Day 21 
Carpinteria, CA to Manhattan Beach, CA   
Daily Miles - 98.5 
Cumulative Miles - 1,551.7 
Average Speed - 12.1 MPH 
Max Speed -  28.3 MPH 
Ride Time -  8 Hours 6 Minutes 
Daily Elevation Gain 1,198 Feet, Loss 984 Feet 
Cumulative Elevation Gain 59,672 Feet, Loss 59,692 Feet 
Flat Tires - 2 

 I decided yesterday to add some miles to today's ride.  I wanted to make it to the area where I grew up a little sooner so that I could spend some time with some friends before moving on.  I left Carpinteria about 6:30am knowing it would be a long day.  The bright side was it was going to be a mostly flat ride.
Some pictures as I was rolling down Pacific Coast Highway.  The sun did not shine much at all today, but even on an overcast day, the ocean is still great to look at.






Just past Ventura, I remembered I was close to a family member - Michelle - that I hadn't seen in many years.  I sent a text to see how far she was from my route and before I knew it, she met me along the way.  It was great to get to spend some time catching up.  Thanks Michelle for taking time out of your morning to find me.


More beach pictures.  I am fascinated at how the coastline changes along the way.  Sometimes the waves are breaking far out and sometimes they are crashing up against the rocks just below the side of the road. 




When I made it to Malibu, there were a lot of fancy homes and cars.  There were several homes being repaired due to what looked like the ground moving underneath them.  I continued to see how close the ocean was to the houses along coast.  I was looking for a good spot to take a photo to show just how close.  You can see that these houses are actually on stilts and the waves are breaking all the way up under the homes.  Not sure I would feel safe living in one of these homes.  Especially on a stormy day.


I reached Los Angeles County and the traffic started getting heavier.  I was warned by several people that once I got to Santa Monica, the roads would get more congested and less friendly.  I agree to both, but as I started to reflect, it is comparable to my bike rides back in Northern Virginia.

I was a bit annoyed with some of the other Saturday cyclists.  Those that are out for their fast ride and don't want anyone in their way.  They were actually worse than most of the cars.  They would pass me fast and would not give any warning.  Not cool in my book.

Then I had one cyclist come up next to me and asked about the sign on the back of my bike.  We rode for about 5 miles together chatting about how far I have come and how close I am to the finish.  He gave me some good news that I was about to get off the busy road and onto the beach bike path for the remainder of the day's ride.  He made up for all those other cyclists.

Santa Monica pier.  


 There were so many people in Santa Monica all the way through Venice.  And there are a lot of strange people in Venice.  Oh my!
After Venice, the crowds thinned out a little.  The winds whipped up about that time and they were not in a friendly direction.  I envied the bike riders going the other direction.


A couple of photos of Marina Del Rey.






When I reached Manhattan Beach, the first thing I did was go to my favorite burger place - Tomboys.  Their tagline is World Famous Chili Burgers.  I am not sure how they got to be world famous, but they sure are good.  Especially after 98 miles.


After my dinner, I headed down the road to visit a family friend Cathy and her mother.  I blew it and did not get a picture of all three of us together, so they were kind enough to send me one.  It was great to spend time with you both today.  I have spent many hours on the road by myself.  It was great to sit and chat for a while.  Thanks for taking time to visit.











Tomorrow will be another day of visiting family and friends.  I am headed down to the Mission Viejo area.  Along the way I will be stopping in for some planned visits and some surprise visits as well.
Three more riding days if I am able to stick to my plan.  Only about 150 miles remaining!

Comments

  1. UnknownJune 16, 2018 at 11:40 PM

    We're looking forward to seeing you tomorrow. You can settle back and get a little rest and have a nice visit. See you soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SEJune 17, 2018 at 5:04 PM

    BD. Each day I looked forward to reading and then commenting to your blog. Sorry for being out of commission this week and forthcoming too. Rachel will catch you up.

    If your blog remains available after you return home, I may add my comments to your blogs then.

    I leave you this quote which was meant for you to read on June 22nd or June 23rd as you complete this chapter in your life of the Pacific Coast 2018 Adventure.

    "Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey."
    Pat Conroy (renowned American author)

    ReplyDelete
  3. SEJune 17, 2018 at 5:24 PM

    One last entry before I disappear. Hope this doesn't bore you but thought if you had alone time, here's a filler.

    “A Zen teacher saw five of his students returning from the market, riding their bicycles. When they arrived at the monastery and had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, “Why are you riding your bicycles?”

    The first student replied, “The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!” The teacher praised the first student. “You are a smart boy! When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over like I do.”

    The second student replied, “I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path!” The teacher commended the second student, “Your eyes are open, and you see the world.”

    The third student replied, “When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant nam myoho renge kyo.” The teacher gave his praise to the third student, “Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel.”

    The fourth student replied, “Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all sentient beings.” The teacher was pleased and said to the fourth student, “You are riding on the golden path of non-harming.”

    The fifth student replied, “I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle.” The teacher sat at the feet of the fifth student and said, “I am your student.”’
    Zen proverb


    ReplyDelete

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