I take way to long to write up a ride.  So I told myself I had to finish this one before I went to my next event.  And since that is tomorrow at 7, and dinner is in an hour.   And now dinner was an hour ago.   This might be the condensed version of a fun weekend at BIKE the BAY !

While a couple of guys in our bike group went off to a Hug the HEAT for 76 miles or some sort of testosterone ride.  Joanne and I picked a road-more-traveled riding event and headed off to San Diego.

After we followed the precise packing  instructions for the bikes and loaded in GPS directions we were off!  I did not have my "packet" mailed to me so we had to be in San Diego by 3pm. 

 We left in plenty of time  well until I did a google search and found "puffy quesadillas " in El Centro.  I have never found lunch stop that I cared that much about on the way to  SD so I was happy to try Celias.  We got sidetracked in finding the place  and when google map said it would take 5 hours to get to El Centro - 100 miles away I decided it was time to go back to the freeway and try again.  IF you ever find yourself in El Centro with the time to stop at Celias, try their puffy quesadillas - they look amazing!.  Instead I chose the travel size burrito.  Not a good choice since and way too messy.  We traveled on and with Joanne's expert navigational skills, we arrived in San Diego safely.  Our precious packet was:  one piece of paper and some twisty ties - So worth the effort!!!

Our hotel room was beyond lovely - right on the bay...-   Our room was not ready  and not time for dinner .   So we visited this little slice of heaven for a pre dinner snack!!! Extraordinary Desserts  - the name explains it all.  Worth every bite and calorie.  

For the record it took 3 days to finish one of these lovely treats.

Yum - Oh!!

We finally made it to  our lovely hotel room. I was going to take a rest but after the tour of the spacious balcony and watching the trains go by... Um they trains go by both day,,,, and night.  

The views from our side the hotel

Differently time for a bike ride!  But we were staying in a very touristy area with lots of cars and people and even the bike paths were crowded.  At least I thought they were a bike path. 

    The  reward  for my troubles was the sun set over the bay!  Lovely   views!!!!

If you look really hard at the picture believe  you can see the bay bridge that we were riding over the next day .  I stood here thinking about how nervous I was. Could I get my backside over without the walk of shame.  Until I realized in this pic the tough part was just an  inch.  I could crank that far. And if I could just get up the first inch of it  the rest was easy.   No worries!

After riding on the sidewalk for a few minutes a young man "nicely" told me that there was a reason the sidewalk says - no bikes - .  Very "kind" of him to point that out to..   Reflective moment officially over...  time to head back to the hotel..

 It can be difficult to bike and push ourselves, and make it to events on time, and get up hills.... Oh wait - look at  the view from the restaurant.   Life has it's pretty moments!

This ride was going to be fun!

And now for the grand event!!! 

This is in fact the exact moment I forgot to turn Mapmyride on. If it's not recorded - it didn't happen right?

So yep - thats us!   Ridding. not walking over the bay.  and after all my worring - It was a great climb with amazing view!!!

                                        And this is Clyde pausing after the bridge- Such a good bike!

We took  a detour from the exact route to take a pic of the historic Hotel Del.   Made in 1880 The wooden ceiling was installed with out nails and pegs and glue were used  instead.  

I guess the hotey-toytee ness of the places just makes people loose their pants  - in the parking lot - in the bushes!

Very happy to see the event paid homage our founders Royal heritage

                          This was my was favorite water boy.   He expression never changed the whole time we were at the stop.. 

This is  Hotel Del was now leaving town in a jeep..

I think Joaane was just having fun!!!

The rest of the ride was easy.   Mostly bike path around the bay.   Nice people to chat with. And very pretty view. 

As in life, some times your pulling the train....

Some times your being pulled........

And sometimes, well  These is always that one at the back just riding her own ride

                                             Bike the Bay was such a fun ride!!!!

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P.S.   We were really hungry after the ride.  The joy of technology is that you can google anything.  We drove to the googled  lunch spot very near by -  only to find that they only had pastries.  So Joanne used her expertise skills and found a place a couple of minutes away!  And a patio with a nice view to boot.  There is nothing better than lunch with a great view and great friends to finish a ride. Ok I realize I have no pictures of the great view or great friends..   But we were really hungry. 

  

LOL   I don't even remember the name of this restaurant!