Eric F 

Awesome job, Jeff!! Anyone completing the full Waffle has my maximum respect.

The Wafer route was all I could handle, but I got though it with what I felt was a very solid performance considering my mediocre preparation. Our route had a higher percentage of dirt distance than the Waffle, which made more than half of our time off-pavement. My bike performed excellently, without any issues at all, and my tire choice proved to be perfect for me - good rolling efficiency, good grip, and no flats.
https://www.strava.com/activities/8903803790

My riding buddy, Will, crossing the finish line just ahead of me...


Pete Stetina passed me at the bottom of the soul-crushing Double Peaks climb. He had done almost 50 more miles than me at this point, and crossed the finish line 10 minutes before I did (7th place, 10 min behind the winner). Those top guys are truly amazing.

jsigone

great job finishing BWR! Such an awesome event to have in our backyard, people from ALL over USA and EU come to ride/race it. Though this is local dirt for me, I'd never link it together like this or even have the type of atmosphere close to what BWR pulls off. The people on the side of the roads w/ signs and cow bells. To those fans by the water crossing looking for the big splash. Great event, I'll think about next yr but not yet.....haha I still need to wash my kit and bike. I just threw it all in a pile in the garage.

Eric F 

The route, the organization, and the support were all top-notch, for sure. A couple of helpful volunteers at one of the last aid stations kept us from missing a timing check-point at a spot where the route was a little vague. I'm already intending to be back next year, to Wafer again.

diphthong

just climbing dirt-then paved-questhaven enroute to the summit at double peak is worth the visit to san diego county. glad you made it and enjoyed!

diphthong

edgeridge is pretty as is descending. with all the rain this year, must be even more mystical. will hafta reinvestigate soon.

Eric F 

The Double Peak climb was worth all the awesome dirt sections in the previous 71 miles.

Questhaven alone isn’t enough to justify the soul-crushing effort required for Double Peak.

IMO, YMMV

diphthong

agreed. love the double-double (triple?) tho.

jsigone

LOL I was recording the climb up double peaks while hold my phone. Made a short IG reel outta some of the clips from the day.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrKBU..._web_copy_link

some people were def hurting up that climb and paper boying.

The dirt side downhill is always one of my favorite sections, part being that the ride is almost done and almost all downhill back to the beer garden.


Topic change. Anyone in San Diego doing the Gran Fondo this Sunday? I'll be there on my roadie.

CAT7RDR

Back on the road bike for a bit around La Habra Heights. Repaving the roads north of West Road like Subtropic Dr and Encanada Dr.
Everything is green and the Mustard plants are 10-12 feet high,
37 miles and 4.1 K/ft of climb.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42592794

Access trail to Puente Hills Habitat from East Skyline Drive.

jsigone

Lunch ride up Poway grade. melted....my body is used to the 60* over cast of last weekend. Wrong day to wear black jersey and bring only one bottle.

https://www.strava.com/activities/8932517322

jsigone

San Diego Grand Fondo today, warm in the hills and good stiff head wind on Otay Lakes back to the water front. Shorted 3 miles from hundo but since this one I paid for, it gets rounded up. 3rd century this month, I'm taking next weekend off haaaaaaaa

https://www.strava.com/activities/8945857777



counting down miles til the beer garden, waited for wifey to pick me up.

diphthong

oooh...know that pic heading west on otay lakes rd...just before the guardrail and the dip and the lil airport. headwind worst after 11am but still noticeable in the early am.
lived down there for a decade and rode the eastern chula vista gauntlet of telegraph canyon/otay lakes to 94/otay lakes junction out and back (27m) once a week on average.
there are harder/longer climbs than honey springs rd just past that junction but that set the standard. still despise that climb.

plenty of bigg rides for you in the last 7-8 months! congrats! thanks for the inspiration!

jsigone

I despise that section or even the entire Otay Lakes Road. Traffic wasn't such A holes since CHP was on patrol on the back roads for this event. Even Lions valley didn't have 100mph motos buzzing us so it was a good day.

I PR'd that segment from the Otay Airport to the kicker climb out, held my FTP numbers for the duration in that lovely head wind, none of my friends wanted or could come around. I didn't notice them getting dropped 1 by 1 while I held 22mph ave

Eric F 

Saturday...20mi gravel ride on the local roads and trails I ride on most frequently (Cherry Canyon, Glendale Sports Complex). Legs were feeling flat, but since I'm not currently targeting any event, I just enjoyed being on the bike and enjoyed seeing EVERYTHING blooming in the hills. Glendale Sports complex trail has been "maintained", and taken out much of the character that made it a fun challenge on a gravel bike. It's been made kinder and gentler...and dull.



