Kudos to the hearty souls who went out for today's riding of the Highland Valley Loop! It wasn't just unseasonably warm - no, that would have been bad enough - but it was also windy enough to make everything twice as hard as usual. Or maybe harder (...I wouldn't really know, since I was confined to driving a SAG van today.) But I can attest to the force of the wind, and the bothersome clouds of dust that occasionally were whipped up. It was most impressive to see everyone not only take on the challenge, but somehow manage to smile as well. I tried to capture a bit of video, unfortunately: No ambient sound! Great effort by everyone today!!!
This week's ridership: 6 Cyclists (3W / 3M) Next week, it's time to start May with the... Wildcard Ride Date: Tuesday May 6, 2014 Time: 9:00am Group choice for route. Cheers, Steve
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Five randonneurs get together to do 129 miles. A great day to pedal the Easy Rider 200!
The group was feeling peppy today on the Del Dios Loop, and finished with about a 16mph average speed. Not too bad for a hilly route, and definitely faster than our usual 'recreational' pace. No complaints though! The weather certainly helped, overcast skies and a 63℉ average temp - so there was no overheating on the climbs.
The ride included a rare visit to Nayeli's Taco Shop. They still have good carnitas tacos, but no more lengua... tough luck for fans! This week's ridership: 12 Cyclists (3W / 9M) And Welcome to VVV First-Timer Jean! Highland Valley Loop Date: Tuesday April 29, 2014 Time: 9:00am Rural cycling on Highland Valley Road. Cheers, Steve A nice spring time ride: Harrah's Casino to Palomar General Store and back.
So, we missed out on doing the Borrego Five-O last weekend, but as Mike noted, today's ride put elevation gain back on the menu. And it was a darn nice day to be out on two wheels as we (mostly) completed the Escondido Hills route. The cool fog of the morning had fully dissipated by the time we rolled out of VV Park and the ride was all blue skies and sunshine - with just a bit of wind.
The main body of riders stayed together well and we were back in RB by noon. We might have made the park by noon, if yours truly hadn't flatted on the Mary Lane climb. (That's what I get for riding though glass.) Ed and Liz formed a "B" Group and went up Bandy Canyon together, so they didn't escape the climbing either! The coffee stop plan didn't quite work out - we stopped at Belen Bakery only to learn that it is not in operation at the Escondido Blvd location. The gluten-free bakery next door thinks they've moved to Valley Center, so we may find them again... and Hubert will have to wait until his next return from Canada to try it out. If you really missed doing Montezuma Grade last Saturday, there is a make-up option available tomorrow. Check out this FB event page for details: https://www.facebook.com/events/613958252029941/ This week's ridership: 12 Cyclists (3W / 9M) Next week we revisit the... Del Dios Loop Date: Tuesday April 22, 2014 Time: 9:00am Out to Fairbanks Ranch, back on the Del Dios, with a coffee stop in Escondido. Cheers, Steve An easy route today, just a quick up and back on the Jesmond Dene Jaunt. The temperature went from nearly ideal at the start to nearly 90 by the time everyone got back to VV Park; but it was nice riding all the same: no mishaps, no flats, and a refreshing stop at EscoGelato.
Many thanks to David and Mary Ann for the pictures and ride report! And a shout out to Sharon Chaix who competed in the SF Rock n Roll Half Marathon last weekend, where she took the top of the podium in her classification. Way to Go, Sharon! This week's ridership: 10 Cyclists (4W / 6M) AND... it's finally time for the Big Climb! Borrego Five-O Date: Saturday April 12, 2014 Clip-in Time: 8:30AM Start/Finish: Borrego Springs (Christmas Circle) Distance: 50 miles Elev. Gain: 4,600' And desert weather looks to be great this Saturday! For those who can't make the Borrego Five-O, there's still climbing to be had on next week's route: Escondido Hills Date: Tuesday April 15, 2014 Time: 9:00am Climb some of Escondido's hidden hills; featuring La Honda Drive up to Dixon Lake Cheers, Steve |
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