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HI-Point Loma Hostel To Mexican Border, Tijuana

10/11/2013

6 Comments

 
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Harbor Blvd., San Diego
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Ferry to Coronado Island
Distance (mi) = 24.5
Ave Speed (mph) = 8.2
Max Speed (mph) = 24.0
Time (h:m) = 3:00

Route:
Nimitz Blvd., Harbor Drive, Passenger Ferry to Coronado Island, Coronado Bike Path, Beyer Rd., Dairy Mart Rd., San Ysidro Blvd., Mexican border, Tijuana

Today was my last leg of the Border-2-Border challenge. It was a bit anti-climactic and the ride to Mexico was relatively easy until a few miles from the border.  Most of the route was on bike lanes or bike paths.   All flat, no hills of any consequence.  The sky was blue and the temperature was perfect. 

I rode down to Harbor Drive via the Nimitz Blvd.   At Seaport Village, a short ride on a passenger ferry took me to Coronado Island, half of which is a naval air station.  Coronado, dubbed as the "Crown City," offers pristine sand, gentle surf and a community with a small-town feel.  The island is best known for two famous structures, the historic Hotel del Coronado and the iconic San Diego-Coronado Bridge.  Tourists stroll down Orange Avenue, Coronado's main street, which is lined with shops, restaurants, galleries, theaters and the Coronado Historical Museum. At the other end of the island, Coronado's Ferry Landing offers a collection of over 20 shops, art galleries and restaurants boasting stunning views of San Diego's downtown skyline. The historic Hotel del Coronado, built in 1888, has a fascinating and colorful past which includes royalty, politicians, scandals, ghosts and celebrities. It's also widely believed to have been the inspiration for the Emerald City in L. Frank Baum's Wizard of Oz.

These attractions and miles of bike trails make Coronado Island a destination in itself for bikers and tourists.   But I had a very specific mission today -- the culmination of my own challenge to reach the Mexican border after a 2,000 mile adventure. I followed Glorietta Blvd. around the bay and it eventually took me to a seven mile bike path which parallels the Silver Strand Blvd., a long narrow strip of land bordered on one side by the Pacific Ocean and the San Diego Bay on the other. 

The bike path ends at Imperial Beach where 23th Street, Coronado Ave., Beyer Blvd., Dairy Mart Rd., and San Ysidro Blvd. lead you to the Mexican border.  This area is quite busy with much traffic as both tourist and commercial traffic pass through Tijuana. The atmosphere is definitely Mexican where knowledge of the Spanish language is often helpful ... lots of tourist tiendas, bars, and hole-in-the-wall dives in San Ysidro on the American side.  There is a trolley which connects greater San Diego with San Ysidro and points in between.

A separate pedestrian pathway across a sky bridge is used enter the Mexico for those who did not drive a vehicle or decide to park it on the American side.

Ajua!  La frontera Mexicana, 1,974 millas sur de Peace Arch, Canada cruce fronterizo.



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Baja Ha-Ha is almost here, West Marine, Rosecrans Ave., San Diego
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Starting my new job as pedi-cab driver for San Diego tourists
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Arrived, Mexican border
6 Comments
dar
10/11/2013 02:35:52 pm

Mission accomplished my darling, how ecstatic you must be!
Can't wait to see the whites of your eyes and have you safe at home!

Congratulations, celebrating with you will be a gas♥♥♥
Tuesday seems so far away....
AMD - don't leave that mantra behind quite yet.


Reply
Gyongyi Szirom
10/11/2013 03:18:28 pm

Bravo! Congratulations on your accomplishment! Riding border to border is no small feat...I'm impressed.

Re: the Golden Princess... I go aboard that ship with my feather lei teacher when it's docked in Hilo. We do an hour long cultural program about feather work, and the tourists learn to make a feather flower.

Re: the "new pedestrian path" to Mexico...did they discover a new tunnel for illegals to sneak across? Did you cross the border?

Looking forward to seeing you on Maui! Aloooha!

Reply
Gyongyi Szirom
10/11/2013 03:21:33 pm

You COULD be a pedicab driver...you now have the leg muscles to do it. Maybe you should have a little summer biz in Bellingham taking tourists around the waterfront.

Reply
Deborah allen
10/12/2013 02:27:15 am

Congrats to you Steve! Jim and I are so proud of you! What a fete!
Glad you are safe and had a wonderful time. Really enjoyed your stay with us! Enjoy. Couple days rest and the. Off to HawIi next week. Loved seeing your bike in all the stops along the way-reminded me of Mr. Bill from Saturday Night Live (without his mishaps) ask Deb if you're not sure what I meant . GREAT JOB!!!!!

Reply
Aloha Annie
10/12/2013 08:43:19 am

Do I hear Happy Music in the background at the Border? You did it with Me and Myself. Take all the Boys out of a celebratory Beer on Me.

Now off the Maui. You know what they say "Here today gone to Maui". You'll be staying on the side of Maui that has delighted my eyes once with the most spectacular Sunset I've never seen. An believe me that is no small fete.

Don't forget to pack your Snorkel Gear. Honolua Bay is not far from where you be staying and has great snorkeling. No bathrooms/showers at Beach just a heads-up.You'll want to pack a lunch as well.

AA

AA

Reply
Chad
10/13/2013 12:33:54 pm

Hi Steve,
You accomplished what you set out to do, and it's obvious you put a lot of work, planning, and discomfort into your adventure. Congratulations in accomplishing a difficult endeavor, whatever your reasons. Chad

Reply

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    About the Journal

    Picture
    The Trip Journal is Steve Szirom's account of his West Coast bike tour from the Canadian border to the Mexican border following the Pacific Coast. Posts will be made regularly depending on the availability of Wi-Fi.

    I will be staying mostly at state parks but will also make use of hostels the Warm Showers and Couch Surfing networks when available...and even a motel or two when nothing else is available.

    The postings will cover each segment of the trip.. The most recent segment posting is always at the top.  

    Notes will be made where I divert from the initial plan.  Items of interest and recommended businesses and services will be mentioned based on my experience. 

    As a matter of definition when I mention "road shoulder" it means the following : no shoulder (0 feet), small shoulder (0-2 feet), moderate shoulder (2-4 feet), wide shoulder (greater than 4 feet)

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    Recommended

    The following hyper-linked recommendations are based on my personal visits/reviews and are listed in date order visited starting with earliest.

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