Mexicoooooooooooooo

We had been hearing for the last few days that some rain would be moving in to San Diego today.  Should we stay or go?  Noel and her roommates were as accommodating as possible and we felt welcome to stay another day, but we really wanted to get on the road.  So we went!  And it rained.

Getting out of San Diego was a small feat in itself.  Navigating cities is tougher when the roads are actually rivers.  It was kind of fun, too.  What can you do but smile when you bike through a puddle and it's a whole lot deeper than you thought?  Finally we reached the outskirts and started climbing.  The gas stations and stores faded to beautiful hills and mountains, and during the few breaks in the storm, we enjoyed the scenery very much.  The shoulder was also pretty good for most of the way.  Only in a few sections, namely the last big hill, were we riding in the road.  The hills, for once, were welcome.  We were chilled to the bone from the constant rain and wind, but hey, there's a mountain pass up there!  By the top of each big hill, we were nice and warm.

I don't have any photos from today because I didn't want to get the phone or my camera wet, but take it from me that, when we rounded the top of that final hill and looked down on Tecate, reality set in.  We were going to Mexico!  The border was a breeze, the only slight problem being that we were told about the papers, "No mojados."  Don't get them wet.  That was a challenge, but after we finished some forms (mostly dry) and paid $25 each, we were on our way with six month visas.

Once in Tecate, we changed some money, ate some delicious burritos for lunch, and found a hotel room for $20 to wait out the rain.  More adventures tomorrow.  Arrrrriba!

The Steepest Hill In San Diego, and Noel! December 9-10

That's actually not quite true.  It was the tenth steepest hill in San Diego.  More on that later.

The morning riding was great!  Bike lanes, a stop at a little cafe for pancakes, more bike lanes, ocean views, only 30 miles to do... even the big hill at Torrey Pines State Park wasn't so bad.  Torrey pines, endemic only to this small area north of San Diego, were a novel species of tree for us nature nerds.  That area, La Jolla, is also a research center where the Salk Institute and J. Craig Venter Institute are located (in honor of the guys who formulated the polio vaccine and sequenced the first human genome).  It's pronounced La Hoya; I was reading it phonetically, gringo-style, for awhile. 

The highway around La Jolla got a bit more trafficked and split into a bunch of roads.  Civilization is tough to navigate and we wanted to go to a bike shop in Pacific Beach, so we took the straightest route we could see on the map.  The name "Mt Soledad Road" should have tipped us off.  We started climbing up 10-16%, and it didn't stop until we had climbed almost 1000 feet to the top of Mt Soledad.  Surprise!  The view from the top was fantastic; on a clear day, we've heard, you can see all the way to Los Angeles.

That's steep.

After a wonderful stop at Souplantation for a buffet salad and soup lunch, we ran some errands and got picked up by our good friend Noel, with whom we worked for the past few years.  We spent the night eating good food, telling stories, and chatting with Noel and her roommate Kelly.

Me and Noel

Noel is a high school science teacher and a fantastic, caring, motivated one at that.  We were excited to see her teach, and she invited us not only to her classroom but to do a presentation about our trip to some of her students.  Happy to oblige, we whipped up a powerpoint and shared some stories, pictures, and what we had learned while biking from Alaska to here in San Diego.  We had as much fun as we hope the students did! We'll spend tonight and probably tomorrow hanging out here.

Coastal Riding

The alarm rudely disturbed us early this morning, as usual, and we got on the road shortly after.  The road through Laguna Beach was hilly, the slopes surrounding us dotted with huge mansions.  This was city riding; we shared the road with a lot of cars, each stopping at every light then accelerating past us again.  Fortunately the city only lasted a few miles, then it was on to the next: Dana Point.  We got a little lost with all the back roads and misleading bike route signs, but a nice guy named Dave directed us.  He was riding a bike with bamboo tubes!  We were astonished at this piece of engineering and asked him all about it. 

