On the SoCal coast!

The last ride of the year, Fallbrook to San Diego
Leaving Fallbrook under blue skies on our last day of the ride. It's been a treat!

posted via cell phone at 8:01 AM

A beautiful day on the SoCal coast.

(posted via cell phone at 9:59 AM)

UPDATE:
The day started out clear and bright. The rain of yesterday was....well, yesterday's news! We were advised to be in San Diego no later than 3PM since the organizers had a rental truck to return and all the "toys" had to be put away.
For most of us that would not be a problem, there were less than 60 miles to ride and a net elevation loss on the route.

The weather was gorgeous and the ride was really quite uneventful. I continued to take in the view as I rode. I was by myself most of the ride today. I pulled off in a shopping center parking lot a few hours into the ride to drink one of the Ensure's that I carry. While stopped a car with two older couples pull up next to me and ask directions to a restaurant! I started telling them that I wasn't from the area when I remembered that I had my car GPS in my pack just in case I needed it for "off route" navigating. I pulled it out, got a fix on the current location, then had it find nearby restaurants. They were only a couple of miles away and only a couple of turns to memorize. Worked like a charm! They commented that they needed to get one of those things.

Having done my good deed for the day I pedaled onward. The route had us traveling in an arc heading first west then south. We made a sharp turn to the west and hopped on a bike path that brought us to the sea at Oceanside. As far as bike paths go this was a good one, smooth, and few other users. As I pedaled along about 18 mph I caught up with another of our riders. I slowed up and we rode together for the next 20-25 miles. I finally dropped him on one of the climbs along the coast.

Much of the last half of today's ride was on bike paths. One paralleled I-5, a welcome alternative to riding the freeway shoulder. (I don't think it's legal to ride the freeway in this area anyway) Then on some low traffic light industrial streets, then we were routed onto the Rose Creek Bike Path. I had ridden this many times in June. The lower portions of it were my route to Fiesta Island and rides out to Mission Gorge. Today as I pedaled up to the northern end of this path I saw Ronaele peering over the precipitous drop off to access the path. I had ridden with her the very first morning of the ride, 6 days ago. Now I would ride the last leg of the ride with her. We pedaled along the Rose Creek path, into Pacific Beach, along Mission Bay Park, past Fiesta Island, and made the turn up Friar's Road towards the University of San Diego, our finish location, the same place we began our adventure.

We pedaled up the last little hill to get to the parking lot at USD and it was all over. I loaded my bike, got out of my bike shoes, retrieved my overnight bags, milled around a bit, then was off for a shower and rest at The Marriot in LaJolla. A few hours later I joined about a third of the riders for a bite to eat and a chance to share stories and contact information at a Mexican restaurant near USD.

It had been a nice 6 days of riding. One afternoon of very light rain, the rest of the time was mostly cloud free. Temperatures were pleasant. SoCal lived up to it's nice weather reputation and was a nice change for this webfooted Oregonian. As it ended up nearly 10% of the riders were from Oregon. I think we all had the same idea!

It was a good ride and a nice way to finish up the year of riding, a year where I achieved all my riding goals..........except one.

Looking forward to the coming year!




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................57...............0.................57
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........941.....+.........0........=.......941
Year to date..10,717.....+........30.......=.....10,747 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Day 5, Hemet to Fallbrook

54 miles today along the road to Fallbrook. Passed trough avocado and citrus orchards. Light rain noon on.

(posted via cell phone)

UPDATE:

As we ate breakfast this morning the rumor passed through the group that there was a 30% chance of rain today. Having been in San Diego in June when they had a "rainy day" I wasn't too concerned. What they call rain in SoCal passes for heavy fog in the Pacific Northwest. I packed my goretex jacket and pants in my pack and wore wool socks but didn't go all out and carry long fingered gloves, helmet cover, and booties.

Given that I didn't have tire issues now in a couple of days I became brave and decided to ride an alternate route today. I had eyed the Sage alternate for the last several weeks. It was two miles shorter but had 1000 ft more climbing than the official route. It appeared on the map to be more rural in nature and likely to give some nice views.

I started off with a large group of riders who had decided on the same option. It was a good group of strong riders. As we made our way out of town, our group had been separated by a traffic light so we had a good chance to visit as we waited to regroup. Before long we started climbing. We all climbed at our own pace then regrouped at a turn. It was all about hanging together as a group today, at least until lunch.

We stopped as a group at California Bagel Bakery for lunch. Knowing my system's aversion to "real food" when riding I stuck with the powerbar and Ensure Plus that I had packed. We sat around for about an hour before getting back on the bikes.

After the climbing of the morning we were enjoying some generally descending runs. As the day progressed our group fragmented as fast sustained pedaling descents coupled with some scattered climbing weeded us out a bit. Before long it started raining ever so slightly. After a bit of this drip drip stuff I stopped to put on my rain gear.

It rained lightly on and off the rest of the afternoon. Probably not more than 0.01" all day, but surprising none the less. What the rain did mostly was take away the good photo ops. The views into canyons were obscured by fog and low clouds. The fabled De Luz canyon was still very pretty. The low traffic route wiggled it's way back and forth through trees and rock outcroppings.

Before long I reached Fallbrook. I had a bit of trouble finding the overnight facility again. My GPS said I had arrived, but arrived where was big question mark for me! As I was sitting at the edge of an intersection getting my paper cue sheet out to see if it had better information I noticed a familiar rider up the hill to my left about 2 blocks away. I pedaled up the hills and sure enough there was the Penske truck along with the rest of the entourage. I parked my bike under the truck to keep it out of the rain. (after checking to be sure the truck was NOT going to move before morning!)

