From the Beach to Borrego and back

We changed our normal ride to Mt. Palomar are account of the bicycle race last Sunday. As much as I admire Lance Armstrong, avoiding the traffic snarl was more important. John and I left at 7 a.m. and planned on having breakfast at Potrero. Otay Lakes is a fun section and we enjoyed mild temps. in the 60's. After coffee and gigantic breakfast burritos we were back on the bikes and heading east on the 94. The ride through the Laguna mountains was refreshing. Still plenty of snow from the last storm. Moderate to heavy traffic coupled with debris in the corners slowed our pace as we wound our way to Julian. Pointing our bikes east on Hwy. 78 we headed down the Banner grade. This stretch of pavement is filled with sharp turns, ideal for sport bikes. Blasting through Ranchita in triple digits I was keeping fingers crossed we would not encounter the law.

Aw Ha, there it was! Montezuma grade. I was looking forward to attacking this twisty two lane all morning. John and I matched each other turn for turn and quickly arrived in Borrego Springs.

We took another route back to the beach. In Descanso we topped off the tanks and headed to Japatul road. Other than the annoyance of slow traffic, we enjoyed this Sunday ride.

Mid-week solo ride to the Desert

I needed to bid on painting project in the Coachella Valley today. Rather than be stuck in a "cage" for several hours, I decided to jump on the bike instead. The warm Santa Ana weather is a distant memory and has been replaced with more seasonal temps. Heading out at 8a.m. in low forty degree weather would require some layering. I broke out a mix of snowboard apparel and warm riding gear. I was surprisingly warm rolling up the Interstate 5. It felt good to sneak in a ride when normally I would be spreading paint on a Wednesday morning. Last weekend we got rained out on our usual jaunt to Mt.Palomar so I was eager to get in some saddle time. The freeway portion is monotonous but before I knew I was back on two lane pavement at Temecula. In the back of my mind I was a bit anxious knowing that it snowed several inches in the local mountains. I figured by 9:30 a.m. it would be warm enough to avoid icy conditions. Anza was blanketed with the white stuff and made for a picturesque view on both side of the road. The clean air, light traffic, and scenery was exactly what I needed to clear away the clutter in my mind. I stopped at the top of Hwy. 74 and snapped a quick shot before heading down to the Desert floor. After conducting my business I enjoyed the trip back to the beach. Having an alternative to driving a car will always be a good thing!

Product review: Hein Gericke Hiprotech gloves

Finding a premium racing glove under a hundred dollars can be next to impossible. I stumbled across a rare deal on these racing gloves last week. Browsing around the parts department at Quinsey Motorsports I spotted a few pairs of Hein Gericke gloves. Luckily one of the pairs was a medium.

Hein Gericke is a German company that has been manufacturing riding gear for over 30 years. I was impressed with the overall quality. Pre-curved fingers, carbon fiber knuckles, and dual wrist enclosures are some of the features found in these moto mitts. Break in time was almost non-existent.

The combination of kangaroo and cow hide allow for a supple, comfortable fit. After one 250 mile ride the finger and palm areas stretched into perfect form. Iam a fan of Hein Gericke. I feel like I got great deal on a serious racing glove.