80.4 miles, 5:27 time, 2,566 ft elevation. 151 strava trophies.

The Club rode an epic ride from Anaheim to Solana Beach on Saturday after Thanksgiving. We met at the ARTIC, train station in Anaheim. Lucas and Yuri were great sag buddies. We dropped off our dry bag in the rental truck and then headed down the river trail to Huntington Beach. The morning was a blustery and cold. The forecast was possible rain, so we kept pushing against head winds and trying to beat the rain to Solana Beach. We rode down to Balboa Island and rode the ferry across the marina. Then, we headed down Pacific Coast Highway along Orange County’s gorgeous coastline. Laguna Beach to Dana Point has just amazing views and significant rollers. We regrouped by the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point for coffee, croissants, and a group pic. We through stuff in the van. San Clemente has a “bike path” that twists and turns through residential street. I burned a few matched keeping up with the group so I didn’t get dropped and lost there. Patrick wasn’t as lucky. Yuri and Lucas eventually picked him up and brought him down with the group. We checked in at Marine Corp Base Camp Pendleton. Then, we rode south through Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Leucadia, and finally Solana Beach. The heavy winds turned to sand blasts along the beach fronts. I pulled into Pizza place, right across the street from the Amtrak station, at 2:11pm, and by 2:38pm, the rain was pouring down. We were super lucky to miss the rain. Lucas and Yuri loaded up our bikes in the truck, and we changed into fresh dry clothes. We had pizza and beer until the train ride home. Awesome day.

Jonathan, Alvin, Patrick, Joe, Ramsey, Mike, Luis, Kirk, Haroon, Lynda, Rudy, Deanna, GT, Danny, Tyler.

UPDATE: Lynda’s comments:

Great Report Joe — THANK YOU for sharing such a remarkable ride!!   

It was an epic day down to Solana!!!   One of the most scenic rides we do.

With the extra work and calories burned because of the wind, the food at the Pizza Port was beyond GOOD as it always is after 80 miles –  — and then there was the Smoothie place that has the home made bakery foods next to it and if that was not enough – there was the frozen yogurt shop which Jonathan said…..because….. it all tasted so good that he could barely get a container large enough to fit in his Fro-yo flavors and his toppings!!!

The train ride back was also simulating — as Alvin made his way through even MORE spirits after the Pizza Port Spirits and was feeling very spirited by the time we disembarked!!!!  

We were all very shocked that Jonathan had not passed out from all the sugar he managed to consume and we were not asked once to quiet down on the train!!!

All in all — it was another memorable ride to Solana!!!