Oceanside & RSF Ride-6 July 2019
by Rob Verfurth
Riders: Rick W, Bob P, Shawn D, Hodges, Geoffrey M, John M, Jeff L, Steve B, Rick B, Tony O, Dave V, Don W, John A, Dennis C and Rob V
It was Reunion Weekend for the Descenders. Dave Voris and Jeff Langley were back in town for a visit. Their presence inspired a large group of riders out for the Saturday group ride. John A and I met on the bike path off CMR and waited for the riders to come down the hill from BMR. We spun to CDS and rode to the top of San Dieguito Road. At the top of Three Witches we were 15 riders strong, ready to head north to Oceanside.
After the photos, the group made it about 25 yards before Geoffrey M pulled over with a flat. Jeff L wanted to get some lead time on the faster riders so he suggested we start down the hill and let the peloton catch us. John M, Steve B, Jeff and I sped down Three Witches with another group of riders just a bit farther back. At the polo fields, Voris suggested we stop. John M, Steve B and Jeff L kept heading to the coast while the rest of us waited. A quick tire change had Geoffrey and the rest of the group reform fairly quickly.
We sped along the flats, past the Fairbanks Ranch Country Club, to El Camino Real. The pace did not let up as we hammered past the Del Mar Racetrack to PCH where we saw the huge swell of weekend riders and runners; great day to be out near the coast. We flew up to Encinitas and continued north. Rick W, Bob P and Geoffrey M headed inland at La Costa Road and made their way back through RSF to home. The rest of us hammered on.
At Carlsbad Rick B did a u-turn and bid adieu to the group. We were down to eight riders, where were John, Jeff and Steve? The traffic was busy coming out of Carlsbad Village so I took a flyer and tried to sneak away to Oceanside. I did not look back except at the first turn off PCH to see that I had already established a sizable gap; head down pedal on. I made my way towards the harbor and hammered to the end, afraid to see who was closing on me as is usually the case. I spun around the end of the road to see that no riders were in sight. I almost made it back to the bathroom break location before the group came by me. It was an empty victory to the harbor since no one even tried to catch me.
We rested, re-filled water bottles and relaxed. John M finally came our way to say that his small group had taken the beach roads after Swami’s and saw us pass on PCH but they could never catch us. Jeff L and Steve B had turned around in Carlsbad; maybe Rick B rode with them a bit on his way back south. Good to see Jeff Langley on his first visit back to San Diego since he left for the great state of Texas more that three years ago.
The group split as many guys were heading inland to Sleeping Indian. Tony O, Hodges, Don W, Shawn D and Dennis C rode along the bike path heading east. Voris. John M, John A and I went back down the coast. I saw that both Hodges and Tony rode Centuries from their Strava post, good riding from the inland boys.
Voris had to get back to his place in Solana Beach so he pulled us through Carlsbad and then hammered off. Great to see Dave, riding strong as usual. We decided to head back through RSF so John M, John A and I turned inland at La Costa Road and continued to the El Camino Del Norte climb, past the San Dieguito reservoir by Lago Lindo and bypassed Stud Loop. We rode along El Apajo and instead of climbing back up Three Witches, I suggested we climb up towards The Farms Golf Course and cut back to the bike path. It is a bit of an up and down push to get back over the 56 and onto the bike path. We dropped John M so John A and I pedaled back along the bike path to our exit at Carmel Mountain Road.
Just as I got home, John M called. He got a flat on the descent from The Farms and his CO2 failed. I jumped in the car after grabbing a tube and new CO2 canister and drove to get John. Unfortunately my CO2 had threads, he needed no threads. We put his bike in my car and got him home. My ride was about 62 miles, good Descenders group ride. Glad Dave Voris and Jeff Langley motivated the gang to get out; fun group ride.
The link below are photos from the ride.
San Diego Descenders Cycling Club 