Valentine's Visit with the Ranchiti

 It has obviously been a few months since Valentine's Day... What can I say? I'm a champion procrastinator! February 2020 was a month before COVID19 really caught ground here in the States, of course, so we were still free to roam well out of our immediate neighborhood. As I somehow got lucky and was not scheduled to work on Valentine's Day, I decided to go hop on the bike and go pay a long lost roadside friend a visit (and to be well out of town should the boss decided he needed me to come in after all). 

The ride: https://www.strava.com/activities/3100603539 (Alas, I forgot to turn the Garmin back on to record the final 11 miles)

'Go east while the weather is cooperative,' is one of my cycling mantra. I chanted it in my head as I caught the well chilled pre-dawn train and bus out to Harrah's Casino in Rincon, and took off up Valley Center Rd in the frigid air. It was such a cold morning that I was 2 miles up the Hwy 76 climb before I was warm enough to stop to pack away my winter mitten and jacket. (Mind, catching a front flat from a piece of broken glass as I entered the Valley Center Rd and Hwy 76 roundabout didn't help. The easy job of flat repair becomes rather much less than easy in the 38F cold dark air. I could hardly tell my thumbs from my elbows). 

But, all aggravations were forgotten 12 miles up the road when I turned off at a favorite spot just past Lake Henshaw to visit with my favorite view of the lake, fronted by the lonely branchy tree and with Hot Springs Mtn hovering in the background. It is one of my many private happy places around the county.

Traffic was light heading north on Hwy 79 through Mataguay, though there were many RVs and boat trailers caravaning east on San Felipe Rd. They were obviously traveling together as a few would end up turning out to wait for the others to catch up as they traveled east... with me inevitably playing leapfrog with the giants-with-many-blind-spots as we headed east toward the desert. It seems a bit amusing looking back on it now, but as that was going on I really did not enjoy it at all. Luckily all the leap-frogging giants continued on east on San Felipe Rd toward Salton Sea rather than turning onto Montezuma Valley Rd (S22) with me toward Ranchita. I looked back at them, took a deep breath of relief and immediately felt 10 lbs lighter. 

Oh, there was an unwelcome sight along San Felipe Rd just before the S22 turn off, though. As much as I dislike seeing all the road side trash that evidently came out of cars, I absolutely hate running into the few of them that came out of bicycles. 

Pick up after yourself, folks! (Naturally I put the trash into my backpack and didn't leave it around to further spread ill will toward people on bike. It's one of the perks of riding with a backpack, aside from being able to buy some locally made things along the road that I can't find at stores in the city. More on that later).

Stopping to check out Gravevine Canyon Rd's exit at Hwy S22. Might do a gravel ride thru there next winter.

The Montezuma Valley Market, the only general store with cold drinks, snacks, and a big port-a-toilet for miles, had a lot of beautiful handmade wooden chairs out for sale in front of the store. The friendly shopkeeper told me they get a lot of business from passing cyclists, and so they stock surprising things like the Stroopwafel and varieties of LUNA bars among the jars of local honey and avocado. There is even a well stocked mini-neighborhood library on the front porch with anything from children's books to the classics. The shopkeeper was exceedingly nice and welcoming. Make no mistake, though, this place is well guarded by a very large and hairy bouncer...

The Ranchiti (Ranchita Yeti) is the epitome of a strong and silent Valentine's Day date!

The only public restroom for miles in any direction. It's 11 miles from here to Borrego Springs Park HQ down in the desert, 10 or so to the nearest gas station in Warner Springs, and about 12 miles from Lake Henshaw Resort. So... weather your bladder is threatening to explode or not when you get here, go use the loo while you can or you'll regret it later up or down the road. 

Montezuma Valley Rd (S-22) from the crest a mile east of the Rancheti down to Borrego Springs is one of the most gorgeous paved descents in San Diego County. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Salton Sea, and all the nothingness in between. If you aren't in a hurry, though, there are many bucolic spots on the side of the road (and many trailheads) to stop and enjoy the view. If you are lucky you might even spot a bighorn sheep or two. I wish I had packed a binocular! 

