In and out of San Diego - We made it!!

(We've been w/o internet service for a few days so we need to catch you all up. The post below is for Friday.)


We did it. We have made it from Nashville TN to the Pacific Ocean in 7 days. For the most part, the trip has been awesome and enjoyable. Today was both the worst and the best. We headed out of El Centro CA this morning on I-8 with full expectations (and full water bottles) of taking it all the way into San Diego. About 15 minutes into the journey we are being beaten up by winds; winds are coming at us from in front, behind, and each side. Some gusts are so hard that we are leaning as far as we can into the wind to maintain our lane position, always fearing we will be pushed into the next lane and the path of an approaching truck. I am truly white-knuckled and hoping that the winds will end soon. Much to my horror, I then see a huge yellow sign saying CAUTION: High Winds for the next 52 miles. I am thinking they have got to be kidding. There is no way it can be worse than what I have just ridden through. I read somewhere a rule for motorcycling: “when in doubt, power it out.” I applied this rule to the high wind situation and increased my speed. So now I am going 70 mph in gale winds that are blowing me all over the lane, complicated by the usual truck drafts. In addition we are winding our way through the California mountains (sharp curves, no shoulder, and exits are few). The wind shifts direction so suddenly that you are leaning almost 45 degrees to compensate one second and then you have to recover and lean the other way.

After about 40 miles of this, a second High Winds caution sign appears (next 47 miles) and we pull over to get gas. Cvstar and I are looking at each other and shaking our heads. There is no way we are going back on that interstate. I am ready to call for a U-Haul truck to pick up my bike and I’ll fly home. I just can’t do it anymore. If I could find someone to give my bike to, I would. There is an alternative, a 2-lane road that runs next to the Mexican border. We had avoided it as we were worried about safety, the availability of gas, etc. Knowing that I am not going to be rescued by U-Haul (but still really hoping), I go into the convenience store to ask about RT 94. I find a Frito-Lay (F-L) delivery man and figure he must drive the roads in the area, so I ask him. He is eager to help and assures us that RT 94 will be less windy and we will enjoy it. Relieved, we walk back to our bikes but are having a hard time getting geared up to continue the trip (PTSD). The F-L man approaches us in the parking lot and advises us on the San Diego part of the trip and getting to Coronado Island by way of Otay Lakes road. Five more minutes pass and the F-L man returns again with more advise on how to get out of San Diego through a northern route which coincidentally will go right near his house in Poway.

We had a great ride on RT 94. It was full of Border Patrol vehicles, was meandering with great scenery of little towns, stables and, yes, it was still windy but not like I-8. At a fork in the road when we stopped to make a decision about the correct way to turn, a local resident came out of her “house/shed” and advised against RT 94 as there were too many accidents on that road and too many DUIs. But RT 94 saved the day. During lunch at a rustic log cabin place on the side of the road in Dulzura, we met two retired Border Patrolman who suggested we go to Border Field State Park, the southwest corner of the USA. They said we could see the border fencing extending out into the ocean. When we arrived in San Diego we followed their suggestion and drove down this very narrow winding 2 lane road lined with horse and mule stables; we ended up at a locked gate that prohibited our journey to the ocean. To our left was a fence and Mexico, and up on the cliffs overlooking us were the ever watchful Border Patrol.

We backtracked and found our way up to Coronado Island, riding between the Pacific waves on one side and the Bay on the other. Lots of kites were flying in the strong winds. To continue on the journey required crossing the Bay via the very high and long Coronado Bridge. I feared it would be very windy, but it was only scary as all bridges are to me. With a feeling of accomplishment we left San Diego and headed North on I-15 towards Poway. We exited near Poway to get gas and to decide where to lodge for the night. With our destination chosen (Julian CA) we headed out to find RT 67 and start our eastward journey. Guess who pulls up next to us? Yep – the Frito-Lay man driving home from work in his car. He chats with us at the red light and then we lose him when the light turns green. How strange was that?