Habits die hard.  We had no where to go this morning, could have caught up on sleep, but we were both awake before 5 am.

I started checking bike shops in the area for a place to ship bikes home, and started seriously considering flights home.

Barb got up and began collecting laundry for a last load before we packed.   And we both were unpacking our panniers and separating things that would go back in carry-on from things destined for boxes and UPS.

At 6, we joined Don and Kari, his precious canine companion, for a walk to their favorite streetside coffee kiosk. On the way down and back the flowers blossoming everywhere reminded me that we were in California.

We returned from coffee, and began contacting bike shops to ship our bikes home.  There were two bike shops in the neighborhood.  The closest was Terra Rhythm but they didn't open until 11, so while Barb worked on a second load of laundry, Don and I headed to Home Depot to get boxes to ship gear home.

When we returned,  it was just past 11, and while we hadn't been able to reach the shop by phone, we decided to just push our bikes  to the store and see what could be done.  We got to the front of the store at 11:20, but the door was locked and no lights were on. Hmmm.  To pass time, we crossed the street to a convenience store and Barb treated me to a soda.  While we sipped our drinks outside, a van pulled up in front of the shop and a young man in a cycling jersey got out with a set of keys and opened up the shop.  We quickly crossed back over to the shop and were about to step inside the store when the man stepped out.  We told him what we needed, and he apologized that he couldn't help.  As of Monday, the store was officially closed.  He was just a mechanic at the store picking up his personal equipment, and was as shocked at the closing as we were.  But he did offer us great advice.  We should book the shipping itself using bikeflights.com, then take the shipping papers and our bikes to the other local shop for boxing.  FedEx would then pick up the boxed bikes.

After calling the other shop, Bermie's Bikes, to confirm the method we did exactly as he suggested.  Then we rode the bikes to Bernie's,  and by early next week we hope to have our bikes back home.

After walking back to Don's, we ordered a pizza for lunch, and seriously began filling 3 boxes each with gear we didn't want to haul through the airport.

Barb and I then reserved flights for tomorrow,  and a shuttle to the airport.

We've since shipped the boxes with UPS, and I finally got a chance to finish yesterday's blog post.

Then it was out to The Souplantation for supper.

We're back at Don's and settling in for the night.  The shuttle will be here at 5:45.

Barb's been keeping track of mileage on her cycling odometer.  For the record we've ridden a total of 3495 miles in the past 9 weeks. Barb had 2 flats before she picked up that lucky horseshoe.  I had 2 before the horseshoe and 17 or 18 afterwards. I'll have to run a statistical analysis on that.

I did learn my lesson, and refrained from saying anything satirical about California when we came across a second office chair a few days back.  And it seems to have effectively helped me avoid flats for the last days of our tour.  But now that my bike is safely boxed, and will be leaving California in a day or two, here goes.  The second chair was overturned and far into the ditch, an example of a California curtailing its budget shortfall by closing rest stops for cyclists.

Some of our emotional response on finishing our adventure has faded, but we're deeply satisfied with our experience.  We owe so much to the many people who made this adventure possible and provided such a rich experience on the road.

We're both anxious to return to family and friends we haven't seen for a while, and return not as the same people who left 9 weeks ago from that beach in St. Augustine, but with a deeper appreciation of possibilities realized and a renewed faith in the goodness of people everywhere.

Ok.  Time to fill in details.

Monday night, we were camped in our tents at the edge of the parking lot of the Golden Acorn casino near Live Oak Springs CA.  We had crawled into our separate tents and were snuggled in for what was predicted to be a cold 44F night.  About 9:30 we were awakened by casino security who wondered what we were doing camped on the edge of their lot.  We explained that we had talked with the security guard on duty that afternoon, and had been denied camping near the casino building, and told that we should set up on the outskirts of the lot.

Security left and we went back to sleep, thinking that was the end of it.  But an hour later the head of security was back, and said that we were going to have to pack our belongings, and they would allow us to sleep in the trucker's lounge.  Ironic, because we had asked about that earlier in the afternoon and been told it was strictly reserved for drivers.  At any rate, we hurriedly packed our gear, took down our tents, loaded the bikes, and were escorted to the lounge.

It was about 11:30, and neither of us slept particularly well in the smoky lounge with the TV blaring and drivers turning on lights to fill out their logs.

