Saturday, March 30, 2013
Greg's new nickname is:
MasterDraft!
Sounds like I might be benefiting even more from the MasterDraft after we turn left in San Diego and start biking east. And temperatures may finally be warming up ... alot. I'm going to miss biking by the ocean with a cooling tail wind. *Sigh*
Sounds like I might be benefiting even more from the MasterDraft after we turn left in San Diego and start biking east. And temperatures may finally be warming up ... alot. I'm going to miss biking by the ocean with a cooling tail wind. *Sigh*
Can I have your mother's phone number?
I need to talk to her.
When you take a shit in a public toilet - you flush the toilet.
Got it?
Simple.
Just do it.
When you take a shit in a public toilet - you flush the toilet.
Got it?
Simple.
Just do it.
Support our troops
We camped last night with our trusty Canadian friend Don. And then a big guy named Ed showed up, saying he was on Navy disability after 13 years (he broke his neck on an op, he said). Long story short, Ed said he gets $400/month; and he has $6 to make it till April 3rd. Am I a sucker? Sure, I'm a sucker. But he doesn't eat Clif bars or rice, so I gave him our 2 remaining bagels and the last $5 in my wallet (the Hiker/Biker campsite is $6/night, so he's gonna need to find another dollar).
Then, pretty much as soon as we leave Ed at the campsite, we end up biking with a couple about our age doing a 20 mi ride on "city" bikes. They have a 2nd home in Newport Beach, they say. And when we said we were from Madison he said "We were just in Madison. We flew in for the football game. I'm a big college football fan." Then they turned off to find a nice coffee shop.
There certainly are 2 America's, and we're riding a fine line between the two.
Then, pretty much as soon as we leave Ed at the campsite, we end up biking with a couple about our age doing a 20 mi ride on "city" bikes. They have a 2nd home in Newport Beach, they say. And when we said we were from Madison he said "We were just in Madison. We flew in for the football game. I'm a big college football fan." Then they turned off to find a nice coffee shop.
There certainly are 2 America's, and we're riding a fine line between the two.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Roger was right
It has been pretty "funny", biking through car/oil(/war?) culture here in Southern CA. Some parts are so mellow, biking along a paved path on the beach, dodging tourists at 12 mph. And other parts are stressful as hell, biking between parked cars and motorists driving 50 mph - and not giving you much room.
We biked through Torrance and Carson and the BP refinery, and Arco Lane and lots, and lots...and lots of motor vehicles yesterday.
Then today we mostly biked in bike lanes and on bike paths; very nice.
Roger warned me that Laguna Beach would be...tight? Tough? Stressful? And hilly (which can make it more dangerous for cyclists; as our speed slows dramatically on the uphills, while the motorists just push their foot into their tank a bit more and Voila! Their 6,000 lb vehicle is rocketing up that hill like physics didn't even apply to it.
So we got to Laguna Beach, and there was ... bumper to bumper traffic. Narrow streets, no bike lanes, nothin'. We waited with the motor vehicles in line for several minutes before deciding to go up the right side. We wiggled, we finagled, we took the lane, we were creative. We rode between parked cars and hoped each passing motorist would be paying attention, sober, and respectful. Most were. But it is still very stressful.
We got to the border of Laguna Beach and Dana Point, and it was like there were angels singing "ah ahhhhhh!!!!" A bike lane, with a white paint stripe giving us a visual and mental separation from the motorists. Bike signs. And calm. Safe.
So you know that there are some hard working advocates for safe walking and biking in Dana Point. You know it has taken years, and struggles and setbacks. But now, it was obvious, there were people biking, people walking, running, having a good, healthy quality of life. Awesome.
So I'm sorry, but I am a little tired and yes, maybe crabby. But after 2 days of stressful, dangerous biking I'd just like to say
Laguna Beach can suck my ass.
We biked through Torrance and Carson and the BP refinery, and Arco Lane and lots, and lots...and lots of motor vehicles yesterday.
Then today we mostly biked in bike lanes and on bike paths; very nice.
Roger warned me that Laguna Beach would be...tight? Tough? Stressful? And hilly (which can make it more dangerous for cyclists; as our speed slows dramatically on the uphills, while the motorists just push their foot into their tank a bit more and Voila! Their 6,000 lb vehicle is rocketing up that hill like physics didn't even apply to it.
