The First 37 Miles

Day: 83

4:10 am, my alarm starts to beep me awake, signaling the start of the next leg of The World Tour. I haven’t blogged for a week now and haven’t done any hard core traveling in three. The last few days I have been itching to get back out on the road. I drug out my departure so I could see my brother, Aaron, graduate from college and so I could spend my 27th birthday (yesterday) with my family.

My Dad was supposed to picked me up at 4:30am, but in Dad time that means more like 5am. When he finally got there (I had spent my extra time cooking up some chili verde burritos for breakfast) we started to load the bikes in the car and he let me know the power window on his car was broken, so we took it apart and spent half an hour getting it to roll up. Finally ready we jumped in the car and headed off from Riverside to Santa Monica where I wanted to begin this 1500 mile ride. We arrived a little before seven, got our bikes out (he was riding with me for the first hour or so), did one last check to make sure I had everything I’d need, and headed down to the pier where some organization had set up a Memorial Day shrine of sorts. I took a few pictures and Dad took a couple of me and we headed north towards Canada (my goal for this ride; although I don’t know how long it’ll take me, or when I am going to start hating my bike).

Dad turned around after about an hour, bidding me a safe trip, and I was once again alone in the world, taking a look around, and seeing what trouble I’ll get in. A sense of excitement overcame me; I always get a rush at the start of a new trip (or in this case a new leg of a current trip), and can’t wait to see what is going to happen. I think I’m in love with the unknown.

My goal for the day was about 37 miles to Point Mugu where there is a campground; if I wanted to go further it was about another 17 miles to the next campground. After about four hours, two liters of water, and a Clif bar later I rolled into a campground that proudly displayed it’s “Campground Full” sign.

Could be a bummer, but I can always find someone to share a site with.

I took a short ride through the campground, where everyone seemed to be packing up and headed back to the gate to check with the ranger if everything was really was full.

I asked “Are you really full for tonight?”

“No, everyone is just packing up and leaving. If you come back with your car in a couple of hours we can get you a sight” (he didn’t see all my stuff piled on my bike)

“I don’t have a car, It’s just me and my bike.”

Then he let me in on a little know California State Parks camping secret. “Oh, then you can stay in Hike & Bike for $3 (instead of the $18 for a car site)”

“Really! Do all California campgrounds have a Hike & Bike area?”

“Most of them.” he replied.

My face lit up as I did the math in my head (30 days camping in California X $15 a day savings), I just “made” $450 that I had planned on spending. Score for me. I paid the man and found the best site in the campground down a little secluded dirt trail marked Hike & Bike. I set up my camp and took a little walk across Pacific Coast Highway to take a look at the Memorial Day crowds on the beach. I sat listening to my Ipod for about 45 minutes on the beach then headed back to camp for an early afternoon nap.

After a couple hours of sleep I decided to try and find some substantial food (all I have in my bags is Clif bars). I got on my bike and on my way out of the campground I asked the ranger where the closest place was to get some food. Back south about 3 1/2 miles. The ride to Neptunes Net was easy and calm. When I got to this PCH biker (as in motorcycle) hangout/fried fish shack I order a sampler plate of Crab Cake, Fried Fish, Fried Shrimp, and Fries (the entire menu was fried) and a giant Guinness. It was tasty.

It sure was tasty but on the ride back, with a belly full of beer and fried ocean sampler and the gusting wind in my face, I was paying for the meal. I think the 3 1/2 miles took me three times as long to accomplish on my way back. I hope I worked off some of that grease.

I spent the rest of the afternoon with a hot shower, a walk on the beach, a hike into sycamore canyon, and writing this. It’s nice to have my blog back under control, It’s like an old friend that has been missing for the last three weeks.

One last thing on this incredibly long entry; my bike needs a name. Something cool I can call it when I refer to it in my writings. Any suggestions?