Went to mass with Brian to pray for Mark’s soul. Spent the morning resting and doing wash. Left for the short ride to our next stop and took a nap. Picked up extra water, snacks and Gatorade for the trip across the dessert to Blythe. All set to leave at 7:15 tomorrow morning. Finishing up this entry listening to Mark snore away. I think this was smart planning on Mark’s part to incorporate a rest day into our schedule. Always lots of laughs with Mark and Brian together. Beth and I can just sit back and enjoy.

I think I was sound asleep when my head hit the pillow. Mark’s snoring didn’t bother me a bit. After breakfast in a fifties diner, started off and my rear wheel shifted at the start of the first climb. Locked it down as tight as I could and went back to the gameplan of day one. Brian even gave it an extra turn and it held the rest of the day.

I knew starting out that we had 5 major climbs today. The difference between day 1 and day 2 was we start hard and finish easy. Yesterday we started easy and finished hard. The wind was back but it didn’t demoralize me the way it did yesterday. My legs felt strong and I was enjoying the scenery. The only time the wind made me nervous was when we were on the interstate coasting down into Ocotillo. Unlike Brian and Mark, I apply the brakes and never go above 20 mph if that on these long steep descents. Wiped out on a downhill in Cape Bretton Island, Nova Scotia in 1990. Never want to do that again.

Lots of Border Patrol Agents today. Also saw the border fence – not more than 75 yards from the road we were on in places. It is amazing the difference in the landscape when irrigation is available as it is in the Imperial Valley. You can be riding thru dusty brown earth and all of a sudden be riding thru green, lush spinach fields.

Very happy my bike had a front strobe light and a rear blinking red light. We didn’t get into El Centro until the around 6 pm and it was getting dark. The lights relieved my anxiety about biking that late. We’ll plan better our long days and arrive at our destination before dark.

Said good bye to Safi, Alyou and Yahsah and headed out with Mike to meet up with Brian and Mark and Beth at Inn at Sunset Cliffs. Beautiful morning for the beginning of our trip. Dipped the bike wheel in the Pacific Ocean and off we went. Not thinking about the climbs to come just enjoying the feeling of getting underway. I had been training pretty intensely and had confidence I could do this. The day was going well until about mile 30 when we really started some long steep climbs. My rear wheel shifted several times and would rub against the frame whenever I tried to power up a hill especially when I tried to stand up to pedal. I had to stop and reset the wheel and hope it would hold.

Just before Mike left us he tightened the quick release as tight as he could and the wheel held for a while. I felt bad that I was holding everyone up. The only way I could manage the climbs without the wheel shifting was to take the climbs nice and steady (and slow) in my lowest gear.

Lunch in Alpine was so needed after the tortuous climb into town. Then the real torture started. The winds were right in our faces as we headed to Pine Valley, our stop for the night. We later learned the winds were 29 mph with gusts at 35 mph. And it felt like it. One of the hairiest parts of that ride was on I8 crossing a bridge over a ravine with the wind blowing you, trucks and cars passing you at 70 mph ( because it’s an interstate) and a guardrail that was all of about 2 feet. I thought about stopping and walking across but that would take me longer to get across so I just kept pedaling and said some Hail Mary’s until I reached the other side of the bridge.

That’s when I just started saying prayers to get me through the day. The wind was blowing so hard you couldn’t coast down hills without pedaling. There haven’t been too many days as difficult as that one in my biking career. Thanks Brian and Mark for waiting for me at the top of the hills. Hopefully headwinds will not be a common occurrence.

My parents blessed my brothers and sisters with several driving trip vacations growing up. We drove to Ft. Myers Beach, Florida in a nine passenger station wagon. We flew to LA. and drove from San Diego to Seattle with side trips to Tijuana and Victoria. The most memorable trip for me was when we flew into Denver and made a big loop with stops at Grand Canyon, Salt Lake City and Yellowstone to name just a few.

I think my desire to see as much of this great country of ours originated with those trips. I was able to take my kids on a two month journey in 1989 when I was recovering from sarcoidosis. I think it was a trip my kids will hopefully never forget and will pass on to their kids. For me it was a trip of a lifetime.

Now I am launching on an adventure to see sections of this country I have seen and some sections I have not seen. The big difference is I will be seeing and experiencing sights you rarely get to see except on a bicycle. I have done some bike touring by myself and with my son Mike and there is no other way to describe it except it is an adventure. You never know what you will encounter until you are doing it. I get to do this adventure with two of my brothers who are physically able (we hope). Fortunately we can all take this time with the blessings (maybe it is more like an OK) of our wives as long as we all promised to be safe and look after one another. Thanks again Marcia, Nancy and Holly.

One extra bonus for me is I had a grand-daughter born on 2/17 so I get to see her for the first time in person since my son Mike lives in San Diego, the start of our trip. Mike will also be riding with us for a stretch of that first day as we leave San Diego. My bike was shipped to Mike’s and he helped me put it back together. We took a 26 mile test drive and visited the local Performenace store for some last minute tunes up and purchases. On a tuneup ride we rode to Point Loma Lighthouse at Cabrillo Point. It is a National Park so you have to pay an admission of $3 each. The ranger at the booth told me if I was 62 I qualified for a Senior Pass for $10 which is a lifetime admission to all National Parks, National Sites and National Forests. I also get to take in 3 people with me each visit. A word to the wise bros, be nice to me and don’t ditch me.