All good things.....

So , finally done. Cycle computer shows 2471 miles, back in Carlsbad now. Spent a few days up in the mountains, great but isolated and very hot.
Some good day rides and great climbs but a little frustrating after being on the move for so long. Decided to head back to coast and for a night before heading through San Diego to San Ysidro on the Mexican Border.

Awoke to cool morning but welcome after heat of mountains . The ride to the border passes through variety of SD neighbourhoods,Torrey Pines upmarket La Jolla, Mission Beach, Birdrock, through downtown area, past huge naval base and docks and out to Chula Vista. Reasonably easy to negotiate and lots of bike lanes. Felt pretty good to be riding out early morning past surfers and joggers, iPod on , knowing that ride would soon be complete. Did the oblig carb and coffee stop at great little cafe near the uni, (Vanilla roast, banana nut muffin). Eventually arrive at San Ysidro around 5pm, soon decided not a great idea to hang around for too long, lots of money changers and cheap stores, typical border town, atmosphere prob made worse by the fatal shooting of a mexican by US border guards yesterday (for throwing stones at them, go figure) Huge swathes of people passing across the border, v easy to get into Mexico, much slower getting back into USA so didn't want to get caught in the crowd and spend a couple of hours getting back into USA( had made decision a while ago not to go into Tijuana, too much bad press). Couple of oblig photos (looking miserable I note) and then turn around and start cycling North, need to find some accomo for the night so keen to leave before light fades. Eventually find great little b&b with friendly Filipino owners who are convinced that I must be in some sort of race and keep asking if I will be in the Olympics. Easier to smile and nod tbh. Had planned great celebration but settled for dominos pizza and couple of bottles of Sam Adams watching Batman Returns. Felt good.


So thats it. Back in hotel in Carlsbad, first non riding day since SF, Julia out next week. Time to put feet up. Thanks for all the messages of encouragement, hope you've enjoyed the blog. As they say out here 'what a trip'.









That's all folks ......



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Off route, recalculating

Sunset beach to Oceanside to Mount Palomar 14th-17th June

The ride from Sunset to Oceanside was pretty cool, in all senses of the word. The 'June Gloom' (marine mist ) is still with us which causes an amazing difference in temperatures over a relatively short distance (68 deg on the coast, 108 deg 60 miles inland). The route passed through some classic surf spots (Huntingdon Beach , Trestles) and some great Coastal resort towns like Laguna Beach. Eventually you pass through the Marine base at camp Pendleton, pre sept 11 you were allowed to ride all the way through, not any more so the diversion is the interstate (motorway) for 7 miles which is about as much fun as it sounds . Ended up in a cheap motel in Oceanside ( which is where the Race Across America, an ultra endurance bike race, starts this week so loads of bike activity going on.)

Pretty close to San Diego now, the end of the road as they say. Thing is I'm about a week early, i think the sketchy weather earlier in the trip meant more time on the bike and more miles. Had planned to ride out to Palm Springs via Mount Palomar ( a popular climb northeast of San Diego). Left Oceanside in a grey mist, 5 miles inland the sun appears and the temp begins to climb, ...... And climb, soon hits 82 as I pass through orange groves, a couple of Indian reservations and eventually the road also begins to climb.....and climb so about 40 miles in it's now around 90 and I'm at about 2500 ft of elevation . The phrase be careful what you wish for springs to mind as I sit on the porch in the shade of a general store in the middle of nowhere gulping water. The climb lasts about an hour and a half and I can feel the heat bouncing off the Tarmac . I bin the wildly optimistic plan of climbing Mount Palomar (another 3500 ft) today and feel a surge of relief to find a campsite. Quickly check in and take long cool shower. Lush that is. Speak to campsite owner about my palm springs plan and he raises an eyebrow, confirming my suspicions that it is a very stupid plan, dreamt up by someone who has forgotten what it's like cycling in extreme heat. Plan now binned (108 in Palm Springs yesterday). Woke up today with new plan to camp at summit of Mt Palomar tonight, pack up gear and set off, intend to take longer of two possible routes as it's less steep ( shorter route is 7 miles of steep switchbacks) ride the 12 miles to begin climb, stop, coffee and apple pie, start climb which is 14 miles , lowest gear, standing on pedals. Great views on the way up though and altitude keeps temps reasonable. Find coffee and muffin stop at top and then campsite ( bit remote, no showers, no one else there and warning notice about sightings of mountain lion) .........get back on bike and cycle back down mountain ( via steep route) to campsite I left this morning ( thus confirming suspicions of campsite owner that I am total idiot), put tent back up and hit the showers. Will stay here for a few days and do some day rides, the roads are good and some great climbs( featured in the Tour of California) .Will climb the switchbacks tomorrow sans 40lb of kit :) Plan to head back down to the coast next week to finish at Mexican border. Will post with update.



Ghost bike- touching tribute and salutary reminder to keep it safe.




Hot, damn hot





Today's climb,

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Tale of two cities

Malibu to Sunset Beach (59m)

Marine mist out in force this morning but still warm, made up for by complimentary continental breakfast , all a bit 'Cool Hand Luke but with pastries and coffee' Easy start to the ride straight onto the pch and then onto a bike path running along the beach, pretty much perfect riding , had arranged to pick up some new tyres at a large camping/bike store in Santa Monica where they let me change the tyres at the back of the shop. Also picked up new maps, camping gas and boil in the bags. Marine mist now gone so warm sunshine riding along the beach path next 20 miles . Pics below show difference with/without mist


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Amazing ride along LA's landmark beaches ( Venice, Manhatten, Redondo) all very cool as the bike path basically runs along the beach. Perfect really, stopped for coffee at a cafe overlooking beach.



