Getting Close
We concluded our rest day in Lompoc by watching part of the movie "The Goonies". It's set in the town of Astoria, Oregon, which we cycled through. Unfortunately, the movie was scheduled to finish at 11 pm - way past our usual bedtime - so we turned it off like the responsible people we are. We have resolved to watch the rest of it once we are no longer riding for 6 hours a day and have considerably more free time.
Yesterday we rode 69 miles, the longest distance so far on the Pacific Coast leg of the tour. There was a lack of affordable lodging options around Santa Barbara so we blew on through to the town of Carpinteria, which offered a state beach park with hiker/biker discounts. We took only a few breaks and rode strongly, arriving around 6 pm. Not too bad, though the light was fading as we set up our tents. Shortly after we arrived another cyclist pulled up. Natalie is visiting the old missions along the California coast. Then one more cyclist named Ocean joined. We don't know if "Ocean" is his real name or self-given. Natalie shared pastries with us and we offered cookies in return.
Today was a more relaxed day. We had a nice break at Faria Beach then continued into Ventura to visit In N' Out, a popular burger chain on the west coast. A pair of speedy road cyclists caught up with us as we rode into town, catching us is not difficult. We exchanged stories for a few rapid miles then parted ways, though not before they had pointed us towards In N' Out. It was milkshakes all around and we enjoyed sitting in the sunshine.
Onwards down the coast we went, passing through the town of Oxnard where Mike and I once took a ferry over to the island of Santa Cruz for a backpacking trip. Large planes coming into land at a naval base provided some entertainment and we stopped at a nearby park for our final break of the day. Thanks to some tailwinds we made good time and arrived at the chosen destination of the Leo Carillo state park just after 3 pm. Unfortunately for us the park had recently enacted a policy of requiring those using the hiker/biker campsites to check in after 5 pm. Hmmph. This left us with a couple of hours to kill so Mike and I went to the beach where we either went wading or paddling in the sea depending on your nationality. We also enjoyed climbing on some rocks and watching the surfers. Eventually we were allowed to check in and we went through the usual motions of setting up the tents, showering, and cooking dinner.
We are currently only 20 miles outside of LA and I think it will be fun to ride through familiar territory. As the trip draws to a close I find my mind starting to wander to other things - fixing up the boat, finding a job, volunteering at Bikerowave again, living in a house. I must remember to enjoy these last few days, we think we have only three more days of riding to do.
Yesterday's miles: 69
Today's: 47
Yesterday we rode 69 miles, the longest distance so far on the Pacific Coast leg of the tour. There was a lack of affordable lodging options around Santa Barbara so we blew on through to the town of Carpinteria, which offered a state beach park with hiker/biker discounts. We took only a few breaks and rode strongly, arriving around 6 pm. Not too bad, though the light was fading as we set up our tents. Shortly after we arrived another cyclist pulled up. Natalie is visiting the old missions along the California coast. Then one more cyclist named Ocean joined. We don't know if "Ocean" is his real name or self-given. Natalie shared pastries with us and we offered cookies in return.
Today was a more relaxed day. We had a nice break at Faria Beach then continued into Ventura to visit In N' Out, a popular burger chain on the west coast. A pair of speedy road cyclists caught up with us as we rode into town, catching us is not difficult. We exchanged stories for a few rapid miles then parted ways, though not before they had pointed us towards In N' Out. It was milkshakes all around and we enjoyed sitting in the sunshine.
Onwards down the coast we went, passing through the town of Oxnard where Mike and I once took a ferry over to the island of Santa Cruz for a backpacking trip. Large planes coming into land at a naval base provided some entertainment and we stopped at a nearby park for our final break of the day. Thanks to some tailwinds we made good time and arrived at the chosen destination of the Leo Carillo state park just after 3 pm. Unfortunately for us the park had recently enacted a policy of requiring those using the hiker/biker campsites to check in after 5 pm. Hmmph. This left us with a couple of hours to kill so Mike and I went to the beach where we either went wading or paddling in the sea depending on your nationality. We also enjoyed climbing on some rocks and watching the surfers. Eventually we were allowed to check in and we went through the usual motions of setting up the tents, showering, and cooking dinner.
We are currently only 20 miles outside of LA and I think it will be fun to ride through familiar territory. As the trip draws to a close I find my mind starting to wander to other things - fixing up the boat, finding a job, volunteering at Bikerowave again, living in a house. I must remember to enjoy these last few days, we think we have only three more days of riding to do.
Yesterday's miles: 69
Today's: 47
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| At the Missile Park |
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| Celebrating the nation's heritage |
Happy Halloween! Have a wonderful time tonight at Hotel Kendall and enjoy the trick or treat festivities!
ReplyDeleteRide safely.
Cheri