I like the taco shop but I never ask what kind of meat it is.

You can always have boca tacos up at Mother's Kitchen at the summit. They aren't stingy with their restroom, their tacos are great IMO, and you can pretty much make it from there back to the 7-11 without pedaling a single stroke.

Thanks Dalai, it’s always good to know the opinion of somebody who has actually done both climbs. There are plenty of scientists here that just crunch the numbers while sitting on the couch and conclude that the two climbs are identical.
But that shot of Mt Ventoux... just proves that Palomar is a better piece of asphalt.
Give us a shout if you come this side of the world again. We'll organize a BF ride.

Listen here ol' son - if there is "spectacularest" then there is "spectacularness". Anyway, I think we can reach an agreement on the topic after a few beers. I'll try to be open-minded and might have lunch at Mother's Kitchen too.

No worries JimmyNH. Would love to be there for the 20th and come back for Palomar Mountain! And now I know the climb better I need to improve on my time up the hill, as I only snuck into the top 100 on the Strava segment Palomar Mt South Grade (Taco shop to Summit Stop Sign)...

Might be a while before I get away again - after years not travelling OS I've had a great run over the last three years. But if I head your way I'll be in touch.

I'm 1107/1545 on that segment...you'll be waiting a while for me

It's a good opportunity to improve your standing then! If you go on a 48 hour fast, you can still drop a pound or two before the ride. I'm 821 but I don't think I'll be able to match that time.

haha no fasting allowed.....more like eat MORE.... riding to SanO power plant tomorrow, then Palomar w/ you guys sunday but riding from home on both days. I need to save some legs to climb Cole grade fast enough not to tip over on the way home. At least the pauma valley will be in the nice 80's this weekend oppose to 100+ a couple months ago.

1203 here but it was in the middle of a d.i.y. century as part of a
amgen toc 2013 stage one ride in reverse. cautiously optimistic
i can crack that elusive sub-1200 threshold drafting some unsuspecting
soul the first 100 yards from the taco shop before i'm completely
gassed and crawl the remaining 12 miles solo.

Hey Dalai, top 100 on this climb is a great achievement. There are tons of pros, licensed racers and simply bad-arse guys like Chris who train on that hill. And as you mentioned - knowing the route helps a lot. These are mostly local guys.
I'm not on Strava. My best time ever on South Grade is 1:35, not sure if it is good enough to keep me out of the bottom 100.

My 821/1545 is 1:38.

Are you riding to the power plant with Celo Pacific? Isn't that going to be like 120 miles round trip and you'll have to leave before 7 to catch up with the group?

I'm thinking I may show up. Do you guys think you'll all be sticking together or is it a few groups of various speeds regrouping at the top? I've never done palomar and even though it's freaking far away I may still come down there.

Does anyone want to carpool? I'm in Irvine

You won't regret it. I've met guys who've trucked their motorcycles from Ventura just to ride up and down that hill all day.
And the buzz-ruts on the center-divide have cut down on much of the squidiocy IMO. And I'm not positive, but I believe the Marines have been forbidden from riding there by the post CG, which cuts down on a lot of the motorcycle traffic. Sunday's forecasted high in Valley Center (at the base) is only 82, so we should have lovely, cool weather too.

FIFY.
There has been an explosion of good microbreweries near me, and I'll be vying for Sunday's Lantern Rouge.

alas, simultaneously the staff of life and the bane of my existence as well. you will face furious caboose competition sunday.

You up for mustering at Ironfist afterward? They're my favorite so far.

yah with Celo, they leave downtown cbad at 8:30, my route varies 90-110 miles pending which way I get there and come back. Via palomar airport road/101 to the harbor bridge is 25 miles one way. If I took Jesmond Dean, 395, Camino Del Rey, 76 to MUP it's 33 miles to the bridge at the harbor. Either way I have to be on the road at 7, but I can slack 10-15min via Palomar route though. Though 395 route is longer, its faster, slightly downhill (after Jesmond D), handfull of lights. I can hold 20-22mph ave all the way to the harbor vs tackle all the stop lights through esco/san marcos/cbad.

Leave by 7, be home around 1-2 which makes wifey happy....then off to tackle Bates nut farm for pumpkin pickin

Do you want to tag along? I won't be the only one w/ an epic weekend Worse case, you can take the coaster back to save 20 miles...though I think the bike might be faster

You obviously didn't direct this question to me, but I'll be up for it. I haven't broken it up to my ol' lady yet, but I'm sure I'll have my permission slip signed for the day. And if I don't, well "it's easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission".
I hope I can get something carcass-free to eat at that place, right?

(un)fortunately i hafta work at 3pm so no adult bevvies for me post-ride this time.

fave sd breweries in order:

alpine
alesmith
thorn street
societe

have only had one or two of the iron fist beers. don't remember anything about them.
have to use a beer app to keep track of all the different beers/breweries. heck...seems
like many of them make multiple ipa's, porters, etc.

hey I have that shirt and a Z power too... I can even go retro Giro Ventoux if I have too.

I'm mainly not sure if I'm motivated enough to get up at 6:30 on Saturday. Otherwise I'm game.

I hear ya but I try to get outta the house before my 9month old wakes up...otherwise I might get stuck at home longer then I'd like

Crud, I'm out, probably with a broken bone in my foot.
Some monster-truck clod turned off his signal (inadvertently, most likely) when he swing out of the left hand turn lane. Well, turns out the reason he was swinging out of the lane was because he was making a U-turn, he turned back into me and I'm pretty sure I've got at least one broken bone in my foot right now.
You guys have fun.

Sorry Chris. Heal quick.