Little matter, our alarm went off at 4:45, and we got things properly packed on the bikes, changed into our warmest cycling clothes, ate a breakfast sandwich, and by 6 were ready to hit the road.  Just as well, winds were predicted to rise to gusts of 35 mph by midmorning and we needed to be off the mountain.

We had an early downhill that was as cold as we had been for the entire ride, and were buffeted by cross winds a few times.

But winds were calmer when we dropped 1000 ft in elevation, and we had a pleasant 10 mile ride along the valley floor before we started our final big climb of the ride, a 1000 ft toward Pine Valley.  The wind was only a minor annoyance and we cleared the climb an hour and a half later, and dropped down again to
Pine Valley where we stopped for coffee and a muffin at Major's Coffee shop, before tackling a final 300 ft climb.

I cannot describe my elation when I got to that summit and knew that I had only to glide downhill into San Diego, perhaps I wouldn't even have to pedal for 40 miles.  Lol, foolish me, it wasn't to be that simple.

At first we did glide down the hill on old US 80, but then there was a hundred foot steep uphill as we got on  I-8.  Elation returned as from high on I-8, we spotted San Diego and the Pacific in the distance.  But reality set in again as we left I-8, and began following the city roads through the suburbs of San Diego.

We didn't have too much of a problem initially, but had to stop and consult our maps frequently to keep on track.  And then we began running into some hilly terrain that we didn't anticipate at all.  Stopping for lunch helped restore our reserves, and we were back heading for the beach, still 20 miles distant.

That's when I made my navigation error.  We turned left on Mission Gorge when we should have turned right.  It was a mile and a half before it became clear we weren't heading in the right direction and backtracked to the actual route.

With about 10 miles to go we were on level terrain, and finally the end seemed near.

The last miles were on the bike path to the beach, and I think we actually slowed to make it last.

Less than 100 yards from the beach, Don Schroeder was there to snap photos as we finished.  Don is the brother of one of Barb's good friends, and lives less than a mile from where the Southern Tiers route ends.

We hugged, then walked down to the beach to dip our toes in the Pacific.  

Don gave us directions,  and  we rode our bikes to his home, showered,  put on clean clothes, and headed out to celebrate over dinner at Shades Ocean Grill.

Then headed to bed tired and satisfied.   It's been a great adventure.

I'll follow up tmw with our experience getting ready to go home.  Been a busy day and we're due out to supper.

We've had a fine day climbing and are near the top of the mountains at 4000 ft, 15 miles east of Pine Valley.

We were up again at 4:45 this morning to pack and eat a breakfast of coffee, instant oatmeal, and a banana in Jim and Ellen's spare home.  Then we tried to leave things as we found them, and were out on the road by 6:15.

Our long climb from 300 to 3300 ft began gradually enough, but as we got onto the mountains it was steep enough to have us in our lowest gears for the duration.   We stopped every few miles and by about 8 were near the 8 mi, 2000 ft point and stopped taking a photo when Jim and Ellen pulled up in their SUV to see how we were doing.  We let them know we were fine and they waved goodbye and we assumed headed on toward San Diego.

We were just about at the 3000 ft point when Barb spotted a familiar duct tape-patched orange cyclist flag in the ditch.  She knew immediately it was Jake's, our young cycling friend who'd been over the same road on Halloween.   So she picked it up, stuck it in her rear rack, and then I had her pose with it at the 3000 ft marker.

We sent the picture to Jake who confirmed he'd lost it on the way up the mountains, and we'll see if we can return it to him.

We got off the interstate and onto old US Highway 80, climbed another 300 ft, and then gently descended into Jacumba for lunch. The Jacumba Spa and Resort was open and we enjoyed a delicious lunch of hamburgers and fries.  We were tempted to stay and soak in the water from the hot springs, but doubted we be able to get back on our bikes to ride.  So we bypassed the opportunity and were back on  the road climbing toward the small town of Boulevard.

We met another touring cyclist who had started the Pacific Coast route, but became disenchanted, bought a cheap car,  drove to San Diego and sold it.  Now he's doing a loop across the mountains and back to LA.  Everyone's ride is different.

We stopped in Boulevard at the lone restaurant,  an Italian place, for dessert, but sadly the tiramisu and cheesecake were of the frozen variety, and a little disappointing.   Still calories are calories.

