Day 6 - 09 June 2006, Lompoc to Ventura

Photos from Day 6

Today started out cold and a bit misty with fog. We got up and rolling and made the long, easy climb out of Lompoc. The weather reminded me of my morning training rides in Oakland. Damp, overcast and perfect to ride in. Rest stop 1 was just before the top of the hill. We sort of gathered up there since there was no reason to get to rest stop 2 too early, you couldn't go past it until 09.00. I, however started getting cold so I took off and up the hill. Once over the top there was a nice steep decent to the coast.

Rest stop 2 was at an exit/vista/highway rest stop on the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). On the way there I say a flock of pelicans winging their way up the coast. It was cool to watch them going along the opposite way I was. CalTrans had blocked off one lane of the PCH for us to use between 09.00 and 15.00. If you didn't make it to the rest stop until after 15.00 you'd get swept to the next stop. Continuing on from rest stop 2 we rode on and off of the PCH until we got to Goleta. There we turned a bit inland and had to ride through suburbs. Almost getting hit by a Lexus coming out of a subdivision wasn't really on my plans for the day but guess what, it happened anyway. The best part is the driver looking at me as if I was doing something wrong or in her way (which I'm sure I was) instead of having the right of way. This is why you have to act like your invisible on a bicycle and be defensive in your riding.

At lunch on the edge of Santa Barbara a rider had a friend show up and play bag pipes for us. Even though the sandwich was really tasty I kept lunch fairly short because I wanted to be back on the road. I joined up with Chris and we headed on through Santa Barbara. On the road I got my first flat, a pinch flat. I hit a bump while zooming downhill. The first C02 cartridge I put in wasn't seated correctly and when I tried to check on it it outgassed in a big cloud in my hands. Chris got a kick out of that and I got cooled off. We rolled into rest stop 3, got 'laied' as it was island/tiki themed and only got my tire checked to make sure it was up to the right pressure and then rolled again. We were in the hunt for the rumored Paradise Pit Stop.

We rolled along the beach in Santa Barbara and it was very pretty. As we rolled though Santa Barbara we started to see signs and then there it was, the Paradise Pit. The community in Santa Barbara gets together and puts up an unofficial rest stop for riders. They have strawberries, cookies, drinks and ice cream! All for the ALC folks. They even had massages, but I didn't feel like waiting in line for those. I ended up eating two ice cream cones, dutch chocolate and blueberry. Both were excellent. Topping off the snacking with some strawberries and a cookie or two Chris and I were ready to roll out.

Continuing through Santa Barbara we had our last climb of the day, an unexpected hill called Ortega. One of the multi-day cheerleaders was after the top, the man dressed as a blue pill that said "U R MY VIAGRA" and saying "Keep it up riders!" We kept riding, only hit the water stop to pee and Chris and I decided to skip rest stop 4, the Playboy bunnies. They were very cute looking, but we both wanted to get to camp. Past rest stop 4 there was an area where you can 'camp' your RV along the coast. They park end to end and there must have been over two miles of them. They were mostly huge with the sections that can slide out. Crazy, but maybe a fun thing to do.

Chris and I pulled into camp pretty early. I showered, ate dinner with Rachael at about 16.00 because I was famished. Later when Team Luxo was ready we all went to In-n-Out Buger to eat (yay second dinner!). That night they had a candlelight vigil on the beach. I thought I would go, but something about it started to seem forced. I also had my own emotional time on day 3. Maybe I will do it next year, maybe not, but I know some people were moved by it.