Pie ride - Dec. 18?

[karlos]

We're all on pins and needles, awaiting a ride summary...

[Nerius Landys]

That was an epic ride, indeed!  Thank you Mr. Turek for being a great ride leader!  We're planning another Pie Ride in March.

Now we're waiting for the photos to be posted *wink* *wink*.

[Anthony Smith]

How many souls did this Trek? Nerius details, details and more details please.

[Anthony Scozzari]

Eric ride - snow, rain, cold, climbing and suffering (at least for me!!)  Started with 7 - Bill, Ursala, Wade, Steve, Nerius, Sean, and me.  Sean had a brain and stayed on 76 and avoided the snow, rain, and scary decent.  The rest of us finished together.  Bill was great and thanks to him and Wade for checking on me at the end as I was struggling.  IT is so odd to suffer, and wonder why in the hell did I start this ride and then at the end......that was great, when can we do it again.

I had pumpkin wide with whipped cream and hot chocolate at Palomar and Nerius bought us all an apple pie at Santa Ysabel.

My face will be wind, snow, grim from non fender bikes burned for days!!

[Wade Duchene]

The detailed report.

The start was surprisingly uneventful.  A quick photo and then Bill led us out with Ursula, Sean, Anthony Sc., Nerius, Steve, and me trailing.

We were all bundled up, with Nerius wearing some bib tights with a slightly disturbing hole in the back. But I gave him a pass on that because he was nice enough to lend me his extra set of toe warmers.

We headed out of Escondido full of confidence with Sean and Ursula helping Bill with the pulls.  By the time we reached the top of Valley Center Parkway all of us were starting to get a little warm. Ursula was first to the top showing no sense of moderation. Sean was not first up the hill and he mentioned something about a nonexistent flat.

For some strange reason we put the hammer down through Rincon arriving at the store at the bottom of Palomar in a lather.  By this time, I had created a micro climate in my jacket and was beginning to wonder if I had remembered to put on deodorant this morning.  We loaded up with some water and everyone stripped down except for Steve (who never strips down).  I would also like to point out that Bill had a very stylish tartan jersey.

The start of the climb was fantastic. It was pretty cool but this made for good cycling and we were all keeping a pretty good clip.  At about 3000 feet everything changed when the drizzle started.  By 4000 feet we were in the clouds and the rain was a bit more intense, I was beginning to think this was not the smartest thing I have ever done. Thankfully, at about 4500 feet the rain turned to snow which was awesome.  All those who attempted it  arrived safely at Mothers.  Special props to Nerius and Ursula who went store to store in under 1:20.  Some had breakfast and some had pie. Nerius had both.  Ursula mentioned that she wished she had toe warmers, feeling slightly guilty that Nerius loaned me his I offered them up {secretly figuring there was no way they would fit her).  Ursula seems to have unusually large feet for a woman.    

After a nice break although still extremely wet we set out down the east grade into a snowfall that quickly turned to sleet.  I know that everyone?s hands and some of our toes went immediately numb. The wet cold was so intense that I got a horrible Slurpy like brain freeze type headache. (My aerodynamic position seems to force an abnormal amount of air right onto my forehead.)

After a slight wrong turn, we headed toward Mesa Grande. At this point Anthony Sc. argued that in this weather, climbing anything with a ?Grande? in the name was sheer madness. His point was conceded all around ? and then we headed up the hill.  The climb was difficult but not horrible with Nerius and Bill leading the way. The cold drizzle continued as we rode through some pretty, but poorly fenced rolling terrain with cows, and dogs making themselves a nuisance on the road  - including one little dog that really didn?t like Nerius.

Arriving at at the Julian Pie Company in Santa Ysabel we were thoroughly soaked and cold.  With Dutch apple pie and coffees all around, we were soon off to Ramona (thanks Nerius). The weather began to ease to a light drizzle that completely stopped by the time we arrived at the 67.  The roads here were fantastic ? fast, no traffic and almost dry.  The Highland Valley climb and decent went smooth although no one but Steve showed any sense of moderation.

We arrived back in at McGee Park en mass, took a quick photo, made promises to do it again and then we were off to the showers.

All in all pretty darn epic.                    

[Ursula Cunneen]

Wade's synopsis was spot on.  Had me laughing all the way through.  It was a terrific ride and once we were in the dry I think all of us had already forgotten how cold and wet it was at the top of Mt Palomar.  The mind has a way of forgetting the suffering.  Bill promised to lead the ride again in March and I am sure we will all be there with him.  And Wade, my feet are not unusually big for a woman.  Size 9 is normal!

[susan pratt]

Congratulations to you all.  I will be there in March.  I was thinking about you all day.....I know the weather conditions were tough!!!!!  I rode up and down Berthoud Pass in Colorado last year and do remember well those numb hands and nose.  And, Ursula,  you don't have big feet.  Iwear a size 10. Congrats again.

[Anthony Scozzari]

A very funny and great synopsis, Wade.  Sadly though not completely accurate.  The Mesa Grande climb was brutal, thankfully I was bringing up the rear and no one heard the wimpering and crying.

When will me feet warm up?  I've got two pairs of socks on and I feet are cold, everything else is warm but my feet. 

[karlos]

Hmmm... a pie ride in March. I vote for a March 14 ride, 3.14... for a true pi ride (have to wait until 2015 to do it on a weekend, though).

