Pacific Coast

Chapter 42     SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2008   Epilogue – Isn’t that what they call it.   Well it’s over. A job that was 8 years in the making. A dream that was in the head. A dream that was talked about in times over a pint ...'You know what I would really like to do?' 'No. What..' I’d love to cycle the Pacific Coast Highway from Vancouver to San Diego. ''Well, why don’t ya?' Ah! I will one day...... have another pint..! There were a few serious attempts ...well attempts! None too serious. If I’m honest. Then I turned 60. I thought.? If you are going to do it you better get serious. They say you rarely regret the things you do but you always regret the things you don’t do. It was in Pauline’s garden, cutting the grass. There was an intervention. An element introduced, which made it possible to move, and it was a commitment. That commitment came from somewhere deep in the heart. Someone saying, 'Do it now or regret it forever!' So, I decided there and the...

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...

Chapter 35     MONDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2008   San Simeon to Pismo Beach 52 miles   Had a Mexican dinner last night in a genuine Mexican restaurant. Never had Mexican before. Maybe that’s in preparation for the border which looms a week or so away. I think it’s an indicator. I don’t like Mexican food! I just discovered! I found it quite tasteless apart from the hot spice.  Up this morning bright and early. I can’t get used to sleeping late anymore. Packed and gone by 9am.  Before leaving San Simeon I went to the beach to see hundreds of giant seals sunning themselves on the sand, totally oblivious to the people who have come in their droves to see them and photograph them. I suppose there is a reason they all come just here, the seals I mean but I haven’t the time to ask them. I’m on a mission!   It’s a nice easy spin to Pismo Beach today. The profile is reasonably rolling and for the first in a long time, I do not have to contend with a steep climb as soon ...

Chapter 34     SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2008   Big Sur to San Simeon 67 miles   Woke at 3am. It’s pouring out of the heavens. That’s the first actual rain I have seen since I began this trip. Maybe it will clear! Go back to sleep..!  Awaken again at 6am - still heaping it down (It never rains in Southern California, it pours man it pours). Should I stay in the tent for the day or what. Then Tom Keenan's words ring in my ears  'John, you have to learn to ride the bike in the rain too' . So, eventually, up I get. Get dressed. As I said before, its very slow getting dressed in a two-man tent. I get the wet tent folded up and packed away on the bike. Everything is wet now. But I’m feeling good. Glad I didn’t decide to wait out the rain. Instead, I take myself down to the restaurant in the resort area for a huge breakfast. I pig out on bacon and eggs, burger, bagels, cheese and 2 big pancakes with shed loads of maple syrup. Stuffed to the gunwales I head up the first ...

Chapter 33     SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2008   Monterey to Big Sur 35 miles     Leaving Monterey, the weather seems to be closing in. It is still quite warm, and I have my bike packed up again to what I am used to and I’m back in control.  I treated myself to a lobster dinner last night being in a fishing port and a nice bottle of white wine. As I said yesterday. I’m glad I was on an enclosed cycle path on my way back.   Waking early in the motel. The breakfast fare is coffee and cakes in the foyer. So nothing to keep me hanging around. So I hit the road.  There is a bit of climbing out of town but I’m well used to these early hills by now so I just take my time. Monterey is a nice old town and Im pleased I stayed. The road takes me inland and through a forested area. Not at all what I was expecting. I had visions of the Wild Pacific Ocean but once I left the sea I could see it might be a while before I saw the sea again. The day is not getting any bett...

Chapter 32     FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2008   Santa Cruz to Monterey 45 miles   Up early today. Packed up and leave camp by 8am. Takes me a while to pick my way across Santa Cruz and a lot of referring to my 'Bicycling the Pacific Coast ' book to get out of this town and on the right way to Monterey. So, a bit slow and tedious. I have a feeling, now that I’m in Southern California, it’s going to be like this all the way, stick to by-roads to avoid the highways and freeways.  But, I’m soon rolling through lush farm land. All arable. No wasted land here, growing everything. Growing strawberries by the 100 acres, Artichokes by the 1000 acres and Brussel Sprouts. I kid you not.  Hey kids! who doesn’t like their Brussels? You think your dad is the only screwball in the world who likes Brussels. WELL GUYS? THINK AGAIN!!! American's love ‘em! Take a look at that photo. That’s billions of tons of lovely Brussels! You can even buy them on the stalk here. Cars pull up on ...

Chapter 31   FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2008   Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz 54 miles   That Pacific Ocean! I tell you it’s not to be messed with. I was woken in the night and you would swear a Tsunami was coming. The noise was fantastic and deafening! None of your lapping waves rocking you to sleep with whale voices and sea breezes. This was full on explosive! I swore it was thunder, AND the sea. The waves were BOOMING the beach. And it wasn’t a wave sound.. it was a constant ROAR! I thought about getting out of the tent to have a look , but I thought I could be one of those casualties that you hear about. You know! The guy went out to see the sea and was never seen again. The noise was deafening. Imagine my surprise the next day when there had been no storm or anything for that matter. Just another night on the Pacific.  Anyway, I had breakfast with the group the next morning and they went off quietly. I think that’s the last I will see them. We are all moving on.   I s...

Chapter 30   FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2008   San Francisco to Half Moon Bay 37 miles.   I decide to head out of San Francisco today instead of staying longer which was my plan. But it’s going to be a bit hairy to get out, so I decide the best thing to do is travel with the Cross Canadian Group for safety’s sake and to get through the city. Anyway, I would need lots more time here to see it properly and another day is not going to do it. So, we decide to leave as a group, at 9.30 am, after the rush hour.  Setting off into a lovely warm day, we head back up towards the Golden Gate to pick up our route out, south. Some steep climbs up to bridge level and I am pleased I can pretty much stay with them. Wending our way down the coast to Daly City - a lovely cycle along the edge of the Pacific ocean and a nice easy cycle with my friends. But this is where we part company. A long five mile drag up into Daly City puts an end to my cycling in the peloton. I’m left for dead. But I gr...