So we got to Laguna Beach, and there was ... bumper to bumper traffic. Narrow streets, no bike lanes, nothin'. We waited with the motor vehicles in line for several minutes before deciding to go up the right side. We wiggled, we finagled, we took the lane, we were creative. We rode between parked cars and hoped each passing motorist would be paying attention, sober, and respectful. Most were. But it is still very stressful.
We got to the border of Laguna Beach and Dana Point, and it was like there were angels singing "ah ahhhhhh!!!!" A bike lane, with a white paint stripe giving us a visual and mental separation from the motorists. Bike signs. And calm. Safe.
So you know that there are some hard working advocates for safe walking and biking in Dana Point. You know it has taken years, and struggles and setbacks. But now, it was obvious, there were people biking, people walking, running, having a good, healthy quality of life. Awesome.
So I'm sorry, but I am a little tired and yes, maybe crabby. But after 2 days of stressful, dangerous biking I'd just like to say
Laguna Beach can suck my ass.
Central Coast
Now we're ... eating again.
Thought about my friends Bobbie and Vanessa today, biking through Huntington Beach! (Not that either of them are there anymore; moved on. And not because of all the "nodding donkeys", although it does feel like nap time now...)
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Trying to remember all the nice people today...
Of course it started with the 3 other guys in the Hiker/Biker campsite at the SP. Then we talked to a woman with two boys on the way out of the SP.
Passed/got passed by another bike tourer several times during the day, riding from SF to LA.
Rode with two Pro-looking female triathletes for a while on Hwy 1, in tight traffic conditions. We were planning on trying to draft them, but got pinched off right away by a motorist. They were either chatting away enough; or waiting for us? Not sure. But we did get back on and draft for a while, before they split up at an intersection.
Talked to a nice guy/couple once we hit the beach bike path.
Rode with two guys at the far end of the bike path, and rode too far while chatting. Had to loop back and re-find the route. Dang! (One of the guys told me he knew where the street we needed was...wrong! Then we didn't believe the nice woman we stopped and asked. Her directions proved to be good - wish we had taken them!)
Then we got into the most stressful part of the ride through LA. And a nice yound woman in work clothes rode up behind us at a red light and started asking questions...she had bike toured from SF to LA last year and loved it. She drafted the two of us at 25 mph (w a tailwind) in tight traffic (on a mtb? In restaurant work clothes). Impressive. And seemingly fearless. I must admit I was nervous for her when she turned off, and we watched her ride away with no helmet on, in tough traffic (with no bike lane).
Then we came up behind another cyclist, w a good bright jacket on. We started talking, the light went green; then only Heidi and I squeaked through on a orange/red light. We stopped at our turn off and our fellow cyclist caught up, and we continued chatting. Anyway, Gary is a courageous bike commuter and he also loves touring. As many of you know, bike touring is awesome!
Passed/got passed by another bike tourer several times during the day, riding from SF to LA.
Rode with two Pro-looking female triathletes for a while on Hwy 1, in tight traffic conditions. We were planning on trying to draft them, but got pinched off right away by a motorist. They were either chatting away enough; or waiting for us? Not sure. But we did get back on and draft for a while, before they split up at an intersection.
Talked to a nice guy/couple once we hit the beach bike path.
Rode with two guys at the far end of the bike path, and rode too far while chatting. Had to loop back and re-find the route. Dang! (One of the guys told me he knew where the street we needed was...wrong! Then we didn't believe the nice woman we stopped and asked. Her directions proved to be good - wish we had taken them!)
Then we got into the most stressful part of the ride through LA. And a nice yound woman in work clothes rode up behind us at a red light and started asking questions...she had bike toured from SF to LA last year and loved it. She drafted the two of us at 25 mph (w a tailwind) in tight traffic (on a mtb? In restaurant work clothes). Impressive. And seemingly fearless. I must admit I was nervous for her when she turned off, and we watched her ride away with no helmet on, in tough traffic (with no bike lane).
Then we came up behind another cyclist, w a good bright jacket on. We started talking, the light went green; then only Heidi and I squeaked through on a orange/red light. We stopped at our turn off and our fellow cyclist caught up, and we continued chatting. Anyway, Gary is a courageous bike commuter and he also loves touring. As many of you know, bike touring is awesome!
