Day the Fifth

I am so pumped for today's ride. Fifty miles along the ocean sounds wonderful. Bikerbots, roll out!

Later...

Today was one of the best bike rides I have ever been on. The terrain was pretty flat for the first thirty miles, and we cruised easily at around fifteen to twenty miles per hour. The bike and I worked smoothly together to propel our massive 240 lb combined weight along the 101. I felt focused and light, probably due to the lack of traffic and the breathtaking scenery. Majestic pine forests marched all the way to the coast. Ferns, mosses, and wildflowers evoked color, character, and charm from the shoreline. Below us, the forests gave way to broad, flat tidal planes, blanketed in a rainbow of algae, basking amidst many small rivulets sending water back towards the surf. The waves were like emeralds; the sky, a bright cerulean. It was beautiful.



Turning inland, we rode around several small bays. I saw two blue herons and an osprey.




While biking through fields of cattle, we played leap frog with two road cyclists. They were flashy, with bright jerseys and waxed bikes. They thought they could beat us. Bog mistake. You see, the thing is, if you're crazy enough to try and bike from Seattle to San Diego, then you are crazy enough to race a guy on his carbon bike. I stuck with the two of them for a few miles before getting bored of their shocked expressions, which seemed to stutter, "How is this touring cyclist keeping up with my $4000 bike?" the highlight of our little tortoise and hare adventure was when Camilo and I wre climbing the biggest hill of the day. We were trudging along when the biker in red pulled out to our left and passed us. Ten seconds later, Camilo and I unleashed our thighs and easily overtook him. As we passed, so did his fighting spirit. The poor guy was embarrased at being passed by such behemoths on a steep climb. We saw him slow and then meekly pull over and sit on the side of the road. He later passed us in about twenty miles, but we didn't give chase again.

At the end of our 76 mile day, we hit a grocery store. I bought aisle five and began to feast. Well, not quite, but my bike was covered, stuffed, and draped with food.

As we biked to a bunch of churches (looking to sleep), a woman invited us to camp in her yard. It is a big yard, with lots of trees and a few buildings. She lit a huge bonfire, served us BBQ ribs and twinkies, and let us pet her massive akido dog. Her husband, a tow truck driver, talked with us for a while too. We learned that McChrystal was fired and that BP's oil spill is still gushing tons of oil a day. I am glad we are seeing all this countryside before it gets destroyed by a series of industrial accidents.

I was thinking this morning about all the things I am grateful for. All ofypu were definitely in my mind. Thanks for the love and support!

Also, Samir has fully recovered. He is now leading up some of the hills, and he can get up earlier tha I ever knew him to in college.

Finally, remember to check out the other blogs at our google site. Sites.google.com/site/pacificodyssey


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Location:State St,South Shore,United States