Day 3

Boulevard, CA to Calexico, CA - 59 miles

Quite a descent from the mountains to the desert floor.  Followed the border pretty closely today.

The thermometer read 38 degrees when I left this morning.  The wind made it feel like I was back home.  Good thing I had extra layers.

The first dog attack of the trip actually involved two dogs.  I was prepared and narrowly outpaced them on the level terrain just west of Jacumba Hot Springs.

Jacumba Hot Springs has some history - though you wouldn't readily tell by passing through.  Local revitalization efforts continue, but ever since the interstate bypassed the town, and other more easily accessible hot springs have been developed, it has been a struggle.  Chalk up another interstate bypass casualty.

I was able to stop on the side of the interstate near the Desert View Tower to get a few pictures before the big descent.  I had to keep the speed in check down the steep grade.  Part of the way down, however, traffic came to a halt.  

A couple of miles ahead, a construction crew continued this week's work blasting loose boulders off a steep face next to the highway.  I stopped and talked with a construction supervisor for about 20 minutes until the pilot car allowed traffic to pass on the single lane for the next couple of miles.

The remainder of the descent went well.  I still had brake pads left at the end, so all is good.

Stopped at a gas station in Ocotillo to get more water before heading east through the Yuha desert to Calexico.  This peaceful, 33 mile stretch reminded me in some ways of the stretch from Bridgeport to the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington.  Similar longitude.  Different latitude.  Similar landscape features.  Different time of year.

The wide shoulder, sparse traffic, and good weather made it quite pleasant.  At times, I could just vaguely see the Salton Sea area about 20 miles north of me.  A significant environmental problem has emerged here as it dries up and turns into a toxic wasteland.  It's actually been in the news again lately.

I was hoping to make it to Yuma today, but the road work delay, slight headwind, and lack of places to camp or stay for the next 50 miles made me think twice.  Will also be heading into a new time zone.  Lose an hour, but it doesn't matter much to me.  Probably could have made it, but hey, this is vacation!