I went into the building and visited with many of my new found biking buddies. As the afternoon progressed others pedaled in, and wet clothes began hanging from just about every place that you could hang them from! Seems that Oregonians are a bit better prepared for rain than San Diegans! I didn't have my shoe covers along so my wool socks were wet, but feet were warm.

After a filling meal the organizers had a "reverse hot seat" planned. Instead of getting up and telling everyone a bit about ourselves as we had done the first night, we stood before our compadres and answered questions or tolerated "roasting" comments. After our "trial" we got to pick a t-shirt out of the supply of donated shirts. I picked a Rock and Roll Marathon Road Crew shirt. I had some experience with the R&R Marathon so thought it was a good find.

Tomorrow is our last day. :-(




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................54...............0.................54
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........884.....+.........0........=.......884
Year to date..10,660.....+........30.......=.....10,690 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

hung with the group for the first half of the day

30 miles so far today. Bagel stop! ;-) A few sprinkles..... they say it's raining! LOL!

Palm Desert to Hemet

64 miles today, much of it into a 30 mph wind. After FC 508 .....no big deal. Less wind and only lasted 30 miles!
(posted via cell phone)

UPDATE:

Woke up to a beautiful morning. We were at a much lower elevation than previous mornings and there was no danger of frost today! I had been riding most of the ride so far at my own pace, and was solo much of the time. Not that I mind that, but decided I should attempt to be more social today and try to ride with the group. As I was preparing my bike I noted that the battery on one of my speedometers had died. I was glad I had a backup and figured when and if I passed a store that had batteries I'd try to get a replacement. We were notified that after loading our gear on the truck there would be a group photo so most hung around for the "official start".

Before long the group pedaled off, me included. The route today took us to Hemet, along the way there was a section that was notorious for headwinds. Probably a good day to be in a group! The group moved along about 13 mph, a little slow for me, but this wasn't a race. I was about 2/3 of the way back in the pack. The accordion action was a little frustrating. I moved up around the group to get photos of the leaders. As I pulled up next to them the leader asked "Don't you like to ride in a group?". I snapped the photo and dutifully got back in line.

I visited with the gal I was paired with, found her name to be Sheila. She was frustrated with the pace as well. We forged an alliance to form our own little breakaway when an opportunity arose. Before long that opportunity came around. The group pulled off at a gas station/convenience store to use the restroom. Something about me taking care of that before riding, and the sight of 30-40 people lined up for the one restroom made me think this was as good a time as any to just ride on.

Sheila missed the opportunity having need of the stop.

I pedaled on westward. I was making good time, riding along about 18 mph, just enjoying the morning. I was riding in a valley paralleling a range of low hills on each side. As the valley turned a bit and narrowed I began to experience some of those fabled headwinds. Before long wind generators came into view, telling me that wind here was not uncommon! The wind eventually was directly in my face at ~25 mph. I was on the aerobars with head down and just pedaling. I was holding about 11-12 mph. I was beginning to think about that peloton that was surely gaining on me in these conditions. I was wondering how long it would take them to catch me. Finally my mind wandered to that night in Death Valley where I was riding against the 40-60 mph wind. I smiled. Unlike during the Furnace Creek 508 where I was riding 4-6 mph with the prospect of doing so for the next 230 miles, here I was riding twice as fast, with the end of the day's ride only 30 miles away. I could do this, I am the Desert Coyote! I put a bit more power to the pedals and continued on.

After about 25 miles the valley opened up and the winds subsided. The peloton had not caught me. I sat up, took in the view and cruised along.

About the time the winds were abating a bit I came to Cabozon. There are stories of Furnace Creek riders hallucinating after many hours of hard riding. I began to think that this little wind had done me in. On the horizon I saw.....dinosaurs.
I took photos of a few of them, just as my crew and I had taken photos of scorpions in Death Valley to verify that they were real and not just imaginations running wild. ;-)

I pulled off the course to take a closer look at the dinosaurs and make a stop at Dairy Queen for a light snack.

Before long I was back on the bike pedaling into the remnants of the headwind.

We had been warned that part of the route had not been scouted. I experienced that first hand. As I crossed over the freeway onto a frontage road I noted that it was a very low traffic route. It was paved but there were signs it wasn't used much. After a couple of miles I came to a slight bend and dip in the road. It turned to, what can only be described in the most generous terms, gravel. It was a mix of sand and rock, some the size of baseballs. I walked the bike, having had enough trouble with tires already this trip. This primitive roadbed continued for 0.97 miles. I hopped back on the bike and pedaled on.

I came to the town of Beaumont and passed right by a Walmart. I stopped to get a battery for my speedometer. There was still a bit of wind and as I leaned my bike against the stone pillars by the door the bike rolled back a bit....putting the first scratches on my carbon fiber frame. :-(

They did have a battery though, and I installed it and re-calibrated my speedo.

There was a nice long scenic descent as the route made the final turn to Hemet. I noted a lush green valley below..........and crossed over a sucked dry San Jacinto River. Coincidence? I think not.

I arrived in Hemet quite early. That was good since I had kitchen duty tonight. I had plenty of time to prepare the bike for tomorrow's ride before helping out with dinner.

A good ride today..........except for the scratches on the bike!





+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................64...............0.................64
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........830.....+.........0........=.......830
Year to date..10,606.....+........30.......=.....10,636 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

windy today on the way to Hemet. Surprised?

