We were jinxed or something. That’s what happens when 13 riders turn up for a ride, ay? I knew something was off when Jill pulled up at Carbon Connection Cyclery last Saturday morning without even a trace of smile on her face. As a matter of fact, she actually looked upset! I really should have taken a photograph, but I was too shocked to think clearly. The only times I had ever seen Jill without a smile on her face were when she was eating… and I could almost swear that I had even seen her grinning while chewing on some delicious treat once or twice before!
A trace of smile had already crept back on Jill’s face by the time I managed to pull out the camera.
It turned out she had just heard from one of our riders who were participating in the Semper Tri triathlon on Camp Pendleton that the base was closed (only) to cyclists until 11 am. That pretty much drop kicked our ride plan, so quick-thinking Judy and Jill (who were leading A and B groups on this ride) improvised a route up to Oceanside, veering inland on the San Luis Rey River Trail to N Santa Fe to take Melrose Dr south to Carlsbad and back to the shop via La Costa Blvd and the Coast Hwy. I was supposedly C group boss, but I was nursing an unfriendly saddle sore and opted for just a short out-n-back route on the SLRR Trail.
Time to hit the road!
Oceanside regroup at west terminus of San Luis Rey River Trail.
The majority of our group opted to go with the B group, with the three-gal C group tagging along at the back up to Oceanside and inland on the SLRR Trail where both trail traffic and fitness dictated that we fell back a bit. Judy was leading the B group and was totally awesome about regrouping often, and we were all together again by the east end of the trail. Alas, Janice took a tumble somewhere along the route and had to put up with my rather shoddy field medic-ing attempt (I was all thumbs that morning) that had me carrying a slighter lighter backpack and her sporting crooked bandages on her limps for the rest of our morning.
East on San Luis Rey River Trail.
B group in Vista.
As Sian and Kristina bravely decided to continue on with the B group, I said good bye to the rest of the gang at the east terminus of the trail and headed back to the coast on my own while the gals spun gallantly on into the rollers-rich environs of Vista. As it turned out they had a really good ride that was quite a bit more challenging than we had all anticipated.
Jill and Kim, smiling even when wet!
But what of the A group? It turned out fearless Jill and Kim went on to quite an awesome adventure, a 101 mile long tour of San Diego’s North County! It was Kim’s first century ride and not even a good dose of thunder shower could force her off the road before she was finished. But then, of course, with Jill riding with you, who really needs the sun to have some fun?
It isn’t going to rain this Saturday, though, and we are rolling south to visit beautiful Rancho Santa Fe. Why don’t you come and join us?
~ Michell
Swami's Team Fun 