Saturday July 25

Cardiff by the Sea to International Border (by the sea)

B watching for illegals, listening to the crowd at the Tijuana bullring, and resting at the U.S./Mexico border

For our consideration:

“Eastward I go only by force; but westward I go free.”

H. D. Thoreau

 “(Jack Keruoac) hankered for the West, for Western health and openness of spirit, for the immemorial dream of freedom [and] joy.”

John Clellon Holmes

South we go through La Jolla and Coronado: our own tiny westward migration. Into Imperial Beach and finally pass into what seemed exactly what I would like to think was Spanish Alta California of the early 1800's: dusty ranches and a guy on horseback cantering along the way past gardens of banana trees and grape vines. It was a most unexpected place after the suburbs a half mile back.

On to the surreal border with its immense double wall of steel bars and some amplified Mexican DJ exhorting the crowd at the bull ring.
Roc and Josh arrived very soon after B and I did and after a few high fives and photos we got a bright red commuter train out of, presumably, Imperial Beach and rode more or less trouble free to downtown San Diego and hopped a bus to the North Park District and Josh's apartment with all day Sunday to relax and box bikes for a 5:00 am drive to the airport. The bikes had to be reduced to basic components as the boxes where those that the manufacturer had used to ship from Asia possibly without wheels. It was a hard project beginning and end (reassembly at Seattle airport) as was the whole ride. Hard but unforgettable.

Bull ring just inside Mexico beyond massive gate in the border fence.

A couple days after the border and almost home

Friday July 24

Micro photography woman on left, Bob Marley guy on right, me in the middle. San Elijo State Beach.

After last night's perilous attempt to start a party with the biker folks jammed like Haitian refugees amongst the RVs by riding lightless to the AM PM MiniMart across a streaming hwy 1 for 12 beers, pretzels, potato chips for all, which none but ourselves was interested in, we rested well enough for some of us to make it back across 1 to that classic American diner known as Denny's for yet another hardy feed in preparation for a romp downcoast to San Elijo State Beach in lovely Cardiff by the Sea.

Odd day of boardwalk beach business with the strangeness and vastness and general emptiness of the marine base, Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Reservation, like where they put the indians. Marine guard, nice kid from Marysville, WA., checked our ID's and made me put on my new, super hot, super tight bike helmet. Being on base sparked memories of the long ago days of my Air Force dependent childhood.

Off base at main gate and back to a combination of bikeways and freeways bashing through a bright, largely treeless, sandy coastal regime through Carlsbad (where is the billion dollar seawater desalination plant), Encinitas to Cardiff by the Sea.

Hiker/biker space at San Elijo small but far better than last spot. Guy in next tent was promoting Bob Marley band downcoast at Del Mar race track; we were unable to conceive of this as a reachable option. We went across 1 for cheap pizza.

Biked miles - 45

Two shots of the bikeway through Camp Pendleton - no vehicles other than bikes at all

Thursday July 23

Torrance to Dana Point
We careened through L.A. with a vengeance that was returned with intolerance or indifference. Eventually I crossed a large tractor without it's trailer who smoked his tires, held his horn down for the longest time and shouted some simple curses at me.

Glamor shot of the Driftwood Motel

Hastened through the Port of Los Angeles and San Pedro to Huntington, Newport and Laguna. Long lunch at Mexican restaurant as many blocks from the crazy town of the beach as we could get. Ice cream and observation at busy pedestrian intersection for desert.

Arrived late afternoon at Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. Hike/Bike postage stamp chock full of people we knew from up coast plus single female who turned out to be micro photographer working for the Army and the Smithsonian in D.C.
Good swim just downbeach from a sargasso of kelp debris but not a spot that needs returning too except perhaps to visit the Lantern District of Dana Point.
Biked miles -

Port of Los Angeles State Park - industrial vehicles only - no bikes, no camping, move on

Wednesday July 22

Leo Carrillo State Beach to Redondo/Torrance

Couldn't get enough of the big sycamores

Leo - you know Pancho to the Cisco Kid? Oh, come on, you remember!

Rocketed out of Leo "Oh, Cisco!" Carrillo State whatever at 7 am and thus became the breakfast spot finder/picker.

The marine layer was onshore, chill and wet.

Cranking near the summit of Point Dume I noticed a complex that included something called Cafecito Organico I slid in to what I came in time to know as Point Dume Village situated at the junction of highway 1 and Heathercliff Drive.