108 miles today to Palm Desert

108 miles today counting the ride to Best Western. Absolutely awesome ride, 17.6 avg. Better focus on nutrition today paid off.
(posted via cell phone)

UPDATE:

As usual, I woke up early. The wind was just howling, perhaps 35-40mph. At our breakfast the entire group was talking about the winds. Luckily by the time we started out it had died down a bit. There was a century on tap today and I was determined to keep better tabs on my hydration and caloric intake.

The route started out with a downward sloping run with a following wind. I can do those! ;-) We took a turn and began climbing. It was a blustery morning and with the course turn the wind was slightly in our face.

It would appear that wind is a common occurrence given a street name of "Breezy" and road signs warning us of winds.

After about 14 miles I summited the climb. After a bit of rollers the fun descent of Montezuma Grade began. The views into the Colorado Desert were amazing as I made my way down the long grade at 35-40 mph. Speed was kept in check by the headwind.

The fun descent ended at the "snow bird" community of Borrego Springs.

I was feeling great and pedaling strong. Paying attention to eating and drinking was paying off. The wind had died down and wasn't a major factor on the desert floor. I continued to be in awe of the desert landscape. I noted that one of the varieties of cactus had a few red blooms on it. I was stopping from time to time to take photos and just take the view in.

As the route turned towards the Salton Sea we hit a section of ROUGH pavement reminiscent of the rough Kel-Baker section on the Furnace Creek 508. Luckily it only lasted a couple of miles.

Reached the shores of the Salton Sea and turned northward. We were riding along a busier road but had a nice wide paved shoulder. Life was good.

I continued riding generally northward towards Palm Springs. Our stop for the night would be in Palm Desert, a Palm Springs metro suburb.

As the route crossed the Riverside County line there was a notable increase in greenery. In this case the cactus of the desert had given way to dates, palms,and citrus.

I stopped at a small convenience store and replenished liquids, grabbed a snack, and visited a bit with delivery driver who was there on his rounds.

Back on the bike I continued along the route. I was just toodling along about 15-17 mph when I see a large group of cyclists gaining on me. Before long I was overtaken by about 20 cyclists in a double paceline being led at better than 20mph by James and Drew. They howled and greeted me with a "Hey Desert Coyote!" as they passed. I knew where my bread was buttered and latched on.

After a mile or so I worked my way to the front to see if they wanted me to pull for awhile. They declined! I fell in behind them and began taking a few photos and visiting with them. Drew was riding with PowerCranks and explained that soft pedaling with them was very difficult so he preferred to pull.

These two guys continued pulling the group the last 15-20 miles into Palm Desert at 22 mph+. Animals!

Reached Palm Desert early in the day, just prior to 2PM. I had averaged just over 17 mph (with help from the paceline for the last miles) and felt great.

The attention to food and water had payed off.

That evening as we ate and socialized I heard many who were suffering a bit after a 100 mile ride. 100+ mile rides are my strength. I just smiled and shook my head when asked if I was tired. ;-)

Tomorrow we ride to Hemet, a shorter ride, but likely with fabled headwinds.



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
................108...............0................108
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........766.....+.........0........=.......766
Year to date..10,542.....+........30.......=.....10,572 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

entering Riverside County

Riverside County, oranges, lemons, grapefruit,dates. 74 miles down,26 to go. Great ride today.

(posted via cell phone)

Fun desent to Borrego Springs this AM, now nearing Salton Sea

(posted via cell phone)

100 miles io Palm Springs

100 miles io Palm Springs on tap today. The wind is HOWLING!
(posted via cell phone from my tent in the pre-dawn darkness)

64 miles today from Lake Morena to Warner Springs

64 miles today from Lake Morena to Warner Springs via Mt Laguna. Over 6000 ft elev, lots of roadside snow.
(posted via cell phone)

The rest of the story:

We woke up to 27 degrees in the morning but a bright sun in a clear sky promised to warm things up quickly. As we would throughout this trip, we had a fulfilling breakfast that would provide good energy for the day ahead. By the time we finished breakfast, cleaned up the facility, and loaded our bags it was already well above freezing.

There was an alternate route today that would ascend Mt Laguna via Kitchen Creek. I had read a lot about this route on the San Diego Randonneurs website as well as through some Adventure Corps events. I was looking forward to riding this route, however with the tire issues of the previous day (and now riding on gluelessly patched tubes!) I decided it better to stay on the official route with the possibility of rescue via support should I have more trouble.

The official route backtracked our previous afternoon's route back several miles to I-8 where we kept heading north towards Mt Laguna. Before we got to I-8 however we got to pass through a Border Patrol Check Point. Gee, I don't know but I'm thinking if I'm trying to sneak across the border I'd jump out of the vehicle a few miles before the check point, sneak along through the underbrush and rejoin the vehicle a couple of miles beyond the check point. Certainly the locations of these apparently permanent check points must be known to those who transport illegals?

I visited with border patrol for 10-15 minutes. They were amazed that I and the rest were riding a planned 60+ miles that day. What would they have thought if I had told them that I've ridden more than 200 in a day many times? ;-)

I crossed the freeway and passed through the towns of Descanso and Guatay. I picked up a better patch kit at the little store in Descanso, and saw the first roadside snow near Guatay. From there our route went out to Pine Valley then turned onto Sunrise Hwy.

The road continued a moderate but relentless climb towards the 6000 ft summit of Mt Laguna via the Sunrise Hwy. We were climbing through low growing shrubbery and dwarf trees called chaparral. I was climbing well and managed to be able to stop to take a lot of photos and still gain on the pack. When I got to the top at the Mt Laguna Store I stopped and got a Snickers bar to munch on while visiting with the rest of our party.

