Cycling Ellen

68 miles today

115.5 total

Yesterday after I finished my blog entry in the library, the 3 skateboarding boys in my photos showed up. When I told them they were famous, their eyes lit up and I showed them their pictures on this website. I could hear them later, as I walked back to the hotel, “We’re famous, we’re famous!”. That’s the kind of thing that helps make this such a wonderful adventure - being out on the street with the locals. Of course, when someone asks where we are going, then we’re famous too. “Did you say you’re going to Florida?!” At dinner each night, the folks with the fancy bike computers tell us some statistics. Yesterday, we found out that we had climbed a 16% grade but most of them were more like 8-10%. In all we climbed over 5000 feet - an impressive amount of climbing in one day!

Today, we reversed that and went down 3,000 feet in one 10 mile stretch on the interstate! It was a beautiful ride through the rocky cliffs but with stiff breezes. When we reached the bottom, there was a sag stop at the edge of the desert. A car pulled up and said our last rider was down on the hill. The sag took off back up while the rest of us headed out into the headwind (just the opposite of yesterday’s tail wind). We went for over 20 miles on rolling roads into the wind. I joined up with some other riders for a pace line which certainly made the whole thing easier. When we called the sag to find out about the fallen rider, we were relieved to find that she had left her bike to take some pictures and since she walks with a limp, they assumed she was hurt. Yesterday, one woman crashed on the rough shoulder and was brought into the hotel by a stranger. She’s banged up but ok and rode about 20 miles today. A few minutes ago, another rider came in having crashed in a pace line. It’s not an easy place to be out there sometimes.

Along the way this morning, we saw a lot of border patrol vehicles. We were right on the Mexican line and I saw a few blankets discarded along the side of the road. I can’t imagine trying to cross that desert with the heat and lack of cover.

The internet here crashed while I was at dinner, thus losing the rest of this post.  Short version is that we did a 8 mile stretch of really rough road in a headwind, a nice lunch in a Mexican restaurant and the last 10 miles or so below sea level.  We’re all tired tonight after fighting the wind all day.  Tomorrow is a long one so send out vibes for a tail winds!

47 miles today

80 miles total more or less (since my bike computer is still in my room - oops)

I’m sitting in the Jaracumba library which closes soon so a quick few words today, and if you’re lucky, maybe some pictures.

It’s a gorgeous day here in Southern California not nearly as hot as the 80’s yesterday and such a sweet day on the bike. Leaving Alpine this morning it was right back uphill which went on and on and on. At one point, I rode for the first time on an interstate highway.

Some people really didn’t like it, but I found that the wide, smooth shoulder and gradual climbing made it worth while. Many of us stopped at a scenic pulloff where we took lots of pictures. Eventually, we got to the diner in Pine Valley after our first real downhill where we snacked on apple pie in a classic 60’s style diner. After pie, it was another up, up, up until we got over 4000 feet - as big as the tallest mountain in Vermont. The great thing for me was that the climbing, although challenging, wasn’t nearly as bad as I had expected it to be. All that training in the basement really did pay off as I just kept spinning (and passing people along the way) with Hank’s great climbing advice and a song in my mind.

Of course, what goes up must come down and there were also some long, wonderful downhills. I rolled by a border patrol stop along the way, asking if I had to stop. Since I was on the other side of the road, the patrol officer said, “Only if you want to!” so I waved and kept going. At another point I was afraid I was going to be blown off the bike with the strong cross winds. The last 8 miles were the most fun - a long downhill right into Jaracumba where we are tonight. We’re staying at a funky little motel with a hot springs pool. Now that I’ve got my homework done here, I’m headed back to the water!

35.67 miles today

43 total miles

I am such a happy camper!   I made it here to Alpine, yes, uphill, and felt strong and  thrilled to be back on the bike and out of the basement.  It was a really hot, beautiful day and the heat had us all drinking at every chance we got.  It was hard to stay hydrated and I stopped at a couple of gas stations to refill the water bottles.  A man at one store bought me some water after he got a look at my red face.  Thanks anonymous donor.

We started the day with a 3 mile ride out to Dog Beach for the ceremonial dipping of the tires in the Pacific Ocean.  Mara Williams Oakes and her mom, who just happened to be in San Diego visiting from Vermont, came to meet me on the beach and took a bunch of pictures.  It was great to see a familiar face as I started this ride.  Thanks for getting up early, Mara!

