Santa Barbara

Hello there! I'm sitting outside of the raddest trailer in California, enjoying another mighty fine day! I'm in Santa Barbara, staying with another friend for awhile. I've decided to take a few days and try to make some extra cash. I walked to Rite Aid this afternoon and bought some sign-making supplies, so I can promote the tour, fix some bikes and earn some money! I'm pleased with the sign I put together and think Ill do alright! Ill be headed to the beach early tomorrow morning to find a nice little spot to set up shop and then put my smile to the test. Wish me luck!

Here are some pics of where I'm staying and my sign!

Moving fast... Amtrak fast!!!

I'm writing this post while sitting on the Surfliner, an AmTrack train that is taking me to Santa Barbara. I decided that riding 200 miles through city after city (Starbucks after Starbucks) wasn't worth it. There are no options for camping anywhere along my route. The hotels are too expensive and I couldn't justify paying for them. The train ticket was $37, far less than what it would have cost for hotels and food for three days. It was a tough decision to make. After all, this is a bike tour, not a train tour. It's a small sacrifice that, in the end, will save me lots of money.

Amtrak is great!! This morning I rode ten miles to the Irvine station, where I boarded a train for the first time. I stored my bike in its designated area and found my seat. It's a very comfortable ride and feels like complete luxury! There is WiFi and even an outlet next to my seat. Ill be in Santa Barbara in a few hours and am staying with a friend from back home. It'll be a great time! This is where I learn to surf... can't wait!!

Here are some pics... A sand-castle I made, topped with blue and white shell scraps, a photoshopped photo of my rad beard, a shot of Angels Stadium and the train!

Cadence Shmay-dence

Started off the day with a knock on the door from FedEx! My 401(k) check was delivered and I couldn't be more thrilled about it. The money is much needed and will get me on my way. I'm going to stay here in Aliso Viejo through Saturday, leaving early Sunday morning toward Las Angelas. It'll give me a little more time to get through this cold I'm dealing with and to celebrate this weekend's festivities with new friends.

I went for a ride today and stopped at a bike shop to browse around. I love looking through bike shops! I started talking with the stores owner and ended up with a free tune-up and an awesome deal on a new bike computer. The one I've been using kept track of my speed, time and distance. The new computer will do all of the above, but also keep track of my cadence. Cadence is the number of full pedal strokes a cyclist will push in one minute. Being able to see and adjust my cadence while climbing hills and while riding on flat ground will allow me to take full advantage of my bike's gearing and my bodies endurance. Pedaling really fast in low gears is heavy on the cardio and will put your lungs to the test. Pedaling slowly in high gears will use more muscle and will cause lactic burns in the quads. There is a fine line between the two and finding that balance is the key to determining your bodies optimal cadence and riding style. Next time you watch the Tour de France, you can take a whole new look at the cyclists competing. They devote their lives to studying the science of bicycles, the human body and the best ways to combine them. It's really neat stuff.

Can't wait to hit the road, but this last week has been great. I've been relaxed and comfortable, with a fridge full of food and good company. I felt guilty for taking such a long break, but then I remembered... I'm doing this for one thing... FUN! and I'm having a crap-ton of it! :)

Resting!

The ride to Laguna Beach from Carlsbad really did some damage to my legs. I pushed them too hard and after several days without riding, they still hurt! Fortunately, an old friend has taken me in and given me a place to crash. I'm currently in Aliso Viejo waiting for a check from my 401(k) and to also let my body heal. This entire tour has been more expensive than I figured it would be. Until I get this check, I'm dead in the water! Fortunately, I have a nice place to sleep, a hot tub and a sauna. Life. Is. Good.

My bike has taken a beating. I already had to replace a crucial component of any bike, my bottom bracket, and my rear wheel is starting to go. I should be able to get another 500 miles out of it, but ill be crossing my fingers. I've had the time to finish up a bunch of maintenance on the bike the last few days. Besides the rear tire, she's running good!

I'm writing this as I'm battling a little cold. My nose is stuffed and runny, I'm sneezing and I'm coughing. It's minor, but just enough to put a damper on morale. As with any other problem, it'll go away!

Here's a picture of a plant in the apartment complex I'm staying in - It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's a plant...

Carlsbad to Laguna Beach, CA

This ride proved to me the importance of calories!! In an effort to save some cash, I went without breakfast before leaving Carlsbad. Bad move. About ten miles short of Laguna Beach, my body began to shut down. I was riding on flat ground, in my lowest gear, struggling to move forward at even the slowest pace. It was so frustrating!!! As soon as I could, I stopped for food. I ate a 12" inch sub, a bag of chips and a bottle of Pepsi. After a nice break, letting the meal settle, I took off again and was blown away at how my body reacted. I could feel the energy and power in my legs being restored. I finished the day having a new level of respect for calories and what they do for me.

Laguna Beach is beautiful. A great place to spend the night. I stayed at my third hostel on this tour. Man, hostels are a hoot. Cheap and fun. Ive been one of the very few Americans to stay at the hostels I've been to. I've met great groups of people from Australia, Germany, New Zealand and England, to name a few. The people I've met are right up my ally. Good humans spending as much of their lives, as possible, traveling. Definitely inspiring.

No pictures tonight! My phone was dead for most of this ride, so only my words will have to do.

San Diego to Carlsbad, CA

It is definitely hard to push big miles through this part of the trail. Most of the time I'm more worried about paying attention to the map and to the traffic than enjoying any kind of scenery. Ill ride for maybe 2-3 miles, max, before having to turn onto another street. Don't get me wrong, though, a quick glance over my left shoulder would always reveal SUPER AWESOME views of the ocean. I've been riding so close to it, I can almost always hear and smell it. I love my Colorado mountain views, but this is pretty neat.

I pulled into the South Carlsbad State Park to camp for the night. Pretty low on funds so I tried to get away without paying. Didn't work. I was booted... but not without two free shower tokens from the Camp Host. Not sure if it was due to his kindness/guilt or if I just smelled really, really bad. Either way, it was much appreciated. I ended up getting to a little park in town. I set up my tent, fell asleep, then woke up to some bums set up around me. Yea...

I've been battling with my bike since before San Diego. The bottom bracket broke, which would be like a blown engine in your car. Without it working properly, you're not moving. I got it over to a Performance Bike shop and they took care of me... and also my parents!!! for helping me pay for it. Thank you so much!

Here are some pictures! Got to see Petco
Park!

San Diego!

Well, I made it. 640 miles on the odometer and here I am! San Diego is a pretty neat place. Cycling is definitely big here... dedicated Bike Lanes on almost every street, all throughout the city. Cars are respectful. In fact, I dealt with more bicycles in traffic, than cars, in Pacific Beach. People have pride in their bikes, too. Custom paint jobs and part modifications are pretty common. I love it! Met an old friend for a drink and later hung out at what was probably the coolest hostel ever! I was the only person there who wasn't German or Australian.

Took a lot of patience to get here! A motel, in Brawley, mistakenly charged an enormous price for a room to my debit card. Didn't find out until I was DECLINED for a meal at Taco Bell. To cut a long story short: no money, mo problems. Anyhow, with help from my folks I will push onward, to San Francisco!!