The Point of Why I Ride a Bicycle

MsGrant, September 1, 2010

After a month-long hiatus, I decided to hop back on my bike this week. I rode Bike the Bay on Sunday (39 miles door to door), and it reminded me how much I love to bike ride around Point Loma. So, Tuesday we took a 22 mile ride that we fondly refer to as the “Tour de Pointe”.

We left the house at 5:15 p.m. and rode out Catalina Blvd. to the guard station. You used to be able to go to the lighthouse and Cabrillo Monument during the summer, but they changed the hours, and now no one can get past the guard after 5:00 p.m. Which kind of stinks for people wanting to ride their bikes down to the tide pools after work, or people who have out-of-town guests, because this site is a favorite destination for out-of-towners as well as locals. I asked them why they were closing early now, and they told me it was for security reasons. I think it has more to do with saving money, but I can’t confirm it.

Turning around at the guard station, we stopped at the red light and watched a motorist stop at the red light, then proceed to go through it while it was still red. Some people do own the whole damn road. We turned into the wooded area and rode down Silvergate, a lovely street dappled with rosebushes and festooned with BMWs and Mercedes Benz, past the gated entrance to Kellogg Street, home to Point Loma glitterati such as Joseph Wambaugh and the W-D 40 heir. Flying down Gage at 30 plus MPH, I felt exhilarated and extremely fortunate to be alive on such a beautiful day in such a beautiful place.

In the village of Point Loma we turn to get to Shelter Island. Going past the Rondelet condominiums, I am reminded of their swinging history, where the occupants reportedly had a swell time in the ‘60s and ‘70s. It seems that the same swingers still live there, only now they have walkers and blue placards. Sadly, their swing has swung. We pass my old office, where many former clients still work, still a place I can walk into any time, any day, and be welcomed with a smile and a crowd of happy-to-see-me faces. We cruise by The Brigantine and The Red Sails, two venerable establishments that have their fair share of regulars (we prefer The Red Sails, love the deck). Pedaling on, we pass Humphrey's, where we had our wedding rehearsal dinner. We just saw Garrison Keillor’s "A Prairie Home Companion" there. Love him, but he really does have a face for radio. We get to the end of Shelter Island and turn around, past the old Kona Kai, which is now The Shelter Point Resort, and where we got married, then back around to Bali Hai, whose views cannot be beat. We repeat this lap and head out Scott Street to Harbor Drive.

Harbor Drive can be a bit treacherous for a cyclist. Lots of airport taxicabs, who do not yield for any man, woman or child, let alone anything with wheels. I look to my right and see the marina, filled with giant floating condos and lots of other watercraft, big and small, and wonder to myself at which end of the spectrum are the owners on in the happiest days of their lives. We turn into Harbor Island and pass the Sheraton, the site of many a work party I’ve attended over the years. Lots of glitzy holiday parties, last year’s being saddened by the discovery the following day that the speeding coast guard boat we saw and assumed was just getting some revelers back in the Parade of Lights line-up was horribly not what we assumed at all. Many, many parties here, with many, many wonderful friends.

There is a strong headwind heading north on Harbor Island, so it is a relief when we turn at Tom Hamm’s Lighthouse, benefactor of one of the best Bloody Mary’s I have ever consumed in my life, and there have been many, and begin the southward portion of our lap. Looking to the right, there is a small sailboat relay race going on, consisting of maybe 20 boats. Their pretty white sails stand in stark contrast to the bright, cloudless blue sky, and the downtown skyline is sharp and glinting and brilliant. It is so bright I have to squint my eyes to take it all in. There are lots of people fishing off the rocks lining the bay, husbands and wives and their small children and their dogs all happy and smiling and thankful for this gift of a gorgeous day. We continue down to Island Prime and C-Level and I cannot stop thinking of C-Level’s amazing garlic fries. Thin, crispy and fragrant with garlic, I can stuff ten of them in my mouth at once, and I do whenever we go there. We take another lap around Harbor Island, and head back to Harbor Drive for the trip home.