South of the next town, San Clemente, we got on to some deserted back roads and bike paths and passed the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station.  The massive, grey domes were visible for miles.  Soon after, we stopped for lunch, but not for long.  We hoped to make it to San Diego: 50 more miles.

The riding along the next section was great!  Bike paths and lonely roads led us up to Camp Pendleton, a Marines base, and going through the base, though on more highly trafficked roads, was a breeze.  A friendly soldier at the front gate checked our IDs and gave us directions, most importantly where not to go.

Rex leading the way

We came across a bike shop, Alan's Bikes, in Oceanside and stopped in.  No shops yet, and we had visited a few, had had cantilever brakes and spare pads, but this store did!  Tam changed out both of her bothersome and annoying brakes to simple and inexpensive cantis: no more frequent adjustments!  Unfortunately this took longer than we thought, and when we left it was already getting dark.  I am truly looking forward to the winter solstice and then more hours of sunlight.

The darkness nixed our plan of getting to San Diego, so we stayed a bit and chatted with Brian, Marcy, and Jimmy, all of whom worked at the shop.  Their helpfulness and company made the otherwise menial task of changing brakes a fun and enjoyable one.  Then on the road again.  We are stealth camping tonight on a bluff overlooking the ocean in Carlsbad.

To the Beach!

After a delightful breakfast of blueberry and chocolate chip pancakes we sadly said goodbye and set off down the road. Thanks, Emily and Madison, for everything! It was so wonderful to see you two and, of course, meet the cats!
Our first few miles were on the Santa Ana River Trail, the same trail we were on yesterday.

This trail leads almost all the way from the mountains to the ocean except for a short 10 mile section. We knew that this section was approaching and figured that we would find a way to take surface roads instead when we got there. Lucky for us, two friendly cyclists stopped and gave us directions.
Once off the bike path we discovered a town I would have never expected to find in Southern California. Instead of sidewalks were miles of wide dirt trails being used by people of all ages on horseback. We even saw a lady with a carriage being drawn by a tiny pony. All the stores  in town were designed in old western style and were, of course, equestrian friendly.

Lady riding a horse. Yes the street markings in this town were red white and blue.

The horse trail- no parking! 

Soon after the horse trails ended, we picked up the bike path again and stopped for lunch in a cute, grassy park. After a bit of a break, it was time to head to the beach! 15 miles or so away from the ocean we met Don, a friendly cyclist who is trying to complete 100 century rides this year. He has already ridden 17,000 miles. More than we will probably ride in the next year! We rode with him all the way to the beach and he told us about some of the local places and the Thai restaurant he used to own. Thanks for a fun ride today, Don.

Our new friend Don

Once at the beach, Don turned back and we rode south along the coast, immediately leaving the sand and being surrounded by the strip malls and bustling bars and restaurants of Newport Beach. When we finally saw the ocean again, it was just in time to enjoy a spectacular sunset of red streaked clouds. We set up camp in the midst of some coastal sagebrush.

Can't beat the smoggy sunsets of So Cal

- Tamara

Back on the Road

Tam and I have so enjoyed spending the last month working and hanging out around our former home in the San Bernardino National Forest.  But it was time to move on.  So, this morning, we put all our stuff together, said our goodbyes, and hit the road.  Thanks for the good times, High Trails!

We started at 7,000 feet and followed Highway 38 (or, for you Californians, the 38) down, down, downhill all the way into the Inland Empire around 1,000 feet.  The miles roll by quickly when it's all downhill! Due to the recent storm, a rarity in Southern California, the vegetation was lush and there was running water in the usually dry riverbeds.  The mountains were beautifully scenic.  Unfortunately, once we reached the smog overlaying the lowland sprawl, we couldn't see the mountains anymore.  

The Santa Ana River Trail

Photo credit: bikeacrossamerica.net

At one point we found a wide dirt trail next to a river, which we followed until it became paved: the Santa Ana River Trail!  We have biked this trail many times, and we were excited to be back on it again.  This time, we didn't have to turn around and bike back.  After about ten miles of wonderful quiet, scenic, bike path riding, we turned off and navigated some back roads to our friend Emily's house.  She went to school with Tam for many years, and it was great to see her again and hang out with her and her fiancé Madison for the night!