Alas, I caught my second and third flats from, of all things, goat head thorns on the descent. Goat head punctures in February! Those things aren't usually around until late summer!  

Needless to say that changed my day's plan a bit. With only one spare tube and 2 1/2 CO2 cartridges left in my backpack, I cut off the descent at the Desert View lookout and headed back up earlier than I wanted. It's been years since I last had more than 1 flat tire on a single ride. The flat tire gods were obviously displeased with me, and I had better try to get back to town quick. 

Tho, not so quick as to not grab a few of these yummy local honey at the Montezuma Market on my 2nd pass of Ranchita. Hey, I'm not called Smorg for nothing!

A mile or so before the Hwy 79 turn off from San Felipe Rd I veered off the pavement again to pay the Warner Springs Ranch a visit. The keeper isn't around this time, so I didn't hang around for long. 

A couple of miles back on Hwy 79 I espied a pair of coyotes trotting along side the road not far from the curiously uncurious herd of cows, though, so I made the mistake of pulling off for a photo shoot. 

As soon as the tires hit the dirt shoulder they let off a low moan... A rear puncture, and a slow leak on the front! I put the last fresh spare tube on the rear tire. Alas, the patch kit had gone bad after years of remaining unused in the saddlebag. All the glue had dried out and it was completely useless. I had a canister and a half of 16g CO2 cartridge left. The half immediately went into the front tire, after which I time-trialed back to Lake Henshaw Resort where I attempted to call for a cab rescue. 

(Lake Henshaw Resort Restaurant was manned by a very friendly waitress who made some really good filly sandwich). 

A big booboo to the Yellow Cab operator who told me she'd have a cab out my way in 40 minutes and never called back again after an hour had past. I had to call again to find out that no cab was actually headed my way as I was out of service area! That was fairly aggravating in and of itself even without adding on the fact that the front tire was now completely flat, I had no spare tube or functioning patch kit left, and only a 16g cannister of CO2 left in my saddlebag. 

I had about 12 miles of wiggly country highways left between me and the nearest functioning bus station (for bus 388 to Escondido from Harrah's Casino). The final 7 miles on Hwy 76 and Valley Center Rd are all downhill. Before I get to the downhill, tho, I had a false flat thru La Jolla Reservation and a 2 miles climb to the Palomar shoulder where South Grade Rd branches off. I made sure both tires were clear of any debris, squeeze half a canister of CO2 into the front, and raced west like a bat out of hell. 

(A forlorn last look at Lake Henshaw before my escape run to Rincon)

Naturally, there was no time to take any more photo after that. I made it to the South Grade Rd turn off with the front tire still inflated enough for the downhill run into Rincon Valley and caught the next bus back to Escondido and then the train home. 

A highlight video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT_FWttrtXY 

It was a much closer shave than I'd have liked... Five flat tires on a single ride! Much of that, I'm afraid, had to do with the tires being on the thin and old side of healthy. But it still proves the old saying that one can never be overly prepared. I thought it was overkill to have 4 spare tubes, 6 canisters of CO2, and a patch kit with me as I started the day of. In the end, I used them all and could have done with more! I put on a new set of 28mm Gatorskins after the ride, of course, and haven't had any more puncture since. 

San Marcos' Little Mt Whitney

The skyline of San Marcos, CA is dominated by the Cerro de las Posas mountain range of which Mt Whitney (1729 ft) is its tallest prominence. Unlike many other prominent hills around town, there are several paved ways to the top of Mt Whitney, though some are less accessible than others. Choosing your way up, however, is an exercise in poison picking. Mt Whitney charges high metabolic price for the view she gives from the top.

