So it begins... — Pammer's Pedaling

Jul 7

Jul 7 So it begins...

Day 1 - San Diego, CA to Pine Valley, CA (56 miles and 5700 feet of climbing)

After some route confusion yesterday I think we were all feeling some degree of anxiety this morning. Poor Maude was so nervous she peed the bed! After a load of wash we all went to Dog Beach for the big start. The plan was for Dad and I to bike the first 30 miles and meet up with Mom and Maude so Mom could ride the rest of the route. The weather was great, we had a tail wind and after a mostly flat 15 miles my nerves had given way to excitement and gratitude. I am really so grateful that we have the opportunity to see the country from a bike and I get to share it with my parents and Maude. Then we encountered our first hill and I did begin to question what exactly I had gotten myself into. But overall it was an uneventful first leg, I worked on my gear shifting, no one fell trying to unclip from the pedals and 28 miles in we met Mom and Maude at a gas station. Just in time to switch out with Mom before the real hills began.

Mom and Dad left for their half of the ride and Maude and I loaded up on a massive diet coke. Since we had 2 hours to kill we decided to drive up to Julian to get some peach apple crumble pie. We’re carbo loading for the foreseeable future. Halfway to the hotel we got a call from Dad. Due to road construction they weren’t able to bike a three mile stretch so we picked them up. Turns out a nice couple offered to give them a ride in their pick up truck right as we hung up but mom couldn’t quite shake the Stranger Danger from raising 3 kids so they opted to wait 25 minutes in the hot sun. Dad almost had his bike in the pick up bed before Mom said no. When I picked them up, we found out that all of our bags and bikes fit in the car pretty easily, which was not a guarantee. I was restricted to one back pack and no massage roller, which would certainly have fit for the record. I dropped them off a few miles down the road and Maude and I went to check in to the hotel. We have the option of a burger stand or one restaurant for dinner!