Before long it was time to saddle up and begin the descent. I saw a flock of 30-40 wild turkeys not too far beyond the store. I also stopped to talk to a couple of deer hunters who were waiting for a buddy on the side of the road. Got another flat tire as I finished talking with the hunters. :-(

In sharp contrast to the mostly green chaparral that I had climbed Mt Laguna through, the other side was absolutely treeless. Not a speck of green as far as the eye could see. I was standing at nearly 6000 ft in elevation looking down into treeless valleys that dropped below sea level. In the distance I see the Salton Sea. Our route would take us along it's shores in two days.

The route took us to Julian, famous for it's apple pies! The little town is quite the tourist mecca evidently. It reminded me a lot of the Central Oregon town of Sisters, though busier. I availed myself of a piece of apple pie.... just because a visit to Julian wouldn't be complete without it! Just outside Julian I got another flat! One of the glueless patches had failed. I always consider them temporary but on this trip they were pressed into full time duty because there no other options.
I was told that adhesion of these glueless patches can be improved by using a alcohol wipe instead of sandpaper to prep the surface. I'll have to put a little wipey pack in my repair kit.

Jeff, the guy who had helped on a couple of my previous flats rode up as I was repairing the flat. We rode together for a few miles. He had speedplay pedals and some dirt had lodged in his shoe cleats keeping him from engaging the pedals properly. As we began a steep climb he slipped out and went down hard. After a bit of checking for damage he remounted and we both pedaled away cautiously.

I got to Santa Ysabel where our route now backtracked the course I had ridden in June on my Mt Palomar ride.

I got into Warner Springs, our stop for the night, well in the pack of first finishers. Though I was navigating via GPS, and had the paper cue sheet along, it was not entirely clear where our facility was. It might have been nice to have a sandwich board out front, or red arrow on a post for us "out of towners". I could see the school but didn't see a soul around. After poking around behind buildings I finally found the Penske truck and additional associated vehicles.

I set up my tent, showered, had a couple of cups of hot chocolate, then just milled around and visited as folks came in.

Another good dinner that night, followed by a spirited tire changing competition.

I was noting that I was way more tired these two days of riding than I should have been. Sure, both days had more than 5000 ft of climbing in just over 60 miles but that shouldn't be a concern for me. I've done enough miles and hills this year that shouldn't be an issue. It finally dawned on me as I was getting my supplies ready for the next day's 100+ mile ride. I had two bottles on the bike for today's 63 mile ride. Planned on refilling along the way. Instead I had consumed about 2/3 of a small bottle of water, and none of my Accelerade. That was it for hydration. The problem was confirmed by the color of my addition to the "sandbox". I needed to DRINK more even if it was cool and I wasn't thirsty. I also wasn't eating enough.

Tomorrow's plan will include mandatory drinks on a schedule!




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................64...............0.................64
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........658.....+.........0........=.......658
Year to date..10,434.....+........30.......=.....10,464 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

San Diego Christmas Ride, Day 1

not funny....5 flats by 28 miles. Glad I use a pump and have patches. Saw 1st skiffs of roadside snow at Guatay.
(posted via cell phone)

The rest of the story:

Today was the first day of the Hostels International San Diego Christmas Bike Ride. The information mailed to me said the ride started at 7:30 AM from the "parking lot on the left" at University of San Diego. I planned to get there about 6:30 AM to make sure I could find it, and to have time to load my gear and prepare the bike.

I got up early and had breakfast at a nearby Denny's then made my way to USD. I found a parking structure but wasn't sure if it was THE parking lot. It was 6:45 AM so I drove in and looked around for other cyclists or registration tables, etc. Not a soul around. Drove back out to the road and looked for another parking lot. Finally came back to this one and drove back in. This time there was a SD County cop sitting in his car. I went up to him and asked if this is where the ride started from, thinking he was there to assist with traffic control. He didn't know a thing about any ride. It was now after 7AM and still no sight of cyclists or organizers. I was beginning to worry that I might be in the wrong location.

Finally about 7:15 another car pulls in. This guy doesn't have a bike, but does ask me if this is where the ride starts. I'm laughing now, I tell him that I have no clue! As it ends up, he's a marketer for FRS energy drink and had some samples and literature to hand out. Finally around 7:30 another cyclist shows up. Same question, "is this where the ride starts?" :-O

Finally about 7:40-45 organizers and other riders start showing up. I unload my bike and start preparations to ride.

I questioned the organizers on ride time, they tell me, "oh, around 9:30-10 or so, whenever everyone is ready". Seems that "ride begins at 7:30" means something slightly different in NW Oregon than in SoCal!

The group was finally ready to roll. A brief orientation talk was given by Ralph, the defacto leader on the road. He noted that despite what our cue sheets said, we'd be riding up Friar's Road because "that's the way we always do it". ;-) The mostly SoCal riders were bundled against "the cold", as where this native Oregonian thought the weather was lovely and was in shorts.

Since support was only along the official route, and because I figured there were probably good reasons the route was designed the way it was, I decided to ride the official route. A few others did this as well.

A mere 7 miles into the ride I was on a secondary road behind the Fashion Valley Shopping Center. The roads in SD are notoriously rough by Oregon standards and this section was no exception. A new cycling buddy, Ronaele, (Eleanor spelled backwards she tells me!) and I rode into a shadow under a raised light rail line. I hit a 2" step up in the asphalt and immediately the rear tire goes flat.

