7th Jan 2010 Tamarisk Grove Campground - Peg Leg Campground 32.4 KM

7 Jan 2010 Tamarisk Grove Campground - Peg Leg Campground 32.4 KM
Today I met a tandem couple on the way from Tamarisk to Borrego Springs, out of Borrego Springs they have a lot of huge statues made of steel (elephants horses etc.). In Borrego Springs I met another couple who told me that further more has a campground for free at the end of a road named Peg Leg, and I went to the library checked email and charged my Ipod battery and spent 2 hours. Passed by an airport then headed to north a little bit got into Peg Leg campground. A lot of people there but they drove cars. I Knew Chuck Mix who is an old man from Mi......... tonight I did not put up the tent, because it was not to cold.

6th Jan 2010 Inaja - Cosmit Indian Res Picnic Ground - Tamarisk Grove Campground 40.2 KM

6 Jan 2010 Inaja - Cosmit Indian Res Picnic Ground - Tamarisk Grove Campground 40.2 KM
I ran out of water last night, and this picnic ground does not have a water supply, from here to Julian is about a 9.2 km climb, I stopped at a small shop and bought a can of cola before Julian. Julian is a small town over 4000 ft, I'm almost out of fuel, but I cannot find the right style fuel for my stove. Omar, the crazy guy I met in San Diego that's riding a skateboard across America, taught me how to make a stove just by using two Cola cans and Denatured Alcohol as fuel! Luckily I found the Alcohol in Julian! The road from Julian is downhill all the way about 20 km, then I got into the real desert! The area called Anza - Borrego Desert State Park. It is a huge park, my map does not show there are any camp grounds, but east of Julian about 40.2 km there is one named Tamarisk Grove Campground but it was closed. I met the host and he said I could camp there! Tonight I cooked with the Denatured Alcohol stove that Omar taught me how to make, it is really awesome!!!! believe me!

5th Jan 2010 Camping site - Inaja - Cosmit Indian Res Picnic Ground 39.5 KM

5 Jan 2010 Camping site - Inaja - Cosmit Indian Res Picnic Ground 39.5 KM
From getting no sleep last night it made today really hard. This morning just a 0.8 km climb and then a downhill ride to Ramona, but on the way I caught a big framing nail in my tire! My tire immediately went flat with a distinct sound of hissing , so I had to stop and repair it which only took about 10 minutes. In Ramona I stopped for lunch at a Taco shop. Then the 78 from Ramona to Julian slightly climbed again for 3000 feet! In Santa Ysabel, 7 miles west of Julian, I bought some food to cook tonight. I thought tonight I could pass Julian and find somewhere to sleep, but from Santa Ysabel to Julian the road is still uphill, it is not any steeper than before, but I was just so tired, just out of Santa Ysabel the way to Julian there is a picnic ground named Inaja-Cosmit Indian Res Picnic Ground, so I decided to camp there tonight. I tried to cook pork and vegetables. It was not so bad! I am becoming a good chef in America!

4th Jan 2010 El Cajon - camping 24.8 KM

4 Jan 2010. El Cajon - camping 24.8 KM
Today I got up at noon, I have been in San Diego a whole month from Dec 4th 2009 to Jan 3rd 2010. Natasha and Philip were already gone, so I did not get to give them the warm hug that I owed them, hope I can give it to them back in Beijing or somewhere!
I haven't ridden my bike for a whole month, so it is really hard to pedal again, especially east of El Cajon I had to climb a lot, it is not as big of a mountain as in Tibet, but without the excercise I was so exhausted. I got a muscle cramp in my leg today so I only rode 24.8KM, so I found a spot next to a bridge to sleep for the night. Tonight I couldn't sleep at all, either I was too tired or the nervousness from the noises of wild animals kept me up, it sucked really bad.

San Diego almost one month! 4th Dec 2009 - 3ed Jan 2010

4 Dec 2009 – 3 Jan 2010
On the first few days when I stayed at my friend's home in El Cajon it rained steadily for a couple of days, so I just stayed at home to relax. When the rain went away I planed to sell some paintings in Downtown San Diego, but everyday I got up too late.
I went to the studio with Philip and Natasha twice to record the online music show, a lot of my friends browsed the website to see me, it is so wonderful.
http://2plyradio.com/
16th Dec 2009 I should leave, the other days I tried to find a place in San Diego to sleep, because I felt I bothered them too much, but it did not work. I got a reply from a guy in San Diego, he said I could come to his apartment. So on the 16th I did not head to Arizona, it's good because a Chinese friend of mine would like to see me in SD during the X' mas.
This is my first time Couch Surfing, the guy named Julian, a Spaniard with a British accent. He has a tiny dog and a fat cat. Everyday we went to the bar to drink beer. At the Ugly X' mas party I designed a sweater by myself, everybody liked it. On the front I wrote "Proud to be an Amelican", on the back "I speak Engrish".
But my Chinese friend did not come to SD on X' mas day. and then I was still in SD waiting for the new year to come !
It means I was totally there almost one month! I NEED to go!