takes us north out of Mission Valley and Miramar into Poway and then up into Ramona. That's when I had my first bit of trouble. On the climb up Scripps Poway Pkwy, I was ahead of the group a bit, and in the fog, I lost my bearings, so I wasn't set up for the left turn onto Hwy 67. When I tried to make the turn, some unfriendly traffic told me otherwise and I went right. Oops. A mile or so off course, I had to wait for traffic to clear so I could get turned around. That meant standing on the side of the road for about 15 minutes. Going again I rejoined the group in Ramona and off we went out of the fog onto Old Julian Hwy for an enjoyable, meandering climb. Closer to Santa Ysabel, the winds picked up. Not a good sign, and we found it blowing pretty good later on. Still, climbing up to Julian was quite nice, though the roads were filthy with sand after being plowed, plus snow melt. There was a good amount of snow on the road side. A stop to regroup and refuel, then off we went. Down Banner Grade into the desert to the info control at Scissor Crossing. At this point our group of six became five as Don turned off on his own.

Left to right: Don, Greg, Jaime, myself, and Andi.

We turn South on to Hwy S2, aka, The Great Southern Overland Stage Route. Nice road, though we had a bit of a head wind. After a nice descent and a stop in Agua Caliente, we had to give some of it back on Sweeny Pass. Actually, it's a nice climb. I settled into my rhythm and cruised on up. After a regroup, we continued down into Ocotillo for services, and then onto Hwy 98 to make our way east through the Yuha Desert to Calexico.

Not a bad ride, though the winds were not favorable. Getting into Calexico, I was not feeling well. We took a nice break at the control point, a Jack in the Box. I ate half of a jumbo jack (mmm cheesburger!), saved the other half for later, and downed two cups of half Coke, half water mix. Soon enough, we're back on the road. I'm feeling better now, and it's getting dark. After Calexico, it's a 55 mile strectch to Yuma. Hwy 98 ends, and we spend some time on I8 until we have to exit and take a frontage road. Center of the World Drive, it's called. It's also a crap road that's in poor condition. If we weren't sore yet, this road sure fixed that quick. I changed my mind quickly when we turned onto Sidewinder, another frontage road. Ick. Finally, the turn onto Winterhaven Rd to take us into Yuma to finish at 2157, but Arizona is 1 hour ahead, so we agree to stay on Pacific time for our start the next day. Arriving at our hotel, I checked in and quickly made my way to the room. Greg, sharing the room with me, crashed out right away. I was more than happy to have a nice hot shower to myself, then off to bed. I was exhausted and sore, but pleased with myself that I made it, though the anxiety of having to get home the following day lingered in my mind.

Of Waves and Cactus - RUSA permanent, 277 kilometers

Now that we're in Yuma, we must get home somehow. Greg is up early but I'm up a few minutes after as planned. I get the bike all cleaned up and checked over, then wash up and dressed, checked out, and off we go. A quick breakfast and the five of us meet up for the 0600 start of our journey home. Back across the desert we go. That stretch between Yuma and Calexico on Hwy 98 seemed longer during the day than it did at night. Still, we had a good time chatting and trying to get into a good mood for the long haul back to San Diego.

Actually, this photo may have been from Friday, I can't remember. But you get the idea.

Pulling into Calexico, I'm not really feeling it. Again, I sit down to half a jumbo jack (mmm, cheesburger!) and coke/water. It really does help. And again, we're off, back the way we came. Still in the desert, but now the mountains come into view and the sand dunes fade away. When we arrived in Ocotillo, I decided to check and adjust my tire pressure. Good thing I did, as I found I picked up something in my tire. As luck would have it then, I sat down to fix a flat. At this point I was feeling good and ready for what lay ahead. Fueled up with full bottles, we headed out for a few more miles on Hwy 98 before we turned West onto Interstate 8. That's when the fun starts. I was somewhat apprehensive of this section of the route, knowing that it's a serious climb up I8 to get over In Ko Pah Pass. I quickly found out I was worrying about nothing. As we began the climb, we saw a group of big horn sheep on a hillside. Very cool. I think we counted 12 or 13. Anyhow, the climb started gently, but ramps up quickly. All my worries then disappeared as my mind and body immediately shifted into climbing mode. Feeling quite good, I settled into my normal rhythm to make my way up the pass. In no time at all, I was having a good time. This was my first time riding this part of the route, and it was great! We regrouped at the summit before turning off onto Old Highway 80 for the short descent into Jacumba. A nice break at the market for water and food, then off we go for a bit more climbing up to onto Hwy 94 and the highest point on the route at Tierra del Sol Rd. A long drop down into Cameron Corners for a quick stop, then some rolling hills and a climb up to Potrero, then the long, fast descent down into Barrett Junction. At this point it's night, with an overcast sky, so there's no moon or stars. Which means it's dark as all dark can be. Also, no street lights on Hwy 94. I'm on an unfamiliar road, balls out with nothing between me and certain death but k-rail. Ya. It was awesome. Of course, you have to give some back and climb out. That, my friends, was a grinder. Good thing it wasn't dark, because it's one of those roads that tells you you're almost done before each curve in the road. Deceptive, to say the least. It's only two miles, but at that point, it could have been five. Call the summit and it's all down hills from there. I was ahead of the group and waited at the RV park after the turn onto Otay Lakes Rd. At which point it was now very cold. Rolling hills with a downward trend as we make our way around the lake, we were in and out of pockets of freezing to warmish air. Almost home, just a quick run through the city for a 10:00 finish in Imperial Beach.

