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DAY 22
Closing in...but first a ride along the beach

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ROUTE: Oxnard to Venice Beach CA DISTANCE: 50 Miles WINDS: Light tailwinds
WEATHER: Sunny and warm...high 77 TERRAIN: Rolling but flat the last 7 miles on the beach bike path TOTAL CLIMBING: 1150 Feet

DAILY REPORT: 

We're closing in on our destination...only 2 more days counting today...hate to see this one come to an end.  It's been a great ride with a great bunch of folks.  But enough of the pining...we've got a ride to do today.

We had a leisurely breakfast and loaded and departed at 8:00.  Being a Sunday, the traffic wasn't bad at departure but as the day wore on, the traffic picked up as people were heading to the beach along the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH).  Early in the ride, we were riding back roads until about 9 miles where we got on PCH.  We had a great shoulder to the first SAG and a great view of the shoreline as our route rode right through Malibu and believe me, there are some high rent real estate along that stretch.  Sorry, I didn't take any photos of Cher's house (I can't believe she didn't come out and say hi as we rode by) or did any other tenant of the multi million dollar mansions that overlooked the ocean.  Just know that the landscape was pretty impressive.

After the SAG the route got busy with traffic.  The good news is that cyclists ride this section all the time so everyone is used to seeing riders, but the wide shoulder was packed with parked cars.  Surfers and sightseers packed the lanes which made us ride a bit closer to the traffic than we'd like in some cases.  When we could find a wider shoulder and room to "gawk" at the scenery, we were presented with awesome views of the Pacific shoreline accentuated with large waves crashing the boulders below. 

Even though the traffic was heavy, our greatest concern was the foot and bicycle traffic that seem to just come out of every nook and cranny around the highway.  I remember riding this portion last year and not really minding the challenging environment, but in the van it was pretty nerve wracking.  Trying to watch for our riders, having to mingle with the heavy traffic, and being forced to watch out for the local riders many of whom didn't care about traffic rules, made my day a bit more challenging than normal.  Luckily, soon the riders were able to get on the coastal bike path that meandered along the beach and presented us with another set of challenges...walkers, social riders, fast riding locals, kids, rollerbladers, and visual distractions like bikini volleyball games.

From that point, I tried to work my way to the beach to take some photos, but there wasn't a free parking space for 7 miles.  I pretty much had to just work my way to the motel and let everyone fend for themselves on the path.  Almost everyone had a story to tell from what they saw on the beach...I should have gotten out my bike when I got to the motel and ridden out there myself.

All in all it was an early finish today.  We are having our final dinner tonight and will do our final day tomorrow.  Can't believe this ride is coming to a close and this time next week we'll be in Alabama trying to detox from a long summer of bike tours.  But first, we'll try to focus one more day and get 'em all in safely tomorrow.  I'll try to wrap it all up then...see you tomorrow.

 
HEARD DURING THE DAY:

"Boy, I'd never seen anything like that before."
"What was that?"
"I was riding along and 15 topless girls came riding by in the opposite direction."
"Did you get a photo?"
"No, I ran into a tree."

"I thought I'd seen it all until I rode down the Venice Beach bike path."

"There's more tattoo parlors here than eating places."

"I sat at the beach for a long time pretending to take photos of the surf, but in reality I was just waiting to take a photo of someone weird as they walked by."
"You didn't have to wait long did you?"

 CAN'T BELIEVE I DID THAT:

Goes to Tore and Fred today.  Our SAG was off the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) by a beach and our good friends the J-Birds (Jill and Judy) came to visit and ride in with Karen.  Well, Tore and Fred also know the J-Birds so they were invited to ride an "alternate" route back to the PCH with the girls.  Little did they know the alternate route included a wall climb from the beach to the top of the overlooking cliff that stood between PCH and the beach.  Boys, haven't you learned from this ride that if Karen goes someplace off route there will be a climb involved...it may just be "gradual" by her definition, but you'd better bring your climbing legs and granny gear. 

Got one on Barb too.  Tonight at dinner, we were waiting to do our goodbyes but needed to find a place to do them.  I told Karen to go back to the motel and check on an area we found earlier and call us if it was vacant.  Barb piped up, "None of us have our phones, we left them in the motel room."  "But I have an idea," She said, "Give Karen your key and she can get into our room, get my phone, and use the motel phone to call us from there."  OK, let me get this straight...Karen will have your phone in her hand and call you from the motel phone.  I guess while she's there she might as well go ahead and answer your phone when it rings and then come back to tell us what she said.   Boy, I wish I'd thought of that.

SCENES OF THE DAY?

That's assuming there are "good" and "better" cigarettes.

This thing is over 1100 pounds, but Klaus says that's not a problem when you fire it up.  "No one can stay on my wheel when I'm pulling a paceline," He said.  John and Mac, his riding partners, claim the hot exhaust makes them crispy critters if they get too close to his wheel.

With Jean on his wheel, Bill did an excellent job of keeping his head from turning when this biker babe rode by at the beach.  He didn't turn his head, but his eyes moved so far he was looking out his left ear canal as she passed by.

Angie was raring to go this morning...flexing her muscles in preparation for any hills she might encounter today.  But it's hard to take anyone too seriously when they wear goofy helmet accessories.

After Jean helped Bill get his eyes all back to normal, he made the mistake of telling her how they got that way in the first place.  Jean left him on the beach buried to his waist in the sand...some sort of New England version of a water torture...high tide was due in half an hour.  Anyone seen Bill since?

Bob and Dave faced off on the beach at high noon for a banana showdown.  I think Bob should have won...he had the biggest banana.

I wish a wave would come by...those bikers look like they are having a good time...guess they don't need a wave.

  

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