And I'm sure there were more nice people we talked to today...oh yeah! The guy at the table next to us in Malibu at the cafe. And the woman there who was asking Heidi about her bike, etc who came back and took photos of it...
Long Beach
All the gears, every day
Yesterday was likely the first day on this trip where I didn't use every gear I have. Until this flat section I was goin' from the 52x12 to the 30x27 as often as a fickle person changes their mind...
Last again!
OK. We got advice on biking through LA from a guy named "Tree" who is from NYC but is a music teacher in LA.
Roman, from France, had his front light stolen in LA - so I dug out my 3rd light from my front pannier and gave it to him (he was worried about going through tunnels). And, of course, he did not know about the great Adventure Cycling maps - so I showed him how to get to Carpinteria, where to get propane - and he gave me his LA map.
Don, from BC, is out on the road already of course.
And we're last to leave, as usual.
Time for our 2nd breakfast!
Then it's off to LA...
Roman, from France, had his front light stolen in LA - so I dug out my 3rd light from my front pannier and gave it to him (he was worried about going through tunnels). And, of course, he did not know about the great Adventure Cycling maps - so I showed him how to get to Carpinteria, where to get propane - and he gave me his LA map.
Don, from BC, is out on the road already of course.
And we're last to leave, as usual.
Time for our 2nd breakfast!
Then it's off to LA...
My packing superstition
I always pack my rain gear at the top of my rear panier. I've started a superstition, that if I pack the rain gear too deep in the bag it will rain. That also gives me the feeling that I am responsible for the CA drought. If only I would stop packing the rain gear near the top, the Driscoll strawberry fields would get some rain.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
A beautiful ride along the coast just north of Santa Monica
We saw whales, dolphins, pelicans, surfers, jet fighters, missiles, and more. We've had a full day; and, decided to stay the night in Leo Carrillo SP the last SP before LA. Tomorrow we will be biking through (partially) LA. I'm very curious to see how that will go. We have been warned ... but we are going to find out for ourselves what everyone has been talking about.
Wow. That's another beautiful stretch of CA coast!
We're between Ventura/Oxnard and not quite to Malibu, and what an awesome coast - for biking. A little busy with motor vehicles, of course. But nice, even though it is really loud.
Such great views, and we've seen porpoise, whales, seals, pelicans etc. All while riding along...
Hope to get some photos up...once we get a charge on the tablet (and have wifi/cellular coverage), download photos/videos from the camera, and then choose/upload to site...
Such great views, and we've seen porpoise, whales, seals, pelicans etc. All while riding along...
Hope to get some photos up...once we get a charge on the tablet (and have wifi/cellular coverage), download photos/videos from the camera, and then choose/upload to site...
OK. I'll stop beating this (colonial) horse
Rather than Operation Iraqi Freedom - Operation We Want Your Oil
Guatemala - Operation We Want to Protect Our Secretary of State's Brother's Corporation Banana Profits
Chile - Operation We Don't Really Care Who You Democratically Elected, We Want Your Copper
And the list goes on.
Please?
We keep meeting nice people
At the restaurant, in the campgrounds, everywhere. Curious, concerned for our safety, nice.
And almost all of the motorists have been "safe" and respectful. Although we can tell that we are entering a new level of "car culture" as we approach LA.
So far the only motorist that really pissed me off was a guy/gal, ages ago now, driving a big, black luxury Stupid Utility Vehicle - up near that Sea Ranch section of exclusive homes; the ones where they got the Google "Street View" removed. Rich people. Don't want you to see what they can see of you, and won't share the road with the more vulnerable public roadway user. Silly.
But, really, almost everyone has been really nice.
And almost all of the motorists have been "safe" and respectful. Although we can tell that we are entering a new level of "car culture" as we approach LA.
So far the only motorist that really pissed me off was a guy/gal, ages ago now, driving a big, black luxury Stupid Utility Vehicle - up near that Sea Ranch section of exclusive homes; the ones where they got the Google "Street View" removed. Rich people. Don't want you to see what they can see of you, and won't share the road with the more vulnerable public roadway user. Silly.
But, really, almost everyone has been really nice.
You saw the movie "Avatar", right?