Ronaele waits as I change it and off we go again. We climb a hill and come to Mission Trails Park where we turn onto the Father Junipero Serra trail. The trail is a good paved path, pedestrians on one side, cars one way on the other side, separated by a curb. I had ridden this several times in June when I was there and knew the best way to ride was to take the vehicle side of the curb, thus avoiding Ipodded walkers, strollers, and others not paying attention. The speed limit is slow enough here that a determined rider can keep up. As it ended up, I didn't see a single car on this section today. If you ever are in San Diego I'd recommend this park. A nice visitor center and a historic dam built by locals under supervision of Spanish Padres for irrigation, as well as lots of nice trails.

There was no time to take that all in today, I had done that in June anyway. Today we pedaled on. I was following the course via my GPS when I turned onto Railroad Street. It seems that the road used to go through but now is cut off by a new freeway under construction that rises some 20 feet above the old road. ......as if Southern California doesn't have enough freeways!

As I make the turn in the new cul-du-sac down I go! Seems that my front tire had only about 20 lbs of air in it and rolled, sending me down to the asphalt hard before I knew it. Bike was fine, I banged up my left hip a bit but was still "functional". A guy named Jeff road up to see if I was okay and help with tire repair duties. As it ended up, he was the guy who designed the route. Ronaele rode on because the was a bit slower and said I would probably catch up. Jeff apologized for mapping us onto this road, explaining that the freeway was new and he didn't know it was there.

With the tire repaired Jeff and I freelanced a bit and got back on course after finding an underpass to get across the freeway. We pedaled onward.

I was riding strong and Jeff couldn't hold the pace. I knew we must have been well behind the main group so continued on. As it ended up I couldn't hold the pace either. Before long I felt the back end of the bike get a bit "squishy". Yup, another flat! As I'm repairing it Jeff rides up, and as we are just getting ready to inflate Ronaele's husband who was accompanying us in an "unofficial" support capacity, stops and offers a floor pump!

Before 28 miles was covered I had 5 flats, by the end of the day I had suffered through 7 flats. SoCal roads are crap.
I've got two road bikes and 4 sets of wheels, I was riding on the only wheels that do not have (clarification: that did not have!) Continental Gatorskins on. I don't know if Gatorskins would have stopped all the problems but I've never had a flat with them.

I finally got to Campo, and Lake Morena where we spent the first night in a church multipurpose building. Some of us, me included, pitched a tent outside, the rest rolled out in the church building. I locked my bike to the chainlink fenced tennis court. At dark they locked the door to the courts so all our bikes were pretty secure for the evening. We had a filling and nutritious dinner before sitting in a group and introducing ourselves via the traditional "hot seat" ceremony.

It was already below freezing by the time we turned in for the night.

I was tired today, blamed it on the 7 flats and riding hard to catch up.
More climbing tomorrow to Warner Springs via Mt Laguna. The highest point in San Diego County, we will be over 6000 ft at the summit.




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................63...............0.................63
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........594.....+.........0........=.......594
Year to date..10,370.....+........30.......=.....10,400 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

arrived in San Diego @

arrived in San Diego @ 3pm after a 16.5 hr drive. No computer until 1/2/10 so temp updates via cell until then.

My last ride of the year in Oregon

I leave later tonight for a few days (and about 550 miles!) of riding. The fabled sunny Southern California weather will have to go a ways to beat what we had today in Portland!

3 of us from my social bike group rode a 43 mile loop mostly on bike paths today. Beth led us on a ride north on the 205 Bike Route to the Marine Drive path, then out past Smith and Bybee Lakes and North Portland. (here my two partners are at "The Bluff" near U of P overlooking the Willamette River)

We made our way southward where we joined the East Bank Esplanade.

After a foggy and cold start it cleared up and turned out to be a beautiful day.




The forecast for San Diego shows a 30% chance of rain on Sunday. San Diegan's idea of rain is slightly different than that of native Oregonians, but I expect to at least see cloudy skies while there.

I'll keep the pedals spinning and my fingers crossed!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all. Regardless of religious beliefs or lack thereof, the magic and warmth of the season is something to behold. Wishing you all the very best of the season.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................43...............0.................43
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........531.....+.........0........=.......531
Year to date..10,307.....+........30.......=.....10,337 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

looking back and looking forward

We are not quite at the end of the year yet, however, I'm beginning to look back at the year in review. The past year has been mostly good for me from a biking perspective. I accomplished a lot of "firsts" for me. I rode a 5 hour century, an 11 hour double century, rode Peach of a Century and was only passed by three riders! I have logged more than 10,000 miles on a bike this year. I've ridden through a lot of beautiful country, and have enjoyed the company of friends on much of it. It's nice to know that some folks in my social bike club have achieved biking goals because of my influence.

The one goal yet unrealized is finishing the Furnace Creek 508. I'll continue to seek that finisher's jersey with a more focused effort in 2010.

I am looking forward to the nearly 500 miles of riding planned before the end of the year with most of that being in sunny Southern California. :-) On Thursday I join some of my social bike group for a 40 mile Christmas Eve morning ride. Then Christmas morning I take off for San Diego where I will be riding the 400+ mile San Diego Christmas Ride and before leaving the sunny SW deserts will be riding the 127 mile Julian Alpine Loop of the San Diego Randonneurs on New Year's Day. (a rare "non bike" note on this blog: I'm looking forward to the return via Lake Havasu, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Great Salt Lake, all new sights for me!)

