Wednesday April 18, 2012
28 miles (45 km) – Total so far: 314 miles (505 km)
I awoke at Kirk Creek early. My schedule has shifted to coincide with the sun since I started this ride. I wake when it rises, and I go to sleep when it sets. It feels very natural to me, and I sleep really well.
Tuesday April 17, 2012
42 miles (68 km) – Total so far: 286 miles (460 km)
So the day has finally come. Once again I need to leave behind my beautiful wife. No more fabulous hotels and wonderful meals. No more laughing and sharing our lives together.
Once again it’s time for me to ride off on my own. I admit that this morning I was having many second thoughts. “I could just stay with her, right?”. “No need to do this crazy solo ride”.
Monday April 16, 2012
Sunday April 15, 2012
We dressed in many layers – it was quite cold – lower 40’s early in the AM. We packed up all our luggage and checked out from the lovely hotel. We loaded up the bikes and off we go……
Thursday April 12, 2012
40 miles (64 km) – Total so far: 244 miles (393 km)
I awoke fully rested and really recharged. My tent was dry. All the batteries were charged, and the weather looked like it might be OK. The sun was breaking through some grey clouds. I rolled out of the clean hotel sheets, packed up the bike, and went in search of breakfast.
Solvang is swimming in breakfast restaurants. Those Danish folks must love breakfast, because there are three breakfast restaurants on every block in this town. I picked one at random – The Belgian Waffle House – and ordered up – what else? Belgian Waffle with eggs and bacon. Gobbled it down and was preparing to ride out-of-town when I spotted across the street the Solvang Restaurant – Home of Arne’s Famous Aebleskiver.
Wednesday April 11, 2012
13 miles (21 km) – Total so far: 204 miles (328 km)
What a difference a good nights sleep makes! It rained really hard last night, but I slept like a baby. Once I was sure everything inside the tent would stay dry, I actually found the sound of the rain falling on the tent very comforting. I slept till after 7:30 – very late for me.
Tuesday April 10, 2012
45 miles (72 km) – Total so far: 191 miles (307 km)
I slept really well in Carpenteria. The hiker/biker campsites back right up against the railroad tracks, and I was afraid the trains would wake me. Apparently the trains run silent at night, because I heard nothing until chirping birds woke me at 7:00. I planned today to be a relatively short day – only about 32 miles. My destination – Lake Cachuma in the Los Padres National Forest.
Sunday April 8, 2012
65 miles (105 km) – Total so far: 146 miles (235 km)
A night in a fancy hotel with Nancy. What a nice way to start the tour!
I had locked the bike in the hotel employee parking lot right next to the security office. In retrospect, this was probably a mistake. The trike was fine, but I worried about it all night. “What if something happens to it — the whole tour will be ruined.” I kept waking up and thinking about it. Definitely did not get enough sleep.
I rode from home to the Bonita Creek Park. Nancy met me there, along with Glenn, Kevin, Derek and Jim from the Trike Squadron. We all yakked for a while and enjoyed the coffee, brownies and muffins Nancy brought along. Nancy also gave me a bright green Helium Star balloon that I attached to my flag pole.
