OK Nerius - I guess I'd better do this BEFORE you hit all the training camps in the world . . .

Anyone up for PIE?

This ride starts/ends in Escondido, with a jaunt to Mother's kitchen via Valley Parkway, Rincon, and Palomar's South grade for the first slice, then to Dudley's in Santa Ysabel for a second slice via Palomar East grade and Mesa Grande (possible dirt detour down Black Canyon to Ramona if you want to change things up), then cashing out from the gravity bank with a descent of old hwy 78 and Highland Valley road.  Around 100 miles, lots of climbing. Definitely a gran fondo kind of day.

I'm off the week of Dec. 19, so could do it Monday th 19th or Tuesday the 20th if those work for anyone else, but perhaps the 18th would be better for the more work-challenged among us!  Last year, there were only three of us on the ride, and more makes merrier, so reply and let's see if we can get this together!

Bill Turek

I'm up for the 18th.  19th or 20th not so good.

Bill,
If you do this ride on the 18th, I will be there. 

Sounds like a quorum for Sunday the 18th.  Hopefully we can recruit a couple more "long" riders.  How does a 9:00 start from Kit Carson Park sound?  Maybe a beer at Stone Brewing afterward??

Sure.
The weather must be decent however.
This will be a good chance to put in some slow-ish miles before the Christmas Trip, although I'm planning on going at a brisk pace up Palomar only.

Oh and by the way doing this ride on a weekday is a bad idea because the restaurant at the top of Palomar is closed on weekdays [I believe].  Even Dudley's may be closed.

I would prefer an earlier start.  9 am is way too late!

Bill - is this the same route that you posted earlier but from Kit Carson instead of OCRR?  I'll see if I can get a "hall pass" for this, of course, my participation will slow you beasts down.  With the Chargers game Sunday night and Pittsburgh game on Monday night, maybe tall Anthony will want to join in on this ride.

The shorter and slower - Anthony   

Ursula, are you going to do any races next year?  Like USA Cycling races?

Hey Bill, count me in.  Sounds like Sunday is the best for all.  But, I've never been up Palomar before, so you may have to wait awhile.

Hmmm. I'm 75% down. 7 AM start would be better , although I don't really care. Make it noon if you want. I have lights.

Sounds like a fine ride, Bill. I will keep the Sunday, Dec 18 route as the primary route, but will list the Pie ride as an alternate. Note that I will be in Altadena that weekend with cycling friends going back to 1972, so I had enlisted "tall Anthony" to lead the Dec 18 route. I'll get another alternate ride leader if TA opts for pie. Discussion to be continued at this Sunday's ride. We could even do two groups and abandon the RSF, Elfin, Twin Oaks route - a Palomar only (one slice) ride, along with the multi-slice full monty.
-Karl

I think 8 would be a nice start time.

Sounds like Sunday the 18th at 8, then.  Meet at Kit Carson by the adult softball fields (the southernmost entry to the park off Bear Valley Parkway).  See http://www.escondido.org/Data/Sites/1/media/pdfs/KitCarsonParkMap.pdf. Looking forward to it!

Karl,

If there's still a Dec 18th ride through RSF, Elfin, Twin Oats- I'll be there to lead it. I think it will be too cold for my tolerance level to do Palomar. Plus, by the time I make it up the mountain, I sure Bill & Nerius will have eaten all the pies 

I plotted the ride out on mapmyride - here it is: http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/60246238. Bad weather will cancel, but stay tuned!