Thirty-four riders dipped their back tires in the Pacific Ocean to celebrate the start of Part 1 of Ride Across America (first attached photo). After dipping our wheels and flossing out the beach sand from between our toes, we peddled across San Diego and climbed 5,100 vertical feet to Pine Valley to end our first day (a total of 56 miles). Pine Valley is high in the coast range nestled into the oaks. It used to be where San Diego kids went to summer camp and remains a quiet small town full of horses and outdoor riding arenas. It was a nice place to end our first day: gabbing on the hotel porch, massaging a few sore muscles, and happy to be up the first long hill.
Today we rolled along the top of the coast range through shruby high desert and hillsides of giant granite boulders, then dove down the shoulder of I-8 about 3,500 feet to the Imperial Valley whose elevation is below sea level! The road across the bottom of the desert valley was so bumpy in spots that one rider (Alan Fifer) broke his seat post. In honor of the road, some of the riders named the day "Training the Tush Day". We finished our 86 mile day in Brawley, CA. Everyone is now drinking more water and slathering on suncreen, but all riders weathered the second day well.
Special Rider
For those who don't know, we have a blind rider with us on the tour, Ron Barton. He rides a tandem and each day one of the other men on the tour rides with him as pilot. So far Jerry Bakke and Rich Crocker have ridden with him; tomorrow Bill Stone. It's an incredible pleasure to have him along and wonderful to see how everyone jumps in to help whenever he needs a little help navigating off the bike (second attached photo - Jerry and Ron at the start of the trip).
