Day 18: Santa Monica to Carlsbad

The scenic ride embarked from the picturesque Santa Monica harbor, setting the tone for a journey filled with coastal views and invigorating sea breeze. As Gregg and Kevin pedaled along Highway 1, the route unfolded like a tapestry of coastal beauty, meandering through charming towns and vibrant beach communities. Passing through El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Palos Verdes Estates, each locale offered its own unique charm and character, adding layers of diversity to the ride.

The journey continued through the bustling cityscape of Long Beach where they rode past the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose, and the laid-back vibes of Seal Beach, and the iconic surf culture of Huntington Beach. Balboa and Newport Beach provided a serene coastal respite before the route then once we made it through San Clemente, continuing past the San Onofre decommissioned nuclear power plant. A diversion was required with a short distance of travel on Highway 5 due to restrictions at Camp Pendleton. Gregg used to have a base pass that allowed him to go through Camp Pendleton, but his pass expired so they had to go around. Once they made it around Camp Pendleton, they headed back out to the coast along Oceanside, Leucadia, and Encinitas, which are all typical beach towns with cute shops and eateries along the way. Gregg was the navigator since we used to have a house in Oceanside, but his memory was not quite accurate and they were lost a couple of short moments.

Finally, the ride culminated in the scenic town of Carlsbad, where Gregg and Kevin came upon our dear friend Geoff Herbert who was out for a ride. We will stay in Carlsbad tonight with are wonderful friends Doug and Cathy Dittrich who are graciously hosting us for a couple of days.

Tomorrow will be the last day of the ride as they guys will head to the Mexico boarder in the morning. Yay!

Today's ride covered a total distance of 112 miles with an elevation gain of 3,878 feet, lasting 6 hours and 46 minutes at an average speed of 16.5 mph.