As we pass the airport, I am grateful for its proximity to our home. Some want to move the airport. I think it is just fine where it is, and so do our visitors. The only ones who do not like its proximity to our home are the cab drivers who take us home after trips and become surly when they ask “where to?” and we tell them “Point Loma”. We can hear the planes where we live, but just barely. I do feel for those directly in the flight path. I used to live in the flight path, and it can be deafening. That airport has brought us to and from some really great places. Some trips have been for sad occasions, like my dad’s funeral, but most have been really fun, and a couple life-changing.

Crossing over Harbor Drive where Nimitz connects, we have to ride in the center of the road. This is scary, but in a good way. I look over my shoulder once, twice, three times and finally shout “clear” to my husband and we race to the center bike lane while cars whiz by. Up through Rosecrans we go, left on to Locust Street through Tunatown, then past our old condo where we lived when we first got married. We reach Canon Street and begin the slow climb back home. I want to turn at Point Loma Avenue, but my husband wants to go all the way up Canon, so I follow him up, maxing out at 7 MPH on the incline. Going past the new Fresh and Easy I am a little sad, because I think they are being nominated for an Onion for not using a different façade than all the other Fresh and Easys. We are just glad a store is there. Turning right on Catalina we barrel home, horses after the turn around. I am tired, but in that good exercise way, and as I pull my helmet off I catch a glimpse of myself in the bedroom mirror. I am grinning from ear to ear.

Afterward, I am filled with gratitude. Sometimes I think I have no memories here, because none of my family lives here. When I ride my bike, I am astounded at how many people and places in just this 22 mile loop hold memories for me. They are everywhere, and I was lucky to have had the opportunities to create them. I just have to remind myself to remember them.

nan shartel Sept. 1, 2010 @ 5:33 p.m.

WOW!!!!!!!

ur a bikewarrior...

good on u kiddo!!!

and what a beautiful area to ride a bike in....all along the bay and such

did HB go 2??

nan shartel Sept. 1, 2010 @ 5:35 p.m.

we had my Niece Carrie's 50 birthday party at Tom Hamm's breakfast buffet in late March...tasty stuff!!!

MsGrant Sept. 1, 2010 @ 6:17 p.m.

He did, Nan! What a great evening it was. San Diego needs to work on its bike paths a little, but it is a great city for cyclists scenery-wise. Tom Hamm's is so super-cool old school.

David Dodd Sept. 1, 2010 @ 8:36 p.m.

Had no idea that Wambaugh lives in Point Loma. By complete coincidence, we attended the same college. It's so interesting to see your northern perspective of Downtown as compared to something I have looked north toward for all of these years.

MsGrant Sept. 1, 2010 @ 9 p.m.

I forgot to mention in my story that Wambaugh's son Dave was a room-mate of my old fiance from the early '90s. No sh*t. We called him Big Wave Dave. One of the funniest guys I've ever met. There was a waitress at the Old Ox that he had a crush on. We called her "Bug Eyes" because she had these huge bulging eyes. The first time he saw her he said "she may have bug eyes, but she has a righteous toilet". I saw "The Choir Boys" and "The Onion Field" with my mom when I was really young. I have been a fan ever since, and have read most of Joe Wambaugh's books.

David Dodd Sept. 1, 2010 @ 9:13 p.m.

Bug-eyed gal, shades of Susan Sarandon. I read most of Wambaugh's books, long before they made movies out of them. I never learned that we attended the same college until years later. A hundred bucks says that college never taught him a damned thing about writing. College sucks that way ;)

MsGrant Sept. 2, 2010 @ 7:10 a.m.

Yes, Susan Sarandon, exactly. If the same college turned out him and you, I think it couldn't have been all bad :) But you are right - my husband says the same thing about college.

nan shartel Sept. 2, 2010 @ 8:30 a.m.

ditto Grantie and Refried but getting into a writing habit often happens in college...i wrote extemporaneously for several classes i had in College...but none of them were writing classes

SurfPuppy619 Sept. 2, 2010 @ 8:33 a.m.

