Pacific Coast

Chapter 41     SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008   San Elijo State Beach to Mexican Border 54 miles   The morning breaks early.. The joggers start at 6am (can you believe it!!) No respect for the elderly who want a lie in.. Jim and I rise and get set for the day. We break camp for the last time and decide to go and have breakfast together before we take on the day.  A young guy came to the camp last night to introduce himself. He lived in the town and had just completed his own Canada to Mexico border trip yesterday. He came down to see if we needed anything. I don’t know how he knew we were there, but I suspect he was so full of his own trip still and he didn’t want it to end. I think I know how he feels. It was he who told me about the great breakfast place.  Over we go, and as we enter this crowd of guys say... 'Where you coming from?' We say 'Vancouver' and they exchange to each other 'didn’t I tell Ya'! RESPECT!!  They go on to tell us about all the news t...

Chapter 40     SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2008   Huntington Beach to San Elijo Beach Park 69 miles   This was an early start. I was so tired last night I checked into the worst motel I’ve stayed in. But it was ok. I just needed a bed. Up at 6.30 and gone by 7.30 on the last big push. A pleasant ride through towns and cities. All built up except for a couple of short country stretches. I took a wrong turn going through San Clemente and while I was wondering which way to go, up comes Berry on a road bike. He kindly stops to help me out and agrees to lead me out of the chaos I’m in. He gets me back on track and leads me through the hills and byways of San Clemente down as far as Camp Pendelton. He is a very fit 70-year-old and a true gent. So, thanks Berry for your help. Berry explains to me about this camp.                            ...

Chapter 39     FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2008   Santa Monica to Huntington Beach 41 miles   Great night’s sleep in Santa Monica last night. Pampered myself. So, ready for the day ahead to Huntington Beach. Another iconic surfing town. I stopped in a shopping center, that I was actually cycling through, for some food and a bit of window shopping.  There you go Peter. The bandana came to me in a flash of stylish wisdom... I think it could be permanent and fetching around Latton. What do you think??  I was glad I made that jump from Leo Carillo to Santa Monica yesterday because the 41 miles today was the least enjoyable cycling it was possible to have. It was both physically and mentally challenging and exhausting. Once I left Santa Monica I had 9 miles on a cycle path that wound its way onto the beach. It was pretty scenic and novel at the start. With road bikers, roller bladers, people walking dogs and kids. But soon it became tedious with a fine film of sand...

Chapter 38     THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2008   Mc Grath Beach to Santa Monica 59 miles   Woke up this morning to the upturned bins and the mess the racoons have left. After we tidy up, we agree to meet later today at the Leo Carillo State Beach, as it’s the last hiker/biker camp before south Los Angeles. It’s only a short run, 27 miles.  I’m slow out of the blocks today. One reason is that I have my tent folded, packed and stowed and discover the keys of my bike lock are inside the tent in one of the tent pockets. So, all has to be unloaded and opened to get the keys. My language is foul!! Everyone is gone before I’m ready to go, so I head off alone. 3 miles down the road and no breakfast in me I find a Subway and sojourn for a sandwich and coffee. While I’m having it they kindly charge up my phone for me. Off again and into Port Hueneme, a huge American Naval Base and from there, across miles and miles of farm land. 100's of acres of parsley, (no kidding) And a pla...

Chapter 37     THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2008   Refugio State Beach to Mc Grath beach 54 miles   I woke up this morning to a beautiful tequila sunrise and the sounds of the sea, gazing out over the beautiful Pacific. My God. How did I get to be this lucky? Get the little gas stove going and get the water on for early morning coffee. The nature of camping is, if you don’t get your food for the night and morning the evening before. Then you have little or nothing for breakfast. Jim surfaces for the day, in time for the coffee and he has some of his wife’s cookies leftover. That’s breakfast sorted. Reminded me of when I was 16 and camping in Donard Park with my mates and on Sunday we would pool all the food we had and share it. Some amazing concoctions, not suitable for sharing here. We must leave here now and head on.  Heading for Mc Grath State Beach. Jim is heading to San Diego in aid of a foundation for his brother who was injured badly in a fall at work and is now ...

Chapter 36     TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2008   Pismo Beach to Refugio Beach 77 miles   If you ever wake up and think 'this day is going to be a crap day' and decide to fold your tent on the day and go back to bed!!... don’t! ’Cause one thing I discovered today was that no matter how you feel on any given day, as sure as eggs is eggs by lunch time things will have usually changed for the better. That was how today was for me. I woke this morning - I had a sore bum, my legs ached, I didn’t sleep too well, and I was feeling  'this is not what I want to do today' . I got no breakfast ‘cause it didn’t start till 8 and I wasn’t waiting around. I headed out and soon, after a few miles, I had no legs. I was up and down in the saddle trying to find a good place to sit. It just wasn’t working. A guy pulled out in front of me on a bike pulling a bob, we say good morning and in the chat I tell him I think I’ll only make Lompoc 28miles down cause I’m tired. He says the same and g...