Day 1
(44.7 miles, 3570 ft gain, Strava map)
On Wednesday (March 23) we started the day at the beach, dipping our tires in the Pacific Ocean and heading off to the Atlantic. We cruised around the pedestrian/cycling trail at Dog Beach, biking towards the rising sun that cast shadows from the palm trees. It was breathtaking and exhilarating, and we were still unaware of what we just started.
We immediately had to start troubleshooting our setups. My front panniers kept bouncing off, Uri’s front rack buckled under weight and rubbed on the back tire, and Casey was having issues with her shifting and breaks. The first day we seemingly stopped once every 10 minutes to readjust something.
Arguably the biggest climb of the whole trip (except crossing the Rockies in New Mexico) is the 9,000 feet of gain we did Wednesday and Thursday from San Diego to Jacumba. It was a slow grind and a never ending climb with quads and skin burning from the workout and sun, respectively. We stopped many times to catch our breath, fuel up on snacks and water, and take refuge in the shade to cool down.
All of Wednesday was a great experience, and we witnessed the landscape change from palm trees and succulents to dry desert and shrubs. Strangers consistently showed us kindness like offering us free oranges and avocados (when Casey nearly fell off her bike in front of the fruit stand) and zip ties when Uri had to tie his rack to his seat.
The same day, two cyclists stopped at the bar where we were resting. Marshall and Dave are two men in their mid-60s who were also biking the Southern Tier route, and they were fun, good humored, and optimistic. I’m not sure if they adopted us or if we adopted them, but we decided to hang out with each other periodically during the day (and hopefully for the duration of the trip).
Day 2
(57.8 miles, 4719 ft gain, Strava map)
Thursday was a chilly morning, and we woke before sunrise to beat the heat. Unfortunately some more bike repair issues had us troubleshooting before hitting the highway segment. Suddenly, Rob Bernhard appeared beside us alongside the interstate. He is a 69 year old cyclist who was training for a bike race (and who had done multiple cross country tours and won some mountain biking races). He was delighted to show us a detour to the local Perkins store where he fixed Casey’s bike issues, and these issues have not reappeared yet. Thanks, Rob!
The rest of Thursday was spent ascending for hours, taking breaks in the shade, and ascending again. We had a few glorious downhills that went for miles. The cool breeze and mountain landscapes whipping by us made the hard climbs well worth it.
The presence of the border became more apparent as we traveled south. Border patrol vehicles passed us multiple times, a helicopter flew by, and we rode alongside the border wall as we entered Jacumba.
Jacumba was a cute little town, albeit void of people. We had a quick dip into the hot spring (an elevated pipe pumping out warm water into a small lake). The water smelled like eggs, but Casey, Uri, and I stripped to our underwear and had a spontaneous natural shower. Another 7 miles later, we ended up at an oasis.
The desert tower we stayed at that night had a very social environment and felt magical. The rock tower overlooked the mountains, and there was a performance stage with stringed lights, and a small drum circle was playing music upon our arrival. Amongst the other visitors, there were dogs, chickens, and a peacock roaming around. A short trail through the boulders unveiled sandstone sculptures of animals and faces that were 100+ years old. Marshall, Dave, Uri, Casey and I camped out in some tenting spots and met Stephen, a cyclist heading westbound who was two days from finishing the Southern Tier. We all sat around the fire in this magical desert place and told stories. That night, Casey, Uri and I cowboy camped (sleeping on the ground without tents) under the stars, hoping scorpions, spiders, and snakes would leave us alone.
Day 3
(62.3 miles, 519 ft gain, Strava map)
One of the best parts of the day was the major descent from desert tower in the morning. We rode downhill for over 10 miles, weaving and winding through the rock fields, and at the base, we entered desert. Uri’s barrel adjuster had broken, so he couldn’t use his back break for the whole descent, and the only town we could stop at for repair was El Centro (assuming they could see us last minute).
The immediate entry into the desert was exciting; however, we took some bad advice from a local and ended up on terrible backroads that were poorly maintained. Our bikes rattled, we hit pot holes, and this lasted for many miles. Going through Plaster City was frustrating with dirt bikes/ATVs creating dust clouds around us, and the holes in the road were potentially damaging to our tires.
At a gas station, a guy named Toby stopped to ask us if we needed assistance. He gave us his number and told us that the bike mechanic in El Centro was his buddy and to say “Toby sent us”. Luckily, it worked because the bike mechanic fixed Uri’s bike immediately, even though he was working on other repairs.
A little pick-me-up was our stop to get burritos in El Centro and having a customer take interest in our ride. She was so excited to meet us that she took our picture and hyped us back up. After feeling worn down from all the rough riding in the heat, having a stranger say wonderful things to encourage us was exactly what we needed. Marshall and Dave caught up with us, and we all biked to the BLM hot springs in Holtville.
We were all running short on water at this point (and there wouldn’t be water access for a while) when a guy at the hot springs offered to give us gallons of water he had stored in his van.
We are so grateful for the kindness of strangers!
Day 4
(71 miles, 2321 ft gain, Strava map)
In the morning, we started the ride by biking though agricultural fields full of lettuce, alfalfa, and some brassica plants. The road was awful but Casey, Uri, and I had plenty of time to chat as the sun rose and the temperatures became warmer. The day was beautiful.
The landscape progressed into more desert terrain until we were in sand dunes in Glamis. This “town” only has one store, but, at the time, it had hundreds of people that were riding their dune buggies over the sand dunes. We failed to convince someone to give us a ride, but a guy did gift us some water, granola bars, and cheese for the road.
The worst part of the day followed. Uri got 2 flat tires and Casey got 3. The cacti needles on the road punctured their tire tubes, and we spent the hotter portion of the afternoon (97 degrees) sitting on the side of the road without shade repairing the holes. Marshall and Dave found us again and were superheroes with outstanding patience. They stayed with us the whole time even though we added at least 2 hours onto their day.
The best part of the day followed. Limping home from battle, we reached Palo Verde and set up camp at Oxbow campground where Atilla and Tee (the BLM hosts) took care of us. They gave us tacos, allowed us to pitch tents within their private fence, and gave us electrolyte powder, protein milk, and muscle salve. They were so sweet, and I am so grateful to have met them! That night, Casey and I went in the Colorado River under the stars and spent time patch repairing all the micro holes in her tubes. In the night, a pack of coyotes woke us as they howled and chased their prey just a few feet from where we were sleeping, but thankfully we were safe inside the fence. Thank you, Atilla and Tee!
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