I kept thinking about it, and the "Home Tree" - as we biked through the remaining 5% of the coastal redwoods (when we were further North). Beautiful, huge trees. Magical, really.
Then we were checking out some lime kilns, further south, that were in use from 1887 - 1890 to provide mortar for brick houses being built in San Francisco. They used up the whole lime deposit and cut down ALL the redwoods (for timber and firewood to heat the kilns to purify the lime) before loading it on to ships and taking it North to San Francisco.
All the lime deposit, all the trees - gone. In 3 years.
What was the name of that moon in the movie Avatar?
And who were the bad guys that were mining the "Unobtanium" again?
Oh yeah, that was us (our culture).
Only in "Avatar" the indigenous population won (but only after the mercenaries [Blackwater?] had destroyed their sacred "Home Tree"). Hollywood.
Always a happy ending - in the movies.
So far, from what I have been reading along this trip, CA was not like the moon in Avatar - in how it "ended" anyway.
Then we were checking out some lime kilns, further south, that were in use from 1887 - 1890 to provide mortar for brick houses being built in San Francisco. They used up the whole lime deposit and cut down ALL the redwoods (for timber and firewood to heat the kilns to purify the lime) before loading it on to ships and taking it North to San Francisco.
All the lime deposit, all the trees - gone. In 3 years.
What was the name of that moon in the movie Avatar?
And who were the bad guys that were mining the "Unobtanium" again?
Oh yeah, that was us (our culture).
Only in "Avatar" the indigenous population won (but only after the mercenaries [Blackwater?] had destroyed their sacred "Home Tree"). Hollywood.
Always a happy ending - in the movies.
So far, from what I have been reading along this trip, CA was not like the moon in Avatar - in how it "ended" anyway.
Like the guy said,
"If you don't ask, you will not receive"
Ugh, I think we are going to be asked a few more times over the next couple of days.
Its hard to say "No" to a good/sad story.
Ugh, I think we are going to be asked a few more times over the next couple of days.
Its hard to say "No" to a good/sad story.
By request
Damn this traffic jam, how I hate to be late, it hurts my motor to go so slow.
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam.
Well I left my job about 5 o'clock, it took fifteen minutes go three blocks,
Just in time to stand in line with a freeway looking like a parking lot.
Damn this traffic jam, how I hate to be late, it hurts my motor to go so slow.
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam.
Now I almost had a heart attack, looking in my rear view mirror,
I saw myself the next car back, looking in the rear view mirror,
about to have a heart attack, I said,
damn this traffic jam, how I hate to be late, it hurts my motor to go so slow.
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam.
Now when I die I don't want no coffin, I thought about it all too often.
Just strap me in behind the wheel and bury me with my automobile.
Damn this traffic jam, how I hate to be late, it hurts my motor to go so slow.
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam. Damn.
Now I used to think that I was cool running around on fossil fuel,
Until I saw what I was doing was driving down the road to ruin.
James Taylor, "Traffic Jam"
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam.
Well I left my job about 5 o'clock, it took fifteen minutes go three blocks,
Just in time to stand in line with a freeway looking like a parking lot.
Damn this traffic jam, how I hate to be late, it hurts my motor to go so slow.
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam.
Now I almost had a heart attack, looking in my rear view mirror,
I saw myself the next car back, looking in the rear view mirror,
about to have a heart attack, I said,
damn this traffic jam, how I hate to be late, it hurts my motor to go so slow.
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam.
Now when I die I don't want no coffin, I thought about it all too often.
Just strap me in behind the wheel and bury me with my automobile.
Damn this traffic jam, how I hate to be late, it hurts my motor to go so slow.
Damn this traffic jam, time I get home my supper'll be cold, damn this traffic jam. Damn.
Now I used to think that I was cool running around on fossil fuel,
Until I saw what I was doing was driving down the road to ruin.
James Taylor, "Traffic Jam"
Damn, this traffic jam
How I hate to be late
Hurts my motor to go so slow
Damn, this traffic jam.
Will someone please post a link to that old (James Taylor?) Song, or at least the lyrics?
Thanks!
Thought of it, while biking down a busy Hwy 101 through a construction zone, South of Carpinteria (named that by the Spanish who saw the Chumash making canoes there - before wiping them out with a combination of soldiers/presidios, Catholic priests, and disease)
Hurts my motor to go so slow
Damn, this traffic jam.
