Back to familiar areas. I’ve been in Pine Valley five times before: 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2015 and always on December 26th. That is the first day of the San Diego Christmas Ride and Pine Valley is the first overnight stop. Always a fun ride and nice to get back in the area. Today is quite a bit warmer than those December days.

Jacumba Hot Springs was quiet little town and the lodge was nice. Today had a surprising amount of climbing though nothing too severe. It was also a warm day with NE winds coming off the Imperial Valley and desert.

Leaving Jacumba Hot Springs I came close past the border fence again.

There were also quite a few border patrol vehicles.

I climbed up and over the first hill and passed through Boulevard. Another hill here going via Live Oak Springs.

The first top was slightly less than 4000ft and the second top was slightly more. Several tribal reservations and at least one casino. Pretty much all day I cycled on old US 80 and it had very little traffic.

Middle of the day and it was warm. Glad I climbed the big hill yesterday as today would likely have been considerably warmer.

I reached the turnoff for Mount Laguna and now the last bit was riding in familiar territory down to Pine Valley.

Tomorrow plan is to follow the Adventure Cycling route into San Diego. It looks like it roughly reverses the Christmas Ride route except this time I’ve got a lot more descent than ascent. San Diego will also be finish of the second phase of this ride and plan to take an intermission until after Thanksgiving. Good chance to sort out what worked and what didn’t before crossing the border into Baja Mexico and riding phases #3 (Baja), #4 (rest of Mexico) and #5 (Central America).