On entering the shopping center I was drawn to the joyous sounds of 8 to 10 elderly gentlemen who had had probably more caffeine than was healthy. They occupied not the Cafecito but a smaller joint called Lily's. I staked out a spot there and signaled the fellows who soon (lol) arrived.

After a long time we left. With some sense of some of the neighbors of Lily and Lily's; it was a fine and diverse group.

Belted past Decker, Latigo, Trancas, Malibu, Flores, Temescal and finally I stopped at Topanga Canyon to see the old Culver place. Little more than a pile of stony cement and maybe a dying plum tree remained.

Met Roc's son Josh at Big Dean's on the beach path in Santa Monica. Day hot but Josh fresh although he had biked from Union Station in downtown LA.




Son meets Dad at the Santa Monica Pier right in front of Big Dean's taco palace

Headed south after, natch, a hardy luncheon. Cut along through Santa Monica, Venice and Manhattan beachfronts to reach our goal: a room for all of us in Redondo Beach; one room that would hold all four sweaty, dirty, tired manchilds and their bikes. We had a reservation but our physical presence outside caused the manager to deny all of us access to the building let alone the room.

Much street cogitation followed this twist.

Many Warm Showers hosts were solicited and no hits there. Got disgusted with B's adventure planning and Josh and I dispatched ourselves south on 1 to find rooms. Within the half hour we came upon the Dirftwood Motel which was very reasonable at $100 for 4 slightly homeless dudes plus four bikes in the room. Norita was her name and run-down but decent was her game. She had a sly smile and dark wit but a determination that she be obeyed or left alone. The clientele seemed relaxed and chill and enjoyed hanging in the parking lot. Good night. No signal.

Biked miles - 45

Roc's stealth tent at Carrillo camp, B's way to the back - lots of space, lots of shade.

Tuesday July 21

McGrath State Beach Oxnard/Ventura to Leo Carrillo State Park

B marvels at my carbo treasures while refreshing at Neptune's Net on highway 1

Slammed into Oxnard from a restful stay at McGrath for a breakfast at The Best Breakfast Cafe and although it was not up to the chilaquiles at El Tapatio in Gaudalupe or the hash at the Worker Bee in Carp, it was still better than average; we also split a piece of apple pie with ice cream.

Things went downhill, at least for me, soon thereafter.

Forgetting the admonition to get food because down coast there was no sign of retail, I bombed out of town, leaving, I thought, the lads in the lifting fog only to have to circle back through the produce for at least an extra 5 miles and finally dump $15 on bready items from a lonely 7/11.

Met up with lads a sweaty hour later just outside a naval SeaBee's base in Port Hueneme.

Galloped south on the One behind Roc toward Leo Carillo State Park and the beguiling shade of a grove of stately sycamores; under which I now write.

Big Sycamores made this hiker/biker spot at Leo Carrillo SB

To be absolutely accurate there was a short stop at a solitary watering hole called Neptune's Net wherein I flashed my bready haul from the aforementioned 7/11 and downed a fruity Belgian white beer and a bag of chips. It's a hard life on the road but starvation isn't in it.

Monday July 20

Greg and Kim's in Santa Barbara to McGrath State Beach in Ventura/Oxnard 

Our li sunset scene at McGrath

Boomed out of Santa Barbara to Carpinteria, Ventura and finally to McGrath State Beach in Oxnard. It was closed. I sat there and waited for the lads. Was given grief for not forewarning them but it turned out okay; the ranger was heading out for dinner and he opened the gate and the showers for us. We had the deserted state park all to our selves. It was lucky and strange.

Looking out from the restroom showers at McGrath

Saturday July 18

B and Greg in the big house project workroom

Big house project itself

Busting in to Goleta on the Hollister. Light overcast.
Bought fresh, turquoise tee shirt at K-Mart for arrival at Kim and Greg's.
Randomly turned toward downtown and miraculously arrived at Gelson's Market at noon and built a beautiful salad, sat outside and it started to rain. Called Kim and motored down State, up Haley to to Chiquita and into 103 E Cota.
Greg and Kim graciously hosted our ragtag trio for the next two nights.
Got some bike stuff done, visited Greg's big house project, Roc got some rest, opted for not-Superica and instead ate a large, tasty dinner at a combination Mexican market/cafe on the east side of state, and we went to see some movie meant for 12 year olds called Ant Man at the elegant Arlington Theater.