Touring * Fitness * Artistic *

Take Interstate 5 south past downtown San Diego and follow the signs to Highway 75 leading to the Coronado Bridge ($1 toll for westbound traffic only). Immediately after the bridge touches land, turn left onto Glorietta Boulevard and follow it alongside a coastal park to where it meets up with Highway 75 near the Coronado Yacht Club. Take the left fork and head a block south and then make another left to get off the Strand Highway and onto Strand Way. (The Strand Trail runs between the two.) From Strand Way you can park at Glorietta Bay Park next to the Coronado Plunge. To park on the south end of the Silver Strand Bikeway, exit Interstate 5 onto Highway 75 north and enter Imperial Beach. Near Seventh Street, the highway veers to the north and crosses the U.S. Naval Communication Station at the Coronado city limits. Park at the small roadside lot on the right, where a faded blue sign marks the South Bay Biological Study Area. The trail runs next to the bay. Map: The San Diego County Bike Map is available free by calling (619) 231-2453.

The Silver Strand Bikeway can deliver a real workout, but hard skating somehow seems easier here because the bikeway also provides fantastic views across the San Diego Bay. The skyscapes range from the industrial silhouettes of Chula Vista and National City to the cosmopolitan skyscrapers of San Diego and Coronado Island. Natural, marshy wetlands border much of the bay side on the south end of the Silver Strand. The best thing about this 10-foot-wide asphalt trail is that it seems to go on and on. In a busy port town such as San Diego, there is a relatively small price to pay for that length. Mostly on the north half, but also in a few places farther south, the bikeway is interrupted by intersections that serve beachgoers, the Naval Amphibious Base, and the homes in the Coronado Cays. Some of the crossings bear watching, where heavy use has caused lips of pavement to rise up high enough to catch a skate and where bits of gravel are scattered on the surface. Unfortunately, glimpses of the Pacific Ocean are infrequent because of the low, sandy ridge that borders the west side of the highway. And of course, the highway is worth a moment's consideration. For the entire length of the strand trail, traffic on a four-lane divided road roars by constantly only a few yards away. The final warning is that you should be aware of the direction of the wind before you start your trip down this exposed strand. When skating a 14-mile round-trip such as this, it's better to plan ahead so that the wind is at your back speeding you along on the second half of your trip. There's nothing worse than battling a strong head wind when you're tired and ready to quit skating. If you parked at Glorietta Bay Park and still have the energy, skate north to explore Coronado Island (see the previous listing).