HVR and Old Julian Ride Report
13 July 2013
by Rob Verfurth

We had a good group ride yesterday. I was late as usual to my PQ meeting spot so I pedaled solo over to casa Voris. Waiting there were Oleg and Larry who came all the way from the coast, Geoff B and Bob P, back from his three week Europe adventure. Voris was there too but he had family commitments for the day. We rolled over to the start.

At the start we rounded up a few more guys; Eric R, Steve K, Tony, Garet, Rick W and Hodges. The pace out to HVR was moderate but things picked up quickly at the start of the climb. I was left in the dust and rode most of the HVR climb and most of the day solo. Fortunately we regrouped at the top of HVR. Bob P headed back down HVR after the fist climb. Garet had to get home so he hammer up HVR and headed over to 67 and return home. Garet was long gone before I got to the top.

The pace along the top part of HVR was again too much for me. Rick W, Larry, Eric and Oleg put on a major surge. All the guys held wheel except me; I blew off the back a bit before the traffic light at the highway. We made a water stop at the fire station and then hammered Dye Road. It looked like Geoff B picked up a KOM on some short segment called Warnock Sprint as the group surged toward the traffic light.

We rode together to Old Julian Road. I hoped to get back to the point of my recent fall, conquer the fear, that sort of thing. I told Oleg to just start to head back down after everyone gets to the top. I will be behind. I quickly lost contact and rode solo up Old Julian, it was getting hotter. About mile 6.5 I saw Eric heading back down. He had to get home too. Right as I got to the curve where I fell, the gang was coming back down the road. I carefully did a u-turn and descended with much less pain than my last Old Julian descent. I never really caught up with the group but got the wheel of Steve K as he pulled me all the way down. We regrouped and rode to the much needed water break in Ramona.

The pace back along Dye Road, led by Geoff B, was very controlled. We all kept in a nice line behind the pace set by Geoff. The route back down 67 was another matter. The surge came from Rick, Oleg and Tony. I fell off and Steve K was farther behind. I rode solo again along 67, past Archie Moore and around Mt Woodson. Steve K caught be on the side road and pulled me to the light at Poway Grade where we saw Geoff B waiting. I decided to head down the grade while Steve and Geoff went towards SPP. The winds were coming hard off the coast and I rode solo and struggled to get home. 70 miles post Palomar did me in.

Great day on the bike, great group ride.

Ride on-