10 Days and 660 miles on a Bike Page 2

Early the next morning Bob started the 56-mile leg into Pismo Beach. After the ride down from Big Sur to San Simeon he was looking forward to Pismo Beach.

As he had hoped the ride turned out to be a good one. The weather was nice, the hills were not as steep, and in general it was down hill. He enjoyed a pleasant afternoon at quiet Pismo Beach.

Next day, Monday, Bob started out for Solvang, 65 miles away. The route is generally good for biking except for a stretch of Highway 135 up Harris Grade. The road is narrow and twist as it climbs 600 feet in 3 miles. It is a "brisk" trip down the other side. He passed north of Lompoc and joined Highway 246 to go through the Santa Ynez Valley toward Buellton and on to Solvang. He averaged about 14 mph that leg. He spent the night in Solvang.

Bob had not shaved since starting the trip 6 days before, and he was still wearing the same unwashed pair of socks that he started with. He said he had disinfectant that he sprayed into them each morning and night. I am sure the person making the largest donation for the ride will really enjoy those socks. Next morning he started the 60-mile leg to Ventura on Highway 154 passed Lake Cachuma County Park and kept on pumping uphill. For the next 10 miles he would be climbing San Marcos Pass, elevation 2,225 feet.  The road is similar to route 17 over the pass from Los Gatos to Santa Cruz, without the heavy traffic. It is a steep narrow twisting climb.  The road is only two lanes with little or no shoulder. The traffic was moderate. Bob averaged about 6 mph up the hill. The trip down the other side is only 7 miles down into Santa Baraba, it is steep, and was only obstructed by a couple of road maintenance spots where traffic was stopped by flagmen. He picked up a bike trail in Santa Baraba and peddled on to Ventura for the night. Wednesday's leg covered 61 miles from Ventura to Venice. The bike paths were becoming more frequent, but there was one bad stretch along Highway 1 through Malibu Beach. There was heavy traffic on Highway 1, which is supposed to have a bike path along the shoulder. However, the bike path was occupied by trash dumpsters and cars blocking the pathway. He had to keep a close watch at each obstacle and swing out around the many cars extending into the bike path and into the road.

After Malibu he picked up a beach bike path for most of the way to Venice. The only problem with the beach paths were the runners, skaters, and bikes all mingled together. The last couple of miles to the hotel was on city streets, some with bike lanes. Thursday's trip would be 48 miles through Los Angles to Newport Beach. The route takes the beach trail through Manhattan, Hermosa, and Redondo Beach. There the trail ends and he was forced onto city streets to Highway 1 at Torrance.

The next 27 miles is on busy Highway 1. He passed north of Long Beach and on into Orange County, through Seal Beach, and passed the Bosa Chica State Beach. There a bike path took him south to Newport Beach where the path ends, and he turned inland on Jamboree Rd. to his hotel, the Hyatt Newporter.

Bob took a day off in Newport and had his bike checked over at a local bike shop. He would join the other out of town bikers for the two-day ride on to Carlsbad and San Diego Saturday and Sunday.