Starting from the NE end of the range, the major route up Mt Whitney is on the back side of California State University - San Marcos (CSSM) via La Moree, Coronado Hills Dr, and Washingtonia Dr. The climbing begins a block or so south Coronado Hills Rd at the junction with Via del Campo. From bottom to top is 2 miles long at 8.3% average grade. The first 0.6 mile on Coronado Hills Dr is the most brutal, however, with an opening kick at 17% grade before dropping off to a near constant 15% for half a mile to the Washingtonia Dr turn off. Washingtonia is a bit of a roller until the private drive car gate (hikers and bicycles can go around), after which it only goes up and up all the way to the top. Don't begrudge the car gate at the last level off (Vallecitos Water District overlook) that you have to dismount and hike a bike thru. It's the only 'resting' spot before the sustained 14% grade for 1/4 mile to the tower. Also, remember this gate on your descent... and make sure you can stop the bike without crashing onto it!

Coronado Hills Dr

If you don't mind roughing it for a hard dirt stretch, another legit way up little Mt Whitney is to go up either San Elijo Rd or S Twin Oaks Valley Rd to the Ridgeline Trailhead staging area traffic light at Double Peak Elementary School. Go thru the school parking lot to pick up the dirt bit of Attebury Rd and continue on it to Washingtonia Dr. I prefer coming at it from San Elijo Rd rather than S Twin Oaks because you get more elevation gain from the south side, and you don't have to beg for green light to cross the road to get to Double Peak School. This is the first climb on this video:


(Video is of the Mt Whitney bit on my usual Friday morning assaults on Mt Whitney and her next door neighbor, Double Peak).

Aside from these two fairly open-access routes, there are a couple more private and steep ones whose accessibility can vary a bit from time to time (sometimes bikes and hikers are quite welcome on them, sometimes not so much). The Bela Vita Way route to connect to Attebury Rd to Washingtonia is listed on the City of San Marcos trails project map, though currently it is still strictly private. At 1.8 miles and 9.3% average grade, this is the hardest way to the top on paper (though in practice I don't think it is).

Bela Vita Way is guarded by two gates; the bottom one at S Village Dr was recently extended to cut off the dirt trail access, and the top one in the middle of a 15% grade ramp was fortified a bit, so this way may not stay bike/hike-able for long. With all the gates and the lack of other houses except for the manor overlooking the winery, there is literally no car traffic on this lonely paved lane... except for the winery owner and his couple of neighbors. Here is a video I took a while back (before the gates were extended and fortified), descending from Mt Whitney tower to S Village Dr via Attebury Dr and Bela Vita Way.



The goriest route up to Mt Whitney, however, is from the even less accessible Crestwind Dr on the SE side by Harmony Grove Village. It is about 2.8 miles long at a deceptively mellow 8.3% average gradient. Make no mistake, though, the single digit average grade is due to the little downhill bits in the lower part of the climb. The long uphill bits from Bresa de Lomas on up are all in the teens, with maximum grade in the 20s on the concrete and paved portion of Crestwind Dr (how deep into the 20s depends a bit on how you take the curves, and whether you go up it in a straight line or not).

Bresa de Lomas opening ramp.

The steepie switchback at the bottom of Crestwind Dr.

This route requires strong bike handling skills as well as strong legs and lungs (and at least a 30 cog in your cassette). After the two-houses saddle atop the gory switchback bottom of Crestwind Dr, the road turns into a rutty and pebbly dirt lane with a little dip followed by a sustained 15% grade ramp that gets even steeper once it turns the corner and becomes a concrete wall. Get across that wall to the tarmac, and you still have two long curves of steepness with spots that ventures north of the 20% grade mark to cope with before you get to the houses and false flat where you can breathe a bit before turning steeply up again onto Washingtonia Dr.

Mt Whitney radio tower

No matter which way you choose, though, San Marcos' little Mt Whitney is a gem with its rustic rural and car-less neighborhoods compared to the more well known Double Peak on the other side of S Twin Oaks Valley/San Elijo Rd. Do beware of cracks and potholes, aside from suicidal squirrels and rabbits on your descent... and, please, pack out what you pack in. Be nice to everyone, ride carefully around blind curves, and leave no trace of you behind! 

For New Riders: Essential Bike Accessories

An interesting side-effect to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic is the increased interest in cycling for exercise and for transport (a lot of people are working from home or working reduced hours... or are out of work altogether, and have surplus spare time which they would like to spend outdoor at a distance from other people). Bike shops all around town are selling bikes and accessories like hot cakes, and there are weeks long waiting list to get any repair done.

