On Sunday morning, April 28th, I was sent off with hugs from my nephew Eric. The kids were asleep: Zoe had come home late from the party the night before and little Parker had a cold. Teresa was either still in bed or out to play tennis. Eric was heading out for a surfing morning. I cycled out of Grover Beach and up through Avila, then cutting northeast through San Luis Obispo. “SLO” is still one of my favorite places. Close enough to the coast (a 10-15 minute drive in a car) to make going to the beach an easy drive, yet inland enough to get the warmer, sunnier weather. It is wine country there. I mentioned SLO in the last blog, so moving on here.
I stopped at a Starbucks in SLO and, while standing by HD, finishing my blonde roast coffee, an attractive, middle aged blonde woman with a curious canine came up to me to ask me a little about what I was doing. After we briefly discussed the ride, we talked about her fascinating life. Vivian is a beautiful woman with some tragedies in her past. She went through a very hard divorce after years of living in an abusive relationship. Lack of money to hire the lawyers and stay fighting in the legal system resulted in her losing most of everything--homes, possessions, and the most important--her kids. Her heart and body had been broken, but she did end up with a mobile home in a park in SLO, for which she still made payments. She works full time at a local steak house and she has a torn meniscus in her knee, but can’t afford the co-pay to undergo surgery. I was blessed by this woman’s honesty and her desire to keep her head up, stay proud, and stay true to herself. This can be a hard thing to do. She has dreams and desires that she continues to cherish. She would like to return to school to become a lawyer and work for families. She doesn’t care about making much money--although a little more comfort and security would be welcome. She just wants to help families go through their troubles and hardships with her tender hearted assistance. She has a soft voice and warm eyes and and a beautiful, sweet smile. She appeared vulnerable and kind and generous. She loves people, even though she has suffered deeply at the hands of others. She is like that blade of grass or that yellow dandelion coming through the cracks in the cement; determined to survive, to be beautiful and bright, in spite of hardships. I wish her blessings beyond measure. I enjoyed meeting you, honey.
The cycling through SLO took some fascinating turns and twists, first through the downtown area and then thru hills and back down to the coast to Morro Bay. There is this huge rock in the bay called Morro Rock. It was misty by the coast and the rock was shrouded, but I took a few photos anyway. To get down to the harbour, I took a side street and cycled about a mile along the touristy district with really cute stores and several restaurants with emanating smells that had my mouth salivating. My google bike maps showed me I could continue onto a path for quite awhile, but it turned out to be inaccurate as I can’t cycle on rough, unpaved ground with sand and gravel. HD is a bit bottom heavy for that and I can’t get any traction. So, I backtracked to the side streets and quickly realized that the streets were too steep and I couldn’t get up them!! So, I backcycled to the point where I first went down to the sea and went back up that street. WIth some real work involved. I can go up a mountain because the grade is more gradual. But some of these city streets and driveways are impossibly steep and I have to figure out how to ascend them! Sometimes I have to find alternate paths.
Well, I got out of Morro Bay and hit the highway when I was out of town. The day was fairly long and I made it to San Simeon and parked in a private campground with hike n bike prices. It was on the east side of the highway, but there was a path near my tent that scooted back under the road to a beautiful, peaceful beach. There were seagulls and ducks hanging out in a little inlet, and then the beautiful ocean. It was a very quiet beach--which is what I prefer. Yes, the noise and color of people can be very fun, but to just be by myself and take a walk near the water is a real joy. There was a little teepee made out of driftwood. I am now seeing more fun structures that we humans create from the flotsam and jetsam of the ocean. Trash is collected and recycled. Driftwood and seaweed is used to create. “Sea glass” is now used as art and made into jewelry. Sea glass is actual glass from broken bottles, etc, that has been tossed and softened by the ocean and sand and tossed back on the shore. Then it is collected and used to make incredible jewelry, mixed media sculptures, and wind chimes and hangings. I am always intrigued with art made from tossaways.
Sometimes I think that we have enough products made of wood that we should never have to cut another tree down, unless it is to manage and protect a forest from disease and fire. But clearcutting? Should be outlawed. Why aren’t we evolved enough to reuse, recycle, recreate? We are so intelligent and resourceful. Why are we using our creativity for destruction rather than creation?
Make art, not war.
Anyway. The San Simeon camping was great. The tent was pitched on grass and there was a little bathroom nearby. There was a shower in another section, where the RVs are, but it was too late and too cold and I prefer dirt over hypothermia. I’ve gotten more used to getting dirty and realizing that I can survive without a daily shower!! However, the teeth do get brushed regularly, so don’t worry about that. In case you were worrying.
Just don’t get too close if I’ve been camping 2 or more days without a shower...
I think it is very interesting that the showers are placed near the RVs, which usually carry their own water. But the tent campers usually have to walk a distance to get to the running water at these campsites. Seems a bit backward, if you ask me.
But, I don’t think you DID ask.
