June 10, 2007 (Day 1)

Yesterday I arrived in San Diego. After getting my bike put together I rode out to the Pacific Ocean from our motel. Later there was a meeting for all the riders, and then a buffet dinner with lots of pasta dishes. I got to bed early.

This morning I got up at 4:30 am. Breakfast was at 5:00 am and we all headed out together at 6:00 am. Leaving San Diego there was a long climb from sea level to Tecate Pass at 3800 feet. I was in my lowest gear a considerable amount of the time. Then there was a steep 10 mile descent down to the desert floor. The last 50 miles were relatively flat. I rode with a fellow named Mark from New York for quite a bit of the day. The route was fantastic – we rode most of the day on Old Route 80, which runs parallel to Interstate 8, much the same way Route 66 runs with Interstate 40. The shoulders were wide and the asphalt was smooth. We got into El Centro at about 2:00 pm. As it turns out, I was the 3rd rider to arrive. Weather-wise, it was an interesting day – when we left San Diego it was about 60 degrees and foggy and by the time we arrived in El Centro the temperature has risen 40 degrees!

Today I rode steadily, stayed within myself, and am looking forward to tomorrow’s 190 mile ride to Gila Bend, Arizona. The forecast is for 10 to 12 mile per hour tail winds… Oh Joy!