On the last day we had to hit the road early so that we could be at the Old Town San Diego train station by 2 pm. Some people were taking the train back to Santa Barbara. This year, we'll still have that option but most people will spend the night in San Diego, conveniently, on the first day of the Bicycle Tourism Conference. 

This day included the most beautiful coastal riding of the trip. This picture by Robert Neiuber shows a typical view we had as we pedaled south toward San Diego. Wow!

People who know the area ask, "how did you get through Camp Pendleton?" Motorists on I-5 get directed away from the coast but bike riders (and Amtrak passengers) get to ride through the base! (IDs required.) It was stunningly gorgeous and wonderfully safe to enjoy car-free roads with the occasional well-disciplined soldier sharing the road with you. :-) 

After Camp Pendleton we enjoyed lunch in Pizza Port, a brewpub with a truly delicious selection. This made Roger very happy, as you can see. He went a little selfie-crazy!

Except for the bottle of wine from the Santa Barbara region that greeted riders when they arrived at the hotel to start the ride, the Dream Ride didn't cover our alcohol drinking, except for this last lunch. We shared a few pitchers, although not many, because we had more riding to do. 

The picture to the right shows us approaching the last real climb of the trip, past Torrey Pines. At the top, a few miles of bike lanes took us to (yet another!) riverside bike path that took us almost all the way into San Diego. 

I was sad the trip was over, but in a celebratory mood, that's for sure! 

Here are some pics of Nathan and Laura laughing it up, and a pic of me and Roger enjoying our last moments together.