Onward to Baja

Wow. Here we are, in a hotel room 2 miles north of the Mexican border. We are prepping everyting - our gear, our heads, getting our last taste of American food and dark beer and pumpkin pie. We are ready for the next step of this adventure despite how huge this step may feel right now.



We are posting this blog so that everyone is updated on our last week of activity, pictures and all.....and because we are unsure of when we will have internet again to send updates.



This past week has actually been quite restful in terms of cycling. We have been busy on our rest days with last minute adjustments and preparations to our gear as well as visiting family. We started the week by visiting Box Wheelchairs in Norco, CA for some adjustments to Seth's chair (this is the company who sponsored Seth with his awesome wheelchair -- definitely check them out). Then we spent time with family in Dana Point, exploring replicas of historic boats and enjoying some beach time.

Troy changing the push rims and tires...we love kevlar.

The mastermind mechanic, Mike Box, adjusting the axle receivers, making Seth's chair slightly more narrow in preparation for Central and South American doorways.

Beach time! We keep riding past the beach and never get to touch the sand... I'm sure we will get plenty of sand in the next few weeks!

This is the ship we explored, thanks to Captain Jim Wehan, Seth's cousin.

This is the means of travel when steps and tight quarters are involved. Good thing we're young! This is to view the engine room of the ship -- easily the tightest space we've ever piggy-backed into.

Can you see how tight our shoulders were coming out of that room? We had to go one extremity at a time. It was hilarious.

Seth is taking a rest break on a bunk down in the cabin with Jim and Barb.

This hole was tiny and awkward because of the ladder. Seth's legs are so much longer than mine, they were tripping me climbing such a steep spot. We were all laughing and having a good time.

From Dana Point, we continued riding, as you guessed it, SOUTH! We stopped in Carlsbad for a night and rode through Camp Pendleton before making it to San Diego to stay with Kelly's cousin, Stacey. While we were in San Diego we got to use Stacey's car to visit Challenged Athletes Foundation (they gave Seth a grant to help cover his handcycle...fantastic folks!) and run errands for last minute restocking of our gear. Riding around town with the air conditioning, going from point A to point B without any physical effort was quite a treat, one we do not take for granted. In the following pictures, you will see that we were haunted by the flat tire spirits.

A rare treat for cyclists - a cloudy day in Southern California. Aside from a break from the sun, it also meant there were less people on the path to have to avoid. We understand and respect the importance of shared paths, but sometimes it's nice to just be able to go.

Seth giving a cheesy smile. Notice the bike's flag. We were riding into a headwind, which we have done several times on this trip. It's amazing how much a little wind slows us down!

The beautifully manicured road leading up to Camp Pendleton. At least it was only used for bikes.

Look closely, you can see our speed captured by the sign. We were climbing a hill and I was fumbling with the camera knowing this would probably be the last time we see such a sign. Our speed is always posted as we pass these...cracks us up! Definitely not breaking any speed limits!

Just another day riding along the beach. Awesome.

Yay for easy transportation!

What a cool organization - CAF. Notice the banner above our heads. Like we're special or something.

Who doesn't love a good flat tire?! At least we made it to our meeting before getting the flat.

A question was posed by Carolyn: How many people does it take to change a tire? Answer: apparently a quad, female, and an amputee.

At least we were smiling. Thanks, Travis, for changing the tire!!

Leaving Stacey's place this morning, heading for San Ysidro for one last night in California before crossing the border.

It's getting really real.

Our plans are to continue to push our pace through the Baja until we meet up with Kelly's parents around Thanksgiving. As we hit towns along the way, we will continue updating as much as possible though we will no longer have the convenience of a data plan.

Thanks again to everyone for all of your support. Continue to spread the word on the importance of movement and physicality...and do yourself a favor by doing something active today.

Hasta Luego