Bike riding today--- 100 miles even.  Tired but not in pain. Ended up on San Clemente Beach-- it is a better place to stop for sure compared to my previous stops. Going there was more difficult than coming back. 13.6 average speed is not great, but yes--- I am getting old.
I am now OK to start the new year.

Christmas 2013-2014 reunion

Rosarito-Ensenada, fall 2013

The ride went reasonably well. My time was 3 hours 7 minutes 21 second, per the timing chip.  I was #308 out if about of 4000 timed participants. At the very top of the mountain pass the road was in repairs and in bad condition for 5 miles or so. It probably added some 5 min to my time.  

Tour de Big Bear

It was very hard, because of the high elevation. The hill was hard in particular. I had a  flat tire several times and eventually had to quit at the 52 mile.  The ride was very scenic,

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park

Bike ride to Palomar Observatory

This is the famous ride in San Diego area. I started the ride from  the town of Pala in the valley, with the adjacent Indian reservation and a large casino, at elevation of 404 feet. The ride went past orange groves and steadily  climbed up. After about 10 miles or so, I turned left to the  South Grade Road, which was a steep  7-mile, 7-degree climb with multiple switchbacks. The climb indeed never stopped till the very top was reached  at the elevation of 5240 feet. Several bike riders  passed me; there were also quite a few of motocyclists, going up and down. The weather was perfect, not too hot, with birds and flowers everywhere; the oak trees provided the shade. I was going the lowest gear at about 6 miles per hour.

At the top I filled up my bottle with a fresh water and went another five miles to Palomar observatory, which was at 5620' elevation, first,  going downhill, then,  painfully, uphill. I went down the same way I came in, which was  about 40 mile roundtrip.

Wildflower 2013 ride in San Luis Obispo area

It was hard this time; the  knee was hurting. Average moving speed = 12.7 mile/hour. My front gear switcher broke one day before the race. I decided to stop after 80 miles and not to do the final loop. It was hot by the end of the race, with direct sun hitting upon us. The profile and photo are courtesy of Tour of California.

Cousteau in La Paz

Bonito catch

Waves breaking

Jumping Stingrays

jumping stingrays in Cabo San Lucas

This was bizarre overall. I saw it happening on the beach in San Jose Del Cabo at about 8 am in the morning. There were hundreds of  fish  (stingrays?) swimming in  large schools in the surf area. They were jumping out of water in the air one-by-one, doing a ritual dance of some kind-- reminded to me of California surfers?  The photograph does not show it well. Possibly  mating season for the fish.  Similar to grunion run in San Diego?

Whales in Cabo San Lucas