Cathedral City, CA.  The temperature outside my door in Beaumont Friday morning was 47 degrees, a significant drop from the 85 degrees that was the high the previous day. Worse, the wind was blowing strongly. LA TV weather reports warned of heavy winds that would result in rain throughout the area on Saturday.  It was not a promising start. The good news about riding east … Continue reading Beaumont to Palm Springs–Wind

Beaumont, CA. Probably the reason Adventure Cycling starts its southern crossing of the US from San Diego is because it’s too complicated getting out of the L.A. area. I started late from Riverside because I waited until the nearby bike shop on Magnolia Avenue opened at 10. I needed a safety pennant and a Camelbak hydration kit before venturing farther east. I also wanted a … Continue reading Riverside to Beaumont–a Higher Elevation

Compared to Washington’s Capital Crescent Trail along the Potomac, the Santa Ana Trail is a poor cousin. It’s not well marked in places, making it easy to wander into dead end side trails, as I did three times.  But it is a splendid trail for jogging and biking and serves a touring cyclist well by proceeding inland 30 miles, avoiding the road traffic of the … Continue reading Huntington Beach to Riverside

Newport Beach, CA: This attempt to ride from L.A. to Phoenix is underway. Arriving at Long Beach airport from Salt Lake and DC, the bike box was intact and waiting at baggage claim.  It took 30 minutes or so to get it assembled, dispose of the box and get under way on a sunny 70 degree Southern California afternoon. East of what was the main … Continue reading From Long Beach to the Santa Ana Trail