And making milkshakes!

San Bernardino Mountains and Big Bear

With the time change, we've been getting up these last few days before six and out by 7. Today was different. The phone/alarm clock ran out of battery in the middle of the night, so we didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn. We had a wonderful breakfast -- oatmeal and peanut better is a tasty way to start the day. Thank you, Bill, for hosting us last night. We enjoyed meeting Katy and appreciate all that you did.

It turns out that we weren't leaving that quickly. Danny discovered a flat tire, a problem he'll be having less often once he and Tam get new tires. Getting out of Bill's neighborhood was a lot easier than yesterday's climb to reach his house. (I admit it -- I walked up a few of those monster hills, cleats and all.)

Today we started at 4500 feet and spent most of the day climbing. By the end of the day we reached 6800 feet. I could hardly believe the number of switchbacks! Every time there was a switchback I kept hoping that the road would flatten out. No such luck. The road just kept going up, up, up. I felt like we would reach the sky. We had a few downhills but they were few and far between.

The higher we rode into the mountains, the more spectacular the scenery.  The clear day made it possible for us to see sprawling LA and the entire countryside around it. As we headed east we rode along the Rim of the World Highway in the San Bernardino Mountains and feasted our eyes on the incredible San Gabriel Mountains. No wind today. A definite plus.

Riding around Big Bear Lake in the city of Big Bear was beautiful and a favorite spot of Danny and Tam's. Lots of ducks -- coots, widgeons and buffalo heads -- think  so too. Danny and Tam were easily able to identify them.

Today was a total of 50 miles with thirty of them spent climbing. We arrived at friends of Tam's and Danny's and enjoyed the tortillas and salsa that Tam whipped up plus pizza that we ordered in. Right now they're playing Pandemic, a board game, and I'm contemplating bed.

- Leslie

Into the Mountains

Our elevation profile for today:

We woke up early in our desert campsite.  It was light by 6, and we left shortly after. The road took us up into the hills switchback after switchback, until we could see the desert far below.  Tam and I were unbelievably excited to be back in the mountains.  Up we climbed, up and up and up some more.  The sagebrush and creosote shrubs turned to pine and oak forest, and we enjoyed watching the vegetation change without traffic to worry about.

Mom climbing the mountain

My mom did a great job with the climbing.  There aren't any hills like this in Georgia!  We topped out around 7,000 feet at the Angeles Crest, having ascended almost 4,000 feet.

We stopped around noon to eat lunch in the little town of Wrightwood, then set off again.  Now we would descend all the way back down to the desert, almost 10 continuous, amazing miles of downhill.  Back where we started, on the desert floor, we picked up highway 138.  It was heavily trafficked for a few miles, but after we crossed highway 15, a wide gray ribbon of belching trucks, we had the road mostly to ourselves.  Back up we went.  If anything, this riding was more difficult than the morning.  The hills were short but very steep, and the cars, driving way too fast for the twisty road, didn't give us much space.  But we continued, as always, then reached the top and headed back down.  A long, straight downhill brought us to Silverwood Lake, a bright blue jewel in the desert, and as we passed it, we picked up a tailwind for the first time in days.  It felt sooo good to be able to get some speed on flat ground, and we took full advantage by riding fast.

It was almost 3:00 at this point and would be getting dark around 5.  Only 10 miles to go to our destination.  No problem, right?  The first few miles were what I call good uphill, with only a moderate declivity, but soon it got steep.  Really steep, with the steepest sections being between 12% and 18%, and the not-so-steep sections being pretty fearsome, too.  This awfulness was sustained for probably about four miles, and we were quite happy when we saw the grade lessen.  

Our home forest!