Will someone please post a link to that old (James Taylor?) Song, or at least the lyrics?
Thanks!
Thought of it, while biking down a busy Hwy 101 through a construction zone, South of Carpinteria (named that by the Spanish who saw the Chumash making canoes there - before wiping them out with a combination of soldiers/presidios, Catholic priests, and disease)
Fat guy on a bike
I don't know why but it still cracks me up when I think back to yesterday when we biked over 60 miles and around 3,000 feet of climbing, with loaded touring bikes - and this fat, young kid on a road bike, testing the physical limits of his spandex kit, who, when he passed us on the bike path (with several decisive, "They're not gonna get on MY wheel!" downstrokes of his straining pedals/crank arms/bb) didn't respond to my "move over for him and 'Hello'". But instead, with his earbuds in, gave me the deepest look of disdain that I've had so far on this whole trip.
Now, those of you who know me also know that some part of me was thinking "Rabbit!"
But, frankly, I was laughing so hard that I couldn't respond to his "bike path attack".
Now, those of you who know me also know that some part of me was thinking "Rabbit!"
But, frankly, I was laughing so hard that I couldn't respond to his "bike path attack".
Today's campsite brought to you by the Chumash people
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Inconceivable!
I kept thinkin' of that exclamation from "The Princess Bride" as we biked along Hwy 101 from Gaviota SP to Goleta/Santa Barbara - as motor vehicle after motor vehicle roared past us (with a wide shoulder for us). Of course, when we looked out over the Pacific there were lots of oil rigs on the horizon; and I was wondering again about the Santa Barbara oil spill. Anyone wanna look it up for me and post a summary of it in the comments? Thanks.
Can someone do some math for me too?
How many gallons of gas do Americans burn every day?
A: 367.08-378 million gallons (depending on source ;data from 2011)
How many pounds of CO2 does that daily combustion produce? ____
(Remember, a gallon of gas weighs about 7 lbs, and in the combustion/oxidation process you add O2. So 1 gallon of gas produces about 20 lbs of CO2.)
And lastly, how many pounds of O2 are removed from our atmosphere for each day of American's consumption of gas?____
(And I'm only thinkin' about motor vehicles at the moment, not buildings, industry, the Pentagon [the largest single consumer of fossil fuels in the world], etc)
Thanks!
From the road
Can someone do some math for me too?
How many gallons of gas do Americans burn every day?
A: 367.08-378 million gallons (depending on source ;data from 2011)
How many pounds of CO2 does that daily combustion produce? ____
(Remember, a gallon of gas weighs about 7 lbs, and in the combustion/oxidation process you add O2. So 1 gallon of gas produces about 20 lbs of CO2.)
And lastly, how many pounds of O2 are removed from our atmosphere for each day of American's consumption of gas?____
(And I'm only thinkin' about motor vehicles at the moment, not buildings, industry, the Pentagon [the largest single consumer of fossil fuels in the world], etc)
Thanks!
From the road
Once I was the King of Spain
Man, I've had that Moxy Fruvous song in my head for days!
The King of Spain was worried that other countries (England) would colonize Northern CA before he did, but he was broke from colonizing Mexico. So he said to the Catholic church that he'd pay for 10 years; and then the Missions would have to be self-supporting. The Catholics got more souls to "save" (in destroying them?), and the King got "loyal SUBJECTS".
Man, why does no one (but me?) think about how lame all this colonization was for the people who were already living there? (Here, in this case.)
Don't wanna face the truth about our ancestors?
Don't care?
Can't bear to think about it?
I don't know.
"Freedom!"?
"Shining city on the hill"?
"The greatest nation on Earth"?
Maybe. After we used slaves to build a lot of it. After we stole other people's land and resources.
We left Europe because of "religious persecution", and promptly used religion to persecute others.
I say "Lame!"
But I know I'm "weird".
That's why the nice German couple in the Hiker/Biker campground had such nice gear
They sell it!
Cool touring bikes, with little featurea like a handlebar stop - so your handlebar doesn't flip all the way around and smack your top tube, generator hubs with USB plugs in the stem cap, etc
Gore BikeWear, Arkel bags (not Ortleib!)
