lksfirecapt

About a month ago I decided their was not a single sole in the "oil chain" that I wanted to get a single additional dollar of mine, so I started using mass transit to get to my job in Lakeside (San Diego County).
Getting down is not the trick as many of the "commuter" routes are running, but getting home is a bear.

I work for the fire depratment, thus by the time I get off at 0800 hrs many of the express routes aren't running. Getting home consists of multiple trolley/bus/train/biking that starts at 8 AM and ends at 1:45PM (yes 5.75 hours), and yes I know I'm nuts...

Some of the serious cyclists I work with claim I can make the run faster on the bike all the way (63 miles). Given I would only be doing this about 6 times a month it seems like a possibility as I am training for a Temecula-Salt Lake City tour in May.

My average times are 15.5 mph (south of Escondido), and 13 mph (north of Escondido). I've never made the entire run, but have my doubts that this can be done in less than 5.75 hours?

Current ride is a Giant FCR-3 running 700x32 tires with about 15# of additional loading.

TrevorInSoCal

Unless it's all uphill 63 mi. should be easily doable in less than 5 3/4 hrs.

Even if it took you just as long on your bike, what would you rather be doing for five hours, riding your bike, or sitting on the trolley/bus/train?

Do it enough times and you'll definitely get it down to less than five hours.

Is there anything you can do to shed some of that extra 15# off the bike, or is it all stuff that has to be carried back and forth? Lightening your load would almost definitely make the trip faster...

ken cummings

Ir can be done in under 5 hours. I did it one night in 1990 near the end of a 400 K Brevet. I can't recommend a route south of Escondido but north of there you just stay on old 395, the frontage road to I-15, past Lawrence Welks' place, Fallbrook, the Immigration checkpoint on Rainbow Pass, and straight down into Temecula. From Google Maps just where your station in Lakeside is makes a big difference on how you leave that area. You will be coming off a shift and I had already done about 150 miles so I guess our tiredness was/is about the same. If you can get a good carpool or transit connection to Escondido you will be ahead of the game. Look for flatter routes even if they are a bit longer. Keep the bus/transit schedules with you and if you are tired and the bus is about to catch you do the smart thing and get on.

lksfirecapt

Thanks guys......

The mass transit system between Temecula and anything in San Diego County is an absolute disaster. All the commuter routes are done by 10 AM, and if you miss the 9:45 AM Coaster train your stuck till the 12:45 AM. If all the planets align the best I can do is downtown Fallbrook by 12:10 PM (followed by a 16 mile bike ride to Temecula).

But your so right.....trapped in a bus or on the open road.....no debate there.

As for the 15# I think I have it down to less than 3# so that should help.... The route south of Escondido basically follows the 52 and 15....

So on next Friday I will be doing the whole route!

Thanks Again

alicestrong

Hey let us know how it went...

igoyippy4skippy

Well I know that San Diego busses and NCTD busses transfer at north county fair. Couldn't you find a bus that can take you from lakeside to North county fair and then ride of the rest of the way home? It just seems like a lot of effort to go from east county to the coast then inland to fallbrook.

lksfirecapt

Yes.....MTS #20 bus goes from the Fashion Valley Transit Center to North County Fair. The issue with buses has been their limited ability to carry more than (2) bikes. Beacue of the popularity of this route virtually every bus has the racks filled.

In fact the Coaster train is cracking down on the number of bikes, and the trolley is kinda turning the other cheek.

jsigone

this would be the route I'd take https://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path...-temec-Commute
60 miles and 4200ft of gain. Two major climbs, one up to Scripps then the last on 395 from Gopher to Rainbow.

You'll be slow for the first few times, but you'll gain speed with form. Try to ride with little if any weight possible. Hense leaving a pair of shoes at work so you don't have to carry them. They will make you pack larger and more draining. 60 miles would take about 3 1/2hrs for me.

If you can get some smaller tires, some 700x25s are good enough to hold some eatra weight and have good speed to them.

jsigone

on the route I made, you see there is a small bike path behind the Mall that take you to a some homes back there, from there it turns into Center City Parkway aka 395. It easier and alot short then taking the other way around either Via Rancho to Del Dios or Bear Valley all the way around to 395

lksfirecapt

First attempt failure......

It was probably doomed from the start, but I gave it a shot anyway. We had been up on calls the previous night, and I didn't have time to eat prior to leaving the station, but off I went anyway.

Tried the western route up and over the 52 through Mira Mesa. No real issues on the entire route till I got out towards the West Lilac climb. Talk about a "bonk"...this was more like having my legs removed. One minute I'm spinning along just fine, the next I can't even the the crank turned.

So the lesson learned was simply....calories. It was my stupidity that failed to recognize I needed some intake somewhere on the route.

I'll be making the second attempt next week...

jsigone

good attempt though, you were very close. That bridge hill is PITA if you're legs aren't up for it. Take some food with you next time. Power bar, Gu anything is good. If you don't have anything there is a 711 one block east off the 395 on Country Club Road. Refill there before you hit those last two hills home.

The bad part of the western route is it has alot of lights you have to deal with as you find your way to Lake Hodges. Did you find that bike path behind the mall OK?

lksfirecapt

Ya, that bike path behind North County Fair makes the transition into Escondido a lot easier....thanks!

I'm kinda phobic about the Hwy 67 route..... We pull a lot of fatalities off that section of road, but never a cyclist...! But the lower section between Willow Rd and the bottom of the grade has some bad history with the firefighters down here....

But the 52 was no dream either. For some reason the trash haulers think they own half of the bike lane. Almost got taken out a couple of times...both trash trucks?

Thanks for the info on the 7/11.... I'll hit that before the climb next time!

Cal_Jordan

wish I could bike with you man...I'd love a ride like that.

that, and having a partner with you is a pretty good way (at least to me) to push yourself and make sure you're being safe.