200 Quest 2024. (Part 3) #197. The Hemet Double Century

 

Rolling back to the finish at sunset

Next on the agenda was The Hemet Double Century. Last year this ride was pretty brutal. Due to storm damage on the second loop, we had to do the 111-mile, more urban, first loop twice in a row.

I was not planning to do this double this year. As mentioned in my last story, I did not complete the Mulholland Double so I had to make one up.

Like last year, I decided to pre-ride the course and then staff the ride on event day.

I got to Hemet plenty early and got much rest the night before.

I started my ride at around 3 am to try and beat the early morning rush hour traffic through the Marino Valley and Corona areas. It worked out great.

Loop one

It was cool the whole first lap but the course was not fun due to the amount of stoplights. I did miss all the traffic going through the Moreno Valley and Corona areas.

The section of Highway 74 was really bad. At every concrete section where there was a bus stop, there was a big asphalt berm where the asphalt met the concrete. It felt like hitting a curb and was so bad at some points that you had to jump it, or you would get thrown off the bike. I am glad that the event does not go through that area at night. It could be disastrous for some riders.

There were not really any things to take pictures of on the first loop. Most of it is new development except for Temescal Canyon.

I finished the first loop around 11 am and took a 30-minute break back at the hotel.

The only issue I had was my asthma. Right from the start I could not breathe well. I believe it was the amount of pollen in the air in this large farm area. Once the air warmed up a bit, my breathing improved but I did not feel quite right the whole first lap.

I started the second lap feeling pretty good.

Loop two

The second lap is another loop that goes immediately to the south and climbs up Sage Road, taking you the back way to Temecula from the east.

Heading up the lower slopes of Sage Road

It doesn't look like you are climbing but the gradient is about 3% at this point. 

I had forgotten how steep and warm this climb could be. The last time I did it was in 2019 with my friend Quynh on my tandem bike.

This year I just took it easy but the heat got to me. Even though it was only in the 70’s in the air, I was reading close to 90 degrees on my computer due to the radiant heat coming off the road.

My heart rate was getting a bit too high which I have to watch now. I just crawled real slow in my lowest gear over the top and was then rewarded with a nice and cool descent to the turn toward Temecula. That helped me recover very nicely.

This section was nice and beautiful. The temps were cool with a nice breeze from the west. There were a few steep kicker climbs into the wine country. I just geared down and spun those easy gears.

Check out that kicker, would ya!!

Some really cool road art heading into Temecula

I made it relatively quickly into Temecula. The traffic was bad but once I got into town, there were pretty good bike lanes on most of the roads.

Once out of Temecula, I started my northwest ride toward the north end of Lake Elsinore. This is where the turnaround is.

This next stretch was not very pleasant and I entered one of those mental doldrums. Sort of brain fog. I had a headwind much of the way on Grand Ave heading into Elsinore.

Once in Elsinore, to make matters worse, the new high school was letting out and it was total gridlock.

It took me 20 minutes to get through the traffic because of construction at the turn into town before the turnaround.

I stopped at the 7-Eleven for a coke and water then attempted to get back on the road in the opposite direction. I could not even make it across the street due to the traffic. Someone finally let me cross. I then had to walk my bike through the construction zone due to the narrow road, construction barriers, and traffic. It was nasty and I think it took me 45 minutes just in that area including my stop for water.

I then had the pleasant surprise of a tailwind all the way southbound on Grand to my next turn, and it helped me recover. I was feeling good again.

On the way back to Hemet via Murrieta Hot Springs and Menifee areas, traffic was heavy in Murrieta in the late afternoon, while driving over Interstate 15. 

I completed the final climb out of the area and headed back towards Hemet on the main Highway after making the turnaround at the last rest stop.

It is really hard riding by yourself when all you have to look at are traffic lights, cars, and houses. It is so boring. 

The main expressway leading back to Hemet was quite nice with a crossing tailwind, but there was a lot of traffic heading back to town.

Heading east towards the finish, the sun sets behind me while the distant snowcapped mountains remain barely visible.

I got in a little after 7 pm. 

"My riding time was quite slow due to the frequent stops I had to make at the traffic lights. I found it difficult to get into a steady pace. Upon reflecting on my earlier rides on this course, I noticed that my average speed was much faster in the past due to the roads being less crowded."

Strava Link HERE 

At the finish, people were starting to check in for the event on Saturday. The first person I ran into was my friend Tony who was loading the trucks for the event. He told me I was sharing a room with him and he gave me a key.

I hung around a bit and talked, then went to my room for a much-needed shower and attempted to get to sleep.

My engine was still running and I could not start getting sleepy until around 10 pm. Go figure. I was wide awake. I had to get up at 4 am to head to man my rest stop, which was supposed to open at 5am for the early starters. 

My asthma was really bad as soon as I got up in the morning and I needed the inhaler! I have not needed to use it in about 4 months. It was pretty bad.

Once I was on the road and at my rest stop, I was feeling better.

Ariel and I at Checkpoint 1

I worked the rest stop, saw many friends riding the event, and then followed the course driving SAG Support.

 I stopped along the way and visited friends at a couple of other rest stops before heading home.

Jed, Bob, and I at Checkpoint 3

Although I don't enjoy the Hemet course anymore due to the urban expansion that has occurred since the early 90s, I decided to ride it regardless. I considered it good training for future events and wanted to assist with the event, so I thought I might as well pre-ride the course. Thankfully, it turned out to be alright.

On the agenda next is the Grand Tour Double-Double Century scheduled for the end of June. 

Before that, I will be crewing for my friends Robb and Tony who will be participating in The Race Across the West (RAW) on fixed-gear bikes. The journey spans around 960 miles through the southwest region, starting from Oceanside California, and concluding at Durango Colorado. It's going to be an epic adventure!.