Riding down the California coast has by far been one of the most exciting parts of my trip, however, being in Souther California surrounded by concrete wilderness has not been the best. This blog post is a look at my last few days on the bike before reaching the Las Angeles area and the week and a half I have been off my bike. I have met many amazing people at had some wonderful experiences in LA, Orange County and Las Vegas, but it has made me quite homesick and anxious to get back on the bike and continue the adventure!
After a relaxing night at the Saarloos and Son's Winery in Los Olivos Jessica, Devon, Ryan, Eelco, Joost, Michiel and I had quite the challenge the next day. Here is a photo of me at the top of San Marcos Pass, it was a 2000 foot climb in just under 20 miles.
At the bottom of the pass was lovely Santa Barbara, California, and after a day of big climbs and dumping rain Michiel, Joost, Eelco, Ryan and I had planned to stay in a hostel. However, the hostel wanted $31 dollars per cyclist. So we opted for the luxurious Orange Tree Inn at only $75 per room.
First hotel in over 100 days on the road!
After a good night sleep in a dry room we had a hearty meal at a cafe in Santa Barbara and set off for Oxnard.
Due to some GPS "malfunctions" we took a "short-cut" over a pass and around a lake on our way to Oxnard. All you need to know is that we are all better travel companions because of it.
When we reached the town of Ventura just before Oxnard there was a great bike path that lead us to the city.
I don't know if we would have made it through the day together if we didn't know that Devon and Jessica had a nice hotel room waiting for us. Two nights in a row in hotels, when it rains it pours, so we sleep inside.
Michiel and I loungin deep in the Marriott.
Off to Los Angeles!
Thanks Jessica and Devon!!!
On our way through Malibu we met some spear fishermen who had just come in with this shark.
Oh, and apparently they call that a halibut(left). It's a "big one" for this area.
After a fast, flat day with a mighty tailwind through Malibu and Santa Monica we reached LA in great time.
Here we are at Venice Beach saying goodbye to Eelco. It was time for him to go back to the Netherlands after a 400+ mile bike tour through California. It was awesome to have met and traveled with you Eelco!
Ryan biking through Beverly Hills to our Warmshowers host in West Hollywood.
Ryan and I separated from Joost and Michiel as they had a different place to stay and a lot of work to do.
Our host(Dillon Morris, moredillon.com) is an amazing DJ. He took Ryan and I out to the club he plays at on Thursdays for an insane time.
Mann's Chinese Theater just down the street from Dillon and his roommate AJ's apartment.
Thanks so much Dillon and AJ for having us for 3 nights in Hollywood!
Before Ryan and I left West Hollywood for our new host in La Habra we headed up to Bronson Caves to check out where the original Batman television series was filmed.
On the other side of the caves you could catch a great look at the famous Hollywood sign!
BUSTED! ...again
On our way out of Hollywood my second pair of Crankbrother's pedals broke. :(
Luckily we were near a bike co-op call the Bike Kitchen. They are a donation funded organization run by volunteers that will happily teach and help you work on your bike. They provide everything you need including tools and parts for extremely affordable prices. Unfortunately they didn't have pedals that were going to work for me.
Since I was unable to bike out to La Habra, Dean, our next host, drove out to LA to pick us up at the co-op. Dean was such an amazingly accommodating host, taking us out to meals and to run errands whenever we needed.
Dean you are a true gentlemen, thank you so much for everything.
Dean dropped Ryan and I off in Orange where our next host, Dave Childress, immediately took us out to Laguna, Beach where Crankbrothers is located so I could get my pedal repared.
Dave has a righteous mustache.
Chillen with Arthur and Trevor at Dave and his wife Maria's house.
David(right) was a cross country running coach for many years at the high school he once went to in Orange. He took us to lead one of their races through the local park.
Talking on the phone during a varsity race is not the greatest idea, especially during the last quarter mile.
With the boys after the race.
Rest stop about an hour out of Orange.
After some quality time in the LA and Orange County it was time to get out for the weekend. Joost and Michiel had rented a car due to their busy schedule around Southern California speaking at universities such as Cal-Tech and UCLA. They decided to hold onto the car for one more weekend so that we could make a trip out to Death Valley and Las Vegas.
We're a band now. Didn't you know?
Handstand!
On the salt flats in Death Valley!
RUN!
The Sun set as we searched for a place to camp out of view.
We found a flood washout to camp in that was in a beautiful part of the valley.
Michiel and I enjoyed a couple Coronas in the dark and warm valley.
The stars at night in the riverbed.
The next morning before heading to Los Vegas we drove to the highest viewpoint in the valley. 4000 feet above where we camped.
Red Rock Canyon just outside Las Vegas.
We spotted several coyotes in the desert before reaching Vegas.
Thanks to Gigi, my old boss and friend, we had a place to stay when we arrived in Las Vegas. We stayed with Richard and Jenny of Henderson, Nevada in their 1969 Airstream in front of their home.
Richard has a vintage Coke machine that dispenses bottled beer. :)
The backyard of their home is dedicated to the history of the mining culture in the state of Nevada. It includes a general store, cafe, stream, and mine shaft.
It even includes a jail with a 500 pound barred door that came from the first jail in Las Vegas.
Later that night we hit the strip.
Ryan losing his money.
Winning it back!
I didn't know Woody and Buzz spoke such good Spanish.
Thanks guys!
New York New York!
The following morning we headed out to Lake Meade and the Hoover Dam.
Joost and I at the Dam.
Cheesin.
The new bridge and the power plant.
Ice Cream!
Michiel, Joost, Richard, Ryan and I
Thanks for everything Richard and Jenny, you feel like family.
Last night dinner preppin.
(Maria, Dave, Trevor, Ryan, Omar, Me)
Last dinner in Orange with our best Orange County friends!
Dave and Trevor are going to ride out of Orange with us on our first day back on the bikes in over a week.
Yummmm!
Dave and Maria, it has been wonderful becoming such great friends with you during the past week. Thank you so much for completely opening your home up and entertaining us, it has been so much fun!
Thank you again to everyone who has helped me the past week and a half, you have greatly influenced my stay in this area into a positive one!