Ironically, they had Arkel (Canadian) and Heidi has Ortleib (German) bags.
Off to Santa Barbara, or thereabouts...
Cool touring bikes, with little featurea like a handlebar stop - so your handlebar doesn't flip all the way around and smack your top tube, generator hubs with USB plugs in the stem cap, etc
Gore BikeWear, Arkel bags (not Ortleib!)
Ironically, they had Arkel (Canadian) and Heidi has Ortleib (German) bags.
Off to Santa Barbara, or thereabouts...
Excitement in the H/B Campsite
We had two kinds of excitement in the H/B campground in Lompoc:
1. The police came by looking for a man in purple ... with a federal penitentiary in town our imaginations made us believe there was an escapee in the area.
2. We shared the campsite with are new Canadian friend, and a couple from Germany who turned out to be to the german Arkel distributors. We of course then descended into geeky equipment evaluations. Their bikes included front hub dynamos and a gear box in the bottom bracket!
1. The police came by looking for a man in purple ... with a federal penitentiary in town our imaginations made us believe there was an escapee in the area.
2. We shared the campsite with are new Canadian friend, and a couple from Germany who turned out to be to the german Arkel distributors. We of course then descended into geeky equipment evaluations. Their bikes included front hub dynamos and a gear box in the bottom bracket!
Monday, March 25, 2013
That girl's sweatpants said "Bomb First"
On her ass.
I guess this is an Air Force town
(Contrary to the welcome sign, that said "Lompoc - city of arts and flowers")
Of course, we also biked past the oil derricks of the PXP Lompoc Field.
So oil workers and Air Force.
Oh wait!
We saw a highway cleanup sign that said "614 Space Intelligence Squadron" - is that like "Men in Black"? I love those guys!
I guess this is an Air Force town
(Contrary to the welcome sign, that said "Lompoc - city of arts and flowers")
Of course, we also biked past the oil derricks of the PXP Lompoc Field.
So oil workers and Air Force.
Oh wait!
We saw a highway cleanup sign that said "614 Space Intelligence Squadron" - is that like "Men in Black"? I love those guys!
Back to our routine
After a good day off in Pismo, we are back to our routine. We ate double portions of oatmeal each, 2 coffees, and then breakfast/snack #2 all at the campsite before riding. After 15 miles or so we have stopped for our 11am "lunch". Today we found a little restaurant in Guadalupe (pop 50?) that makes authentic Lebanese Falafel. We thought we were going to stop at a coffee shop with bakery, but the Falafel sandwich hit the spot!
Do your strawberries taste slightly of oil?
Oceano Dunes ORV heaven has its own micro-climate of gasoline exhaust and Axe body spray; and just down wind of that is the Phillips 66 Santa Maria oil refinery. Appropriate, I figured.
But immediately downwind of that, under the black cloud of smoke belching from the oil refinery? Thousands of acres of strawberries and (Romaine) lettuce. Crazy. Day after day of that oil refinery exhaust can't be great for the plants or the soil they grow in. Or the people that eat the produce?
And, of course, there are hundreds of people toiling, bent over, in the fields as well. I can't imagine that air is great for their eyes, their lungs, their skin.
Well, at least it's good to learn where our produce comes from, I guess?
But immediately downwind of that, under the black cloud of smoke belching from the oil refinery? Thousands of acres of strawberries and (Romaine) lettuce. Crazy. Day after day of that oil refinery exhaust can't be great for the plants or the soil they grow in. Or the people that eat the produce?
And, of course, there are hundreds of people toiling, bent over, in the fields as well. I can't imagine that air is great for their eyes, their lungs, their skin.
Well, at least it's good to learn where our produce comes from, I guess?
Elephant seals are amazing!
NOW I understand why they are being so lazy, resting on the beach.
Elephant seals were thought to be extinct. But a small colony still existed (had not been harvested by humans - for their blubber/oil) on Guadalupe Island off Baja CA. They returned of their own accord to this beach in 1990, and now they are not hunted by humans - and thriving, again.
Amazing story.
Biking in the shadow of Vandenberg AFB
But after all the hungry people in this country are fed, after all the homeless (vets!) have a place to live in peace, after all Americans have access to basic medical care, after every kid has a good chance to learn - THEN we should consider spending this kind of (OUR!) coin on Ronnie and Boeing's pipe dream.
