Day 50 - Taste for adventure

Dana Point, CA to Cardiff, CA - 45 miles

 

We realized halfway through our ride yesterday that we left one of the water backpacks in El Segundo.  Good riddance.  Here's another  consumer reports analysis.  The knock-off brand water backpack is a pain in the neck to close!  The bite valve is so stiff that it makes your jaw tired and the whole contraption leaks down your back if you didn't fill it perfectly.  Maybe there are decent ones out there, but the inexpensive brand we bought at Big 5 doesn't even compare to our Camel Back.  Spring for the name brand and it will make your water consuming adventure much more enjoyable.

We've crossed paths a few times now with 2 British brothers named Rob and Andrew.  Check out their blog at abrothersjourneyaroundtheworld.co.uk.  These 2 adventurers left England 15 months ago and rode their bikes to Singapore.  They then rode through Australia and New Zealand before flying to Vancouver to start the last leg of their journey.  Their final destination is Argentina.  They plan for the trip to take 2 years and cover 27,000 miles.  So far they have completed 20,000.  They shared a few funny stories with us that I'll repeat here for your enjoyment.

In China, they went to a restaurant and ordered chicken.  Since they don't speak any Mandarin, they ordered the meal by flapping their elbows like chicken wings.  When they were brought only the head and feet of a chicken to eat, they decided to fill-up on rice instead.  In Vietnam, they wanted to get out of the heat for a while, so they stopped at a theater to watch The Secret Life if Walter Mitty.  After the movie they were commenting on how adventurous the main character was.  Then they looked at each other and one said, "Aren't we cycling around the world?"

These brothers will soon be leaving the United States and entering Mexico.  They mentioned that they were studying Spanish in the evenings trying to learn a bit before crossing the border.  I thought maybe we should offer to leave them Stephen's cell number in case they ever need help with translation.   I decided against it when I realized that if they made it across the entire continent of Asia, then they could certainly hold their own in Spanish.

Meeting these two, I couldn't help but think of my own sons 18 years from now.  Have we given them a taste for adventure that will fuel them in the future?  Time will tell.

Day 49 - Found on Facebook

El Segundo, CA to Dana Point, CA - 63 miles

We left El Segundo and rode The Strand to Redondo Beach. From there we were on surface streets until just past LA harbour. Luckily, we timed it right. From 9 until 10:30 am we missed morning commuter traffic and school carpools and we also beat the lunch hour. It was perfect. In Long Beach we were back on the beach path.

Riding through Newport Beach a car drove up beside us and a woman asked from the passenger window, "Are you the family riding your bikes 1400 miles?" I told her we were riding from Canada to Mexico, but I didn't ask where she had heard about us. I got the chance to ask a few blocks later when she pulled over to take our picture.

Apparently, she is Facebook following the gal running the length of California (Cheryl). Cheryl mentioned us in a post when we passed her the first time. We have seen her two other times since then, and it looks like we will be finishing our ride the same day she finishes her run. It's hard to believe that a woman driving in Newport Beach picked us out from a Facebook post, but I guess it confirms my previous assertion. 4 bikes and 2 bright yellow trailers are quite conspicuous.

Day 48 - Memory lane

Malibu, CA (Leo Carrillo State Beach) to El Segundo, CA - 38 Miles

Ventura, Oxnard, Malibu, Santa Monica, Los Angeles.  We made it to Southern California!  Some people like Southern California for the sandy beaches, crashing surf and the shopping.  Me?  I get excited about the candy cane striped smoke stacks south of the airport.  It's funny how a place can feel like home when I've only lived there for 3 months in conscious memory (birth to 3 years old doesn't count as conscious).  I'm talking about a charming little place called El Segundo, CA.

El Segundo is blocked-in between the ocean, LAX, standard oil and the aerospace industry on Sepulveda Blvd.  I know I'm not alone in my adoration of this place either.  I'll drag all my siblings into this confession.  During my childhood, El Segundo was our family vacation destination.  We did enjoy the beach and the shopping on occasion, but the nostalgia is more all-encompassing than those experiences.  It was the 15 hour drive here playing goofy games, eating too many fishy crackers and attempting to sleep in a van with a someone's foot in your face.  It was rewatching our favorite movies at Grandma's house and perusing the toy aisle at Target.  It was roller blading through the town that is in the Guinness Book of World Records for having a hill on every street.

Unfortunately, we aren't spending any significant amount of time here.  We are just staying the night and leaving in the morning.  I'm providing different experiences for my own kids, but I hope that I'm creating memories they will cherish into adulthood.

Day 47 - Water Conservation?

