You know, if you can work you way around the traffic and crowds in San Diego, it is pretty much as close as you can get to paradise. It really is. Maybe not San Diego proper, but North County. I rode up into Rancho Santa Fe and through Elfin Forest this afternoon. There are a lot of cars. But it doesn’t really matter if you’re riding on your own. I felt pretty great when I left and then fell apart after about 3 hours. I’m not sure what that was all about. Maybe lack of food. I hadn’t eaten in 8 hours. I stopped at a taco stand and had a breakfast burrito and felt better. I had nearly 80 miles, but it took 4 1/2 hours. But, that being said, I felt really sub par. I can’t really worry about it too much.
I followed a bunch of pelicans back south down the coast. I can’t believe how fast they can fly and they hardly ever flap their wings. We did have tailwind, so maybe that was some of it. But, I was riding consistently over 25mph and they pulled away from me. A lot of the pelicans roost at night on the cliffs in La Jolla. I like to go down there at sunset and see them haggle with the other birds for their slot. It is pretty comical.
I met up with Sue on the way home. She commutes 9 miles each way from the top of Soladad to where she works on Torrey Pines. It is a pretty easy way to get 18 miles in each and everyday. 3 days a week, she extends the ride into real rides, so she gets good mileage during the week. We went back the long way, completely around La Jolla. The houses are beautiful. Plus, the scenery/ocean is beautiful too. It was a nice way to end the day.