I guess missing my flight is a good indication that I'm still not ready for it to be over. But all good things must come to an end, and this ride down the coast was beyond good; it was epic.
I freaking did it!
Kelley was there to greet me at the end, which was perfect. I just wish we weren't so rushed. We only had enough time to talk about how we were going to get back - she caught the flight we booked, but I was running behind schedule and the extra time I needed to have my bike shipped back caused me to miss the flight.
Spent too much time sightseeing
It was a different mood today, knowing I was going to make it and knowing it was about to be over. But I was in good spirits and enjoyed most of the ride. Cycling down the Silver Strand in Coronado with the wind mostly in my face was no fun, but it was all good.
This is the ferry I took from downtown San Diego to Coronado
It was partly cloudy when I left Solana Beach and it looks like it's supposed to rain tomorrow, so my timing was good. I made a few stops through Del Mar to see my old house and some of the places I hung out as a teenager.
Del Mar lifeguards must be doing well - sweet rides
After leaving La Jolla, I was back on beachfront bike paths for most of Pacific Beach and around Mission Bay. These biking/walking/jogging paths really bring a lot of activity to the beachfront communities. Even on a weekday morning, there's a buzz on the boardwalks.
La Jolla
Despite being on home turf of sorts, I did get off course a few times and had to check GPS maps at least a half-dozen times. I went the wrong way down Mission Boulevard, and ended up out on a point, and then I went in circles after I got off the ferry to Coronado, looking for the Silver Strand Bikeway (I was expecting some signage but it's just your basic bike path alongside the road for the first few miles off the ferry).
Found my bearings and made it to the San Diego waterfront
The short ferry ride to Coronado was scenic and fun. I talked to a girl who I had passed earlier on the bike path. She and her husband are both in the Navy. When I paused to take pictures of a passing Navy helicopter to send to my Naval aviator soon, Derek, I mentioned to her that he was in flight training. She guessed right away that he was in Pensacola. Like Derek, she's loving the Navy. She's a nurse and met her husband during a 7-month aircraft carrier deployment.
Good chance Derek will be piloting one of these real soon
Off the ferry in Coronado, looking back to San Diego
Cycling Coronado's Silver Strand is definitely the way to get to the border once you're south of downtown San Diego, but once past the Hotel del Coronado, there's not much to see. My final time getting off course was just south of Coronado Island, in Imperial Beach, which is a little sketchy. Meanwhile, Kelley was negotiating the Tijuana trolley to the border, feeling nervous about some of the seedy characters around her. I told her that she should try riding the South Bend bus in Washington.
End of the day in the USA
Kelley made it to our rendezvous point on the Camino de la Plaza bridge 30 minutes early, so she did her best hooker imitation and stood there looking hot, waiting for just the right old man to approach her. I finally did, and seeing her beautiful smile was exactly the reason I wanted her there to greet me. But we immediately had to high-tail it for the pedestrian crossing because my arrival was about an hour later than planned (sound familiar?).
Quick photo on Camino de la Hooker Bridge
I found the perfect photo spot right at the border crossing, at a place where I could U-turn and not have to re-enter through U.S. customs. After the quick photo op, we jumped on the Tijuana trolley to downtown San Diego, where we were going to drop off my bike at a bike shop to be shipped home.
After 1,882 miles, 71,386' of climbing, and 29 days....Mexico!
It was obvious that we were going to miss our flight, so while I went to the bike shop, Kelley hopped in a cab to the airport. Missing my flight gave me a chance to stop in the Gaslamp District for an Adios Mexico/hello real life beer. Kelley picked me up after my new flight landed in San Jose at 7:15. I had planned on then going to the Sharks game with my Honoree Lindsey, but she wasn't feeling well, so sister Lauren was a thrilled substitute. We made it for the opening faceoff and the Sharks rewarded me with s 9-2 pummeling of the New York Rangers.
Not having showered yet, I smelled a little ripe
So it's over. I'll post a recap with more post-ride thoughts, but this adventure was everything I dreamed of and more. I had some adversity, but I wouldn't change a thing. My adversity is simply a reminder that it pales in comparison to what Lindsey and millions of others (including 300,000 kids in the U.S.) with arthritis have to live with every day. Thank you for bring a part of the solution and a part of my journey!
Where next?
Day 29 Recap: Solana Beach, CA to Tijuana, Mexico!
Actual Miles: 51.2
Cumulative Miles: 1,882.0
Elevation Gain: 1,201'
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 71,386'
% Distance to Mexico: 100%!
Actual Miles: 51.2
Cumulative Miles: 1,882.0
Elevation Gain: 1,201'
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 71,386'
% Distance to Mexico: 100%!
RSS Feed
