Cycling in Solana Beach

<span style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px;"> <span style="line-height: 19px; color: #002060; font-size: 11pt;">This Saturday’s ride is one of the most popular ones in the history of this training series. Some of the most scenic areas in the county, as we head through Elfin Forest and Harmony Grove, make up a good part of the ride, along with heading<span style="line-height: 19px;"> </span>past Lake Hodges on the way down Del Dios Highway. <span style="line-height: 19px;"> </span></span> <span style="line-height: 19px; color: #002060; font-size: 11pt;">With the increased amount of climbing involved, it will be important for each rider to start out at a little slower warm-up pace for the first five miles, meaning stay behind the ride guide until after the warm-up is completed. There will be a series of stop signs early in the ride so this will be the opportunity for the group to get into the practice of the lead rider stopping and setting a foot down, as it is the law, then the rest of the group rolls through the intersection together. There will be a long, though not steep climb up Rancho Santa Fe before reaching San Elijo Road. It is still important for each rider to climb at one’s pace, so there will be some frequent regroupings on completion of several of these climbs. Once in Elfin Forest there are some very scenic areas, but some stretches of road can be winding and narrow so it will be important to stay single file with some parts becoming high traffic with large vehicles and the occasional cycling club also heading through.</span> <span style="line-height: 19px; color: #002060; font-size: 11pt;">The scheduled SAG will be at the former Long’s drug store in the shopping center by Valley Road. After the SAG will be the ride down Del Dios, heading to Solana Beach. Each rider should remember to refuel as there will be some more climbing on the way into Solana Beach before the downhill heading to the Coast Highway on the way back to MCC. While in Solana Beach, Lomas Santa Fe is a busy street, especially near I-5, so be sure to keep full awareness of all surroundings. While there is one scheduled SAG, the ride guides may come up with some additional ones at certain locations, if the need arises for restroom stops.</span> </span>