Bike Adventure Text


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We're a couple of beginners who did one big bike ride. Here's our report:

SAN FRANCISCO TO SAN DIEGO TANDEM RIDE
BY JEFF & RUTH COLEMAN, July 1995

Synopsis:

We flew to San Francisco and pedaled back to San Diego along the Pacific Coast Highway route. We camped every other night and stayed in motels or with friends the rest. Terrain was hilly at first and flatter the last half. Scenery was awesome, with coastal cliffs, forests, beaches, villages, cattle, strawberry fields, bridges, bays, mountains, and other varied sights all along the way. Hike&Bike sites at the state campgrounds were $3/person and nearly vacant even though the campgrounds usually had "No Vacancy" signs for other types of camping. Campgrounds were all on or near the beach, except Big Sur. Traffic was mostly light except when passing through the cities. We had a marvelous time and highly recommend this route for adventurous bikers.

Total miles: 676
Total days: 10 and a half
Weather: Nearly perfect. The first night camping was cold and the last afternoon was hot, but the rest of the trip was ideal.
Mechanical Problems: 2 punctured tires, easily patched
Best resource: The book "Bicycling the Pacific Coast Highway", by Kirkendall and Spring. Details entire route with mileages, street names, landmarks, campgrounds, services, etc. Nearly every bicycle camper we met used this book.
Best part of trip: Gorgeous scenery
Worst part of trip: Trouble finding a motel on Ruth's birthday (Saturday night)

Lessons learned:
From Carmel to San Simeon food is expensive. There are no fast foods outlets.
Half-Moon Bay campground can get cold at night, even in August.
Long underwear is lighter and more compact than a heavier sleeping bag.
Camp stores sometimes close at 7 p.m. Don't plan to buy dinner there after that.
You can't get through Monterey without climbing a major hill. Follow the book's directions.
Don't make your stoker laugh while climbing a big hill.
If you don't have reservations, it may be hard to find a motel room on Saturday night.
The best motel deals are in the free "Travelers Guide" coupon books found at rest stops.
Don't miss a spot when applying sunscreen.
On our next trip we will try to have backpacks we can carry everything in for off-bike touring.
Don't burn yourselves out.
This has got to be one of the best rides in the world.


Prologue

We did not consider ourselves bikers before this trip. In February, we rode about a mile down a bike path before Ruth was too pooped and turned back. I was trying to get in shape by riding 5 miles now and then. So, when I suggested a San Francisco-San Diego ride and Ruth seriously considered it, I was shocked. We upgraded our bikes and tried riding farther but found it frustrating. Then we got a cheap ($275) used tandem and loved it. We tried riding 7 miles, then 13, then a 2-day, 100 mile ride and had so much fun that we considered ourselves ready (although we had to buy 4 stoker saddles before finding just the right one.) Two weeks before we left, we bought a good used tandem (Burley Rock&Roll) and had it checked out and tuned up at the shop. After a couple of agonizing days when the chain-suck wouldn't quit, the mechanic found the problem and the bike was ready with one evening to test it and box it up.
At first we planned to credit card camp, but couldn't find any motels listed between Big Sur and San Simeon (about 70 miles). We weren't sure if we could ride that far in a day, so bought lightweight sleeping bags and a tent, just in case. It turned out that the campgrounds were so beautiful (and cheap), that we stayed there half of the time.

First day of ride:
July 7, 1995, Friday
San Diego
We finished packing our last minute items, went over our list of things to take and do (for the tenth time), said goodbye to the kids, and headed down to the airport in our minivan which had been loaded with the bike and gear the night before. Driving was a bit tricky, since the box was almost bumping the steering wheel, but by leaning to the side and forward I could see enough to steer. The skycap declined to help me, so I lugged the boxed bike to the ticket counter, paid the $25 fee, and pleaded with the handler to be gentle with it. My parents' plane landed, we gave them the car keys, directions to our house and last minute babysitting information. They drove off and we flew off.