Then we climbed again through Live Oak Springs and a few miles later arrived at the Golden Acorn casino.  They weren't all that happy with our desire to camp here, so we've been relegated to a far corner of the parking lot.  But we showered, ate a reasonably priced prime rib dinner, and are back in our tents preparing for a cool night.  Low of 44 predicted.

Tomorrow we'll be up, and have a few short climbs before we descend into San Diego and finish our ride.

Feeling fine and ready for tomorrow.

Well, we've made progress today and are here in Ocotillo, but haven't begun to cross the mountains yet.

We had a feeling it might be this kind of day when we went to bed last night with a forecast of decreasing winds. They did decrease for a time, but we awoke about midnight with our tents deformed under the pressure of what were reported as 26 mph winds.  It was as bad as  anything we'd encountered yesterday afternoon.

Still the winds abated sometime later and when we woke this morning at 4:45 to get an early start.  I now appreciate better what farmers and dairy folks have always said. Daylight savings time doesn't give you an extra hour of sleep when you're basing your day on using the available sunlight to best advantage.

As we enjoyed a quick breakfast, we were treated to an amazing flight of egrets moving along the narrow lake where we were camped and heading from their roosting sites to fields in the area.

We packed and left with the sunrise at about 6:30 and things didn't seem so bad, but shortly after we turned west on I-8, the winds steadily increased, and we found ourselves having to shift to lower and lower gears, until we were again creeping along in our granny gears.

It took us 3 hrs to ride the 19 miles to Ocotillo, where we were greeted with the following sign:

The DOT issues these advisories when the wind speeds are above 35 mph in the mountains.  Didn't look promising.

We pulled into Ocotillo and the first promising restaurant in sight.  While we sat and ate a second breakfast, we considered options.  The winds were predicted to get stronger until late afternoon and then decrease overnight.  Barb started a conversation with a local woman and her friend in the booth behind her.  Was the truckstop near the interstate open 24 hrs?  Was there a restaurant?  Showers?  Yes, we were on bicycles and have been traveling cross-country for the past 9 weeks.  Typical questions and answers.  The women excused themselves, paid their bill and left.  A few minutes  later a gentleman from the bar approached our booth.  "My wife tells me you're on bikes and looking for a place to stay tonight.  We own a second home about a mile from here, and you're welcome to stay there tonight if you'd like."

Ellen and Barb

And that's how we've come to be in a beautiful home owned by Jim and Ellen.  We've showered,  made dinner, watched a little TV, and monitored the winds for most of the afternoon.   Tomorrow we'll try to leave the home as we found it, and begin our climb. This experience has been typical of the hospitality we've experienced on this adventure.  It's renewing our faith in people.  Far from being cold or remote, people we've never met have extended us kindness after kindness.  It's been one of the best things we've encountered and one we will never forget.

Resting well and warm.

The best laid plans of mice and men . . .

The idea was to get up this morning and ride the 25 or so miles from El Centro to Ocotillo so we'd be set to begin our serious climb.  But things turned out differently.

We got up at 6, and with very little packing to do were out of the hotel before sunrise.  The wind didn't seem so bad in town, but once we were on the road toward Seeley it was significant.

The last 4 miles into Seeley we were in our granny gears.   We stopped at a taco shop for a break, but the winds didn't let up.  We actually rode down I-8 and started toward Ocotillo,  17 miles away. But we're soon facing blowing sand and dust and struggling to maintain  5 mph.  A half mile onto the interstate we decided it was simply too much and retreated a mile back to Sunbeam Lake County park, where we've spent the entire day.

We are camped here tonight and will arise tomorrow morning and advance toward Ocotillo and the mountains.  Fortunately the high winds are expected to dissipate tonight, and already they are significantly diminished.

We tried to return to the taco restaurant for supper, but they must be open for breakfast and lunch only.  Instead we stopped at the store in Seeley for lunch meat, cheese, and snacks then returned to the park to eat.

We did get a spectacular sunset tonight, and heard from our young friend Jake,  who reached San Diego on Halloween,  as he'd hoped.

At least we're well rested.

It's been a nominal riding day that's been more of a rest day.

We slept well at Meister's last night, waking to the 6 am alarm to find Bill had returned home while we slept and Theresa had already risen and left for work.