Second half of ride real shit sandwich, hard stop start riding through LA urban sprawl, no shoulder, potholes, glass, loads of traffic, passing through pretty grim areas including huge refinery chocka with lorries . No choice but to crack on, pray no punctures and get through it. Eventually drop down into Seal beach and back to civilised riding, got a motel at Sunset Beach, nice little So Cal community with great beach and, funnily enough sunsets.





Bike Odyssey ?




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12th June : Carpinteria to Malibu (67m)

Had a pretty good ride today through a constantly changing landscape, from small Coastal surfer towns (Ventura), Venice like waterfront communities ( Oxnard ) , a Naval base (Port Heneume) a huge air force missile base at Point Magu, open farmland, dramatic Coastal cliffs ( are all cliffs coastal?) and finally into Malibu. You can tell Malibu is approaching as the number of expensive looking beachfront communities increase as well as the number of Porsches buzzing up and down the pacific coast highway. It's a great Coastal ride with views of the beaches all the way into Malibu. Unfortunately the camping opportunities are pretty much non existent from here down to San Diego so found a hotel tonight. Not cheap as you can imagine so will move on tomorrow. Delicious taco for dinner on the Pier watching the surfers catching lazy waves on longboards and fisherman on the pier (not catching anything).



Punctured on the way in to Malibu and have now really worn through rear tyres so need to find bike shop at some point today. Internet access has made some planning possible, had a conversation with a woman yesterday about biking opportunities around San Diego and there is a popular climb at Mount Palomar (6000ft) which looks good as well as a few good looking routes with both mountains and desert landscapes. The route south from here looks pretty cool (Venice beach, Santa Monica, Long Beach , Huntingdon) but will be a challenge negotiating the Southern LA sprawl. Weather still dominated by the 'June gloom' so cloudy a lot of the time but cool rather than cold and hot when the sun finally appears. Anyway off to breakfast now, coffee and carbs are waiting.


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'SoCal'

11 June Catchuma Lake to Carpintetia State Beach (52 m)

Had planned a short ride from Lake Cachuma to Santa Barbara and a couple of nights in a hotel didn't pan out that way. Riding was pretty easy today bar one 900 ft climb and getting lost once followed by a bit of back tracking. Arrived in Santa Barbara but didn't grab me tbh so pedalled through town, passed a Starbucks which meant a skype opportunity with Ju, just so happens she was at the annual Osullivan BBQ so was able to watch everyone at home drunk off their asses whilst I drank coffee and felt a long way from home. Eventually persuaded myself to get back on the road and figured I would check out the state beach campground or maybe do another 30 miles to Ventura and find a hotel . Turns out state beach campground is pretty cool, hooked up with a couple of guys (also cyclists)for a beer at a local micro brewery (had a delicious ipa brewed with east Kent hops no less , 7.5% abv though) so all in all a pretty good end to the day even though not as planned. Have been told that there isn't much in the way of good riding away from the coast which probably means a slow ride down to San Diego and figure out a plan when I'm there.
Still tempted by a detour up to Joshua tree though , we'll see
Highlight of the day: cold brewski ( sorry gully)



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Danish and coffee

Friday 10th June : Pismo Beach to Lake Cashuma (78m)

Felt knackered all morning not sure why but had craving for coffee and cake so prob not fuelled up properly , no great food options till Lompoc, Starbucks on left, pull in litre of bold blend and some major carb loading ( I could give up anytime I wanted, I choose muffins and coffee, it's not an addiction...... Wonder if you can get patches...) much better after lunch spinning up and down climbs for the next 40 miles.



Great route this pm, came inland through the Santa Ynez Valley ( great scenery, strong tailwind, sunshine) and through a town called Solvang (aka little Denmark ) lots of Danish bakeries, coffee houses, v quaint if maybe a bit Disney. Still impressed by the friendly nature of your average American, several conversations today about the trip , maybe a west coast thing ?( now being met with incredulity by most ) all beginning with a 'where you going/from?' . Also had an invitation to join a family for dinner tonight, felt a bit guilty passing it up. I'd like to think an American travelling the length of the UK would be met with the same warmth and hospitality but I'm not sure (that said there is a special place in hell reserved for the MF who buzzed me in their pick-up this morning with horn blaring) Lake cachuma is pretty spectacular, huge lake surrounded by hills. Another crazy Friday night for yours truly. Is it worrying that I'm beginning to find my tent quite homely ?

Highlight of the day, sunset over the lake, tent up and coffee in hand


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Here comes the sun

9th June :San Simeon to Oceana State Beach (57 m)

Quick departure from motel this morning, had to tear myself away from the complimentary breakfast, muffin count reaching dangerously high levels. Grey start to the day but on a mission to find someone to remove sheared rack bolt. Had been told by Bram yesterday about bike shop in Cambria,


soon found it and spoke go owner , used to work in engineering, built bikes , now runs a shop, couldn't script it better , half an hour later old bolt out, relief. Ride today was mainly along highway 1, tailwind and very sunny. Almost like I woke up in a different country, very similar landscape to southern Spain, low brown scrub hills, pine & eucalyptus trees but with wide American palm lined boulevards. Really feels like 'southern' california, busier roads, pools appearing in back gardens. Pretty easy riding meant arriving at campsite by late afternoon, making a welcome change from last few days. Got stung for 35 dollars for campsite as hiker/biker facility here no longer open( usually 5 bucks) Nice campsite though and not in a forest ! Good to have a drama free day today( found our from bike shop guy that highway 1 has been closed for three months because of the slide!) 1770 miles done btw. :)

Highlight of the day: riding Alongside the ocean, bike sorted, warm sun on road, and a taco for lunch.


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