Reunions

Day 30 - 41 miles (Malibu to Santa Monica)

Every time I wash my face in a bathroom sink and look in the mirror, I'm reminded of why I sometimes get weird looks from people. Not a huge fan of the facial hair. It was fun to see what it looks like after a month of growth, but I don't (and can't) do beards. 

“Hi! I’m not homeless or crazy…just biking.”

Today was the easiest ride in a long time. I got to ride along the coast overlooking fine sand beaches while inhaling the fresh salty breeze of the ocean. Beach riding is prime time riding. I had lunch in Malibu at the Reel Inn. Their advertising worked! I couldn't say no to Taco Tuesday...and I'm glad I didn't. Some very fine cuisine at that place. I've always heard how ritzy and uppity Malibu was, but I found myself really enjoying the scenery. There were definitely some ridiculously grandiose mansions overlooking the world, but I was  also glad to see more "modest" houses around town. I'm sure all of the property is expensive, but Malibu wasn't as fluffy as I thought. I was pleasantly surprised. 

From Malibu, I had the fascinating pleasure of navigating through Venice Beach; a melting pot of the most diverse humans. The bike path bisects the beach so I had people on all sides of me at any time. I took a break to watch some kids skate at the world famous Venice Beach Skate Park and then finished up my day by biking to my hotel. 

Staying in a cushy hotel makes me realize how fortunate so many of us are in this country. We have running water and electricity in a room sheltered from the elements. And not just at home; at work, school, stores...so cool. 

I did not feel like wandering around for food so I had a whole large pizza delivered to my door. 15 minutes later, the entire thing had been delivered into my stomach. I'm not sure why my appetite is so big considering how little I biked today. Oh well...I'll burn it off tomorrow!

I'm headed to Dana Point tomorrow. It will be a tough ride only because I'll be getting a later start since I'm having brunch with my cousin. A small sacrifice to pay for getting to see family.

Day 31 - 70 miles (LA to Dana Point)

Im pretty sure I had my fastest ride to date. It took me 6.5 hours (including all my breaks) to go 70 miles! And now, I'm beat…

I had my latest start to date today, but today I had a good reason! My cousin and I went to brunch in LA at this Hispanic-Soul food fusion place called CJ's Cafe. It was probably the best breakfast I've had on this trip. I had an turkey sausage omelette and some savory grits. We finished up around noon and it took me another hour to get started.

My cousin Toni

After biking back to the coast, the first 10-20 miles were bike path, followed by a demon stretch of turns and pock-filled streets through Torrance, Huntington Beach and Seal Beach, followed by more beach riding. Except for the destructive inland riding, LA wasn't so bad to bike through. 

I got to see the LA River in all of its glory. Throughout this trip, I've seen multiple indications that remind of the severe drought in California: water only served in restaurants upon request, shutting down the water to bathroom faucets in state parks, seeing waterfalls that only trickle down the side of the coast. Looking at the empty channel of the LA River solidified this fact. 

I took fewer pictures today as I was more focused on making it to camp before dark. Towards the end of the day I made it to Laguna, which was more hilly and beautiful than I expected. I wish I had more time to explore it. I rode another 8 miles t to camp and met Sarah there. She shared her tortillas and cheese with me so I didn't have to go back to the grocery store. A few hours later, Lin joined us. I met Lin back in Patrick's Peak, Oregon on day 16 and haven't seen her since! The three of us talked the night away by the light of my emergency lantern and a small candle.

Lin

Tomorrow I'm biking to San Diego and spending the night there with Braden and Tiffany and then we're all crossing the border together on Friday. It should be a great time! I decided it would be much safer not to ride my bike across the border so that's why I'm calling it quits in San Diego.

Day 32 - 70 miles (Dana Point to San Diego)

I had the ultimate change of heart on my ride today. Braden text me saying there was a complication with the hotel reservation and now the hotel we’re staying at is 10 miles south of what I was planning...an extra hour of riding. Luckily, I left camp at 10am today (I know, right? Super early!) so I had some extra time to spare. Halfway through the day I was talking to a biker who asked me where I was going and I said "I'm heading to the border." We talked some more about where I started and how long I'd been riding and then I realized something*: I couldn't call it quits in San Diego. After tonight, I would be less than 20 miles away from the border. I had to finish this trip the way I started: on a bike! I didn't know yet how I would make the timing work with Tiffany and Braden, but I knew I'd find a way. So yeah, I will be biking to Mexico! Not INTO Mexico, but to the border nonetheless.  

*Sarah was also giving me crap about taking a train to the border and saying that's cheating so I'm sure that played a part in my decision making process. 

Most of the day was flat, easy, and enjoyable. I got to ride through the military base Camp Pendleton and see a bunch of decked out hummers and jets and watch choppers circle above the perimeter. The base is a little inland so it got a little warm. Around lunchtime, however, I realized the warmth wasn't going away. It was getting hot. I checked the weather and it said it was only 77 degrees, but as a self-proclaimed weather aficionado, I can vouch for temperatures closer to 90 degrees. 

I rode through the city of Oceanside which was just as bustling as any other beach town. As I ride along beaches, I keep having the thought that everyday is a Saturday in the summer because everyone is on the beach! It blows my mind that so many people are on the beach on Thursday at 2pm. So. Many. People. 

On my way to La Jolla, I had to climb the biggest of the smallest hills in SoCal. It only went up 300 feet, but after three days of flats, it was a suitable challenge. La Jolla had some beautiful views. As I descended into the valley, I was greeted by lush rolling hills cascading into the ocean. 

The only thing that slightly irritated me in La Jolla is the fact that the bike path is the same as the pedestrian path in some areas so I couldn't go more than 5 mph for about 3 miles. After the mash of pedestrians, I was home free. 

Downtown San Diego is beautiful and clean! I was not expecting that at all. They have a nice coastal bike path which allows the rider the pleasure of biking passed harbors and skyscrapers at the same time. I could definitely see myself going back to San Diego for a weekend trip. I made it to the hotel exhausted, enjoyed a warm welcome from Tiffany and Braden, then showered and went to dinner. 

I found out that the latest our hotel would let us check out is 2pm which meant I couldn't leave my stuff there while I explored Tijuana. With pure tequila and fish tacos only miles away, I had to devise a new plan for crossing the border and be as resourceful as possible...I'll tell you all about it in my next entry!