We packed and discussed the implications of an impending storm due in the mountains on Saturday.   The forecast is for 35 mph winds tomorrow, with gusts of between 55 and 70 mph possible.   Hardly conditions for safe riding.  Ocotillo,  our original goal for today, is a small village of just a few businesses at the foot of the mountains.  Bill strongly suggested that we'd probably be there for two days with very little to do.  And the Meister's, gracious as they have been,  have other plans for Saturday and can't host us for a second night.

So we've chosen to ride the 12 miles to El Centro,  and are spending a relaxing day in a hotel.  Then tomorrow we'll brave whatever headwinds there are on the way to Ocotillo, camp the night there and start climbing the mountains on Sunday. 

Barb and I thought you might find it interesting to see what we're facing on Sunday.

We're riding from right to left.  Ocotillo is just about where map 3 begins.  And that steep elevation change is the beginning of our Sunday ride.  How far we get into the series of peaks will depend on how our legs feel.  If the first long climb of the day were in a professional cycling race, it would be categorized in the second most difficult class of climbs.  Of course,  it's different because we won't be racing, but the pros wouldn't be hauling 45 lbs or so of gear with them.

So today we're doing what the pros would do.  NO, NO, NOT TAKING DRUGS TO ENHANCE OUR PERFORMANCE.   I mean resting our legs and eating well.

Before we left Bill, he treated us to a great breakfast at his favorite coffee shop in Brawley, the Rock Coffee Shop and Cafe.  Then on the way into El Centro we stopped at a Carrows restaurant for a very early dessert.  Then we did a quick light spin on our bikes to a local park where we napped on a couple of picnic tables waiting for our masseur to show up and work any residual soreness from our calves.  He never did, just  a guy with a shopping cart, fetching recyclables from the nearby garbage can.

Then we found reasonable and clean lodging with a friendly staff at the Brunner Inn and Suites, and rested until 5:30, when we took the very good recommendation of the hotel clerk, and dined at the Mexican seafood restaurant La Resaca.   We stuffed ourselves on three different preparations of shrimp, and as a bonus I finally took my revenge on a pair of unsuspecting Dos Equis. 

We're back in our hotel room and will sleep well tonight while the winds begin to rage in the mountains.  Tomorrow Ocotillo, and Sunday we'll climb.

Feeling refreshed and well.

We slept very well at Nancy's home last night and were up at 6 am to find Nancy already preparing breakfast.  While we changed into biking clothes and packed, she continued preparing a delicious bacon, egg, and cheese torta with tortillas, in a single skillet, which she then turned out onto a cutting board for serving.  It was delicious.  Then she served up some accumulated wisdom about the road we were to travel.  South of Palo Verde, CA 78 is a twisting curvy road, she told us, with many shor

steepisode hills that doesn't afford drivers much visibility.  Further, there is very little shoulder, and sometimes even worse there's a curb that keeps you from easily moving off the road.  Further, since it's a link for truck drivers to and from Yuma, there would be many larget trucks on the road.  And finally people driving large RVS and towing traIles would be on the road heading for the sand dunes with recreation on their minds. We should expect those conditions for the next 30 miles.  One thing you have to like about Nancy, she doesn't exaggerate.  Our experience on CA 78 lived up to her description.

Fortunately before we left I had my flat for the day, a depressingly low rear tire that both Barb and I worked on repairing before we even got on the road.  Jerome 17 Barb 0.

On the positive side there was fantastic scenery all day.  We gradually climbed as we skirted the Palo Verde, Midway, and Chocolate mountains, before descending into Glamis in the heart of the Algodones sand dunes.

Fortunately, the convenience store and restaurant in Glamis were open, so we stopped for lunch, breaking up what would have been 64 tough serviceless miles.

Then we  descended below sea level into the heavily agricultural Imperial Valley.

Finally we arrived hot and thirsty in Brawley, and headed for the first place we could find for a few sodas, and to check directions to our warmshowers hosts for the night, Bill and Theresa Meister.

Bill was out of town for the day, but Theresa welcomed us warmly and introduced us to the family's three dogs,  and half dozen parrots.  Then we both showered, ordered a pizza for supper, and got to hold Peaches, one of the family's cockatoos while we waited for the pizza to arrive.

We're now finishing a load of laundry and will then be getting a well deserved rest.

Tired, but happy we're through the long desert stretch.

130 miles to San Diego.