Southern Tier Section 1

[Erikainseattle]

I rode the Southern Tier Section 1 in early December solo.  I took the train to San Diego and started from there.  I had misjudged how far I would get the first day.  Jacumba which is at the top of all the climbing, has a wonderful spa but definitely book ahead.  The descent from there is clear and it is gorgeous so try not to do that a night.  My one change to Section 1 would be to NOT take bicycles off of 8 in the Algodones area (where you ride on a road called The Center of the World) that ‘frontage road is 4-5 miles of criminal pavement.  I was worried that I would flat and I went at about 6 miles an hour on the flat it was so bad.  The highway at that point says bicycles can’t be on it, but I would risk it next time as 8 has a wonderfully smooth and clean and huge shoulder and the trucks were not bad at all.  Other changes I made were instead of taking the very odd massive loop around Yuma, I went through the town and got on 8 and took 8 through telegraph pass.  Perhaps the big loop around it was pretty but I didn’t have the time.  And 8 is a perfect road for riding.  I had been nervous about riding on a highway but it was perfectly fine most of the time.