Day Before #1 - Steve's Trip Report Index - Next Day #3
Day 2: Julian, CA to Brawley, CA
75 miles - Back Down To Sea Level, Anza Borrego Desert State Park - February 2, 2008
DIRECTLY ABOVE: A good view of the desert and mountains east of Julian.
I was looking back at the route I had just taken.
| I slept well in my really soft bed at the Julian B&B,
and yet I felt some trepidation about my ride on this second day.
After yesterday's 4,000 foot climb, my body dredded the possibility that I would face any more uphill.
I did put on my best "game face" and rode east out of Julian on Highway 78.
Ah, but my fearful thoughts were unwarranted, for bountiful amounts of downhill greeted me right out of town!
Today's ride to Brawley would be the very opposite of yesterday's:
Day 1 would be remembered for long and demanding
uphill stretches that humbled me,
and Day 2 would be remembered for its ridiculous amounts
of glorious downhill that had me giddy as I whizzed downward!
About 10-12 miles east of Julian (adjacent top photo - looking back up towards a switchback in the road), I was still
in mountainous terrain. I continually marveled in my speed and lack
of need to peddle with much energy, and I hoped it would last forever. I didn't quite get my wish,
but there was no question the first 35-40 miles of my ride were enjoyed with large amounts of downhill that
would taken me thousands of feet lower in altitude.
|
| I reached the entrance to the Anza Borrego Desert State Park, an area that greatly contrasted
to the palm trees and lushness of San Diego just 40 miles west.
|
| The downhill just kept coming and coming as I continued
into this canyon. In Colorado,
all downhills are
almost always met with painful uphills
somewhere along the route,
but this vast desert area of far southern California was different.
I kept waiting and waiting for the inevitable uphill climb to temper all
of the downhill riding, but it never came! Yay! :) |
| I stopped two times to admire all the beauty the desert has to offer.
Joseph Wood Krutch once wrote, "The desert, to those who do listen, is more likely
to provoke awe than to invite conquest." How true! Bicycling through the desert was experience I
really looked forward to as I planned this trip, and some of my extra photos have wound
up on a pro-cactus web site, www.CactusLovers.com.
The weather: The high temperature reached the lower 70's with sunny skies, which was a shock to my
Colorado senses for early February. It was wonderful! |
| I had my first flat tire a few miles west of Ocotillo Wells.
Although I've changed many road bike tires in my bicycling career, I must admit I battled
with some fear about 1) getting flats, 2) being unable to fix flats and 3) being stuck
and stranded on the road, feeling like a loser. Well, I changed that tire without any problems
and was back on the road.
The vast and wide open desert view (bottom photo) was what
I saw when I began peddling again towards Ocotillo Wells. How pretty! |
| Only 39 more miles to Brawley! |
| As I continued east towards the junction of Highway 86 and 78, I
turned back to get one last view of the route I had just taken.
Those mountains way out there in the background were the source of all of that
wonderful downhill riding I had just enjoyed.
Upon reaching Brawley, my total mileage for the day was 75 miles, and I made a
drop of 4,000 feet in altitude. (Brawley's altitude is close to sea level, 0 feet!)
I took no pictures that afternoon or evening in Brawley.
I was fairly tired and ate lots of food to replenish myself.
Despite my two very decent days of riding, my body had not quite "signed on" to
this adventure and ached as I laid on my motel bed. I did my best to rest and recover my muscles, but
realistically, it would take about ten days for my body
to submit to the pain and physical demands that would be needed. |
Day Before #1 - Next Day #3
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