Bicycle Diaries

August 18^th, 2010

DAY ONE: 521 Encino Drive to Veteran’s Memorial Park

Miles: 42 Time: 4:30:58

This was the same ride – nearly – I did on Monday, so not much to report except that this time

the weather was much clearer – warm and perfectly sunny – and the ride felt easier, even with the added weight.

I set out at 10:15 AM, an hour later than I had planned to, and hit Seaside pretty quickly. Lost a pannier outside a mechanic’s and got help from the owner – a really friendly guy who gave me an alternate route to the one I had, and also fixed my pannier and gave me a couple of bottles of water. He had an Asian assistant named Manny who didn’t speak English, and a cute dog named Jenny.

The ride from there to Monterey was beautiful – right beside the ocean, literally.

Got to Monterey early and felt like ploughing on, so got directions to Los Lobos. Proceeded to waste an hour getting horribly lost in Monterey and gave up on Los Lobos and went back to original plan

to stay in Monteret at Veteran’s Memorial Park. P.S. the hill up to Vet’s Mem is ridiculous. Steep and never ending. I made it up the first half okay, got to a building and thought I was there – it turned out to be a rec. center and bar, not the campsite. The campsite was another ½ mile up (and I mean up) the road. Eventually had to get off and walk – too exhausted by this point in the day.

The campground is small with a nice maintained park (i.e. swings, slides and roundabouts.) Cash only, which I didn’t know, so I have to go back down the hill to the bar and get cash. Oh well – good excuse for a beer! J

Met a girl named Mina in the site next to mine, who is doing the same ride, but carrying on to Mexico. Maybe we can ride together some way. All in all – first day went SPLENDIDLY!

Bicycle Diaries

August 17^th, 2010

ONE DAY BEFORE LEAVING

Yesterday I rode to Marina (actually, I rode to Seaside by mistake.) It was tough – today I am sore, neck and shoulders especially. But it feels good.

The ride was beautiful. San Andreas road was bright and sunny and even though

it was the middle of the day, there was almost a full moon in the sky. From San Andreas, I wound through the farmland behind Watsonville. The air smelled like warm strawberries, heavily fragrant, almost muggy, and the roadside was lined with trucks and old Hondas belonging to the Mexicans working in the fields. Time was I would feel guilty about enjoying a bike ride on a Monday afternoon while other people slaved away in the hot sun, but I have learned to accept my good fortune and be grateful for the life I lead.

The route followed the highway for a while. I recited iii vi ii V I progressions to myself to keep my mind off the enormous trucks blasting by me at sixty miles an hour.

Out of Moss Landing I turned back into farmland and rode into the wind for what felt like days. The weather turned chilly. The sky was getting grey and wet and the road was rough. I put my iPod on and rode slowly, hating wind.

Coming up on Marina, I followed the Monterey Peninsula Recreational Trail, which ran alongside the highway, next to the railroad. Sand dunes rose up on either side of me, covered with tiny wildflowers and bushes.

I passed some cyclist heading the other way and waved. Everyone I passed – cyclists, runners, dog walkers – I had the absurdly strong desire to wave at. I felt immediately connected with these outside people, enjoying the cold, foggy air, enjoying the pain of physical activity, feeling – I assumed – much the same way that I did about many things. Most of the cyclists – old yuppies with streamline helmets and spandex body suits – seemed not to take me seriously in my rolled up yoga pants, cheap windbreaker and little brother’s old skateboarding helmet.

At REI in Marina I bought bicycling shorts, a couple of jerseys, an odometer and some other bits and bobs I will need – so fucking expensive! Don’t they realize that it’s not just rich old yuppies who ride bikes? Broke students need spandex shorts too!

I leave tomorrow. Today will be devoted to packing and picking up the few remaining items I need. I think this is going to be okay. I think I’m actually going to make it.