The hard part was over, and we were confident at this point that we would make it to Crestline before dark.  Unfortunately, we had been warned that the last part up to our warmshowers host Bill's house was all uphill.  It wasn't as steep as before, but I worked up a good sweat in the cool air.  As we were ascending one of the last hills, Bill drove up in his truck and took my mom the rest of the way up.  He knows just how bad the hill can be, and it was so nice of him to come down to see if we wanted a ride.  Tam and I biked.

The view from the top was beautiful, and powering ourselves up on our own power made it worth that much more.

Our evening at Bill's house could not have been better: great food and conversation, and an early bedtime!  Many thanks to Bill and Katie for having us!

Wind and Traffic

We woke up super early at our hotel and took full advantage of the complimentary breakfast: omelettes, pancakes, hash browns, fruit, yogurt, waffles, and more!  When we left around 7, the sun was already high in the sky.  We rode through the suburban tangle of Santa Clarita, finding bike paths here and there until reaching the outskirts.  We picked up Soledad Canyon Road, which took us through a narrow canyon with steep walls and interesting rock formations.  There wasn't much traffic; in fact, it was a great road for biking.  Unfortunately, from the moment we left in the morning, the east wind was blasting: a constant headwind. We battled against the wind for hours, going slowly uphill.  It was physically and mentally challenging riding.

Finally we reached the small town of Acton, which isn't significant except that we decided to stop for lunch.  It was cool in the shade, and we enjoyed our hummus, cheese, cucumber, and avocado tortillas before warming up in the sun.  Back on the road, headwind still  roaring, we pushed uphill.  The riding was tough, but we kept at it.  Then, all of a sudden, the shoulder disappeared.  We were on the Sierra Highway at this point, a busy road with a lot of truck traffic.  Not a good road to bike, let alone without a shoulder.  We were turning off in a mile anyway, so we walked our bikes in the gravel shoulder until reaching our turn.  The California Aqueduct, a shimmering blue ribbon in this parched landscape, greeted us at our new road.

Finally we were on a smaller road.  The wind had let up somewhat, and we left the traffic behind, making for better evening riding.  We rode a little ways on some back roads then camped off the road among the desert creosote and sagebrush.  Because of daylight savings time, darkness fell around 5:30, and we ate dinner under an incredible sunset.

Delicious Fruit and a Surprise Hotel!

We wake up and enjoy a lovely breakfast with Karis and her mom June then say our goodbyes. It has been so wonderful to spend the last few days here with Karis, Bayard, and June. Thank you guys for everything!

First we ride out of Ventura, crusing down the Main Street packed with small businesses. It's still early enough that things are quiet; places are just getting ready to open for the day. Out of town we ride on Telegraph Road, passing through orchards of lemons and avocados. When this road ends we merge onto 126, the road we'll be on for the rest of the day. This is a big road, but we have a huge shoulder with a rumble strip so it's not bad riding. We stop at a small roadside stand to purchase three small baskets of strawberries. They're so sweet they taste like candy!

For lunch we stop in a park in the small town of Fillmore. There are no picnic tables, but there's a really cool playground so we sit under one of the towers in the shade. It's like a mini pavilion!
For the rest of the afternoon we try to ignore the noise of the traffic as we fight against an annoying headwind. Luckily there is some beautiful scenery; we pass many more orchards and farms, and desert mountains are all around us. We stop at one of the fruit stands we see to purchase fresh oranges, a mini avocado, a pomegranate, and some guavas. Everything just looks so good!
As we near the end of our ride we hit a construction zone, which means that the shoulder on our side of the road closes. We have to cross and ride on the other side for a bit, then cross back. It makes for an exciting, slightly stressful end to the day.
Tonight we are staying at the Embassy Suites hotel, a wonderful surprise gift from a family friend, Karen, who lives in the area. Deciding that we should have better accommodations than her backyard, she made us a reservation at this beautiful hotel. We've already enjoyed the hot tub and large quantities of the complimentary snacks! Thank you so much, Karen!

