Nightglow Window

The Wind At Your Back

In the afternoon I grit it out heading south: fourteen miles of stiff head winds as I make my way down to Cardiff. Clouds scud the southern horizon and it feels like rain. Sand blows across the road and into my face Lawrence of Arabia style as I pedal past Ponto and into Leucadia.

Kiteboarders are out in force at Seaside Reef, about three miles south of Swami's and 14 miles from home, and I stop to watch. I may have lingered too long, however, because the thought of more headwinds is too much to bear as I start south again. I give up.

The ride is a little like tobogganing. It's hard and not a lot of fun to walk up a snow covered hill dragging your sled, but the higher you go, the better and more exhilarating the ride down will be. As I turn north the wind picks me up. My average speed jumps from a cold and dreary 14 mph to a thrilling 25 mph. I want to whoop with joy as I rocket down the road, turning my biggest gear with ease.

I'm being paced by a couple on a tandam and I follow close behind them as we blast up through Seaside, Cardiff, Encinitas, past Leucadia and Pannikin, down the hill to Ponto and up past the beachside Carlsbad campgrounds to Terramar. We finally part ways as I make a right turn off coast highway onto Tamarack and face the hill to home, buzzing with the joy of speed and physical exertion.