The ultimate irony of all this corporate welfare spending on futuristic weapons systems that might work? (against small nations - the program's defenders freely admit that it has NO chance against an advanced enemy like Russia or China)
Boeing doesn't even pay federal income taxes to help fund these kinds of programs that they profit off. Now THAT is a HUGE tactical win for the military-industrial complex! GO Boeing! GO Congress!
We're about to head South from Oceano Dunes ORV Heaven - and everyone keeps warning us about the narrow road ahead - "we can't afford" to put a bike lane in beside the motor vehicle lane after all now can we?
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Two days in Eur-tweek-a
Catching up a bit, again, on reminiscences of this trip.
It seems like forever ago, but now that we are on our next "two days in one town" (other than awesome stays in Santa Rosa with Andy and Mary, and then with David in San Francisco!) it is reminding me of our two-day stay in Eureka. The forecast was 100% chance of rain and 20 - 30 mph winds. Seemed like a good time to stop, rest, do laundry, sort some stuff, ship some home, buy a couple things, get more dialed-in.
So we got up at 4 am, packed up, and headed into town - without coffee, if I am remembering correctly. Which seems crazy, now. But we beat the rain, and got into town round 5 am or something. We rode through the North side of town and the only thing open was the McD's, so we went there; as did all the homeless guys, the apparent drug dealers, schemers, etc.
Now, we had called and booked a room the night before, not having ever set foot in Eureka, and it turns out we were on "the pawn shop side of town" as I took to describing it. Plus there were lots of guys walking around freakeshly, talking to themselves, out loud. We did laundry in the laundromat down the street, and got a little of the local color (wash). While the spin cycle was on we went for lunch - at a yellow chicken shack, called Church's Fried Chicken, I think. We were absolutely having Breaking Bad flashbacks, no doubt.
While
we
were
in
the
hotel I read
the local paper and found out that "Tweekers" is the name given to meth addicts because they get all jacked up and stay up for "two weeks" straight, thus, shortened, "Tweekers".
Just
like
bike
racing,
bike
touring
is
very
educational. Just
give
the Tweekers a wide berth, and hopefully everything will be OK (for you. For them, I suspect it will sadly not be "OK".)
It seems like forever ago, but now that we are on our next "two days in one town" (other than awesome stays in Santa Rosa with Andy and Mary, and then with David in San Francisco!) it is reminding me of our two-day stay in Eureka. The forecast was 100% chance of rain and 20 - 30 mph winds. Seemed like a good time to stop, rest, do laundry, sort some stuff, ship some home, buy a couple things, get more dialed-in.
So we got up at 4 am, packed up, and headed into town - without coffee, if I am remembering correctly. Which seems crazy, now. But we beat the rain, and got into town round 5 am or something. We rode through the North side of town and the only thing open was the McD's, so we went there; as did all the homeless guys, the apparent drug dealers, schemers, etc.
Now, we had called and booked a room the night before, not having ever set foot in Eureka, and it turns out we were on "the pawn shop side of town" as I took to describing it. Plus there were lots of guys walking around freakeshly, talking to themselves, out loud. We did laundry in the laundromat down the street, and got a little of the local color (wash). While the spin cycle was on we went for lunch - at a yellow chicken shack, called Church's Fried Chicken, I think. We were absolutely having Breaking Bad flashbacks, no doubt.
While
we
were
in
the
hotel I read
the local paper and found out that "Tweekers" is the name given to meth addicts because they get all jacked up and stay up for "two weeks" straight, thus, shortened, "Tweekers".
Just
like
bike
racing,
bike
touring
is
very
educational. Just
give
the Tweekers a wide berth, and hopefully everything will be OK (for you. For them, I suspect it will sadly not be "OK".)
Let us pray
Back in the old days, when I was toiling at the Recreation Factory, I used to call it "The Church of Retail" - on Sundays.
It is a Sunday today, and since we arrived late last night and the nice lady at the SLO Cty park was closing the office she said "just register in the morning."
