The journey continues for Kevin & Tim’s 2000 mile challenge for charity…
Day Eleven
You may recall that by the end of yesterday’s ride we were worrying about having to deal with blistering heat!
That didn’t last long. Gaberville where we ended yesterday’s ride is inland East from the coast – hence the hot hot hot weather. Today we rode 25 miles South from Gaberville on the 101 and then headed East back to the actual coastline. At a place called Leggett we had to climb over the hills between the 101 and coast. So we are now following route 1……
The first hill was huge. With switchback after switchback. We climbed for ages. But we then had the most ridiculous descent. Again all switchbacks – so we didn’t actually get too much distance out of a massive downhill. Really good fun flying down. Trouble was we then hit hill number 2 immediately. The 2 added together meant we climbed about 3000ft one after the other. More than Snowdon.
Once we crossed over the monster hills we were back to California Coast fog and rain and chilly blooming weather. We then followed a ridiculously up and down coast road! Hills were brutal all day. Thankfully just under an 80 miler. Tough day today. We didn’t even bother with photos really. Was just a head down bang out the hills day. So we were pretty low for the last 25 miles – and no places to get any grub. So we have only eaten brekkie and some bananas and bars!
Not all doom and gloom – we met a really good fellow cyclist today.
We were at a gas station getting some water and bars – and we’re quite the celebs. Half a dozen people were amazed at what we were doing and how light we were travelling. But then in rolled Victor. Victor is French. He rolled in on an old Peugeot bike that’s definitely older than he is (he’s about 25 with not an ounce of weight on him – we didn’t like him). He came over and got chatting and stole all our thunder when he announced he’d cycled over from New York?!!!!!!!!!!! He was in a big hurry to find a hotel/ bar to watch the footie. Funny.
Day Twelve
“After a bit of a shocker yesterday – and a terrible sense of dread about today’s topography – it just turned out a cracker.
Was a pretty grim first 25 miles in California Coast fog, mist and rain. But after a rest stop it just cleared up and has been nice and sunny and warm – but not too hot. Brill. And the terrain turned out to be lovely rolling hills so we could ” bomb it down hill Tucker” and get half way up t’other sides! Still a long day – but nowhere near the horror we were expecting.
Kev’s had a bit of a bad day mind. He’s been threatening an explosion of the digestive kind but the worst thing is he’s developed a bit of a bad ankle problem. It’s been giving him grief most of the day……just icing now.
We finished in Fort Ross. Not even a one horse town – lovely little lodge mind. With just what we needed – a small store for food and beers – and a hot tub!!!
Good day – despite expectations. Not even looked at tomorrow’s route, just enjoying having finished strong today.
Day Thirteen
It started well. But we have had a monster day of it?
We managed to get up at 5:30 and leave at just after 06:00 as planned.
Then things went a little off track.
It was quite stressy getting out of San Francisco – and their signs for bike routes are generally good but when they go wrong it’s not very good at all. So we basically lost at least 2 hours and added 10 miles to today’s ride. But the real enemy today has been very strong head winds. At times we were only managing 8/9 mph – on the flat. And sometimes having to stand!
Not much banter between us. Kevs heel has been sore since we set off. And I was just soooo uncomfortable on the bike all day.
We didn’t do too well for stops either.
Stopped in an English pub. We were already 40 odd miles in and all we’d had were a couple of trail mix bars. Finally we stopped and had some iced coffee and I had a massive muffin and Kev a huge piece if Apple pie. I should have gone apple pie – he flew off at a helluva rate! Didn’t see for about half an hour or more.
The last 10 into Santa Cruz was good though. We’d refuelled. Decided to take the longer beach route in – which was well worth it. Our hotel is well out of town but right on the route for tomorrow so were gonna take a cab into town – eat some nice grub and get some pics of Santa Cruz. It is really nice.
Day Fourteen
Big Sur to San Simeon…Reverse of yesterday!
First 65 miles of long steep ups and downs. More break pads needed!
Last 20 was pretty well flat and about 10 out we came across a vista point for Elephant Seals. Spent about half an hour or so watching them sparring and moving about. Amazing.
Kevin attempted a dip in the Pacific – it is extremely cold in there!
Just been for Mexican – very good! Very spicey. It’s 20:45 – and Kevin’s already asleep!
And I’m about 10 minutes behind.
Day Fifthteen
Santa Cruz to Monterey to Big Sur…Sorry for not managing a report yesterday – no wifi and no signal at Big Sur Lodge!
Yesterday was by far the easiest riding day. The first 70 miles was pretty well devoid of any hills. Santa Cruz to Monterey is c50 miles. We cranked that out in about 3 hours. Plus a half hour coffee break. We were spinning through country roads of miles after miles of strawberry fields. Amazing. Monterey is a great place. We decided to stop there for about 2/3 hours. Had a great lunch on the wharf (pier), watching sea lions playing in the marina and sunbathing on a dock. We left Monterey taking a big detour, following 17 Mile Drive. This took us through all the Pebble Beach golf courses and some most amazing real estate! And on through Carmel.
We then had a 20/25 mile climb up into Big Sur. Not an easy finish to the day – but a great 70 miles to start.
