K.O.M.

Yeah right. The king of the mountain I was not, but yesterday's ride was epic in the truest sense. I was supposed to head out to ride Palomar Mountain with James of "Blood Sweat and Beers" fame, but he had to cancel on Tuesday on account of his neck. I was really fired up to do this ride and also do it on the Fourth of July so I loaded up the bike and drove out to Escondido to park and ride solo. James had sent me the route a couple days earlier, a total of 61 miles including the 12 mile climb up the mountain. I had to be home around noon so I could ride for 4.5 hours max. I cut off about 5 miles and started a little closer at E Valley Parkway. I would be glad for this on the way home.

I took off at 7:15 weighing in at 165 with two full bottles of the usual and some gels. I was greeted by the 2.5 mile grade up to Lake Wolford. Not bad as it wasn't hot yet and minimal traffic. I was aware of this first climb and knew that I had to hold back and ride sub Z4 for most of the ride if I wanted to make it to the summit and home. It was tough even riding with the 27t in the rear to keep it under 260 watts on this climb, unless I wanted to ride at 50rpm. There was some beautiful riding after this and I really enjoyed seeing some new countryside and finally knowing where all those damn indian casinos are. I made my way across the valley and could see Palomar and the one thing I noticed is how vertical it was. No rolling foothills just a big green mountain rising up. I made it to the base after an hour of riding and figured I was on schedule. How long could it take to ride 12 miles to the top? I was heading into the unknown. Watching the altimiter clicking away and keeping an eye on the wattage trying to be conservative. I was trying to keep it around 250W which meant a cadence between 65-70. Not ideal but that's all I could do. Out of gears.

This climb goes up and up and up. Unrelenting is putting it lightly. More like water torture where its never really unbearable, it just doesn't stop. The miles go by slowly. It was fun for the first six miles in some kind of rhythm, after that it was pure survival made worse by the fricking hornets on the rice rockets hauling ass up and down the mountain. I began to see other cyclists on the descent smiling with there jerseys opened up. I was suffering from the effort but also from the heat. It had been 95 degrees the day before and felt like it was going to be the same or worse. In and out of the saddle I fought the dropping wattage which brought my cadence into the low 60's. I could barely hold 220. I was on the climb for an 1:20 with two miles left. I thought about stopping a lot but didn't. If I beat it down the descent I could still make it up and down in two hours to keep on schedule. Finally I made it to the top, not to the observatory like I'd hoped but that was another 5 miles. I hung out near the store (which was closed unfortunately) drained the last of my bottles and ate a bar. I could have used some H20 for the descent.

Peak Average Power chart showing 2hr @ 220W and 60min @ 238. both personal bests.

Climb Data

11.61 miles 1:34

AVG HR 163 Max 174

AVG Power 226 Watts

I learned a lot on the climb but more on the descent as there are lots and lots of hairpins. Twenty minutes of descending topping out at 42 mph. My triceps were really getting tired. Some of the turns are over 180 degrees which makes for some certainly wide eyed situations. I finally made it to the bottom at 3 hours ride time and stopped at a store for some water, slammed a coke and some Thermolytes. One thing I noticed is that there is a climb out of this valley too. Equal to the first climb up to L. Wolford. It was hotter, there was more traffic and my legs were behaving badly. Back by the casinos the sign read 92 degrees probably 97-100 on the fresh blacktop. This part of the ride was sort of like the bad hangover after a long night. You got to get through it and nothing makes it better. I got to the lake and thought about jumping in but kept going and saw some guy puking from his car on the side of the road. I thought I felt bad.

Down the final descent and back to the car in 4:10, 52 miles and around 8000 ft of climbing. I weighed in at 157 (8 pound deficit) after taking in 96 ounces. I was slow roasted but proud of the effort. That's a lot of climbing but when its in huge chunks like 90 minutes+, I think it's tougher than it sounds. This was by far the toughest single ride I've been on. I loved it and can't wait to get back on it. I think next time I'd start a little closer so I could really cook the goose on the climb.

Big respect goes out to all those who charge this ride. The locos that do it in the aero bars, those that do it without a saddle and those that just do it. f'ing nuts.

Random Pics.

Lake Wolford in the morning

View from the top. It's up there!

Oh so happy!