We turned into the wooded area and rode down Silvergate

At the end of Silvergate it butts up to the base, and if you look right inside there where the fence is you see three old homes, each on a couple of acres, with some of the BEST views in San Diego-this is Navy housing and are where the admirals live. . . . We cruise by The Brigantine and The Red Sails, two venerable establishments ============== The Red Sails has been in business in San Diego for over 70 years-but I don't know if all the years have been at the current location. . . We get to the end of Shelter Island and turn around, past the old Kona Kai, which is now The Shelter Point Resort, ===================

They actually swithed the name BACK to the Kona Kai Resort. Shelter Pointe was a dumb name. . . . then back around to Bali Hai, ================= Best view in San Diego IMO, and the cost, for the experience, is a good value. BUT, are they still remodeling the Bali Hai?????? . . Point Loma is to me what San Diego is all about-the nicest area in the county.

MsGrant Sept. 2, 2010 @ 8:42 a.m.

I was going to mention that, nan. One of things school does teach is discipline, which can be one of the hardest things for a writer to master. I have none whatsoever, which is reflected in my dismal attempts.

MsGrant Sept. 2, 2010 @ 8:47 a.m.

SP, my husband read this last night and that was the first thing he said - they changed the name back to the Kona Kai. Shelter Pointe was a dumb name, I agree. The Bali Hai remodel is done. I looks more like a freshen-up than a remodel. I was there for the Tiki Oasis party a couple weeks ago, and it was packed, so I couldn't really see much difference. I'm going to check it out for dinner soon. And the military ALWAYS gets the best land. Thanks for reading - as you can tell, I am kind of proud to live here :) I take our guests for tours all over the peninsula and then apologize for boring them, but I can't get enough of this place.

MsGrant Sept. 2, 2010 @ 9:04 a.m.

Real quick - the tall ships come in today at 11:00 and if you can get there, Shelter Island is the perfect place to watch. It is really something. Bring a camera.

nan shartel Sept. 2, 2010 @ 9:39 a.m.

10...shaddup u silly woman...u write well!!!

nan shartel Sept. 2, 2010 @ 9:43 a.m.

12 Yippee!!

thx for the tip!!!

and i'd trade my dog to live nearer to any beach community...yeah that's a lie...hahahahahahahahaha

but it sounds good huh

but what would i do without a dog in OB??

MsGrant Sept. 2, 2010 @ 10:09 a.m.

It's in the OB Rules and Regs. You gotta have a pooch. I love OB too. They have a saying here "Ocean Beach - it's beside the Point" ;)

nan shartel Sept. 2, 2010 @ 11:18 a.m.

coolericious Ms Grant ;-)

nan shartel Sept. 5, 2010 @ 4:11 p.m.

Quill is back sweetie...yippee!!!

MsGrant Sept. 5, 2010 @ 4:47 p.m.

And so am I. I am satisfying my DFW Airport huge-ass Texas beer liquor lull with a nice glass of California white. Mmmmm. It's good to be home. I'll visit Quill's post.

Donald Sept. 29, 2010 @ 8:10 p.m.

"It seems that the same swingers still live there, only now they have walkers and blue placards. Sadly, their swing has swung."

LOL! I love the last line, you write very well.

David Dodd Oct. 5, 2010 @ 6:11 p.m.

Very fine work there, Ms. Grant :) Congrats!

Founder Oct. 5, 2010 @ 6:17 p.m.

Bicycle On and don't for get to Whee-e-e-e as you go...

MsGrant Oct. 5, 2010 @ 6:51 p.m.

Thanks, mrbreese - The Rondelet is still a cool place. If I had the money, I'd live out my golden years there!!

MsGrant Oct. 5, 2010 @ 7 p.m.

Thanks, RFG - your blog was the first one I ever read on this website and what got me interested in trying my hand at entering. Which has turned out to be a lot of fun, not to mention the great friends I have made!!