San Francisco 12:15 p.m.
After anxiously awaiting 30 minutes at the baggage office our bike came out in perfect condition. 20 minutes of assembly and 30 minutes of changing clothes, applying sunscreen, asking directions, etc. and we were on our way -- straight up the freeway on-ramp! We got the bike turned around, rode back, got proper directions and were on our way again.
We soon found ourselves climbing a long hill and apparently heading away from the business district. On the advice of a resident and our survival instincts we turned around and coasted back down to have a Burger King lunch before traveling through a vast stretch of trail with no food.
3 p.m. -- Back on the road with full stomachs we hit the hill with determination and a 28-32 granny low gear. Just how low that is was soon to become apparent. After an interminable 20 minute climb a man walking his dog caught up with us, told us we were about halfway, chatted for a few minutes, and walked on ahead, all with us pedaling our best. We consoled ourselves with the fact that we were carrying 100 lbs of bike and gear and we were certain to pass him on the downhill. Eventually, we made it over the top, passed the dog walker, and were soon passed by him again when we stopped to check the map.
For the next 20 miles to Half Moon Bay we enjoyed beautiful scenery on Sawyer Bike Trail followed by a long climb over a mountain. A bit of glass let the air out of our front tire near the top of the mountain, so a 15-minute inner tube repair job was called for.
5:30 p.m. -- We found a nice $75 Bed&Breakfast in Half Moon Bay but opted to try out the Hike&Bike campsite on the bay for $3/person. We checked it out then rode back to town for groceries for supper and breakfast. Back at camp we went for a romantic walk on the beach, ate supper, pitched our tent, and went to bed. The ocean breeze made us cool in our light sleeping bags so we soon were sleeping in our extra clothes, sweaters, and caps but still wished it were warmer.

July 8, 1995, Saturday
Half Moon Bay
6:00 a.m. -- We got started early, broke camp, loaded the bike, ate breakfast, and started pedaling so we could get warm. After 2 or 3 miles we stopped to remove our jackets and put on sunscreen. The next 40 miles were pleasant country miles with farms, livestock, and mild hills. Davenport was a good place to stop and finish off the chips and fruit left over from the night before. We considered buying more food, but waited too long and a bus full of tourists pulled up, packing the grocery store.
We got to Santa Cruz ready for lunch at Togo's. A stop at a bike shop got us a front rack, just in case we needed it. Then it was off through the country again for another 40 miles. The most notable thing about this stretch was the pleasant aroma of miles of strawberry fields. There was one stretch with a stiff headwind, where we met some bikers from San Jose who commiserated with us about it.
As we neared Seaside the time between meals became noticeable as my hands started tingling due to low blood sugar. We stopped at an artichoke stand for cookies and drinks, which cured me. In Seaside, Ruth bought thermal underwear at K-Mart while I scoured the AAA book for cheap motels with spas. We found one in Monterey which gave us a great rate ($52) (AAA listing was $58) because they had had a last minute cancellation.
We occasionally stop to pick up something interesting in the road (pliers, water bottle). But going through Seaside we found the best road find yet: a $20 bill!
That spa felt great after our record-setting ride of 94 miles for the day. Then we walked to Denny's for dinner, a grocery store for supplies, and back to the motel for a wonderful sleep in a real bed.

July 9, 1995, Sunday
Monterey
We relaxed in church in the morning and were surprised to meet an old friend from San Diego there. Then we checked out of the motel, loaded up and went for a sightseeing tour through Monterey. First, though, we had to stop at the camping store across the street and buy Ruth a more comfortable (larger) air mattress. We rode the bike trail past Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row and out to Lovers' Point, where we ate lunch.
5:00 p.m. -- On the advice of locals, we took a route to Carmel which would avoid the really big hill. Unfortunately, this took us to a freeway which prohibited bikes. So, we picked another road and end up climbing a huge mountain for about an hour, on the east side of the freeway. The ride through the beautiful, quaint town of Carmel was pleasant but with the sun getting lower in the sky we were getting worried about making it to Big Sur Campground before dark. We pushed ourselves to the limit through the winding forest hills and pulled into camp while we could still see well enough to pick out a good spot for the tent, about 8:45. After pitching our tent, I headed down to the camp store for much needed food. It closed at 9:00 and I had just missed it. The only alternative was the elegant lodge restaurant, where I paid $22 for 2 hamburgers to go. At least they came with fries.
So although we had planned a relaxing day, it ended up being about 45 miles and rather strenuous.