I awakened in the morning to the sun---YAY!! Sunshine! I had missed it. I rushed to the bathrooms with the hot water, washed up, and returned. It was only around 7:00 am, but the mist started rolling in and, by the time I had my gear packed on the trike, the world was again shrouded in mist and fog and cloud. This is a fascinating phenomena about the central and northern coast. When the sun hits the water, the water evaporates and collects and the warm air tries to rise, but gets so heavy with moisture that is just hangs there. At night, around 2 am, the sky often clears as the air cools and the moisture returns to the sea. Then, at 6 am, the sun hits the water again and the cycle is repeated. I figured I better get used to the mist. If it was July, there would be enough heat to get that mist up and dispersed. But it’s only May.
I knew I had a very long day ahead; it was 65 miles to Big Sur. Sixty five miles of hard road. Moving along the coast, I stopped for a brief view of the Elephant Seal reserve. I looked over the cliff and there were hundreds of huge elephant seals. Many people had parked to view these incredible critters. They are slow and lumber along the sand with difficulty, seesawing back and forth and using their flipper hands to propel themselves. But in the water they are graceful and quick and deadly. While observing the huge ocean mammals sleeping in the sand, I ran across Ivan again. Ivan is the Italian vintner who is cycling the Pacific Coast. I ran across him twice---the first time as we were leaving Goleta---he was heading for Lompoc but I had decided to deviate from the course and head through Buellton instead. This was second time, here at the Elephant Seal refuge north of San Simeon. He invited me to share a beer with him at the Motel 6 in Big Sur. I doubted there was any kind of economy motel in that area at all, but, if there were, I would certainly look him up. After the USA trip, he was heading for Wales and then, alas, back to work. There was a history there, I just know it.
Next, it was to face my fate and the mountains of Big Sur. Picture incredible cliffs, narrow roads without a shoulder, winding roads, lots of cars and cyclists, beautiful ocean views from dizzying heights, redwoods and pines, eucalyptus trees, and going from clouds to sun to clouds to sun, depending on your elevation. The first break was at Ragged Point, which really marks the beginning of the area considered “Big Sur”. At Ragged Point, there is a woodland complex: coffee, bakery, dining, grill, outdoor seating, public bathrooms(!), lodging, gift store, gardens, hiking path, and a lookout deck. I ordered coffee and, after taking a short walk to the view point, through the vivid flower gardens and fountains, I headed back to Henry David. Another cyclist was parked about 8 ft away and we began to chat. She was another solo female rider, from British Columbia! Her name is Lisa and she has a fantastic smile and arresting hazel eyes. She works for the forest service and her goal is to cycle from Vancouver to Mexico. She spent November and December cycling in Oregon and froze her buns off. Thus, she stuck around some extra time there in the Portland area to wait out the winter and warm up and, lo and behold, she really DID warm up because she fell in love! But, she is a determined woman and got back on her bike to head south to complete her trip. We discussed the trials of the road as well as the blessings. We laughed about shared challenges and finding the courage and strength to keep pedaling when we are totally worn out. Lisa finds joy in solitude. She enjoys the peace and quiet of the road as well as those brief moments when she meets a kindred traveler. She likes to share herself with just a few close friends and I have a feeling the blessings are many if you are one of those friends. Well, Lisa, happy trails to you and who knows what tomorrow may bring? We gave each other a few warm hugs and I got back on the cycle to head north while she ordered a burger.
The next stop was at a little store in “Gorda”. A blessed bathroom, which I graced. Then I bought Kombucha and a package of rolled dates. Funny how the rolled dates--which were made of pure ground dates with half an almond in the center and rolled lightly in shaved coconut---were cheaper than the chocolate covered peanuts. Someone was charging higher for chocolate than for dates! I found that humorous. I purchased my dates, feeling I had made the better deal for sure!
There I met Deryl Deavenport. He is an engaging fellow---makes friends and acquaintances very quickly. He asked me about the trip and told me he was developing vacation rentals on his land that he owns near Ft Bragg, CA. He showed me several photos on his Samsung cell phone of the guest house--perched on a huge cliff overlooking a stunning length of shoreline. Not far from the guest house, down at seaside level, there is an open cave, more like a rocky tunnel, that can be traversed clean through-- at low tide. At high tide--danger, danger Will Robinson! He has many plans for this property and invited me to camp there when I go through that area as it is along the coast and basically on my route. Deryl was taking a driving vacation with his two adorable dogs: Daisy and Buddy. These were both rescued dogs and apparently much loved. Buddy is a big chocolate lab or lab mix with arthritic hips. He talks in dogspeak: if you offer an opportunity to take a walk but his hips hurt---he groans and says, “wah-wah-wah-wah”. He wants to go for that walk but is telling you he just doesn’t want to get up because it hurts too much. Daisy is a male terrier mix. I know, I know, “Daisy”? Deryl says he’s just a bit confused about his gender identity. Great dogs, funny guy!