At the Taylors

June at the farmer's market

Making the frame bag

We spent yesterday and today with our good friend Karis and her family in Ventura.  Most of our time went to making frame bags for our bikes, but we still found some time to play music and watch movies.  It has been a restful few days, and we cannot thank Bayard, June, and Karis enough for allowing us to make a huge mess of their living room, winding bobbins and triple-stitching seams, dressing up, recommending melodious bluegrass tunes, cooking delicious food, and generally being supremely wonderful people!

The newly handmade frame bags:

These, for now, are additions to the rear panniers and backpacks we carry.  Our setup will change more in the next few weeks... Stay tuned for updates.

Karis!

We got an early start, rode a bit in the much-needed rain, passed through eclectic downtown Santa Barbara, then stopped at a small farmer's market.  Tasty almonds and hummus (27 kinds to choose from) provided a delicious supplement to our lunch.  Then, back on the road, we followed a newly constructed bike path paralleling the highway and the ocean all the way to Ventura!  

Last night we were lucky enough to hang out with our good friend Karis and her family.  Passing out candy to trick-or-treaters, watching The Princess Bride, playing music, eating homemade pizza, and falling asleep to the sound of rain drumming on the roof... Life is good in Ventura!

A fantastic picture of Karis

Pancakes to Skunks

After a wonderful night of sleep in a bed, we head downstairs and find our incredible host Bill already making breakfast. He is preparing aebleskivers, a Danish breakfast food which is essentially a spherical pancake. This was especially exciting for Danny and Leslie because making this type of pancakes is a thanksgiving tradition in their family. 

After packing up and fixing an unfortunate flat tire, Bill escorts us out of town on a beautiful quiet road. 

Bill and Kandy, we can't thank you enough for your incredible generosity! It was such a pleasure to meet you two and Olive.

After Bill turns back to head home, we take off on route 1 for about a mile before turning onto Harris Grade Road. This little back road has very little traffic and takes us over a fairly easy pass into the town of Lompoc. Even though it's still a bit early in the day we decide to have lunch because we won't be seeing another town for a while. Leslie treats us to quesadillas and nachos at a delicious little Mexican place.  Thanks Leslie!

After lunch we pick up enough food to get us to Ventura and hop back on the road. It's not great riding through town on the trafficked streets, but once we're away from the strip malls we have a large shoulder to ride on. All afternoon we trek across rolling hills covered in dry grasses and dotted with shrubby trees. Most of this area appears to be used for ranching. There's a fair amount of traffic, the road is bumpy, and we have a headwind so it's slow going. 

It's a relief when we descend back to the coast. All along the coast Route 1 merges with the 101 (a larger highway) so there's a lot of traffic. However, there's a nice shoulder and we develop a bit of a tailwind.

After a little over 50 miles we stop to camp at El Capitan State Beach. For $10 per person we are unimpressed. The hiker/biker area is the part of the campground farthest from the entrance, it's right next to the road and train tracks, and showers cost extra. 

We do get to watch the sun melt over the ocean in a vibrant display of color and meet another touring cyclist named Scott. Over dinner we sit and exchange stories. Originally from the UK, Scott has toured down the east coast, across the US, and now up the west coast. He's been having a fantastic time bicycling and we greatly enjoy chatting with him.

As we get ready for bed we notice a skunk sniffing our stuff. We carefully shoo him away, but a few minutes later he's back. Danny and I decide to sleep in the tent with Leslie tonight. Moving my shoes I notice that there are cockroaches crawling into them. This campsite gets better every minute.

Aiming for our friend Karis's house in Ventura tomorrow! Can't wait.

Miles and Miles

Part of our criteria for selecting a hotel is a continental breakfast.  We eat so much; why not take advantage?  The one this morning was great, and after filling our bellies, we set off.  The road paralleled the ocean, giving us great views of spectacular Morro Rock, which we compared to a smaller, half-submerged Half Dome.  Then we headed inland.  Route 1, the Cabrillo Highway, was now a big, busy road.  Fortunately the shoulder was big as well.  We stayed inland for awhile, following frontage roads when the 101 merged with the 1 and swelled it to a massive freeway.  The signage was super easy to follow, even when passing through downtown San Luis Obispo.  We didn't linger long away from the coast, only stopping for a long break at lunch.  Dinosaur Cave State Park provided us with beautiful views and a shaded gazebo, a godsend on this hot, cloudless day.