July 10, 1995, Monday
Big Sur
8:00 a.m. -- We broke camp and stopped at the camp store for food but found that they were closed indefinitely due to a power outage. So, we went on our way hungry and immediately encountered a long hill. A couple of miles up was a grocery store, also with power out, but open, so we got breakfast.
Soon the road left the forest and we began the long, tortuous, beautiful, ride along the cliffs with waves crashing below. We stopped to examine the multicolored pebbles at Pebble Beach, and took several pictures of the beautiful coastal scenery along the way. We stopped for ice cream in Lucia ($1.50 per fudgesicle) and lunch in Pacific Valley ($5 per stale turkey sandwich.) We saw the Hearst Castle from a distance but wanted to find a motel before touring it. San Simeon was 3 miles farther but nothing but a row of motels, so we continued on to the quaint village of Cambria. After checking into the Creekside Inn in East Cambria we walked to West Cambria, bought breakfast foods at the grocery store, and had dinner at the highly recommended Main Street Grill: excellent fast food at bargain prices.

July 11, 1995, Tuesday
Cambria
11:00 a.m. -- After relaxing and sleeping in, we finally hit the road. Ruth noticed redness which looked like sunburn so she put on extra sunscreen, but it later turned out to be some kind of rash from the sunscreen. There were some hills but lots of flat riding too. We stopped in Pismo Beach for their monthly farmers' market. There we ate a peach and bought gifts.
After only about 35 miles we checked into the Oceano campground and headed into the town of Grober Beach for groceries at the supermarket. After dinner we walked to the beach and enjoyed the beautiful sunset and a walk.

July 12, 1995, Wednesday
Oceano Campground
8:00 a.m. -- I tried the 25 cent 2 minute warm shower and found it adequate. We ate and got started only to find the front tire flat. The valve stem seemed to be sticking when I pumped it up, so I figured that was the culprit and we went on. We bought a valve stem tool in Guadalupe. We met a German solo bike rider, Uwe, and rode many miles in pleasant conversation, stopping in Lompoc to have lunch together at a Sizzler. Uwe noticed a wobble in his wheel, so he stopped to fix it while we rode to a gas station to fix what turned out to be a slow leak caused by a thorn, and buy groceries.
Soon we came to a mountain pass. On the other side was a severe crosswind, almost too strong to ride through for about 3 miles. We picked up a book of motel coupons at a rest stop and met 2 ladies visiting from Brazil. We rode on, arriving at Refugio State Beach Campground at 8 p.m. hoping to buy dinner at the grocery store, but found that it had closed at 7 p.m. With no towns nearby, we were stuck dining on trail mix, granola bars, and peanuts. Good thing we had recently had an "all-you-can-eat" lunch.
When we called home to check in we were informed that Emily (our 2-year-old) had a fever of 103. We dutifully worried until morning when we called and found she was back to normal.
There was one other camper at the hiker-biker site: a balding man with long white hair and a long white beard. He said he is a 6th grade teacher who bikes thousands of miles every summer for relaxation. He had some interesting stories to tell.

July 13, 1995, Thursday
Refugio State Beach Campground
9:00 a.m. -- After swimming in the cold ocean, warm showers, phone call home, and breakfast at the camp store, we headed out. The ride included much beautiful scenery, as usual, and some flat coastal stretches on the freeway shoulder along the bay. We came to Santa Barbara hoping to find a Wendys or Jack-in-the-Box for our favorite selections for lunch. The city was beautiful, with hundreds of very nice restaurants and one McDonalds, but no Wendys or Jack-in-the-Boxes. The bike path along the scenic, grassy beach was a refreshing change. The next town was Carpenteria. As we rolled into Carpenteria we had been talking about our favorite fast foods for so long, we were disappointed not to find them. So we stopped and asked a pedestrian if there was a Wendys or Jack-in-the-Box anywhere in town. She said sure, just down one block and around the corner. Then as we were riding off she added, "Except it's a McDonalds." We settled for a McDonalds lunch.
4:30 p.m. -- At Ventura we stayed at the Ramada Clocktower. Our coupon book got us a nice room and breakfast for $49, which was way cheaper than the AAA rate of $80. And asking for wheelchair access got us a ground floor room with extra-wide doors for getting the bike in and out. We found a laundromat, did laundry, developed film, and went to a movie. We had to hurry to get to the movie on time, so dinner turned out to be mostly popcorn and soda in the theater.