Note Kev having a kip on a boat!
Day Sixteen
San Simeon to Santa Maria: Big busy bustling beach resort. First “golden sands” we’ve seen. And the temperature has gone up – significantly. Hooray!
First day not cycling in sleeves and gilet’s all day.
Couple of hiccups put us back a bit. One navigational – went all round the houses at Morro Bay! Totally lost.
Then Kev got a broken spoke. Had to limp into San Luis Obispo – to find a bike shop called Wallys. We enjoyed asking locals did they know where Wally was! All fixed within the hour. But about 15 miles from home – Santa Maria tonight – Kev’s achilles flared up again. So a slow uncomfortable run in for Kev. He had to ride along with me!
All iced and sorted now. Off to do laundry.
Day Seventeen
“Day before yesterday – Santa Barbara to Santa Monica.
We really did just crash out the miles – in fact we covered nearly 70 without any stops at all. And after the previous day’s brutal hills it was mercifully flat. We notched off Carpenteria, Ventura, Oxnard, Malibu, and raced into Santa Monica. We had a stroke of luck meeting a fella called Ray in Oxnard. He was out cycling and at a stop light asked what we were up to. He then told us about a really nasty section of road to avoid. He started to give us directions to avoid it, then just decided to show us! Lovely guy – went out of his way to help us. There’s been a fair bit of that, people have been great.
Yesterday – Santa Monica to Laguna Beach.
Again, mercifully flat but tons of traffic – very slow progress and difficult to navigate. Obviously you’d think just keep the Pacific on your right!!! Not as simple as all that. Working your way through the towns that make up LA is not all that easy! But we did manage it without too many traumas, although we have been down some back streets that I wouldn’t want to go down at night! And through an industrial plant in Long Beach that was several miles of riding – Long Beach is a very ugly place….
But we are now in Laguna Beach which is a fantastic place; with the exception of the traffic. And we have both started to hate Harley’s. In fact all motorbikes. The sole purpose over here of a motorbike is to make as much noise as is possible. They are all revving mad.
Bring on Tijuana!”
Day Twenty one
They’re nearly there!
Well, it’s here – TODAY IS THE DAY! After one last check over of the bikes and a selfie, Kevin and Tim left Laguna Beach at 6am this morning, their time (2pm here) for the 90+ miles to Tijuana. A day ahead of schedule, I think they want to cross the border, then head back to San Diego for some much needed down time: it’s Tim’s 50th birthday today – what a way to spend it!!
Looks like the Dynamic Duo have only gone and done it!!!! 2,000 miles – amazing!
Oh yes, forgot to say – current fundraising total stands at £9,680.01!!!!
Thank you to everyone for showing such incredible support.
Final day!
On paper today was looking a piece of cake. It looked flat and we felt good after a day off. So we decided to push for the border in one day and finish the ride today, on my 50th, ( we had considered just getting to San Diego, and running for the border tomorrow). So we had a quiet and early night last night. Up at 05:00 and off at 06:00.
And we were flying along. We reached a military base called Camp Pendleton having racked up c30 miles in about 2 hours. We had to produce passports to get through the base – glad they let is in otherwise we would have been on the hard shoulder of what’s basically the M25!
Time and miles continued to fly – until La Jolla. Ping – one of Kev’ spoke snaps. We asked a few people if they new of any bike shops and were getting nowhere. So we were limping along when a lady on a bike, with a miniature poodle in a basket on the back came along. We asked if she knew of a bike shop – and she was actually on her way to one!!! We tagged along. Shop said they could fix it within the hour. Brill. So we wondered up the road to a cafe – where the TV revealed that Germany were already 4-0 up. So we settled in for a bit of footie, iced coffees and ice-creams.
Trotted back to the shop – bike sorted – and we were off.
Sadly another of Kevs spokes went within a few miles? We had 2/3 miles to San Diego, and a ferry and 10/12 for the border. So we decided to take it slow and just chance it. Kev was in no mood for more bike shops – and was prepared to walk it if it came to it, ( I refrained from any DNF (did not finish) jokes)!
So we managed to catch the ferry – ride the longest straight road ever – and limp to the border. Which is not nice!
Grabbed a quick photo and hot footed it out of there. Got the trolley bus into San Diego and found our hotel. The Westgate. And arrived to the most amazing welcome. They had been expecting us earlier and had been eagerly awaiting our arrival. They knew all about what we had been up to.
We had cards of congratulations, and birthday wishes. We had fizz in our room on ice. It was absolutely fantastic. Really evoked the old emotions. There couldn’t have been a better reception – absolutely amazing.
Without Sue Smith, 1. we might not have actually started, 2. we would definitely not have finished, and 3. we wouldn’t have arrived at our hotel to such an overwhelming finish. But – 4, most importantly we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near the incredible monies she has raised for the “children” of o2e.
Thank you Sue – and thanks to everyone who has contributed. It’s been amazing. Without people putting their sponsorship money behind o2e – it would have little meaning.
Cards, fizz, and celebrity!
The hotel front desk were so excited to meet us after receiving cards, and orders for fizz, and Anthony & Karen Padgett had also sent best wishes and insisted on buying us dinner.
It’s all pretty emotional actually!