We headed out on a bike path along the estuary, smelling the salt air for the last time for awhile.  Eventually we came to Mission Trails Regional Park for our first sag stop to refill the water bottles and eat.  We cycled through the park, through gorgeous Western mountains, brown and dry.  We ended up on a terrible highway road with cars wizzing by way too close for comfort.  Mary Kay and I ended up taking over a lane and were joined by a few others after awhile.  It actually felt safer than hugging the non-existent shoulder.  This is the first time I’ve ridden on a highway.  The shoulders were wide but the on and off ramps were a bit scary.

Past the highway, we rode up the first serious climb, one mile long that you could see wind up  the hill.  I felt bad for the woman from Florida who hasn’t done real hills before but I was so proud of her for making it up.  Yea, Kathy!  I felt strong spinning along at an easy cadence.  All that training paid off.

The last climb on the day was a 3.5 mile climb in the heat at the end of the biking day (but only about 1:30 p.m.).  I was alone, having passed the other people nearby, so I was glad to see the turn to the motel.  There was such enthusiasm for everyone as they arrived whether in the sag van or after the final climb.  There’s a warm pool and Jacuzzi here and that first jump into the pool made the whole day even more special.  My muscles feel good but there’s something about swimming that just loosened everything up.  I’ll sign off here for the day.  I hear there’s fresh fish grilling for dinner which we’ll eat in the parking lot at 5.  I know it will be an early bedtime tonight.  I’m still getting used to sharing rooms with different people and adjusting to West coast time so I could use a good night’s sleep.

Thanks to all of you for your comments and e mails.  I don’t have time to respond to everyone but I really appreciate hearing from you!

Since my body is still on East coast time, I’m up early again. Starting tomorrow I won’t be able to write until the end of the day because I’ll be riding my bicycle first thing in the morning! Today we meet the group, do an orientation, a flat tire clinic and a banquet to send us off. We have met a few women in our group around the hotel with their telltale short hair and athletic looks. We haven’t guessed wrong yet. But, first, let me tell you about yesterday.

Sue, Pat and I (the 3 Vermonters although we didn’t know each other until we signed on for this trip) had an early breakfast and then headed out to the famous San Diego Zoo. Being color deprived from being in Vermont all winter, we were gawking at the colors of the plants and basking in the warm sun. We were lucky that the zoo wasn’t crowded so we got right in to watch the panda bears frolic and eat huge stalks of bamboo. There is a baby there who was not in sight as it was having its physical at the zoo vet’s. We watched the koalas eat eucalyptus, meerkats pose outside their dens, and bonobos romp (they play just like kindergartners!). Check out the pictures. I’m realizing that my camera needs a new battery. It’s taking an hour to charge before I can download pictures so I’m hoping to find one here before I head out on the road. Bear with me as I learn all this techie stuff!

In the afternoon, we went over to the bike shop to pick up our bikes. I got a new computer on mine which will take a little getting used to. It felt good to get back on my bike (albeit a bit strange after being on my old one for a couple of weeks). We rode along the shore cliffs, watching the surfers and seeing some serious erosion. I could picture my dad heading out to sea on a troop ship during WWII headed for Okinawa as a 17 year old. He loved San Diego and I can see the attraction. It’s a gorgeous place. Now I have 7.7 miles on my bike this trip. Does that count?

It’s 6:30 in the morning here (waking up on East Coast time) but before I head out for breakfast, I wanted to see if I could figure out how to connect to the hotel internet and I did! Looks good for all of you who are hoping to find out what I’m up to on this trip.

Just after Tom left me at the airport in Connecticut I looked forward in the security line and spotted our old friend and dentist in the line ahead. It was great to have Jerry to talk to while we waited for our flight to Dallas. I had great seatmates (a visiting professor from Yale and his wife and cat!) and it was the least anxious I’ve been on a plane in awhile. I think I’m ready for this adventure.

It was so wonderful to see the sun in Dallas, especially after dragging my duffle bag down the driveway through the snow and ice when I left. The airline kept changing my gates so I saw a lot of the Dallas airport (including that blue maze we saw in November, David and Tim) but finally made it back into the air. When I flew over California it was dark but I could still see the mountains we’ll be heading up into in a couple of days. It’s 50 degrees here this morning and my roommate Sue and I are heading out to find food. I’ll pick up my bike at some point and hope to see a little of this city.

There are palm trees outside the window. I’m in California now. Yippee!