Sunday...38 mile Coffee Ride roadie group. More than 30 riders, including a few more young bucks than usual. Pace was brisker than usual, and got pretty feisty when we turned into the hills. I had to dig pretty deep a couple of times to stay with the lead group as things started splintering, but ran out of matches at the bottom of the last climb. Good effort for the day.

diphthong

40-miler thru la mesa, santee, el cajon and mount helix areas. some new/once-ridden roads involved. actively challenged some decent grades/hills.
actively avoided some decent grades/hills. carrying plenty of winter weight and looking to whittle it down in the next few (warmer) months. nice day out.
cloudless and in the 68-69 degree range throughout. only slightly chilly on a handful of descents and only slightly overheated on a few climbs of
.25 miles or more. humidity not a factor. first ride since april 6th. conditioning is awful and a far cry from the 1200 mile months of last july and august.

diphthong

42-miler in roughly the same area as yesterday; just different roads and a little less climbing. felt a little better during and after.

Eric F 

Happy Hour!…9mi fun MTB ride to Brown Saddle with a long-time friend and riding/racing partner. Easy pace and good conversation.

jsigone

First ride back on the pinarello since I got the soloist. This bike is still awesome and feels fast. Rancho Santa Fe, San Elijo Lagoon, and headed down south to inside Torrey Pines hill climb. Last 5 miles was in the dark using my lights.
https://www.strava.com/activities/8964116589

joesch

That pinarello looks really fast. What does the soloist do better?

jsigone

larger tire selection is the biggest factor with the soloist. The pinarello is limited to 26c tires vs the soloist is 34c tires. Both have mechanical 11 sp ultegra, though I did order di2 105 12s for the soloist. So I can have the same cassette gearing + adding the 34t for stupid steep climbs. I have mixed feeling about di2, we'll see if it's for me. .Also mean I can big ring more climbs

Geo between the two frames is nearly identical except the head tube and stand over is bit taller and steeper on the Pinarello. 168mm vs 155mm head tube + bearing cap. Both bikes are have stem slammed on the bearing caps.

Ran the Pinarello on last nights Thursday night thrasher ride, buddy and I got late start so we're determined to catch them. Caught the group on 3 witches and continued w/ our tempo to pass all but 2 riders before the summit. Lots of PRs for me yesterday. I had no Power meter or HRM strap. Just going off feel and not focused on numbers on the screen

https://www.strava.com/activities/8969817032

SoSmellyAir

After an almost 2 week hiatus after an overseas trip and jet lag upon my return, my first ride this year at > 75 F, so just a short (< 1 hour) 13 mile loop to test my new Garmin Varia. Did not head out until after 2 pm and so went in a different direction than usual to avoid schools letting out. Did not know that Newport Ave. / Newport Blvd. northbound (to just below Santiago Canyon Road) was such a long climb! 650 ft. elevation gain today, almost all from that climb. But set a new personal record (41.5 mph) on Jamboree Rd. descent! Probably could have cleared 42 mph if I was less nervous about the long descent.

joesch

Some of you will probably enjoy these rides
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...alifornia.html

CAT7RDR

Did my favorite loop in the Whittier Hills area on what started on a cloudy/overcast morning and ended in sunshine.
44 miles and 4.6K of climb. Learning to ride on a proper road bike again with rotator cuff issues. I'm really focusing on bending my elbows, engaging my core, moving from the hoods to the drops and also stretching while riding. Seemed to be less shoulder pain today.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/42727121

Lawn Bicycle art on La Cuarta in Whittier.

Eric F 

Saturday…28mi solo gravel bike ride in the Verdugo Hills. Super hot on top half of La Tuna climb (101deg). Recent grading on Verdugo Mtwy and Beaudry North made for quick riding compared to post-storm conditions. Good ride. Legs felt pretty smoked at the end.



Sunday…42mi road ride with a small group of good riders. Easy pace to coffee in DTLA. First time riding through Elysian Park. Quick tempo paceline on LART. Threshold tempo climb on Chevy Chase and backside of Lida. Power seems to be improving. Felt better than expected after Saturday’s efforts.

jsigone

super early start to make the San Diego Rugby game by 1. Rancho Santa Fe, Elfin Forest to Highland Valley Road. Good climbing per mile ratio today

https://www.strava.com/activities/8986029576