After lunch, the road turned back inland.  Our shoulder dwindled, even disappearing entirely at times, and the scenery consisted of farmland, namely sprawling fields of lettuce.  To call the riding mind-numbing would not be much of a stretch, except for the traffic, sometimes trucks, which kept us on our toes.

Just before we turned off of highway 1, we began talking with a German traveler, Kai, who was wrapping up an around-the-world trip with his 50cc car.  A very small car.  We enjoyed talking with him for a bit, especially seeing his eyes light up when telling us about the "shrubberies everywhere" (meaning the fields of lettuce) and that he would love to just hop a fence and grab some.  I wonder if he's seen Monty Python.

63 miles from this morning in Cayucos, we pulled in to the driveway of Bill, who, with his wife Kandy, would be our host for the night.  We shared a delicious dinner and had a fantastic time making cookies (not to mention eating them), talking, watching the culmination of the World Series, and even dancing in the kitchen.  

Magnificent Route 1

Today's scenery was magnificent. The three of us hugged the coastline for the entire day, mesmerized by the rocky intertidal and the vast expanse of ocean.

We climbed and climbed and climbed all morning, although there were some downhills and an incredible tailwind. The wind certainly made the 60 miles go faster.

Lunch along the way was at an elephant seal rookery. There were hundreds of them along the beach. Although most of then were juveniles they were still huge! We watched as they splattered themselves with sand and some of the males practiced fighting. It was interesting how close they lay together on the beach, even though they are solitary at sea.

Down the road we passed Hearst Castle, a national historic mansion (costing 10 million to build over 30 years) perched on a bluff overlooking the ocean. On the surrounding ranch we were surprised to discover zebras grazing among the cows. 

We ended our day in the small town of Cayucos where Danny and Tamara took a dip in the ocean- brave souls. 

Cayucos is the home of Brown Butter Cookie Company. We took full advantage.

For dinner we ate in an interesting restaurant with both Mexican and Italian food. 

More adventures tomorrow! 

-Leslie 

Big Sur, October 27

We start our day by climbing through the forest, passing redwoods left and right, to arrive at our first destination: Big Sur State Park. Here we walk around for a bit enjoying the magnificent redwoods and the Big Sur river. The forest is beautiful, but I really want to see the beach. I convince Danny and Leslie to take a 4-mile detour to Pfeiffer State Beach. Once arriving, we all agree that it was worth it. The wind is blasting and the tide is up. Huge waves are crashing onto the jagged rocks and sending up clouds of spray. Out in the water are featured boulders created from bulbous jumbles of rocks. There are three arches in these boulders, windows to the ocean beyond. It's great fun to watch the waves roll through, bouncing off the sides of the arches and creating showers of sea foam.

We run through the water; the sand under our toes is streaked with glorious pink patterns.
I would happily stay here all day, but there's more to explore. We climb the hill up and away from the beach, then climb some more. Spotting a post office on the side of the road we stop to mail a few things ahead and to enjoy lunch. We eat in a garden of giant cacti outside of a little cafe. It's lovely.
The hill we're been climbing all morning ends shortly after lunch. Suddenly we're out of the forest and have a spectacular view of the ocean. The tremendous expanse of blue is positively sparkling in the sun. All afternoon we bike on a cliff overlooking the ocean, waves crashing on dramatic rocks far below. We stop at Julia Pfeiffer State Park to walk out to an overlook of a 50 foot waterfall. Once this waterfall poured into the ocean, but a landslide about 30 years ago created sediment that has now formed a small beach under it. The black cliffs,  delicate waterfall, aqua blue water, and soft sand make this cove look downright tropical. Staring down at this beauty Leslie comments that it's hard to describe in words- and it is.

