Boulevard Road Race

Written by: Lindsay Blount

Race Report Boulevard RR combined 55+/65+ May 11, 2024

I had not raced Boulevard for over 20 years, and had forgotten what a cool race course it is. It is located 60 miles east of San Diego just off Interstate 8 with a neutral start at the Golden Acorn Casino parking lot. It was like the meeting of “aliens” from different parts of the universe…bike racers and gamblers at the same venue. The course us 22 mile loop with undulating as well as one sustained climb near the finish with strait and twisty technical descents, a cattle crossing and even an old railroad track crossing. It has beautiful scenery on the scared grounds of an Indian Reservation with mostly smooth tarmac and almost no cars.

We had 33 riders start out in the combined field. I recognized Doug Pomeranz from the “old days” of racing who was in the 55+ and knew he had recently won a couple of Masters RR Championships. My goal was to try to stay with him, and maybe get up the road with some 55+ guys. The big group stayed together until we made the sharp right hand turn off Campo Rd onto a steep short climb which started a long stretch of undulating climbing. That is where the race soon blew apart, and I ended up in a group with

five 55+ guys , including Doug, his teammate Peter Tholl, and the eventual 55+ winner from Arizona, Jerry Clapper. I made it up the sustained climb with these guys, and on the straight descent past the casino on the second lap two more 55+ guys bridged up to us. I thought this was perfect and I could sit on, and use my “old guy” excuse to not to pull through and keep my gap on any 65+ guys. The plan worked well until we had to make the very sharp down hill right hand turn back on to Campo Road. Probably driven by fears of another possible fractured femur I temporarily went into a Cat 5 lack of bike handling skills mode at the back of the group, and a pretty big gap opened up after that turn. There was a short punchy climb to get back on the group prior to a long fast descent. Somebody in the front laid the hammer down and I did not quite make the junction. I then ended up solo chasing with the group in sight for the next 5 miles. Unfortunately, I have had more than my fair share of not being able to get back on groups after being gapped on or just before a descent this season.. Carl and Chris, I am ready for strait line descending lessons. Is 52-11 a big enough gear? The good news is that my time in the lead group had given me a sufficient gap to solo the last 15 miles to the finish with nobody catching me from behind.

This race was well attended, very well organized and even had entertaining announcing with Dave Worthington.

I highly recommend it!