The travels of the Rambling Roses: Oceanside to Mission Bay (San Diego) December 9

December 9....36.44 in 3:18....They are setting records for night time low temperatures around here. It went down into the 30's last night in Oceanside, for the first time in 8 years. It's crazy because when you see people, some are in shorts and flip flops and others look like Nanook of the North with seal skin coats and furry hats. Pam and I are leaning towards Nanook, as we are not real partial to this cold stuff. We would rather it be 80 degrees, but everywhere in the country is getting pounded with snow and ice and wind, so we'll make do with 60 degree days.

When I left, for a short riding day, it was about 10:45 and it was sunny and about 53-55. I made a left on the Pacific Coast Highway, and headed south through the remainder of Oceanside, and quickly into Carlsbad. Carlsbad is just as nice as all these other towns I've been going through along the California coast. A really nice coastline, nice road with big shoulders, separate bike and pedestrian lanes, and lots of people out using them. There are more and more surfers as I go further south. It would be real interesting to revisit this area in the summer to see it at its peak of activity.

Carlsbad led into Encinitas, which led into Cardiff by the Sea to Saolana Beach to Del Mar. I couldn't tell them apart. Each had a nice shopping district with open air cafes , and there were state park beaches between each one with tons of empty parking lots, and several long, narrow, state campgrounds.

Things changed when I started a nice 400 foot climb, and at the top of the mile long hill was Torrey Pines. If you follow pro golf you know they play the US Open and other PGA tournaments there. The course is lined on the ocean side by a 400 ft cliff, and there is a huge medical center and a institute of oceanography on top of the same hill. There is also the Torrey Pines Gliderport, which I stumbled across, and I watched hang gliders jump off that 400 cliff and get caught by the updraft, and go gliding out over the Pacific. Pretty cool! Then it was downhill into LaJolla (pronounced La Hoya) Shores, where I went through a very fancy shopping district with lots of 'beautiful people,'and a confusing residential area that the ACA map took me through. Thank God for the green 'bike route' signs that I am growing to depend on in a lot of these towns. All through the day I was passed by many bikers who went whizzing by me, making me the slowest biker in Southern California, but at least one guy helped me with finding a bike path short cut to Mission Bay RV Park, where Pam had set up camp. Since I got there relatively early, we took a walk around some trails near the RV park, and got a feel for the area, and enjoyed the crisp 50 degree afternoon.