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Cadence Cyclery Encinitas recently had the privilege of hosting PAS Normal Studios for their Mid Summer 200K ride. Regardless of your opinion of the PAS brand, there is no denying one thing. Between their US-based youth cycling program and now this group ride, they are here to impact the cycling community for the better. And they have some deeply passionate people working hard to make it happen. We are looking forward to more of this and hope to aid in their efforts however we can.
Before the sun came up, the group assembled. A mix of locals, visiting Danes, and plenty of familiar faces in the San Diego cycling scene. One of them was Jussi Oksanen, a former professional snowboarder and now a commercial photographer, who has called Encinitas home for the past two decades.
“I got into cycling after my fifth ankle surgery,” Jussi shared before the ride. “My surgeon was a big cyclist and basically told me, you either start riding bikes or you will be back on my table in two years.” Coming from skateboarding and snowboarding, the road scene was a bit confusing at first, but it did not take long for Jussi to ditch the denim shorts in favor of actual cycling gear. “It just makes my body feel great, and it is an amazing way to adventure and see the world,” he said.
The plan for the day was simple. “200k with the crew from PAS,” Jussi said. “We have some guys over from Denmark, hitting the best roads in San Diego, heading east, north, making an epic loop, with some fun stops and special surprises along the way.”
Steve Yeager, owner of Cadence Cyclery Encinitas, was equally excited. “Really cool to have a brand like PAS supporting these community events. We have 200k on tap with a bunch of friends, some fun stuff at the aid stations, melons, margaritas, a few surprises. Should be a good time.”
It did not take long for the ride to escalate. As Laurel Rathbun put it around mile 45, “Started a little slow, then multiple someones decided to kick the pace up. The little bird bones, the small kids,” she joked, referring to the young guns pushing the pace. “We will see if they are still there at the end of this ride. Last hour has been spicy, but it is okay. I dropped them on the downhill.”
By mile 100, things were getting real.
“Talk to me, Goose,” checking in on Steve Yeager, who grinned through the fatigue. “It has been a day. The longest I have ridden in like two or three years. The pack has thinned out. There is no hiding in those hills. So many climbs, exhausting. I started getting little twitches on the last one, but almost home.”
Laurel was cracked. “Certified bonked. Crack city. But the show goes on.”
And for one guy, the show went on longer. One rider, casually introduced as “the guy that rode down from Irvine,” was already at 140 miles by the time he rolled up. “About eight hours in, skipped a bit of the route, but I am at 140. Got another 60 to go to get home.” When asked if he was really riding back? “I hope so.” That is savage.
Laurel, back at the shop at the end, laughed. “I made it look too easy. People are going to think I hopped in a car between aid stations, but I did not. And we popped Prosecco. Has a better ring to it than champagne. I even busted out a 1000-watt sprint at the Lucadia Townline after seven hours. Did not win, but still. Cheers.”
Steve, a bit cross-eyed from the effort, gave the day a proper summary. “We got as lucky as you can with the weather. It has been hot lately, but today was almost nice. Sick roads, all in the hills. Some people did not think it was cool but whatever. It was a day.”
And that is the point. It was a day.
We caught up with Matias from PAS Normal, who had initially planned to ride only to the first aid station, 40 miles in. “But it felt good, the group had a great vibe, and that is the way cycling is,” he said. “Back in Copenhagen we do this midsummer ride that is 200k, and yesterday all my friends posted their 200k rides. Plus my family said, you gotta go for it. So I did.”
Sune from PAS Normal was not spared either. “It went straight on the first climb. Attacks, attacks, felt like a race. Even the last 20k, the kids on the front went hard in the echelon, taking every opportunity to drop the older guys like me,” he laughed. “But best part of the day? The mariachi band on the bridge. All time. And the popsicles. That is a ride must.”
By the end, most riders had one thing in mind. A sandwich, a beer, and the ocean.
Cooper Blue, looking surprisingly fresh, summed it up. “It was hard. Weather was as good as it was going to get. Super windy on the way back, so the nice stroll home turned into a bit more of a grind. But ton of fun. 10 out of 10. Would recommend. Maybe even 11. Still deciding.”
We will co-sign that. A solid 10 out of 10 day with a community worth riding for. We will see you at the next one.
I’ve always believed that having a plan is good, but being flexible is even better. Our recent trip to Montana proved that point in the best way possible.
The inaugural Belgian Waffle Ride Montana didn’t just arrive in Bozeman—it kicked the door down, left tire tracks through the living room, and poured a cold recovery beer on the way out. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Montana’s vast gravel playgrounds, the first-ever BWR MT delivered a day that tested the sadists of the saddle and gave us the “Hell of the Bozone” in all its glory.
We recently caught up with Dave Malwitz, founder of Gravel Stoke, to chat about one of our favorite events: the Great Western Reroute. With a camera in his face, Dave shared the backstory, the spirit, and what’s next for this beloved gravel adventure.
