PCH Randonneurs Corona 200k Brevet 6.4.2011

The day after a brevet is almost always up for grabs.  Sometimes I ride, but not very often.  Usually I prefer to do something other than cycling.  This morning I got up at the crack of 8am and went to yoga.  It was a good session although it did start out a little rough.  I wasn't sore, just a little stiff and it made the first half of the session sluggish.  I came around at the half way point and starting feeling a little more limber.  In the afternoon I walked down to the beach and finished reading Hell on Two Wheels.  I also took a nap.

Doheny State Beach looking towards Capistrano Beach

Saturday morning I had everything loaded up and ready so all I had to do was get in my car and drive out to Corona.  I left home about 0600 and got to Corona at about 0630.  As I was unloading my car I wondered what kind of ride I would take this morning.  Most of the time I take these brevets as social rides and ride along with a group.  I'm in decent form this season and had also been thinking about riding a hard 200k to just see how it things are progessing.

After getting geared up and the bike unloaded I took a quick spin around the parking lot where we were assembling for the ride.  I always do that to see if I'd boogered anything on the bike during transport.  The bike was fine and as I took my quick lap I decided that this I'd like to push my pace a little bit.  Terry Hutt, the event master, called a quick meeting at 0655 to go over a couple of particulars on the route and then set us free.

I figured that if I was going to make this a fast ride, I might as well go, so I took off right away.  As we climbed a slight grade over the 91 freeway I passed Willie Hunt, a 'bent rider, and said good morning.  I imagined that Willie would be good to go with me.  I didn't know who else might follow but I'd welcome the company for sure.  After the briefest time on public roadways we hit the SART (Santa Ana River Trail) where we'd be for about 30 miles.  The river trail has a pretty good surface and has a slight, slight grade towards the ocean.  With the typical on-shore breeze there is normally a head wind in our direction of travel as well.  We were early enough that I hoped we'd only experience the slighest breeze this morning.  I wanted to get to the coast and turned south where the traditional tailwind would then give us a nice boost down to San Clemente and control #3.

I pushed my pace for a long time, about an hour on SART seeing speeds in the 22-24  MPH range.  I scrupulously kept out of the red zone on my HRM staying below 164 BPM.  I could hear another bike behind me and assumed it to be Willie.  It was a cool morning which made working hard feel easier.  As we neared the coast we began to find the on shore breeze and Willie came around and asked if I was in a hurry.  I guess I was.  I had formulated a minor goal which was to arrive early at the first control.  Even with hauling ass on the river trial that would be no mean feat since we'd also have several miles of public roads to contend with near the control.  Around that time I realized that we had another rider along, Constantin Bancila, who came around shortly after Willie.  We continued in this fashion for the next few miles.  I managed to miss a turn off the trail but quickly noted the error and backtracked on course.  I reached the first control a couple of minutes after Willie and Constantin after being gapped at a stop light.  I managed to clock in at 0856 for a 0858 control opening time.  Success!

Constantin (foreground) & Willie

We messed around for 10 or 15 minutes before we got back on PCH headed south into a headwind.  Yup, unusual wind direction today as this would most often be a tailwind.  No problem, Willie on the front and Constantin and I swapping wheel #2 we made good time south bound generally running 20 MPH when we weren't stopped at a light.  The route took us down the Balboa Peninsula and back across to the mainland via the Balboa Ferry.  It had been years since I'd ridden the Balboa Ferry and it was fun.

Back on PCH in Newport Beach we kept heading south.  The sun came out between Newport and Laguna Beach and we stopped to have a quick nature break.  Working our way into Laguna Beach I got gapped off again at a stop light.  Many riders seem to fear riding through Laguna because PCH while four lanes wide is very narrow and has a steady row of parked cars.  For me there are two ways to ride Laguna.  The first is the conventional "take the lane" vehicular cycling method.   The second, and the one that I enjoy the most, is to car surf through the heavy traffic areas.  By that I mean you crank up your speed to match that of traffic and move along at automobile speeds in the lane taking advantage of the draft when ever you can.  I guess it is like an impromptu motor pacing session.  On a busy summer day the traffic speed is about 20 - 25 MPH in the most congested areas which is quite doable on a bicycle.  This day was not so congested so I simply took the lane as needed and moved on down the road.

Continuing south into Dana Point I could see Willie and Constantin a short distance ahead and knew we'd make the third control together.  After a 15 minute stop we got back on the road heading north.  We crossed paths with some southbound randonneurs just north of the control.  Back through Dana Point, heading north on PCH, I saw my wife Michelle and our neighbor Michelle walking our dog Koni heading home from the coffee shop.  The best I could come up with was a quick "Michelle, Michelle" as we sped by.

North edge of Dana Point

At the north end of Dana Point we pulled back onto the extensive complex of Orange County bike trails.  After a short time it became apparent that Constantin had either stopped or gotten lost.  We didn't see him again this day.  Willie and I rode the bike trail which is uphill for about 20 miles going from sea level to around 1500'.  The majority of the climbing is in the last 12 miles and this is one of my favorite routes for an inland training ride.  Just short of the high point in the route there was a control.  We found Terry Hutt waiting there with snacks and fresh water.  Since the cloud cover had cleared the day was warming up.  This was a really nice location for a control and resupply.  After another 15 minute stop we got back on the road.  I didn't see Willie again until the finish.  He owns Santiago Canyon on his 'bent.  I know how fast I traveled between control 4 and 5 and I can only imagine how quickly that same terrain would be covered on a 'bent.

Willie (foreground), Terry Hutt, control 4

At control 5 I stopped at the Subway and had a sandwich.  Up to this point I was quite happy with my ride.  Was looking at a nine hour ET for this brevet with about 7 1/2 hours riding time.

Wylie Coyote

Back on SART after a few miles of cross town riding, I got moving again.  Setting my pace at 22 MPH I gobbled up the trail easily still enjoying the speed.  As I peaked a small rise in the trail I saw a coyote jogging along the trail.  I think that I was approaching much quicker than he expected and it afforded a good picture opportunity.


I finished the ride at 1605 and found Willie talking to Jim Harris at the finish.  After a few minutes of hanging around at the finish shooting the breeze with Willie and Jim, I loaded up and drove home.

This was a outstanding day on the bicycle.  Willie and Constantin were fun and willing participants in a fast 200k.  Terry Hutt did a great job with the route and he routed us through some areas in my home turf that I seldom ride.  Jim Harris was at the finish as a volunteer and when I learned he lives in Palmdale that really clarified his level of commitment.  Thanks Jim and Terry!

PCH Corona 200k Ride Stats:
Distance: 209 km
Riding Speed Average: 27.5 km/h
Ascent 1304 m
Time 09:05 hh:mm