On my first weekend back in the great Pacific Northwest I'll be leading a ride along the Oregon Coast. on Saturday. This will likely morph into a biking weekend with a stay over and shorter ride on Sunday before heading back to the Willamette Valley. If you have the time and legs come join me!

I'll be doing very minimal "live updates" when riding the Christmas Ride as I won't have my computer along. I'll post notes via cell phone text messages when I am able but service is spotty along the route. I will "retroactively" get the data and photos here when I return.

Oh, and this cute little gem might serve as a New Year's Resolution for some!



Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

Better than we deserved, day 2

Today's forecast was showing 90% chance of rain. We did indeed get some rain but only 2 instances, about 45 minutes in duration total. We showed 57 degrees by early afternoon. Not at all bad. (well, from a riding in Winter perspective anyway!)

9 of us showed up in Butteville today, actually 1 more than RSVP'd, so a great turnout for a predicted wet day on the Keizer Metric Century route.

Katherine showed up with her brand new Kona cyclocross bike. Check out the snazzy bright yellow fenders!

We rode mostly southward towards Keizer. We rode into a 8-10 mph wind, and for about 20 minutes of that, the wind was joined with a pretty substantial rainfall. The rain stopped before we got to Keizer and we took the opportunity at this, our halfway point, to stop at Dairy Queen to top of water bottles, use the restroom, and grab a few bites to eat.


From Keizer our route turned east and the wind blew from the side. There were a few scattered patches of blue sky and the road actually dried off! When we got to Howell Prairie we turned northward and now enjoyed a tailwind most of the way back to Butteville.

We did pick up some more rain just after Gervais but this time it was lighter and at our backs instead of our faces! The rain continued to the end of our ride.

It was a good group of riders. They all came prepared for the weather and for the distance and pace. We finished up the day with a "post ride debriefing" at Wanker's Corner in Wilsonville.


More photos of today's ride are at our group's photo page.



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................62...............0.................62
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........488.....+.........0........=.......488
Year to date..10,264.....+........30.......=.....10,294 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

1 down, 1 to go

As in one ride of our Keizer Metric Century route today, and one more planned tomorrow.


(L to R: David, Wendy, Doak, and Marcie. I was behind the camera and Viswesh had not yet arrived but did shortly after the photo was taken)

Today 6 of us met to ride. 4 folks opted to ride a 42 mile alternative route that I had mapped. It was a good day where just about everything went right. First off, 100% of those who said they were coming did so, unheard of in meetup groups. Second, we didn't have so much as a single drop of rain on our ride. Timing was nearly perfect. Those of us on the 62 mile route got to the first spot where our routes coincided after about an hour of riding, at the same time as the 42 mile riders did. After the full route the 62 milers finished up a mere 15 minutes before the 42 mile riders did.

After riding the 62 I backtracked on the 42 mile route until I met the other riders and then joined them on a ride back to the finish.

Doak and I road the 62 today. Doak worked me pretty hard, keeping me well behind him most of the time. Hope I have enough left to ride decently tomorrow. I have 9 signed up to join on a second riding of this route. With a predicted 90% chance of rain we'll see how many show up.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................70...............0.................70
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........426.....+.........0........=.......426
Year to date..10,202.....+........30.......=.....10,232 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Raining

The cold air is gone, replaced by relatively warm rain. My mind is wandering to Southern California where I will be riding the
400 mile San Diego Christmas Ride in 10 days. The organizers were nice enough to email the maps and cue sheets to me early so that I could get them converted to files to load on my gps. As I was following along on the map I noted that many of the roads we will be riding are ones that I rode when I was there in June. It will be nice to be back riding there........especially since it's not likely to be raining!

Here are the routes for each of the six days that we will be riding.

63 miles day 1

63 miles day 2

It seems that alternate routes are popular with the riders for additional miles or additional climbing. Well, in actuality, it's more likely for scenic values or lower traffic. Here's a popular 71 mile route alternative for day 2

105 miles day 3

59 miles day 4

55 miles day 5

56 miles alternate day 5 route

56 mile day 6

and an alternate ending to day 6 that takes in a tour of the coastline from La Jolla, around Crown Point and along Mission Bay before rejoining the "official route" near Fiesta Island.

I'll likely ride all alternate routes listed.
I am planning on staying one extra day and start my new year out with a good long ride in sunny SoCal weather on New Years Day! I decided to ride the 127 mile "Alpine-Julian Loop" permanent listed with the San Diego Randonneurs.

EVENING UPDATE:


I joined 9 folks from the Salem Bicycle Club on a ride tonight to take a holiday light tour. Part of this organized route is a stop where canned food is collected for a local assistance program.


There were two really good things about tonight's ride. First off it had poured rain all day. It was still raining as I made my way to the start location in Keizer. It was still raining as I was preparing to ride. It finally stopped raining long enough for me to unload my bike..........and never rained another drop all night as we rode for 2.5 hours! Never would have believed it if I hadn't been there.
The next really good thing was that there was a hot chocolate stop at a cyclist's home along the route. My Furnace Creek crew member John, who broke his leg in a cycling mishap several weeks ago was there.


We sat around and enjoyed their hospitality and talked "bike" for awhile before hopping back on the bikes and continuing our trip.


The night was warm, one of the riders had a temperature readout on his bike and it read 51 degrees. 51 degrees and no rain......... just like a summer night!

I had my mountain bike for this evening's adventure.

By the time it was all over we had fun..........and 9 miles! :-)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
..................9...............0..................9
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........356.....+.........0........=.......356
Year to date..10,132.....+........30.......=.....10,162 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Balmy!

