Mexican Border

We did it.  We finished our epic adventure on Tuesday October 6.  Along the way we met up with a lot of our cycling friends, what a great way to cycle to the border.  Also Jamie aka Rhino and Todd from Ride 2 Recovery joined us it was an exciting and sad ride.  Some things have to end so new ones can begin. The border patrol did not want us touching the fence or being that close to border so a few quick pictures and we moved on.  Afterwards Paul and Patti threw us a welcome home party, so many wonderful gracious friends and family were there. I guess everyone wanted to keep the adventure alive a little longer.
What's next?

Carpinteria to Oceanside

Leaving Carpinteria we rode across the new bike way on Hwy 101 to Ventura and down to Port Hueneme SeaBee base and on to Pt. Mugu stopping at Neptunes Net for lunch it has been about 30 years since I was last there. From there to Malibu constant rolling bumps on the road.  Worst hotel ever. We left Malibu on a Thursday my first  deetour was a Thursday in Malibu and we were dodging trash cans, what was I thinking? Had breakfast in Santa Monica and saw a cyclist we had seen in another state go by. We stopped in Long Beach for lunch great scenery and on to Huntington Beach for our last night on the road.  We had a little party at our jacuzzi to celebrate, everyone drinks beer except me, I had a Cider Ale one night but, that didn't convince me beer tasted good. When Ursula and Bob went to buy drinks and chips they asked what I wanted, " anything mango"  mango tea, mango lemonade, anything mango. Be careful what you ask for, did you know they make "Mango Beer"? Actually it was quite tasty I would drink it again.
We are now home in Oceanside needing to wait for the the trains to run again before we go to border. We don't want to ride all the way back home.
One more day of blogging after this one.

Carpenteria

We are in Carpenteria, almost home. The last couple of days have been shorter and less elevation gain. Either I'm getting stronger or the boys are carrying more of my baggage!  San Simeon to Grover Beach was a fun ride we stopped in SLO for lunch and as we were leaving a jazz band was playing on the sidewalk, good music. Leaving Grover Beach we came across more agriculture for miles and miles and a couple of hills.  Shorter mileage makes the hills so much easier to conquer.  And then we arrived in Lompoc where 3 bus loads of mostly French and some German tourist unloaded at our hotel.  Well the big question is, why would anyone make Lompoc a destination?  Since we arrived early we unload panniers and rode to lunch, big 5 and a bike shop.  From Lompoc we had a 70 mile day to Carpenteria the Santa Barbara coastline was azure blue a sight to behold. And Cherry stopped by our hotel.  We are getting real close to home.

Catching up again

We are in Grover Beach.  From Half Moon Bay we headed to Watsonville we had some long days and lots of climbing. Cycling through Central California is agriculture abundant rows and fields of crops. Then on to Big Sur another long and hilly day revisiting Monterey Bay, crossing the Bixby Bridge another bridge checked off my bucket list coming down we had winds gusting to 30 ish, very scary. As a matter of fact all bridges are now checked off my bucket list, and arriving at the Big Sur Lodge which has no internet service but, does have deer and wild turkeys wandering about. Next city San Simeon after two long difficult days the best was yet to come. Fortunately for me with no internet I couldn't check elevation gain or hills to come, so I had no idea what was in store. Better I didn't know. Just before the two back to back hellacious hills the boys waved me over I was hoping they were going to throw by bike off the cliff, instead they took my panniers.  Beers on me. And then down hill down wind to San Simeon. Where Pat and Hans took us to dinner.

Half Moon Bay

Today was our day of rest we had a leisurely breakfast worked on bikes, well the boys did, plotted our next couple of days : Watsonville, Big Sur Lodge, San Simeon, Arroyo Grande and south. And then we went for an exploratory ride in Half Moon Bay another quaint town lots of Victorian homes, brussel sprouts, English Pubs and bikes ways.
Real friends know how much I dislike off road cycling but, today on our exploration we had to traverse gravel, sand, single track with lots of ruts and thousands of other horrors. Almost as much fun as crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. : )
I am thankful for my disc brakes it has made those steep downhills on prior days manageable.

Golden Gate Bridge

We are in Half Moon Bay with a day off planned for tomorrow. Sit bones will be very happy.  We left Mill Valley this morning and it was cold, dreary, misty and windy, we cycled through Sausalito and onto the Golden Gate Bridge. I've always wanted to bicycle across the GG bridge, be careful what you wish for, the sky was dreary and the winds were howling and the autos were so loud and spitting sand and road grit at us and then the tourist on bicycles, and on foot and the local cyclist mix all that together and place on a high windy bridge! Check that off my bucket list. It was the longest grueling 40 miles ever, I think my sit bones contributed a lot to that factor. Check out the flag and tree in picture of GG bridge.  We also rode through a great tunnel with a 7 foot bike lane and down hill continuing to our destination. Also a couple of photos from Tomales Bay quaint town. That was a great day of riding.

Two days of rest

Turned in my TSV (temporary support vehicle) left Fort Bragg and headed south.  It was a day of ups and downs I had 4233 feet of climbing and walked one hill RidewithGPS said it was a 17% grade. My mind and body was rested, relaxed and ready to go another beautiful day of riding. The California Coastline is one of the best, parts of highway 1 were very narrow but, most drivers were considerate and on the downhills one time I got to 40.9 so realistically drivers couldn't pass me. The only place available to spend the night was a Bed and Breakfast fantastic view. I guess my kids inheritance will be reduced by this trip. : )