Recon #1

This scouting ride was the first of three rides planned for June. Details of the initial plan are here but the second recon ride will change and be truncated to go from Descanso to Mt Laguna, based on lessons learned from this first one.

It ended up being an epic challenge that taught me a ton about timing, heat management, climbing strategy, gear, hydration, group dynamics, and logistics like location tracking and route planning.

While the day was difficult, it was still doable and fun, and I couldn’t be more grateful for everyone that showed up with such great positive attitudes. It also gave me insights for planning the upcoming Adams Avenue bikepacking trip.

❤️ Heart Rate, Effort, & Timing

Despite leaving around 9:00 AM — earlier than my March attempt — I still hit the big climb on Viejas Grade by late morning. By noon, temperatures had risen significantly, making the climb even harder. The ascent itself took a grueling 4 hours and 20 minutes, during which I had to stop frequently.

I’m sure this isn’t a typical time and just me being extra cautious about pacing myself in the heat. The lead group did it in about 1.5 hours.

I monitored my heart rate the entire way:

In my Zone 2 training rides around Lake Murray, I noticed that I can only keep up a solid pace for about 45 minutes before I run out of gas and start slowing down dramatically, but I can keep going for hours if I shift down into tortoise mode.
I initially planned to grind away in a Zone 1 heart rate (that’s below 129bpm for me) for the entire ride and slow down or even stop whenever I reached Zone 2, but that wasn’t sustainable as the climb went on and I racked up almost 90 minutes of Zone 2 by the end.
I’m still proud that I limited Zone 3 time to just 2–3 minutes on the Viejas Grade fire road and that’s what allowed me to complete the climb to Descanso. I even felt fresh enough after lunch that I was debating whether to push on up Mt Laguna and descend back down at night.

Lesson Learned: Next time, leave even earlier to avoid the worst of the heat — the extra cool hours could make a huge difference.

🚴‍♂️ Climbing Strategy & Effort

I switched from carefully monitoring my heart rate on the way up to relying on perceived effort during the downhill second part of the ride and enjoyed pushing the pace.

After Descanso (my halfway point), I realized I’d racked up a lot of Zone 2 minutes but still felt okay. My best guess is that the minutes were at the lower end of the range closer to Zone 1 and also fragmented throughout the climb instead of a single large sustained chunk.
On the way back, I was able to push harder and keep up with friends, thanks to mostly downhill terrain.
I also learned the value of switching my Apple Watch face to hide HR so I could focus on how I felt instead. Very helpful mentally when tackling short bursts of pushing.

🔧 Gear & Equipment Issues

My rear tire held up great on mixed terrain. I recently upgraded it from the Panaracer SS semislicks to their beefier SK+ model. The plus is only $5 more than the regular SK’s and the added puncture protection is totally worth it. I would’ve gone for their even knobbier X1+ model if they made it in the right size for my wheels and rear fender (which has lights that integrate with my front dyno).
But I was still rocking my old semislicks on the front and it punctured three times — and this was on a relatively tame gravel road, not crazy MTB single track.
The good news is that my front wheel and fork can accommodate a bigger and knobbier tire than the rear, which is especially useful for steering during descents and turns in loose terrain.
I regret not using a tire dart to plug the hole instead of relying solely on sealant, which probably wasted a lot of sealant and time.
I also didn’t realize that bringing only one CO2 canister was dumb until Mac said he carries five! Mac and Arturo gave me a canister each from their spares and I felt like I was collecting alms 🤲

Lesson Learned: Replace the front tire ASAP with the Simworks Super Yummy, also by Panaracer. Test the repair kit process and carry enough spare sealant and canisters. Don’t be hesitant to use a tire dart to plug punctures immediately and more reliably.

🧩 Group Dynamics & Ride Planning

I realized that riding at my own really slow pace is crucial — otherwise, I overextend myself trying to keep up.
That might mean that maybe I should ride solo for the Adams Avenue trip to not slow anyone else down too much. Or to truncate the route even more.
Communication with friends over messages worked well. That could be a possible compromise for the camping trip - people can get separated as long as they’re in touch and decide whether to regroup.
As fast as everyone else was, others struggled with the climb today and heat too, and are reconsidering driving instead of riding for the camping weekend.

Key Takeaway: Not cycling to the campout isn’t failure — failure is underestimating the challenge and getting stranded somewhere in a way that ruins your weekend.

📍 Location Tracking & Group Logistics

Those of us on iPhones used Find My to share location.
An Android buddy shared theirs via Google Maps.
Surprisingly, these didn’t drain the battery as much as I feared — so I didn’t need to use my Garmin for live tracking at all.
Although I wasn’t in cell signal everywhere (e.g. at the top of Viejas Grade or in Descanso), when I did have signal, I could check where everyone was.
The Mexican market in Descanso even had slow but functional Wi-Fi, which let me see that the lead group was ahead and that others turned back.
I messaged them on Instagram to let them know I was taking a pit stop there — super useful, as that became a regroup spot for the descent.

Lesson Learned: Pre-arrange location sharing among the group and have a backup plan for no-signal areas — a crucial piece of logistics that made the day run smoother.

I felt strong enough to keep going at Descanso, but the front tire issue made me decide to regroup instead.
Also a factor in deciding to turn around was that while others said that although the country highway wasn’t sketchy, they did end up with a line of seven cars behind them at one point — not something I wanted to deal with solo.
It was also important to learn that Ride with GPS requires a paid subscription to download routes for offline use — a minor issue that caught me off-guard early on in the ride.
- That’s why Cesar made a few wrong turns — no offline map loaded.
Next time, I’ll export the GPX file and distribute it so that everyone can use their preferred app (e.g. Komoot, Strava).
Jesse made a version of the route in Strava — I’ll embed that in the next route preview, and maybe even create versions on Google Maps or Apple Maps to give everyone options.

🚨 Concerns About Bikepacking Return Trip

Neither Cesar nor I got to experience the trails after Descanso and see what they’re like.
That’s important because we’re planning to return early on Monday and ride straight into work in one shot. On paper that looks okay because of the downhill, but the terrain might be way too chunky to do that loaded and tired.
Even the faster riders turned around today when the terrain got too rough or steep.

Lesson Learned: Before the camping trip, I’ll do a Descanso to Mount Laguna recon ride next weekend. I need to see that chunk of terrain firsthand — it might convince Cesar and me to rethink the Monday plan.

🧠 Personal Reflections

Strength Training: I need to build wrist and upper body strength — my wrists took a beating.
Feet: Good call bringing sandals and taking them off during breaks — a small but helpful relief.

💧 Hydration, Nutrition & Gear Carry Strategy

I stayed hydrated and fueled — essential on such a tough day.
(insert section about electrolytes, carbs per hour, link to GCN video, explain the goal is to avoid bonking and cramps, thanks for the reminder Jesse LastName?)
But I carried too much liquid weight. Next time:
- Bring electrolytes in powder form.
- Refill at water stops.
This strategy would lighten the load while still staying safe in the heat.

🗺️ Next Steps & Recon Ride Plan

Start at Descanso next weekend (June 14th) to focus on the trickiest terrain leading up to Mount Laguna.
Fully load the bike with camping gear to simulate the real trip? Or just ride light and focus on completing the full segment (probably the smarter move)
Keep an eye out for possible wild camping spots for the full AAB weekend trip.