Results, observations, and what I learned

The desert is an interesting place. We encountered some odd people, and at times we were the odd ones. The border patrol is a constant presence out there. They seemed to be aware of us, and would return our waves. As Kelly told us that he learned from experience, they will stop and check up on you if you are alone and offer help if needed. That's a comforting though, considering they have a pretty shitty job and are not really expected to do that. While riding on Highways 98 & 94, border patrol vehicles seemed to account for a third of all traffic, and they were very polite, slowing and changing lanes to pas us when possible, especially at night. I personally had a positive experience with a law enforcement agent. At some point after Jacumba, I lost my cue sheet. I knew we had to get onto Otay Lakes Rd, but I was not certain of when and where. At the turn, I stopped, hoping the group was behind me. Actually, I really needed a "comfort stop", and so I was on the side of the road, waiting, when a car pulled up behind me. Thinking it was just a local being nice, I was not quite sure this would be good and was prepared to jam out of there. It turned out to be a local police officer. My first though is that I'm fucked if he saw what I was actually doing. Apparently he didn't. He said he was on his way home and that he saw me stopped and felt it wasn't a safe place, being dark with no street lights and all, so he pulled over to see that I was ok. I told him about the ride I was on and such, and that I was supposed to regroup at the RV park down the road but was unsure if I had the turn correct. He reassured me I was, and then offered his phone if I needed to call my mates. The encounter was only 3 or 4 minutes, but I was impressed. I say that because he was acting with genuine concern for my safety and at no time showed any sort of suspicion or whatnot like other LEO's I've encountered on rides, especially at night.

I had a wonderful time and view this ride as a very positive experience. I have a greater respect for not only myself but also the people I rode with. Total time for the out-bound route to Yuma was 16:57 hours, and total time was 16:11 hours on the return route. It's a satisfying feat indeed. I have done long rides before, but not back to back. I learned a lot about what my body wants in this sort of situation, as well as how to handle it mentally. A friend once told me that 50% of long distance riding is mental. I believe it. Many times during the ride I found myself fighting back the urge to stop, to give up. I had outs and I was tempted to take them. Thanks to the support that we had as a group, I was able to overcome my mental short comings and trust in myself. And yes, sometimes you have to let go and just laugh at nothing like a madman for a few minutes. Out in the desert with nothing around, it's ok. I'm very happy that I did this ride, and I feel pretty good about the future. Jaime made a good point when he said:

"I think we all overcame one obstacle or another on this ride and we all really pulled each other through on to the end. While our rides are "unsupported", the reality is that we really do need the support of each other sometimes to make it through the valleys of self doubt."

Exactly.

Next up, Solana Beach 400k on March 19. See you on the road.

Photo credits: Kelly DeBoer (Kelly, I'll take these down if you object to my use)

The commute, part one of many

2011-02-25T18:11:00.000-08:00

I regularly commute to work on my bicycle. In fact, I would say that in the last 3 years, roughly 50% of my commuting trips have been by bicycle. Less than 5% by car and the rest of the time it's public transit. Unfortunately, I generally experience unpleasantness from motor vehicles every few days. Generally I'm on my single speed Masi. She's currently my favorite bike, set up as a brevet bike, she has fenders and is just plain fun. It's about 13.5 miles one way, give or take depending on which, of 3 or 4, routes I take. I enjoy this part of my day. It wakes me up and puts me in a good mood. Plus, I don't have to deal with large crowds containing rude and stupid people, especially the high school urchins on the bus during the afternoons. Maybe I sound like an ass, but it's true. I have found that people using public transit can and will be very rude and inconsiderate, especially teenagers*.

I also get some nice mornings. Like Thursday's sunrise a few miles before arriving to work.

= crappy cell phone pic, but you get the idea

* Disclaimer: I was a "teenager" once. However, if I ever acted like these kids do, I'd have a smack upside the head so fast the children I'm never going to have would scream out in pain of death.

Why? Because bike time is play time.

2011-02-14T14:13:00.000-08:00

When people find out I'm a cyclist, they think it's cool, a good way to get exercise or whatever. Usually because most people think a cyclist is just someone that rides a bike a lot, or maybe it's one of those guys in the multi-colored kit they see roaming Coast Highway on the weekends. And then I go into detail. And they do a double take, and tell me I'm nuts. "How could anyone possibly enjoy riding a bicycle 200 miles in a day?" they ask. To that I ask how can any sane person enjoy sitting on a couch staring at a television set for 4 hours a day*? Actually it's quite nice, and allow me explain. First of all, what's so great about the bicycle anyhow? Well, it was developed long before the automobile. Many common traffic rules were first developed to apply to bicycles. The bicycle is the most efficient, cost-effective mode of transportation. Ok, so there are times when it may not be the most comfortable, but if the Danish government tells it citizens to use their bicycles instead of driving during times of severe weather (and they do) because of safety concerns, that speaks volumes.

