END O LINE

reflections of a bicycle adventure

EQUIPMENT

my equipment was simple and utilitarian. a steel bike with LOW gearing. front andback  racks. Small panniers in front, handlebar bag and a racktrunk on the rear rack three bottle cages(only needed two). gps cyclecomputer-for mileage and climb info. mp3 player and a cell phone.

ROUTE

the route was a naturel and for the most pat mapped by adventure cycling. i choose my own routethru washington

WEATHER

the first two weeks of the tripwas all rain until i got to califonia. then the weather was great no wind in the face only one hot day(94deg to santa barbara).

TRAFFIC

I did not have any trouble with traffic withthree one exception going over the big bridge into northbend/coos bay or three motorcyclist thought i should walk my bike across the bridge we traded fingers and they went on their way and i on mine.

ACCOMODATIONS

i opted for motels–i am too old to sleep on the ground. one aspect of this mode of travel is i did meet anybody doing the same thing. the last two days i stayed with wonderful people which made the ending very nice.

COMMUNICATIONS

this was an unexpected plus on the trip. i was in daly contactwith nia in friday harbor and my daughter. in addition i got feedback from people reading this blog and that was GREAT. so thanks to nia paul frank merin mandj herb bob and all the others THANKYOU

WHY

in all honesty i do not have an idea i guess it was time it was there so why not!

END PICS pinata factory in tj    ALL THE BEST CHUCK

 

day 37 and day 38

day 37 pacific beach 61 miles 1650 feet ave 8.5 tis 7:17hrs i stayed with two lovely ladies maryanne and martha that hav e come to friday harbor for the month of aug for the past 15 years and rented bikes from us. they made feel very welcome

DAY 38   THE BIG DAY

36.17 miles 472 feet ave 6,7 tis 5:25hrs   i crossed the mexican boarder!!!!

i was taken in by karen and jim vedders daughter and treated like a very welcome guest

my rear whell is on the us side

total for the trip are 1695 miles 75905 feet ALOT of saddle time and much pleasure.

i will have one more post and more pics in the a wrapup post CHUCK

day 35 and day 36

day 35 venice ca 63.5 miles 785 feet ave 8.9 tis 7:20 hrs thru santa barbara it has not changed at all lived ther for twenty years

day 36 dana point ca 64 miles 1010 feet ave 8.9 tis 7:19 hrs big city riding is strange got to keep eyes on road there is alot to distrack one

san diego tomorrow   CHUCK some pics of me and the other pic i went looking for the naval but didnot find chuck

 

day 31 day 32 day 33 day 34

day 31 cayucos ca 37.24 1218 feet ave 8.1 tis 4:38 hrs easy ride little sore after yesterday

day 32 pismo beach ca 32.14 1116 feet ave 7.6 tis 4:13hrs  when i owned a store in the santa barbara area i used to take groups of people to here to ride back to santa barbara it was 100 miles in a day an easy 100 not alot of hills wind to the back and not easy to get lost most of them were suprized they could do it

day 33 buellton ca 56.62 miles 1931 feet ave 7.9 tis 7:1 hrs easy ride it was 94 deg drank every thing is site.

day 34 ventura ca 68 miles 1620 feet ave 8.8 tis 7.2hrs mostly flat along the coast

this is the first time i have been able to get to a pc longer days because its FLAT end is in site i will have much more to say in general and some insites of my own.

the facial hair  when i was packing thing had to go and a razor was one item that went i did have to cancel several dinner parties i was invite to CHUCK

 

day 29 and day 30

day 29 big sur, ca 40.53 miles 2793 feet ave 6.8 tis 5:55 hrs

this was a day that I got lost and a 1000 ft climb out of the city o well

day 30 ragged point ca 49.74 miles 4541 feet ave 6.1 8:13 hrs tis

#$%@* hills I felt that I had accomplished something when the days  end

I was coming down the last hill as the sun was setting. but I looked to my left and the moon was coming up. the last three miles was in dusk conditions. the hills  the upside of hills is the downside  well you know what I mean I think I got some pics in

day 28

day 28 Monterey ca 41.29 miles 1520 feet ave 7.6 tis 5:25 hrs another great weather day starting to get warmer went thru lots of fields green leafy things growing–where are the master gardeners when needed

four week report 1186.29 miles 58769 feet lot of tis

exactl;y 600 miles to go next big milestone is santa Barbara the maps I use have profiles of all the route BUT the section from santa Barbara to san diego has no profile which means FLAT (cheering in the background)  CHUCK

day 27

day 27 santa cruz ca miles 49.8 2339 feet ave 7.9 tis 6:2 hrs

good weather tailwind lots of surfers motorcyclist(500 in one bunch) very busy hw one. i remember santa cruz as a sleepy little town when i was in high school in san jose not any more (that was in the 50s) monteray next chuck

day 25 and 26

day 25 san fransico 28.89 1419 feet ave 5.8 tis 5hrs

i crossed the golden gate a truely impressive play there must have been 500 600 bikes on the bridge with all the pedestrians they were for the most part rental bikes weather was great. i managed to get lost

in sf  chuck

day 26 half moon bay ca 24.92 1756 feet ave 5.5 tis 4:30 hrs

short ride today geo next leg will be to santa cruz(47 miles) i still

am trying to get pics on i think about 13 or 14 more days. santa barbara is next mile stone.  chuck

day 24

day 24 fairfax ca (16 miles north of san fran)

51.14 miles 3012 feet ave 7.0 tis 7 hrs

i am within striking distance of sf long day weather was great

i went over 1000 miles and 51000 feet. i have 648 miles to go. very tired today but feel good with the results.

oregon food

day 23

day 23 bodago bay ca 49.34 miles 3349 feet ave 8.1 tis 6 hrs

great ride today beautiful weather lots of turns and downhills(ofcourse that means uphills also) about 60 miles from san fran

day after tomorrow chuck