Biking to 50

So I was going to take my bike to Las Vegas when we went for Terri's convention. The thought of getting to ride through the Red Rocks and out to Hoover Dam was exciting for me. But after we got out in the heat of Nevada, I realized that it was a good thing I did not bring the bike, it was stifling hot and very windy in the afternoons, more windy then Huntington Beach. So today was very difficult for me to force myself out on the road. I thought about going back down to San Jaun Capistrano since that was such a nice ride, but by the time I got past all my excuses for not going and finally got my biking clothes on I knew it would be the usual 20 to Bolsa Chica . The one thing that motivated me above all else to get back on was that I had invested in new Bontrager Race X Lite tires front and back with new tubes. My old Continental 4000's finally had a rip in the sidewall and I knew it was going to eventually blow out. Plus I had never really like that tire even compare...

What an awesome ride today, 45 miles and I felt like I was flying. I started from the train station in San Jaun Capistrano taking the coast through Doheney Beach, San Clemente and the myriad of beaches. Passing the San Onofre nuclear power plant and into the campground where there were many people enjoying the Labor Day weekend. I turned around at Los Polgus road which goes into Camp Pendleton . The trip back was just as rewarding as I passed slow moving cars through the campground and caught slower bikers over the San Clemente hills. By the time I got back to Doheney , so many vacationers had arrived to enjoy the beach. Great ride.

I wanted to get to 30 miles, then I said 25 will do, I ended this ride at a little over 23 miles. It was a hot windy day and I needed to get home for some great pizza with the family. Heading back was pretty swift but going against the wind on the way out was a struggle. Was a good ride, but hope to do a longer ride soon to make up for my short rides earlier this week.

I had to get home for dinner so I could only be out for less then an hour. So to the beach it is, and a lot of southern wind, but I did it fast and now it's time for dinner.

It was only about 12 miles on Monday, but it was so much fun to take this ride with Tod. We tried to make it a nice easy ride and it was for the most part. But then boys will be competitive and on the way back we dug in and worked it through a section of the bike trail before Adams. We hit over 30 MPG on that little stretch which is ridiculously fast on a level piece of ground.

So I do ride to the beach and north to Golden West pretty often, but there is something about going along the beach first thing in the morning when everyone is just waking up to get down for the good spots. The waves today were inclredible and the number of surfers were evidence of that. So many families, husbands & wives, girlfriend & boyfriends riding, walking or just watching the waves together. Taking it all in was just heart warming. Now sitting here writing my blog/journal and listening to the Beach Boys on Pandora, on the perfect day, love it. 20 miles, 16.5 mph, not bad for slowing down to watch all the "California Girls" along the beach, lol, yeah right.