48 miles – 4.5 hours Saddle Time
I left Ian’s at around 8:15 and headed back down the bike path towards the ocean. I stayed on that around Marina del Ray and headed up another bike path on the beach through Venice and Santa Monica.
Muscle Beach
Handball
The famous rings.
Amusement park on the boardwalk.
Eventually I was forced onto the Pacific Coast Highway (known forevermore in this blog as the PCH) and began the trek northward in earnest.
Surfers
I was rewarded with some stunning views that cannot be captured in my pictures, and some ridiculous hills that cannot be described. None of the hills were very long, but their steepness was obscene. I both had to use the granny gear for the first time of the trip today, and also set a new speed record at 30mph, and I was holding back big time. But I will have to get used to these hills, as they are going to be with me for at least the next month.
Anyway I headed through Malibu, stopping at a McDonald’s (of course) and then at a Bank of America (I was very low on cash).
Kyle\’s rule of thumb – if you only locate in the rich areas, you aren\’t a real religion.
Malibu
Pepperdine is a nice place.
More Malibu
I got to a Starbucks and sat online for a little while, and then headed to my campground.
My internet hangout.
I got there at around 2:15, and set up my tent early. The best part about the campgrounds I will be staying at for the next month is that they all have hiker/biker spots specifically for people in transit by bike or on foot. They are between $3 and $5.
Leo Carrillo State Beach
Another shot
Looking back towards the hills
The campsite.
I walked to the ocean a few times before heading out to meet a friend from school for dinner at a place called Neptune’s Net at around 4:00. I hung out outside at the cliffs while I waited for him to arrive.
On the bluffs overlooking the ocean.
Looking back down the coastline.
Neptune\’s Net
I ate a lot of fried seafood, had a 24 oz. Miller Lite, and then departed for the campground. I return to find nothing disturbed, and get into the tent and quickly fall asleep at around 6:30 (!!).
What kind of tent are you using? How heavy is it and the rest of your gear?
Man, that was an amazing landscape. Makes me want to move out there!
Dont know if I mentioned this before, But I actually work at starbucks, so what do you usually drink there? Ya know personal curiosity and such.
Mark – A crappy 3 person tent I had before – it is heavy. But it was free (well since I already owned it). Something lighter would be smarter. I don’t know how heavy everything is, but I would guess that when I am rolling I am at least 250 pounds (meaning like 75 pounds of stuff including bike).
Henry – Venti Shaken Iced Tea. Black and sweetened. Tasty and pretty inexpensive. I would die if I had the coffee there… I am pretty sensitive to caffeine ;). Where do you live?
I’m up and away in Canada, on the east coast in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
And ya, those iced teas are damn delicious.
Got to love the Atlantic time Zone. It’s like you and Brazil and that is it.