Our final miles of the day are illuminated in the gold of the setting sun. Now we're camped at Limekiln State Park, eating dinner on the beach as the sun sets over the restless waves.

Three By the Sea, October 26

After a delicious and filling continental breakfast, we said goodbye to the comfy hotel and biked a short distance to Trader Joe's to pick up some groceries.  Then out to the coast!  Sea lions lounged casually by the pier, and everywhere were birds of all kinds: pelicans, cormorants, gulls, grebes, and more.  The water of Monterey Bay was calm, and there was a slight breeze from the north.  We took the coastal bike trail along the peninsula, stopping along Cannery Row to soak in some history, and stopping again more and more frequently to marvel at the deep blue water and the pounding surf.  10-plus foot waves pounded the rocks; this was not a shore for swimming.  

But, with the path and the general air that here was not a place to drive hurriedly through, it was perfect for biking.  Not to mention the tailwind!  We passed Pebble Beach golf club and a number of overlooks along 17 Mile Drive, then, as we were figuring out how to get to highway 1, a cyclist asked where we were headed.  We told him highway 1, and he said to follow him; he would show us a much better route.  His name was Kevin, and he and his riding buddy Angus rode with us along the Carmel seashore, even pointing out interesting spots like a Frank Lloyd Wright house designed to look like a ship and Clint Eastwood's restaurant.  Then he gave us directions to Safeway to get water, and as we were repackaging food, he showed up and chatted for awhile.  Thanks, Kevin, for showing us around Carmel!

We stopped for a beach lunch a few minutes later and enjoyed the warm sand and the crashing waves for over an hour.  Then back to the road.  The closer we got to Big Sur, the  steeper were the cliffs above the ocean.  This road was unlike any we had ever biked.  

The wind was whipping around like crazy (fortunately a strong tailwind for most of the time), causing huge waves to crash on the rocks far below and send spray high into the air.  We reached Big Sur around 4:30 and set up camp at Andrew Molera State Park.  We're far from the beach, but that's okay.  We enjoyed polenta, rice, and refried beans for dinner, then Tam pulled out a surprise box of Oreos for dessert, which we happily dug into.  A wonderful first day on the coast!

Meeting My Mom!

After a delicious breakfast with Jerry and Sue, the generous warmshowers hosts we stayed with last night in Salinas, we got on the road.  It was raining, weirdly; apparently it hardly ever rains in this part of California, and never in the morning.  We didn't mind, though.  Anything to assuage the drought!  We were also very excited to get to the ocean, and rain couldn't dampen our spirits.  Would we see the water from the top of this hill?  This next one?  Finally we spotted it and rode down to it, taking advantage of a bike path through the coastal chaparral and dunes.

It was more exciting than this dreary picture indicates.  Anyway, we followed the bike path all the way to Monterey, reaching a bike shop around 11.  There they whipped up a quick and creative fix for Tam's broken eyelet, saving her from having to buy a new rack or find a skilled welder to put the eyelet back on.

As we were wrapping up at the bike shop, in walked my friend Jacob.  He was a member of a canoe trip I had guided over three summers ago, and is now living in Monterey and studying Arabic at the Presidio.

We caught up over lunch, engrossed in sharing the details of our lives, then took a walk around the wharf.  The sun was out now, and the seals were lazing around in the bay.  It was wonderful to spend some time with him; next time in Morocco!  

While we were walking, Tam caught up with her friend Colin from college, who was nice enough to drive a few hours from San Francisco to meet us!

After these reunions, we headed over to our hotel, cleaned up a bit from the morning rain and dried our gear, then went to the airport.  We have been looking forward to October 25 for a long time; my mom was flying in today!  Unfortunately her flight was a few hours delayed, but she arrived safely.  After all the long-separated friends we saw today, meeting my mom was the icing on the cake.  We put her bike together and biked out of the terminal; for the next few weeks, we will be a group of three rather than two!

Thai food and logistics of gear and the next few days filled the evening.  What a wonderful day!  How many people get to go on a two week bike tour with their mother?!  I consider myself very fortunate.