Well, we're sittin' here between the RV's, the Stupid Utility Vehicles (a bleach blonde guy just drove by our tent [without waving; and I probably coulda reached out and touched him - I have orangutan arms, you know?] in a Toyota FJ Cruiser - and Heidi says "why would THAT guy 'camp' here?) and the occasional Amtrak train - and the two people in the nice, shiny white Park Ranger pickup truck stop and ask us if we've registered yet. He says "The park office opened at 9". Then looks at his watch and realizes it is 3 minutes after 9, and starts to look a little more sheepish, and less officious.
Now, I had seen the unofficial looking woman in the passenger seat with the clipboard laughing hysterically when they went past, going the other way, so I thought the moment was ripe for a little comic relief. I asked where we could get some cigarettes, alcohol, and gasoline. I told her I was a member of "The Church of the Internal Combustion Engine." She looked at my cycling clothing, my bike, my tent, and then back at me. I added, "I try to keep it hidden."
She responded, "Make sure to get the PeptoBismol too."
It is a Sunday today, and since we arrived late last night and the nice lady at the SLO Cty park was closing the office she said "just register in the morning."
Well, we're sittin' here between the RV's, the Stupid Utility Vehicles (a bleach blonde guy just drove by our tent [without waving; and I probably coulda reached out and touched him - I have orangutan arms, you know?] in a Toyota FJ Cruiser - and Heidi says "why would THAT guy 'camp' here?) and the occasional Amtrak train - and the two people in the nice, shiny white Park Ranger pickup truck stop and ask us if we've registered yet. He says "The park office opened at 9". Then looks at his watch and realizes it is 3 minutes after 9, and starts to look a little more sheepish, and less officious.
Now, I had seen the unofficial looking woman in the passenger seat with the clipboard laughing hysterically when they went past, going the other way, so I thought the moment was ripe for a little comic relief. I asked where we could get some cigarettes, alcohol, and gasoline. I told her I was a member of "The Church of the Internal Combustion Engine." She looked at my cycling clothing, my bike, my tent, and then back at me. I added, "I try to keep it hidden."
She responded, "Make sure to get the PeptoBismol too."
Dismo Beach
Price Canyon Rd
Has it all:
Started out with oil derricks
Switched to viticulture
Then ended with Jesus picking up trash from the travelers in the canyon
It was a crazy last 5 miles heading into Pismo Beach, fer sure.
Then the real fun began...
Started out with oil derricks
Switched to viticulture
Then ended with Jesus picking up trash from the travelers in the canyon
It was a crazy last 5 miles heading into Pismo Beach, fer sure.
Then the real fun began...
What a bizarre change of campsite from yesterday
Sitting here in the tent, maybe 20 feet from Highway 1 (with a shit ton of traffic on it - it is a Saturday night, after all).
And the Amtrak train went by a while ago, less than 200 feet the other way.
During dinner we saw a jumbo jet flying overhead - with a fighter jet RIGHT on its tail. I assume something from Vandenburg Air Force base?
Confederate flags on the pickup trucks in this RV campground, and thoughts of interesting, well-traveled campers (from France, Scotland, etc) last night, in a town that seems like it is from a galaxy far, far away...
They were all right, every one of them (who gave us advice on how nice Morro Bay was, how nice San Luis Obispo was, how we should consider going off-route to Montana de Oro SP, etc) - avoid Pismo.
(Unless you are a motorhead - but if you are bike touring you are likely not one of those...)
Happy Earth Hour!
And 10 year Anniversary of our invasion of Iraq!
Why so many damn cars!
Get out of yer trucks people!
Or at least open the dang windows...
And the Amtrak train went by a while ago, less than 200 feet the other way.
During dinner we saw a jumbo jet flying overhead - with a fighter jet RIGHT on its tail. I assume something from Vandenburg Air Force base?
Confederate flags on the pickup trucks in this RV campground, and thoughts of interesting, well-traveled campers (from France, Scotland, etc) last night, in a town that seems like it is from a galaxy far, far away...
They were all right, every one of them (who gave us advice on how nice Morro Bay was, how nice San Luis Obispo was, how we should consider going off-route to Montana de Oro SP, etc) - avoid Pismo.
(Unless you are a motorhead - but if you are bike touring you are likely not one of those...)
Happy Earth Hour!
And 10 year Anniversary of our invasion of Iraq!
Why so many damn cars!
Get out of yer trucks people!
Or at least open the dang windows...
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