Coastal Ride Report

by Rob Verfurth

Riders: Bill B and his friend, Shawn, Bob P, Tony, Peter P, Hodges, Rick W, Don W, John M and Rob. BWR ride day: Bob P, Eric R and Rob; along with 8 other Descenders

Tony HAD to change the planned Lake Wohlford route since Mike Hodges said eight Descenders were riding the BWR–Wafer or Waffle–and they all needed to ride the coast to get their race packets. Tony swapped the ride and we were now riding the 56 bike path to CDS and heading towards Oceanside on PCH to meet the needs of the BWR group.

Unfortunately the Rancho Penasquitos Family 5km fun run started right where our usual group start meets for coastal rides AND no other Descender, except Hodges, riding the BWR showed up to get their race packet. Not to mention that the packet pick-up moved inland to a brewery in San Marcos, very close to our original planned Lake Wohlford route. Oh well, the Coastal ride was still fun.

I opted not to fight the 5km fun run traffic by going up the bike path towards Black Mountain Road. Instead I went slowly towards CDS as the families of runners took up most of the bike path. We all converged at the corner of Three Witches and had ten riders heading down the hill. A number of riders were sportin’ the new Descenders kits that had just arrived. Bill and Peter looked great in their new blue kits. It started fast with Rick W hitting the front quickly. I hid on his wheel for the descent but quickly fell off the back as the group sped off towards the coast. John M and I swept and did not catch the group until we got the racetrack where they had stopped.

The pace did not slow along PCH as we again spread out along the road. The group flew up through Encinitas before I got lost off the back; John M farther behind me. Rick W waited and pulled me along to regroup with the guys as everyone stopped at Palomar Airport Road. Hodges, Bob P, Bill and his friend Shawn were going inland; I joined them as my knee and legs were spent. The rest of the group continued up to Oceanside and either rode back down the coast or inland towards Escondido to complete their rides.

Our group sped along Palomar Airport Road with the goal of going to the BWR expo. Hodges had to get his race packet. Shawn was doing the event as well, so he and Bill B went there too. Bob and I turned off at Melrose Dr with a planned route back to RSF via Olivenhain. I was already hurting from the early pace so I decided to stop by a friends house near San Elijo to catch by breath. Unfortunately he was not home but I got to snack and drink a bit before pootling my way back towards RSF. I looped back towards the 56 bike path and got home with about 48 miles of riding, knee in tact.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sjzAynriPvDssQYQ8

BWR Ride

The next morning Bob and I did an easy ride back down Three Witches and around Del Dios Highway with the hope of seeing some of the Wafer Riders. We were on the Del Dios climb up towards Lake Hodges when the Wafer race leaders were coming out of the trails along Lake Hodges. They blew by me and eventually Bob who was way up the road from me. The racers continued north on Del Dios towards Double Peak while we rode down Lake Drive. We saw lots of fast riders on the gravel roads by the lake and the dirt trails. As I did a Strava fly-by later Paul Pruschki, Keith Sherwood and Skip Virgilio were all riding on the trails as Bob and I were on the road above them. We rode up to Via Rancho Parkway and back east toward our usual gas station rest stop. We just continued on to the start of the bike path where we saw other Wafer riders coming out from the Mule Hill segment of the race. Bob and I pedaled off on the bike path when Eric R came up behind us. Eric was wearing his new blue kit and I was in the new white kit. He had ridden up HVR and to see some of the early racers. We stopped at the pedestrian bridge to watch a few of the last Wafer riders come through. The Waffle guys were way out on the Black Canyon loop still riding to complete their adventure. Bob, Eric and I rode back through 4S along Camino del Norte, dropping Bob off at Santaluz. Eric and I rode up to Carmel Valley Road where we split off to get home, finishing a nice 33 mile spin. The real heroes for the day were all the Descender BWR riders–Paul P, Quoc, Ernst, Hodges, Sheehan, Boyle and John A. Apologies for any riders I missed, congrats to all. Bill & Peggy took some photos of the riders going through the creek by Lake Hodges. They are in the link below.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qMBmXn96Mk6takJ9A