Well, I got back on the trike and resumed the ride of trials. When you go to Big Sur in a car, you think about the beauty of the scenery and the curve of the road. When you are on a tricycle, you think about the beauty of the scenery and the “oh-my-god-another-damn -hill”. There is often no real shoulder but there are so many cyclists that the vehicles are on the lookout for them. Big Sur is busy with cyclists from all over the world. It is really exciting and vibrant, in spite of those crazy steep hills.
It would take me 15 minutes to cycle up a hill and 20 seconds to go down the other side. This was not long enough for me to recover! So, by the end of the day, I was truly exhausted. The campgrounds I passed in the early evening were day use type campgrounds. When I reached the town of Big Sur, it was dark and I was cycling those dangerous roads with my cycle lights. There were pricey lodges and inns in that area, but the costs were prohibitive and I knew I needed to find a place to camp, and fast. The temp was dropping and the road was really not fit for night cycling.
I found a young, handsome, long haired man, probably about 22, sitting with his guitar outside the local pub. It was 8:20 pm and the little store had closed. No little treats for me, then. I talked to him for a brief bit, to learn the lay of the land. All along the Big Sur pullouts, in the evening, there are single cars parked and people have taken their tents and bags and camped in the forest. There are signs advising that camping is not allowed, but apparently the rangers turn a blind eye. I was appreciative of this act of kindness. Not all people can afford the luxury inns and this doesn’t mean that they don’t work for a living. I believe we need to stand back from judgment. There is nothing like talking to people from all walks of life to realize that the perception of lazy people that sponge off the government may be a bit exaggerated. There are so many decent, generous, good people out there. Even the youthful travelers who have temporarily taken a break from the expected 40 hr plus work week to travel for a year and learn about life deserve our generosity and kindness. They have a lot to teach us about people, survival, resourcefulness, mindfulness, peace, love, kindness, music, and how to live without “stuff” that crowds our lives and our minds. Our greatest philosophers and teachers were wanderers. Think Jesus here...
Anyway, this handsome young man told me he camps in the woods and picks up his tent as soon as the sun rises. He had been in the Big Sur area about a week and busks with his guitar at the local spots in the evenings. He told me the location of the ranger station about 1/2 mile away. I cycled there and pitched a tent near the mouth of the trailhead where the backpackers enter and exit. There was a bathroom nearby---I love a bathroom--and I crawled in my tent, wrapped myself in the space blanket and zipped up the sleeping bag. In the distance I heard wild turkeys, owls, birds, and rodents. I wondered if a raccoon would come for a visit, but I was undisturbed. I awakened just before 6 am and packed up HD and headed out by 7. In about another 1/2 mile I passed the actual Julia Pfeiffer Big Sur campground but I hadn’t realized it was so close the night before and I had been desperate to stop. I didn’t regret the decision.
Oh yeah, honey, living on the edge. Bwahahaha!
So, I headed down the hills--just a few more steep babies left--and flew through Carmel and into Monterey, where I stopped at the Candle Bay Inn, a modest little motel for a price I could afford. I had a hot shower/bath--YAY. I spent the afternoon washing laundry, washing and drying my tent, washing my tarp, and washing myself. That night, I hooked back up with Deryl, the vacation rental owner. He had parked in Monterey for a few days and invited me to dinner. After a few nights of trail mix and solitude on the camping route, I was looking forward to the company and a good meal! We checked out the Monterey harbor, shared a small salad and fried onions there, then went back into Carmel to watch the sun go down. While the sun was doing its thing (actually the earth was doing ITS thing around the sun, but I digress on a technicality) we talked to some fellow travelers from Texas. The guys were doing quite a bit of golfing. The wife of one of these golf-loving gents was a petite, pretty blonde. Their trip was actually intended and planned so that she could run a marathon held in the area a few days earlier. But, she had torn a hamstring about 6 weeks ago and couldn’t do the race. However, the vacation had been arranged by then, so they went anyway. While the guys golfed, she cycled and swam and tended to her recovery.
After the conversation with the fellow travelers, Deryl and I backtracked a few blocks from the beach in Carmel and stopped in a picturesque Greek restaurant. It was small and packed and obviously a local favorite, although the people who sat at the tables on either side of us were also travelers/vacationers. The food was very good---I had a vegetarian sandwich with avocado and roasted peppers. The handsome men to my right were from Alabama. One was an interior decorator and the other was a software designer for a woundcare medical group. Great guys! The two folks to my left were from Toronto--Lindsey and Josh. What a cute couple. Since they hit the states, a number of people had put “foot in mouth” and asked if they were getting married. Deryl then proceeded to show them the vacation rental property photos and told them that he would have the whole place ready in maybe the summer of 2014, in time for their wedding! It was a hoot and we had a great time. Poor Josh---looked like he was getting uncomfortable about the wedding push, but Lindsey was eating it up!
Deryl dropped me off safely at the Candle Bay Inn and I went to sleep, relishing this great day.
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