Santa Barbara, CA to Malibu, CA (Leo Carillo State Beach) - 67 Miles

Just when I was thinking I didn't have much to write for today's blog post, I had my first accident. Luckily, It didn't involve any other bikes or motor vehicles, just me and an unsuspecting curb somewhere in Oxnard.

For those interested, here is my consumer report on the Burly Nomad cargo trailer. If one trailer wheel hits a curb and you're going slowly, the trailer will tip on its side and the bike it's attached to will remain upright. If, however, you clip a curb going fast, then the trailer will flip completely upside down and it will throw your bike to the ground quickly. Caution: make wide turns.

During this graceful display, there happened to be a fire engine stopped at the intersection. The fire fighters stopped traffic to cross the intersection and make sure I was all right. By that time I was already on my feet with Stephen at my side, but I was grateful for their concern.

With a day of rest under our belts, we boldly planned to complete a 68 mile ride today. With the flat terrain, it turned out to me much easier than Friday's 67 miles. Our confident boys were even willing to go all 100 miles to our next stop. We all had the energy, but we would have been racing a sinking sun.

As you know, California is in a drought. We have seen various measures by cities, citizens and businesses throughout the state to conserve water. The state park we stayed at tonight was also attempting to do their part. Their method of water conservation: lock some of the shower doors. I'm sure you all see the flaw in that logic. Maybe I'm crazy, but just because 2 of the 4 showers are locked, doesn't mean I'm going to skip a shower. I'll just wait for the next available stall. I honestly hope the practice is conserving water resources, but I don't see how that's possible.

Last week at Plaskett Creek Campground, they had turned off the water in the bathroom sinks in an effort to save water. It doesn't mean that people don't wash their hands, it just forces them to walk outside to the closest spigot to do it. How about they install some simple flow reducers and call it good.

Day 46 - Primary program

Santa Barbara, CA - 0 Miles

This was our last rest day before the end of the ride. We went to church with Mike and Janet and our boys participated in the primary program. Bins was willing, but Tan took some convincing. I didn't bribe, but I did beg.

Can I just sat what a beautiful thing it is to belong to a world-wide church? The song leaders in Houston taught the same songs to the primary children this year that the song leaders in Santa Barbara taught to their primary. I know that no matter where I go to church there will be a primary program sometime between September and November. I know that the adult Sunday School class will be studying the Old Testament this year and that I will be welcomed at the meetings even when I don't know another soul in attendance. It is a beautiful thing!

Day 45 - Physical fitness coordinator

Gaviota State Park, CA to Santa Monica, CA - 27 Miles

Stephen reminded me today of something that happened during our first year of marriage.  He asked me to be the family physical fitness coordinator and we both sustained me in that calling.  Today he informed me that I am currently going above and beyond in that capacity.  I admit that throughout the years of our marriage I have fluctuated between very active and less-active in my responsibilities, but I agree that right now I am magnifying my calling.  Now I just need to figure out how to maintain the momentum once we return to a more balanced lifestyle.  

On our first day riding, 18 miles took us until 3pm.  It appears that we are getting faster and more efficient.  Today we rode 27 miles in 2 1/2 hours!  It may have also have been that we were excited to make it to our destination.  We are in Santa Barbara now and plan to take the rest of the weekend off visiting with Stephen's Aunt and Uncle and their family.

We relaxed for a few hours after our ride, did some laundry (without using quarters), showered (without using quarters), then went out for dinner and a movie.  I don't think the few dishes I volunteered to do made a dent in the debt of gratitude.

Thank you Mike and Janet!

Day 44 - Confessions

Pismo Beach, CA to Gaviota State Park, CA - 67 Miles

It's time for a confession.  We are not avid cyclists.  Stephen has biked quite a bit for years (18 months of his mission, to and from work, to and from church, morning rides for exercise), so he may be worthy of the "avid" classification, but as a family we are far from "avid."  I think that to be an avid cyclist, one looks for every opportunity to ride as opposed to driving in a car.  While completing this ride may not earn us the "avid" title, it at least qualifies us as "experienced" cyclists.  What is experienced?  Riding daily?  Completing a cycling tour?  Riding more than 50 miles in one day?  Whatever the definition, I think we've all earned the title in the last 6 weeks.  Time will tell if we ever become "avid."

We had a long day of riding today, and 15 of the last 20 miles were uphill.  The good news is that I believe that was the last major mountain of our ride.  From here to the end we have some rolling hills, but that's it!  The last 5 miles of our day were a glorious downhill.

We found out when we got to our campsite that this one is only open on weekends.  If we had been just one day ahead of schedule, we would have had to keep riding 10 more miles before finding another campsite.  What a blessing!