22 October 1997 (hot and cool; windy; everything!! mileage = 135.8; Ocean
Beach!!) -- X - Well, the storm didn't amount to much. I felt pretty grimy
last night. It was too warm to even be in the sleeping bag. I got up and
ate a can of fruit. Then I headed south along the Salton Sea, which was
quite interesting. I stopped at a cafe in Desert Shores and had pancakes,
good butter-fried hash browns and toast. Fueled and ready! I rode into
Salton City which was so weird! Miles of subdivision-style road with only
5% of the expected houses. This is still major desert and all of the
"creeks" were still dry. I started my climb up 522 which was a nice road. I
was in the Anza Borrego State Park, but that was vague. Just before Borrego
Springs, I chatted with a road biker who lived in the desert. Borrego
Springs was a stupid place. Is it so special to play golf in the desert?
What a waste! Then for some climbing! Up through awesome desert canyons.
Wow! There is a small state park where 53 meets 78. It's not marked, but
it was quite nice for a lunch stop. I ate a LOT! After lunch, more
climbing, including some nasty hill/head wind sections. The wind is much
worse than the climbing. I finally got to the Banner Canyon and realized
that this climb was about 500 meters higher than I thought. The pass is
between map pages and didn't copy well. I finally crested the Banner Pass
and there was more (lighter) climbing waiting for me. I finally got to a
place called Julian which seemed to be the top. Since I had taken so long
getting up, I was worried about descending in the dark. The road was fairly
busy, too. So I didn't spend much time up at the high altitudes even though
it was very nice there. I was racing in darkness. There were rolling hills,
but, of course, it was mostly downhill and I was cranking. I cranked
through Ramona and struggled to get to the descent west of town. Then I was
doing some big falling and it was dark, and the traffic and rock slides
were bad, but the shoulder was huge. I finally made it down to the freeway
(lake side). I stopped in a bike shop to ask directions and the owner (who
was just starting the shop) seemed very interested in me. He really took me
seriously and was interested in my recommendations. He GAVE me a set of
tire liners to try. Wow!. That was the 1st time I've ever been treated
like a professional (which I am). Then I went next door and had 2 tacos con
carne asada and a huge burrito and Coke. Very full, I set out into the
city. I rode along essentially the same big road -- Mission Gorge to
Mission Beach. When I was in a familiar area, I really got cranking and I
took the S.D. River bikeway on in to OB. Up the hill to home! Nice shower,
towel, bed, sleep.
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