Anyways, back to me. I do not cycle for the purpose of exercise. Yes, keeping fit and healthy is more of a side effect at this point. So are the weird tan lines, but I'm not one to spend time at the beach so I could really care less. No, cycling for me is something I do because it's an enjoyable way to be outside and experience the world. Riding with my club is a wonderful social outlet that brings together people who might otherwise never have anything to do with each other. Regardless of race, politics, age, religion, etc, we are all friends. Out on the road, we take care of each other. A random cyclist may stop to help you with a flat or mechanical and expect nothing in compensation, but that you do the same for someone else one day.

One a bicycle, you see things differently. I've been on roads both or a bike and in a car. It is absolutely impossible to have the same experience. On a bicycle, you smell everything. You hear everything. Sure, zipping up and down Palomar Mountain on your crotch rocket or in your fancy sports car might be quite exhilarating, but is it really that great? Did you see that proud hawk, perched in his tree, watching you with smiling eyes as you passed? Did you smell the wild flowers? The soothing whisper of breeze in the trees, did those relax you? Maybe you were amused by the noises of some little creature rustling in the undergrowth. No? Missed all that, eh? I will admit that there's is nothing so lovely as the exhaust note of a 1974 BMW 3.0csl speeding up an alpine pass, and yes, driving can be fun. But wouldn't you like to make that last a bit longer, see you path in detail?

The long distance thing then. I enjoy long rides because it means I am spending more time on my bicycle. Simple as that. Which then gets me into randonneuring. Like cycle touring, but we do it all in one shot, in a sporting manner, and there are rules. But it's quite fun. Nothing like challenging one's physical and mental abilities on an overnight 400 kilometer out in the middle of someplace else. This is where the spirit and camaraderie of cycling is at it's best. Randonneurs are nicest, most resourceful (and sometimes quite quirky) lot I know. And you have to be. Yes it can be very tough, but it's not horrible.

Of course then they will say, "Oh, but it's too hard!" Many people can't fathom riding 100 miles on a bicycle. Most probably can't handle 20. Even two miles round trip to the corner market is beyond comprehension for many. In that case, I'd just walk, but you get my point It's really not that hard. I learned that quickly. Like anything in life, you must put effort into it. Like participation in any sport, one must train and develop technique. If you can ride 25 miles at a decent pace and feel good when you're done, then you can do 50. If you can ride 60 miles at a decent pace and feel good when you finish, you can handle 100. That's where I was when I did my first century. And after that I didn't want to look at a bike for a month. A year later I rode the same route on my single speed in 6 hours. Once you get past 100 miles, it's all a matter of mental fortitude. The secret to riding long distances is a properly set up bicycle, and then all you have t do is eat and hydrate. Ok so there's a lot more, but that's the basics.

Consider this: in a few days, on the 19th, I'm going to be riding a 300 kilometer brevet. Probably on my single speed, and probably in poor weather. And it is going to be so much fun. I will be with friends, riding through places I've never been. I'm only nervous because poor weather can sometimes be uncomfortable and unpredictable. But I've riding farther in worse conditions than are predicted, so why worry?

If you can get over the idea that it is work and effort, and just enjoy the experience, it will be fun. There are two times in my entire life that I have finished a ride and thought "Wow, I'm not sure I completely enjoyed that." But it didn't discourage me. Every time I am on my bike, whether it's my commute to work, a ride with the club, or out killing myself with intervals, it is fun. Bike time is play time. Ask a psychologist and they will tell you - adults do not engage in play as much as they ought to.

To summarize, I do it because it's fun. I enjoy the social aspect and the unique experiences. I challenge myself both mentally and physically. In the end I am a happier person.

*The average American daily television consumption

In the beginning

2011-02-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

I was a kid. A very young kid. I had a big wheel. Yea, and it was sweet. I could peel out and drift. And then on to a tricycle. And then a bicycle that looked like a Kawasaki. Once the training wheels came off, it was on. And so I started. The bmx and cheap department store bikes when I was a kid, then a "10 speed". In my early teens I had a real mountain bike. It was nice. A DIamond Back, with a Shimano DX groupset, 7 speed triple. That pretty much settled things. It was then I became a cyclist. I may have let it go for a short time, but it is now become part of my life again, and I'm better off. Right, so I plan to document my adventures as such. Mostly this blog will be ride reviews and musings on bikes in general. 19th of February will be our local 300k. Should be fun. Might even do it on my single speed. That will be saved for my next entry.

Also, if you're wondering about the blog title, it's my RUSA number. Yes, I've gotten myself all mixed up with those crazies called randonneurs. I am also a member of North County Cycle Club.