But, what else, aside from a bicycle and a helmet, do you need to have on your bike before hopping on and pushing off for a ride?

Short answer: head and rear lights, water bottle, and a saddle bag full of roadside repair gear.


Water bottle or Camelbak backpack.
Most bikes (aside from many full suspension mountain bikes) come with at least one set of screws on the downtube and/or seattube for water bottle cage attachment. Be sure to get at least a bottle cage attached to your bike before leaving the bike shop with your new ride! Even if you aren't going long distance, it's better to have some water handy than not.

Full suspension mountain bikes these days tend to not have any bottle cage attachment simply because most mountain bikers ride with a Camelbak backpack that holds their water as well as trail-side repair tools.

Head and tail lights.
Even on short rides during the day when you expect to be back home well before dark, it is always handy to have lights on your bike. Here in sunny California, the bright and sunny days tend to make us bicyclists very invisible when passing through tree shades and dark underpasses. The brighter the sun, the darker the shades (and the longer time it takes for drivers' eyes to adjust when moving from one to the other).

Go for good quality lights that are very bright, with good batteries life and sturdiness (especially when wet). They are worth the extra cost. I've been through many lights since my first ride in 2012. Nowadays I'll swear by the Cygolite headlight (have had the Metro 500 on my bike for 4 yrs now, and it's still going strong). I like to turn the headlight on flashing mode during the day when approaching places where I think a driver waiting (or approaching) on the right might not see me very well before pulling out, and when I have to ride closer to parallel parked cars than I'd like. I'm always far enough away from the doors to not be hit should they suddenly open, but I might instinctively swerve left if one does, and that might be the last move I ever get to make... depending on traffic condition. So, anything to improve my chances of those doors staying nice and shut until I've passed, I'll do.

Unless I'm riding in the desert in the light of day, I almost always keep my rear light on in flashing mode to ensure that I am visible to drivers when riding in shaded area or thru an underpass.

A saddle bag and road-side repair gear.

My adventure trip saddlebag is almost a mini-bike-shop.

Even tubeless tires aren't immune to flatting! It's always good to have the tools handy just in case. Since I go out on solo adventure rides out in the mountains a lot, my saddlebag is almost a mini-bike shop (and even backed up by a little backpack containing more spare tubes, food, and first-aid kit).

My commuter saddlebag.

My commuting saddlebag for riding in the city, on the other hand, is more to the point. What you really must have with you are:
- Spare inner tube that fits your tires (even if you are running tubeless tires, if those get flat and won't reseal itself, you'll still need to put a tube in to get home).
- A pair of tire irons/levers.
- A way of inflating the tire (a frame pump or a CO2 system). I use CO2 for roadside inflation, that constitutes the little green valve/nozzle and the 16g CO2 cannisters. If you use CO2, remember that the gas is lighter than air and will leak out faster so you tire will go flat again within a day or two. So, after inflating with CO2, remember to let the gas out of your tire when you get home, and re-inflate again with proper air pump.
- A multi-tool that is equipped with a chain tool (even if you don't know how to use it to break and reattach the chain, someone else may come riding along who does, and they would still need the tool).
- Throw a patch kit in there, while you're at it. They come the size of a nickle these days, and they are dead useful when you get more than one flat on a ride.

If you ride in the city, and plan on stopping at shops or restaurants, a good bike lock is a must.

I'm a big believer in riding with a rear-view mirror, preferably attached to either the helmet or your glasses (so you only have to turn your head a little to see the entire road behind you.. without having to move the handlebar or to take the eyes completely off the road ahead). Not only are they great for letting you know what speedy drivers are approaching from the back, they also detect those stealthy and silent fellow cyclists who would pass within inches of you without ever saying a word (don't be that guy. Give a warning!).

Also, if you are in the city, get a really sturdy lock that is long enough to lock both the frame and the wheels of your bike to a sturdy pole/bike rack. Shell out the buck for it. It's worth not having to buy another bike and all the accessories all over again!