[wbturek@yahoo.com]

Okay, tried the ftp thing to the NCCC website to no avail, so here's my facebook album from yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150402115472644.338401.726177643&type=1&l=e9606d9ca7. Unsurprisingly, the photos on't quite capture the achingly cold reality, but that's why you had to be there!  What a great ride, with a great group.  You guys (and girl) rock.  Looking forward to next time!  Now, just gotta clean my bike . . .

[Karl Rudnick]

... and Bill's photo album is now slotted into the NCCC Photo Gallery. Just click the Photos tab from anywhere on our site. You guys gotta give your ride leader a break and take the photos next time. Thanks, Bill
-Karl

[seanb]

BLIZZARD RIDE 2011
What a great re-cap from Wade but I thought there were a few details worth mention. Seven riders left the parking lot at a chilly 8:00AM following our fearless, dressed in layers, impromptu leader, Bill the Adventurer.

For a promised casual 100 miler the pace started out brisk but welcome as we all needed to warm our bones. But that all changed when we hit the Valley Center climb and Ursula put the hammer down and put us all in our climbing places. And while true (Wade put it so eloquently) I was not the first to the top, more like dead last, I would have been fine had I not been singled out and asked if I stopped on the way up the hill.

Trying to save face I may have mentioned a non-existent flat to make up for my lack of climbing prowess. Not to name names but, the first person up the hill (see paragraph above) should not be questioning the last person up the hill. Bill can you check the by-laws for an etiquette violation and possible club expulsion for this hazing, taunting behavior.

Through Valley Center the ride progressed without incident while the anticipation of climbing the beyond category mountain finally settled in which made us all that more determined.

We fly through Rincon and finally stop at the market to water up, strip down and fuel up for the climb. At this point we are in the shadow, of Palomar Mountain. OK not exactly a shadow as there is no sun and the mountain top is shrouded in a heavy cover of clouds looking all the part of the WINTER STORM WARNING that had been predicted.

Did I mention WINTER STORM WARNING?  And yes my handy IPhone, weather.com app indicates rain and snow above 4,500 feet and remind me again why we want to ride in rain, snow, and blizzard?

As I climb the lower portion watching the six other riders pull away once again, I begin to contemplate??..why do I want to subject myself to being  A) last up the mountain, B) cold, C) wet, D) most likely hazed again by the first rider up the hill, E)  subject to no pie left, F) subject to the unusually large woman getting the toe warmers, or was that unusually large feet on a woman or was Wade delirious from the cold and saw a Big Foot???

At this point I decide to invoke one of my two bicycling theorems the first is?.if I were meant to ride in a blizzard I would have fur.  And the second?.well more on that later

So, I decide not to climb into the blizzard, I split at the ?Y? say my sad farewells to Bill and Steve as Big Foot, I mean Ursula, did not wait once again. So I head on the 76 towards Mesa Grande and/or to the east grade thinking I can climb up to the blizzard and wait for the 6 other psycho, wet, cold, snow covered, riders.

This plan quickly falls apart as I climbed the east grade hitting rain at about 3,500 feet and decided, I am chicken, I am not cut out for riding in the rain, I wish I had cool Nerius fenders or at least Bill's sporty Tartan jersey to keep me dry and I start to descend thinking the rain will subside as I head for Mesa Grande.

My Plan B quickly became a bad idea as the rain did not subside and it got worse.  As I climbed Mesa Grande (and Anthony is right on this??there is nothing grand about that climb) the rain picked up and at this point I evoke my second bicycling theorem?if I can fill a water bottle by ringing out my socks, it?s time to call for a pick-up. I ride Mesa Non-Grande to Santa Ysabel, where I am met by a warm, dry heat blasting SUV for a pleasant drive home.

Lastly, there is some conspiracy speculation that the other 6 riders never really made it to the top and the whole thing was staged in the same studio they used for the supposed lunar landing. I never saw the other 6 on the top of Palomar. The ?looks like a Christmas card from the inside of mothers? photo looks very suspicious. If you look closely you can see fishing line holding up each snow flake. The ?snow? on the side of the road looks amazingly similar to vanilla shave ice. The photo is currently being forensically reviewed for alterations. The photo of pie and coffee looks eerily similar to the bakery department in the Del Mar Vons. Lastly, I have climbed Palomar side by side with Steve and I know from our conversations that he is not crazy enough to ride in a blizzard. Also note that Wade?s description of the ride there are several inaccuracies the first ?we arrive back in Mcgee Park? come on that is in Carlsbad not Escondido. I expect that from Anthony and his sense of direction but not a government employee.  And come on, ?a little dog that did not like Nerius? who can?t like Nerius. Raises some questions doesn?t it ???can you say conspiracy. I am just saying??

[Frank]

Raises some questions doesn?t it ???can you say conspiracy. I am just saying??

Its time to change the tin foil under your helmet.

[Ursula Cunneen]

Sean,
Have to say that was a most interesting and amusing recap of your side of the story.  Lots of LOL moments while I was reading it at work.  Couldn't explain to anyone...they wouldn't understand in between all their potluck eating.  Glad to see that your Creative Writing skills from English 101 were finally put to some good use.

[Wade Duchene]

"sporty tartan jersey",  "tinfoil".   LOL

Sean is on to us though.  He's pointed out the inconsistencies in our story.  I did get the park wrong.  And Ursula, you did also mention that you couldn't remember the pain of the climb.

I'm starting to doubt us myself,  guess we'll have to do it again.



PS. My freaking knee is KILLING me.  I've tried everything I know (and can google) to stretch out my IT band but nothing is working.  The pain has now climbed up to my left butt cheek.  If anyone knows how to beat this please let me know.