AKA The Sea to Salton Sea Tour, AKA The Imperial Beach to Imperial County Ride, AKA The San Diego Four Corners Tour.
I could come up with all kinds of catchy phrases for this something that I want to do. I’ve had it in my head for awhile. A ride so simple, so awesome, and so needed in the happenings of my life right now. No crazy logistics, no flights, no driving. Just two wheels, camping gear, solitude, and a week off from work. I’ve lived in San Diego all my life. I’ve been all over the county. Driving, hiking, climbing, getting lost, and most importantly, living and loving it all. What we lack in four seasons we make up for in terrain that is best visited based upon what time of year it is. We have the beach and ocean, we have mountains, we have the desert. We have a bustling urban downtown and little nook neighborhoods spread out all over. Geographically San Diego County covers quite a bit of map. I’m trying to ride my bike through it’s perimeter. The route I am setting as the template goes 411 miles. That’s about two thirds of the distance I pedaled from San Francisco to San Diego.
It will just be nice to ride a long distance again. Training is just as fun. Pulling that 100 mile day on a weekend when I can, riding that 50 mile round trip to work is better than sitting in traffic for an hour and then some. Pushing myself away from the disparity I feel just trying to balance it all. 400 plus miles around my own backyard? Will I be ready? I’m gonna have to be. To go from beachfront boardwalks, to urban bike paths, to mountain grades and plateaus, to the desert floor and back around through more foothills back to the little corner of the world I call home, I have it in my head that there is more to here than what I see daily. I am constantly reminded that people come from all over the world to San Diego to take in the lifestyle and atmosphere that as a local, I (we) can easily take for granted. I want to go beyond the postcards and the tourism brochures. I just want to go from door to door and explore. I’m excited to see what’s in sight from the vantage point of a bike saddle and speeds less than 20 mph. No catchphrase may ever fully describe or summarize any of it, so I’ll just go, maybe I’ll come up with something better.
AverageRo.com 