A few months ago as I was riding with some friends on our first 55 degree day and commenting on the "cold" I said that in a few months we'd think 55 was balmy. Well today wasn't 55 but it did feel balmy! After 10 days of subfreezing weather the temperature rose to 39 today. Our little group of 4 was dressed for COLD so 39 felt warm indeed. (as usual, click on any photo to view full sized) (L-R, Jim, me, Richard, Art)

It was foggy as we started out with just a few patches of ice as we traversed the East Bank Esplanade.

Here the Ross Island Bridge stands in stark contrast to the gray day.

As we pedaled along toward Oaks Park a steam locomotive hissed it's way along just has the sternwheeler "Columbia Gorge" paddled it's way upstream.

They traded friendly steam whistle toots back and forth a bit as they passed.

After making 11 mile circuit of the downtown waterfront we took off on the Midnight Ride route, more or less! When we got to the Columbia Slough we noted that it was nearly frozen over.

Though I'm normally not fond of bike paths it was a good trip today. We probably spent 80% of our 28 mile trip on paths but were rewarded with nice views of the Willamette River and Columbia Slough. As we neared the end of our planned route we stopped at a local pizza place for a bite to eat and a chance to visit a bit.
Our discussion went something along the lines of this:
(...and no I did not ride my carbon fiber bike with Zipp 404's today. Today I rode the steel Marin with Bontragger Race Select wheels!)

As we parted ways at the end of our ride I looked around at the relatively warm and dry weather and decided that I really should use the opportunity to extend the ride.
I rejoined the Sprinwater Trail and rode an out and back to Foster Rd to bring my total mileage for the day to a nice round 50 miles.

A nice day to be on a bike indeed!





+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................50...............0.................50
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........347.....+.........0........=.......347
Year to date..10,123.....+........30.......=.....10,153 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

24

It was 24 degrees when 14 members of my social bike club set off to ride around PIR and look at the holiday lights. We were all pretty well decked out for cold, and the bikes were decked out for the holidays.

We started at a Mexican restaurant and had to ride about a mile to get to PIR (Portland International Raceway) but that also meant we'd get to finish at a nice warm place that had good food and drink. :-)
PIR was decorated up pretty well.



It was 22 degrees when we finished our ride.
After the ride we did indeed go to the "Burrito House" and enjoy a good warm meal and have our white elephant gift exchange.


A fun night!



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
..................5...............0..................5
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........297.....+.........0........=.......297
Year to date..10,073.....+........30.......=.....10,103 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Art's Waterfront & Council Crest ride

Rode with the social bike group today. 9 folks, not a bad turn out considering it was in the low 30's with a killer east wind bringing the wind chill down to..... down to...... well, down right cold!

We rode a lap of the bike path that runs on both sides of the Willamette River between the Sellwood and Steel Bridges. Then we bid adieu to some and the rest of us began a ride of Terwilliger Blvd and on up to Council Crest. Two of us actually went to the top, the others turned two intersections before the top, figuring that was close enough.



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................27...............0.................27
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........292.....+.........0........=.......292
Year to date..10,068.....+........30.......=.....10,098 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

10k!

Well a new record for me. 10,000 miles on the bike in a calendar year!
The day started out cold. I was joined by two members of my social bike group and the plan was to have pedals spinning by 9AM. However it was still 28 degrees at 9AM in Newberg and the roads were very slippery. We went to the local coffee shop and ate goodies while waiting for it to warm up a bit.

We shoved off at 10AM, but the roads would remain frosty in the shadows all day. We enjoyed yet another beautiful sunny day. We were dressed for the weather so were comfortable though the temperatures were brisk throughout the day. Jim didn't have shoe covers so his feet got a bit cold as the day progressed but other than that all was good.

We held a good pace all the way to Dallas where we took our first extended break. We got a few goodies (and new batteries for the camera) before riding off.


Lauren has some spunk. When we reached the intersection of Doaks Ferry Rd and Hwy 22 a few miles from Salem (~50 miles into our route) I mentioned that we could climb up over that hill. Her reply? "Let's do the hill". And so up we went. By taking this little detour we added 5 miles to today's planned 78, and also added significant climbing to what was to be a relatively flat ride. About 1:30 PM as we descended Doaks Ferry Rd to Wallace Rd we had our most tense moments of today's ride. I was leading and came around a sweeping corner at nearly 40 mph to see a shaded section of road that was covered in ice right in front of me. I moved to the far left of the road to an area that looked like it might be the safest route. I did my best to not make any sudden movements and hoped for the best. Luckily the ice only lasted about 200 ft. We all commmented on the "thrills" of this when we got down to Wallace Rd.

Our little hill detour put us on the opposite side of the river from our plan. Wallace Rd is a good road but with a higher traffic count than desired. We crossed the Wheatland Ferry to get back on track.


Jim was probably not eating enough on today's ride and bonked pretty hard at ~ mile 65. We dug into our packs and started force feeding him shot blocks, goos, gels, bars, anything with calories.


We were pushing into a slight headwind and it was compounding Jim's lack of energy.
We convinced him to draft us and we just pulled him along at 14 mph. After about 15 minutes he was able to bump that up to 15-16. An improvement over the 11-12 he was able to do before our rescue efforts. He was surprised at the results because he was sure he was eating enough.

We got back to Newberg just before dark. It was a good day for a ride. Jim had other plans and had to get moving but Lauren and I went to a local Mexican place and had a good post ride dinner.

A good day, good folks.........and 10,000 miles!