July 14, 1995, Friday
Ventura, Ramada Clocktower
11:30 a.m. -- We hit the road after a hearty motel continental breakfast buffet, heading for Venice Beach and stopping at an MG car rally and a midget car race track along the way. We met a couple, Michelle and Ron, riding from Canada to Mexico, and rode with them for a few miles. They were using the same guide book we were, "Bicycling the Pacific Coast Highway", as was nearly everyone we met along the way.
In Malibu we met a bicycle commuter who gave us a guided tour, pointing out the expensive houses sliding down the cliffs, where Baywatch is filmed, where JFK had trysts, etc. We were glad he was guiding us, since the narrow road and heavy traffic made riding conditions the most dangerous of the entire trip.
Venice beach is a typical beach bum beach, with rows of beachfront shops, famous muscle beach, zillions of rollerbladers, rental bikes, beach volleyball, etc. Our guide led us to within a few block of our hosts for the night, David and Nancy Manpearl. They provided a great meal, conversation and family room accommodations.

July 15, 1995, Saturday
Venice Beach
8:00 a.m. -- Stopped at McDonalds for breakfast on our way out of town, where the cleaning crew warned us that our bike may not be welcome, but nobody stopped us from parking it by our table. It was crowded so we shared a table with a gentleman who tried to convert us to his brand of Christianity. It was an interesting debate. Then we stopped at Ralphs for some hypo-allergenic sunscreen for Ruth before leaving town.
We soon found ourselves riding through a grim looking part of town, hoping not to have any flat tires or other need to stop there. Even though we were ready for a donut, we didn't dare stop until things looked safer. After that we had to go through an industrial area filled with industrial buildings and smokestacks. In Torrance we got a snack at El Pollo Loco. Then we got on a beach bike path to Huntington beach, where we met a teenager who guided us and gave us info on the area. He rode with us to Costa Mesa, where we started hunting for a motel with a non-smoking room vacancy. We had a difficult time finding a decent place, wasting 1 and 1/2 hours at one place, as the clerk tried to get us a room key and finally turned us away. We were quite distressed, but asked around and found a small clean motel nearby. The owner didn't want us to keep our bike in the room and offered us his garage for storage, then changed his mind and let us take it in. Since it was Ruth's birthday, we decided to keep our ride short and have some fun. We had a great dinner at Marie Callendars, then a movie. Then grocery shopping.

July 16, 1995, Sunday
Costa Mesa
8:30 a.m. -- We went to church in Newport Beach, then back to the motel to load up our stuff and check out by 1:30. Last night's groceries provided breakfast and lunch, except for a Jack-in-the-Box shake at Dana Point. We made it to San Clemente at about 5:00 p.m., had dinner at Carls Jr and checked into the State campground. There was one other camper at the hiker-biker site: a homeless man with a bike and makeshift tent. He was pleasant enough, but the kids running around in the dark chasing skunks were annoying.

July 17, 1995, Monday
San Clemente
8:00 a.m. -- We stopped at Carls Jr for breakfast. There was a group of 3 homeless men gathering there at an outside table. I suddenly came to the realization that after 10 days of exposure to the elements and camping out I felt like one of them. But our breakfast didn't come from the dumpster, and we had a great mode of transportation. Soon we were riding through the Camp Pendleton Marine Base, where bikes are allowed safe passage, and then into familiar San Diego County territory. Lunch was at Roberto's and Dairy Queen, where I tried to get my favorite flavor.

Me (pointing to sign): "Are those the flavors you offer?"
Lady at the counter (smiling sweetly): "We have any flavor you want."
Me: "Heavenly Hash"
Lady at the counter (smiling sweetly): "We don't have it."
I settled for Rocky Road.

The big Torrey Pines hill didn't seem as hard as it used to. As we headed east to our end of town, we got lost in Claremont, the one place we didn't have a map for, since we had ridden there before, and had to stop for directions. By about 4:00 p.m. we were almost home and partly wishing we weren't getting home so soon. We stopped at Baskin-Robbins for a final treat and to cool off, since this was by far the hottest day of our trip. The temperatures were now in the 90s and we were no longer by the cool ocean. The last 4 miles were almost all uphill and slow going, so we arrived home sweaty and tired but exhilarated and ready to start planning the next trip.

"When you're riding a tandem bike you're never lonely."
"Four legs good, two legs bad" - the sheep in "Animal Farm"

© 1997 pianoru@abac.com