Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - My Saturday ride, a climbfest with pics

So Saturday I set out to do a big ride. Well, a big ride for me. Too many times during the week because of lack of time, I am craving a long ride that really wears you out. I planned out my ride, and honestly it was probably a bit much, but each time I have done a ride like this it is a great sense of accomplishment, and I can't wait to try something even more challenging.

I left my house at 7AM, it was pretty chilly for this area, high 40's. I put on a long sleeve base layer, jersey, arm warmers, full fingered gloves, and an ear band. It was a beautiful morning, a little foggy in the morning but cleared up to be bright and sunny.

This is just outside my neighborhood, cruising up Twin Oaks Valley Road. It goes through a golf course, is lined with trees and a nice smooth ride. I followed this a few miles to get out of town.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462025068_1613653948_0.jpg

After about 4 miles, I turned to continue on Twin Oaks. This sign means this is going to be a nice curvy road, and that is usually because it is hilly. I can't believe I have been biking almost a year now and never took this road. There was little to no traffic at all, there were some rough spots but the scenery, turns and hills more than made up for it.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462024951_1613653494_0.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462024834_1613653051_0.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462024680_1613652462_0.jpg

I continued on mostly back roads making my way to Palomar Mountain. A couple of the roads had heavy traffic, but I was only on them for a short distance. I got to Valley Center Road, and could see Palomar Mountain, my big goal off in the distance.
This was on a heavy traffic road, but there is a bike lane, and 2 lanes for traffic, so most cars take the left lane and don't pass too close. It's a crummy cell phone pic, but you can see the mountain off in the distance.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462024533_1613651887_0.jpg

This was my route to get to Palomar Mountain. I rode about 2 miles from my house to my "starting point", so I had about 31 miles in the books when I got to where the official climb begins.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/map1.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/Profile1.jpg

Next was the climb up Palomar Mountain on Rt 76, then South Grade Road. Rt 76 is nothing special, although it is a serious climb it looks like a normal back country road. Once you get on South Grade Road, you have about 7 miles of hill climbing paradise. This is looking back down the road after a turn.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462024275_1613650915_0.jpg

This one is from the same spot, looking back down on the road already travelled.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462024413_1613651435_0.jpg

Almost to the top!
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462024148_1613650448_0.jpg

I made it to the top, this is at the small store and restaurant at the top of Palomar Mountain.
Got a gatorade, a cliff bar, and headed down East Grade Road.
I need to learn to take pictures without covering part of the lens!
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/462023993_1613649858_0.jpg

Here is the route I took, I went east on 76, up South Grade Road, down East Grade Road, then returned going west on 76.
So the loop part, I did clockwise.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/map2.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/Profile2.jpg

By this point, I was getting worn out, but it was a great ride. I stopped and got a turkey sandwich and more drinks,
checked in with the wife on the cell phone, and took about a 20 minute break to prepare for the last challenge, Cole Grade Road.
This was the route to get back to the starting point.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/Map3.jpg
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/Profile3.jpg

OK, I didn’t take any pictures for the rest of the ride. My cell phone battery was getting low,
I think from the spotty reception and the call to my wife. And honestly, I was dragging big time
by the time I got to the top of Cole Grade Road. I was in granny gear, grinding it out. It was a great
day and a great ride. I took Sunday off and relaxed watching football.

Here is the summary for the entire ride, my bike computer showed 95 miles.
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff293/aaron858/Palomar%20Nov%2021/Profile4.jpg

8000 ft!! 92'ish miles!!! Wow, nice ride!!!

8000 ft!! 92'ish miles!!! Wow, nice ride!!!

Am I invited to your GMR ride now? Do I qualify? :D

Sounds like fun, I really need to win the lotto and move out there.

Good work, MrC!
You didn't get chilly on the descents?
I rode up to Capistrano & back on Saturday, and despite wearing long sleeves was shivering uncontollably when I got home.

Wow. You like the pain.

You know, it never occurred to me early this decade that riding that road would have been nice on a bike. When I lived up in Murrieta but went to school at CSUSM, I remembered how nice the ride was in a car. The last time I was up there on a bike was a gentle stretch by Welk earlier this year (when I was much weaker) and wussed out after about 8 miles. I'll have to try that some time.

Good work, MrC!
You didn't get chilly on the descents?
I rode up to Capistrano & back on Saturday, and despite wearing long sleeves was shivering uncontollably when I got home.

Thank you sir. No, it wasn't too chilly. On East Grade on the way down it was sunny, not too bad. Probably mid 50's. I did keep the ear covers on most of the day though.


Wow. You like the pain.

You know, there were times on the ride where if someone pulled over and offered me a ride home, I would have taken it. But it's a good exhaustion, and I'm ready to go ride again tonight.

Am I invited to your GMR ride now? Do I qualify? :D

Slow climber like me? Everybody's qualified to do my GMR ride!:D

Great job! Glad you made it.....I'll bet those thighs are talking to you! Again, congrats.