+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................83...............0.................83
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........265.....+.........0........=.......265
Year to date..10,041.....+........30.......=.....10,071 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Keizer Metric Century

Met with two ladies from my social bike group and rode the Keizer Metric Century route today. Yet another gorgeous day in NW Oregon. We rode a very "social" pace and took 7 hours to complete it. By the time we finished up daylight was well on the way out.

But prior to finishing we had a great day.
For the second time in a week I got in some flat changing experience. At least they are not my tires going flat!

I was very surprised to see combines running..........in December!


I'll be leading a 78 mile ride on Saturday, barring snow (forecast says there is a chance of the white stuff Friday PM/Sat AM) I'll reach the 10k miles milestone about half way through that ride.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................62...............0.................62
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........182.....+.........0........=.......182
Year to date...9958.....+.........30.......=......9988 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wow!

Luis and I rode from US 26/Cornelius Pass Rd today up to Skyline via Logie Trail and on out to Rocky Point Rd. Our return was via Rock Creek Rd and Old Cornelius Pass/Phillips Rd. What a beautiful day! The east wind in Portland has blown all the yuck out of the air and it's absolutely clear. The snow capped Washington volcanoes were resplendent in today's sunshine. The digital camera doesn't do the scene justice, it was just an awesome view today. We logged a fun 31 miles.

Luis had other commitments, I had lunch!

After lunch I decided that while the weather was so nice and I still had my biking clothes on I should just ride more.

I rode a modified Snoozeville Populaire route . I am not fond of out and backs and especially don't care for the out and back to Fern Flat so I skipped that. Far enough west that the east winds that made it so clear weren't a big factor. A beautiful day for a ride!

32 with Luis, 49 of the 62 Populaire miles for a day total of 81 miles.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................81...............0.................81
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December........120.....+.........0........=.......120
Year to date...9896.....+.........30.......=......9926 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Beautiful day, short ride

It was a beautiful sunny day today. A bit more wind than there has been but still not bad at all. I had details to attend to, and a meeting early this evening so I didn't have a lot of time to get out and enjoy it. I did however manage to ride a 19 mile loop with decent climbing,............twice.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................39...............0.................39
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
December.........39.....+.........0........=........39
Year to date...9815.....+.........30.......=......9845 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

A ride to Salem and back

Took off today with the intention to visit a friend in Keizer who's recuperating from a broken leg. We missed the connection so while down that direction I continued riding southward the remaining few miles to Salem where I went to the OFDDA office (Oregon Fire District Directors Association) where they had a little gift for me recognizing service rendered. I stowed the gift in my backpack and rode back northward. It was a nice day for a ride. Not as nice as yesterday but certainly better than should be expected in November in Oregon!

Inching ever closer to the big 10k for the year. Trying to decide if I want to reach that milestone during the social ride I lead this weekend, or if I can hold off to do it the following weekend when the ride I lead has a shorter option and would be more welcoming to those not prepared to ride 70+ miles..........or wondering if it really makes any difference at all!


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................71...............0.................71
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........664.....+.........0........=.......664
Year to date...9776.....+.........30.......=......9806 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wow! 2 Ferries AND sunshine!

I led a ride today for my social bike group. We planned on riding from Wilsonville down the west side of the Willamette River to cross the Wheatland Ferry then ride northward to cross the Canby Ferry before finishing back at Wilsonville with 70 miles.
Here's our ROUTE

Regular readers will remember my comments about Meetup group rides. It seems that about a 2/3 attendance rate is the most that can be expected. I had 5 affirmative RSVP's last evening, and had another member email a request to join after RSVP's had closed. All 6 showed up! We rode faster than I expected, especially since some admitted not riding much in the last month or so. Heck, I haven't ridden much either! One of our riders had a flat front tire just a mile or so into our ride. Her brand new tire had a bad sidewall gash and was toast. Once again my folding spare tire that I almost always carry saved the day. We changed tire and tube and were back on the road. I pushed the pace up a bit hoping to get back on schedule in case that we had more problems that we'd still be finished up by dark. I did feel a bit better in that all riders had lights along as I had requested so if we got late we wouldn't be SOL on the side of the road.
Even though I pushed a 20 mph pace the group kept together. I was quite surprised. We stopped in Lafayette for snacks and sand box for those that needed it then continued on to the Wheatland Ferry.




It was an absolutely gorgeous day. Sunny, and climbed into the 50's by early afternoon.


We stopped again at the store in Gervais for snacks, aka energy replenishment! We then pedaled on to the Canby Ferry.




After exiting the Canby Ferry we had only ~5 miles to go, but it presented us with the biggest hills of the day. The miles had taken a bit of a toll on my riding partners, they slowed considerably on these hills, but kept pedaling. We arrived back in Wilsonville before 3PM, earlier than planned. 4 of us "debriefed" at a local watering hole post ride.

With a relatively late start of 9AM I had the chance to do a little pre-ride and had a few bonus miles logged before our official ride began.

It was a great day to be on a bike!




+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
...............Road Bike.....LifeCycle.....Total Miles Today
.................78...............0.................78
Jan total.......501.....+.........30.......=.......531
Feb total.......614.....+.........0........=.......614
March total.....860.....+.........0........=.......860
April total.....790.....+.........0........=.......790
May total.......901.....+.........0........=.......901
June total......543.....+.........0........=.......543
July total.....1322.....+.........0........=......1322
August total...1603.....+.........0........=......1603
Sept total.....1403.....+.........0........=......1403
October.........503.....+.........0........=.......503
November........593.....+.........0........=.......593
Year to date...9705.....+.........30.......=......9735 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++