RSF, Del Dios & HVR Ride Report-15 April 2017
by Rob Verfurth
Riders: Neil, Rick W, Larry, Hodges, Bernie, Todd, John M, Sheehan, Tony, Bob P, Eric R and Rob
It was a ripper of a ride, we averaged 21 mph for the first hour and almost 18 mph for the full ride, at least on my Garmin; others were much faster. We met at the Black Mountain corner and the ride start innocuous enough with a small surge as we rode over the bridge to Santaluz. By the time we picked up Proulx at the south entrance the pace was on fire. The usual suspects–Rick W, Larry, Neil and Bernie–were out front on the Three Witches descent–not a PR for me, but still almost 34 mph. The group flew along El Apajo and the short climb to the start of Stud Loop.
After a short break to regroup, we hammered Stud Loop and stopped again at Del Dios. John M skipped the loop and was out front. Hodges rolled through and then we took off. Larry and Neil pushed the pace on Del Dios, Rick W was right behind and I hid on his wheel. We all spread out on the climb past the Lake Hodges dam and flew along Lake Drive before stopping at the corner of Via Rancho Parkway. The ride was now about a hour old, we had ridden 21 miles and the legs were feeling it.
Things did not slow markedly as we spun to the gas station near the mall. We met up with Eric R who joined the group for the fun up HVR. After riding over the lake pedestrian bridge we lost Todd and Neil as they had other responsibilities for the day. Hodges cut across Mule Hill to get in more BWR training. We rode to the start of HVR. Sheehan continued along Pomerado for home, the rest headed towards the climb.
Things spread out on the HVR climb. Larry, Rick W & Bernie were on point. Eric R was just ahead of me and Bob P, Tony and John swept up the group. I caught up to Eric just after Starvation Mountain and we rode to the regroup point on Archie Moore Road. Bob P rode up a few minutes later. No sign of Hodges, John M or Tony; they had told us not to wait. My plan was to go across Archie Moore and 67. Larry convinced me and Proulx to go to the end of HVR; he promised to keep it at a "civil" pace. There were 6 of us riding along the top sections of HVR. I set PR’s just barely holding onto the wheels of the guys as we screamed all the way to the light; not real civil if you ask me.
I said I was done, time to pootle. The six of us still stayed together down 67, past the Mussey Grade turn and to the store. Eric needed water so they stopped. Bob P and I continued on with our now much slower pace as we yelled, "you guys can catch us!" Bob and I trudged past Mt Woodson and headed for Poway Grade. Just as we got to the turn, Larry, Bernie, Rick W and Eric flew south on 67 at a "civil" pace; boy was I glad to be heading down Poway Grade. We slowly spun back along Ted Williams and the bike path towards PQ. I left Bob to get the last few miles home himself when I hit the turn to my neighborhood. I had 58 miles, almost 4,200 feet of climbing and a pace of almost 18 mph, it was a ripper of a ride. Some photos of the ride on in the link below.
San Diego Descenders Cycling Club 