(February 11)

Day 48 - Pine Valley to San Diego CA

It's Not Over 'til It's Over

 

The unappealing start to my riding day in Pine Valley.

 Changing my back tire in Lakeside California. I was glad that this tree was right there as it covered my gear and I completely from the rain while I made the repair.

 The final few miles of my entire journey: the Ocean Beach Bike Trail which runs along the San Diego River. In the distance to the far right of the pic, that tower you see is Sea World.

 Why do my sunglasses always go awry when I smile for selfies? Anyway, the culmination of the greatest journey of my life...so far! :)

 Dipping my front wheel in the ocean...a tradition as I understand it. There is no accompanying pic of my back wheel dipped because I didn't start on the Atlantic side of the route.

 

 Last night I was picturing today. A lazy, pleasant day spent coasting downhill for roughly 50 miles until the descent deposited me right at the ocean. Just as it had been for a couple of weeks, it would be sunny and warm. No more climbs to worry about, just letting gravity propel me to the beach.
Except not.

Overcast all day. A steady rain all morning. Chilly...down into the low 40s. A big climb I wasn't expecting as soon as I departed Pine Valley. And while there was a LOT of downhill riding, the problem became my soaked clothes, when combined with the 25mph+ speeds I was traveling at, made me freezing cold!

So, picture this: I'm soaked. Shivering. My hands and face are numb. And I'm thinking "but THIS IS SAN DIEGO!!!" This was supposed to happen in OTHER states. OTHER towns. San Diego is world famous...justifiably so...for its warm, pleasant, sunny weather.
And then I got a flat tire.

By this time I was laughing out loud at how my future always turns out quite a bit differently than I imagine. Wildly different most of the time. The universe LITERALLY rained on my parade.

But, in the end, it didn't stop me. I put up with it all and enjoyed my ride anyway. And if I've learned anything on this trip it is that you'd better be ready for things to turn out unexpectedly...and be happy they did. Because it wouldn't have been anywhere near the adventure of the lifetime that this journey turned out to be if everything had gone according to plan.