The push towards Ocean Beach and the fear of asphalt

November 19, 2014 Longboard Lady 0 Comments

I was, all of a sudden, in a hurry. Tina, the long distance bicyclist I had shared the camping spot with had already put her tent together and it looked as she was ready to leave when I asked her when she thought they expected me to be out from the camp. "I think now", she said and my plans of a second cup of coffe was not as important anymore. The time was 9.03 am and I guessed that Tinas "now" was three minutes ago. Well, to put all my things together in a well balanced way took time and even if I didn't have my second cup of coffe I wasn't done until almost one hour later. Bye bye, Encinitas.

I headed slightly downhill for a while in a nice pace and in a good mood, then uphill and in to the small town of Solana where I found an excellent place for some breakfast and an even better thing, great internet connection. Time flew and I was chatting with my loved back home, did some blogging and some other online errands. When I finally left again the afternoon had caught up on me. It was uphill but climbing wasn't as strenuous as expected.




The climb resulted in one of the longest, and quite steep, downhills I had faced and I feared I couldn't handle the speed. I made it, part by part. Slower than walking I guess and probably leaving traces of shoe soles when braking. When I finally had the courage to let go and increased speed I saw a big gap between the slabs on the bridge in front of me which undoubtedly and abruptly would stop my wheels and I had to bail out. Two bikers behind me almost hit the board which went on by itself and then continued, heading towards traffic. Cars honking, me scared but thankful for being safe again. My board was still with me.

I was in a beautiful place, Torrey Pines State Beach just before the next climb, but I couldn't really enjoy it, still suffered from my earlier traffic experience. I was also aware of the late afternoon darkness which approached and I caught a bus to have time to find a new camp ground.

What happend next is a long story but to shorten it let's say that the bus took me in the wrong direction, I was saved by an internet connection at a shopping mall and a friend I had met before, I spent the night sleeping in a car and ended up on the right side of the Torrey Pines the next, very early morning.

Ate some almonds and cheese for breakfast on a bench in the fancy La Jolla Shores, brushed my teeth in the public restroom there and was watched by the friendly but suspicious guard who seemed to be overlooking the area in that early morning hour. Some early joggers showed up along the beach, the surfers where already in the water to catch the waves. I left. The coast was beautiful and dramatic and even if I had seen it before, two years earlier, I couldn't have enough. I had to move on though. San Diego was calling.




When I pushed my longboard into my "old" neighbourhood I couldn't get rid of that stupid smile of mine. It felt like I left only a couple of weeks ago and the distinct smell of pot reached my nose. This was OB. People smoked, someone was playing the guitar in the street and the green little cottage I once said goodbye to was still there waiting for my arrival. I rang the bell, so many memories.