Hi All,

Great turnout yesterday for the reverse Oceanside Harbor Loop ride.  I arrived a bit early at the start and there were already 15 riders ready to go.  Matt Babb brought up David and Roman from the south bay riding group.  Matt Davis was back on his bike.  John and Len the elder  were in the group.  Chad was in great form, good to see him in a Descenders kit again.  A number of the regular suspects were also there–Guido, Ernst, Voris, Bob R, Dan S and Geoff. Bob R invited also his buddy, Jeffrey.  I was wearing the jersey provided to the Descenders by Gustaf Olafsson, our latest international visitor.  I felt a bit out of uniform but really like the jersey.  We all headed off towards Camino Del Sur, going north towards Santaluz.  Matt Davis was on point and driving the pace to Fairbanks Ranch.  We wisely opted to skip the inside loop of Santaluz and head down San Dieguito Road.  We spotted Eileen, Jeff and Barb on El Apajo as we rolled towards RSF.  The pace quickened up the hill to Stud Loop.

In an act of self preservation, I suggested I take the "slower" portion of the group towards Lago Lindo while the rest of the fast group tackle Stud Loop.  Left alone at the corner with everyone going on Stud Loop, I was forced to push my heart rate to try to keep up.  We regrouped along Lago Lindo and then accelerated again down Camino Del Notre.  At the back of the peloton, Ernst and Eileen were avoiding the dog that run just in front of their bike.  At the 30 plus mph we were going it would have been an ugly collision.  No damage done and we all pedaled towards La Costa where the group rode fast in another acceleration towards PCH.  

We lost a few of the gang along the way due to other time commitments.  Jeff Southern was running the La Jolla Half on Sunday so he was just warming up his legs.  Oleg had to head south for home and Matt Davis split off for home.  We still had over a dozen riders but the pace along PCH blew up the group.  Matt, Guido, Chad, Voris, Ernst, Bob R, Geoff, Barb and a few others hammered north.  I desperately tried to hang onto the back wheel of someone, anyone..trying to make it to Oceanside.  We flew through Carlsbad Village and kept a good group up to the harbor.  I was searching out for my opportunity to again breakaway for the harbor finish.  I spotted some pedestrians and planned to go behind them as they crossed the path.  Unfortunately, the mother hit the panic button and back up to the curb.  I was committed and rolled forward.  The head winds kept me from getting any gap.  Chad closed quickly followed by Matt B.  Matt pulled a few guys towards the end with Voris doing the best job of drafting and then exploding towards the front.  He could not catch Matt in the end as he hit the top speed to the turn around, followed closely by Voris.

We regrouped at the bathroom and I noted a need to get home–LAX game and track meet on my family schedule.  The grouped rolled through Oceanside and I found myself on the back wheel of two tri-bike guys.  We kept up a good pace through Carlsbad and I was alone when they turned inland.  I knew the big group was behind me somewhere but I just kept turning over while enjoying the beautiful ocean to my left.  We saw tons of riders and runners out all day, busy day on the coast.  Just south of Leucadia, a fast moving group blew by me.  Fortunately they slowed riding into Encinitas with its festival day.  We rode around downtown and past Swami’s.  I looked to the rider on my left and thought  it was Matt B in a different jersey, he even had the mirror on his glasses.  It turned out to be Matt’s twin brother, Chris, who picked up the group on the ride south from Oceanside.  We rode as a group south on PCH.  The kook surfer statue was dressed again.  The pace into Solana Beach did not slow and the group was going left on Loma Santa Fe.  I knew I had a tight schedule back and should have just gone straight to the 56 bike path, but I decided to go with the guys.  I blew up on the second rise of Loma Santa Fe and watched the remaining group of guys pedal away from me.  I tried in vain to close the gap into RSF with no success.  I thought the group would have dropped down the hill on Calzada Del Bosque back towards El Apajo and the three witches climb.  As I neared the light and saw no one on the long straight road ahead, I realized they must have gone all the way into RSF.    

I was tired and out of water so I pedaled to the store at Fairbanks Ranch on the corner of San Dieguito Road.  While getting some much needed water I saw Ernst pedal by the store and turn up Three Witches.  I then attempted to get on my bike to catch him and never got close enough to have him hear me yelling from behind.  He turned north on Camino Del Sur and I went south for the final leg of my ride.  I met my goal and got to my house at 11:55 am, in time to change and get to the LAX game.  I did see John Moran riding west on the 56 bike path about 12:20 as I drove to see my daughter’s LAX game.  John rode with Geoff and had a beer at his house before going back down Black Mountain.  I finished with about 66 miles and 3,200 feet of climbing, fast day on the bike and loads of fun.

Attached are a few photos from the ride.            

I recovered well enough to do a run around Lake Miramar with Bob Proulx on Sunday am.  We also got out for a short 25 mile ride in the afternoon.  I stumbled upon Mike Hodges and Geoff B, out riding in their Descenders kits with their families.  They had seen Jeff Cresap on PCH so it looks like lots of guys are getting in the miles.

Ride on-

Rob

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