VANCOMEX

Monday, 24 September 2012

24th September - Carmel to Morro Bay

A big day was planned for today - another 150km+ ride with many long hills. As there was no breakfast facilities at the lodging we were up at 6am to go to the local supermarket for coffee, breakfast sandwiches and chocolate chip buns. Scott then drove us forward on our journey by 35kms which is where we stopped the previous day. We have now cycled 2432kms with 5 days to go!

We started cycling at 8.45am and although we knew the morning was going to be tough with many climbs we were all looking forward to it. Brian led us up the Big Sur climbs and the cycing started well. The fog lifted early leaving clear skies. The views of the coastline on Big Sur were spectacular. (see pictures). Dramatic sheer drops, crashing surf and wonderful views made the climbs seem much easier as we knew what to expect at the top of the next climb. We met Terri and Stewart in a viewpoint as they were taking pictures of the scenery and our bikes! It was good to see them further down the road as well.

Around 11.00am we stopped at Lucia for coffee and a BLT sandwich - wonderful. We then had two major climbs of 1000ft and 750ft to negotiate out of Monterey County and into San Luis Obispo County before finally reaching level coastal grasslands. The kilometers passed quickly towards lunch which we took just before San Simeon on a beach area heavily populated with elephant seals (see pictures). Scott provided us with a great picnic lunch in a car park. We sat in the sun for 40 minutes and relaxed before the last 55kms. We pushed hard to cover the distance as quickly as possible. There was some good leading of the peleton by Maurice and Tom to get us to our lodging in Morro Bay by 6.10pm. We have completed 18 days cycling with 5 days to go - Mexico, here we come!

Simon made a strong bid to win TWIT of the day - forgotten cycling helmet, spilt milk in the restaurant and poor leading of the peleton. By lunchtime, we all felt he must be the winner. However, during recall of TWIT events at the evening meal Tom came through strongly. Tom left his helmet in the hotel reception (feeling this was normal behaviour), left water bottle at breakfast stop, fell off his bike in car park before ride started, delayed the group by taking photos after 10 minutes of 'faffing' and further evidence that the authors of this blog have forgotten! Tom you are a natural!

Artistic table crayoning by Simon

Artistic table crayoning by Scott

Artistic table crayoning by Tom !

Relegated to the boot again!

Can you wind down the window a bit more
so I can get the card in this ATM

Wake me up when it's time to go go!

Big views on Big Sur

The papperatzi seen snapping pictures
of Vancomex

Meet Terri and Stewart - on holiday
down the Pacific coast

House with a view!

Big views on Big Sur

Our Chinese friends we met on Big Sur

Don't train to hard Simon!

The Hills, The Hills

Forgeting your helmet after a stop earns
big TWIT points!

Big views on Big Sur

Meet 'Trail Mix' - the essential mid ride energiser

Now that's relaxed!

Well hello! What's your name!

Elephant seals at San Simeon

Fancy a smooch!

Lunch on route near San Simeon

No more room on the beach

Hearst Castle at San Simeon

Sunday, 23 September 2012

23rd September - Santa Cruz to Carmel and a bit

Santa Cruz to Carmel - we had a logistical issue to sort out for today and tomorrow's ride. The lodging arrangements had had to be rearrangd and this meant that we were only due to ride 80kms (50 miles) today but then a very long and hilly ride tomorrow (Monday) of 200kms (125 miles). Over dinner on Saturday we decided to ride further today, past Carmel, and complete an additional 50kms. The plan was for Scott to pick us up and take us back to the lodging at Carmel. This would even up the rides over the two days which is important as we are due to ride over the Big Sur area which is very hilly.

Arrangements in place, we left at 8am after breakfast, but detoured to the beach at Santa Cruz to have a look at the Broadwalk. Being a Sunday most places were still closed when we arrived, but it was nice to meet up and have a chat with Eric and Jane. Eric was due to particiape in the Santa Cruz tri-athlon which had been delayed because of early morning fog.

We pushed on out of Santa Cruz towards Monteray. We experienced a different terrain from the usual coastal or mountainous vista in the morning - lots of flatish cycling over farmlands. At Moss Landing we had our traditional coffee stop (including waffles and blueberry pancakes) and then got onto a great stretch of cycle paths which led us all the way to and through Monterey. After Monterey our easy day finished abruptly with some stiff climbs towards Carmel. After another 40 kms of riding we were pleased to reach lunch which we took on the beach at Carmel River State Beach - a good 6 inch subway, coke and snickers bar!

After lunch the terrain was very hilly, but the good news was that every kilometre done was a kilometre less for tomorrow. After 4.00pm, the weather closed in with much sea fog, so we decided to call it a day at 6.00pm. Scott came to pick us up and we loaded our bikes into the trailor and then returned to our hotel in Carmel. We completed a 130kms ride today which shortens tomorrows ride to 150kms! It's been difficult to judge what clothing to wear over the last few days - one minute we are in glorious sunshine at 70+F the next we are in sea fog at -55F. Overall, the weather has been splendid with just a couple of brief spells of drizzle in 17 days cycling - this can't be bad. We have Dimitri to thank for our good fortune.

Tomorrow we hope for clear skies as we tackle the remainder of Big Sur.

For the second day in succession Tim won TWIT of the day. He managed to leave his Wiggle ruck sack at the lunch stop. Tim is never without his Wiggle bag as it has his cash, passport and other life essentials. However, he abandoned it - but Team Vancomex saved him! In addition, whilst checking in at the hotel this evening he spotted some 'sweeties' in a class jar (plus birro pens in the same jar) and soon began tucking in only to find they were in fact glass beads. Tim is on a roll! Will he get a hat-trick of successive TWITS?

Meet Eric and Jane - Eric was a participant
in the Santa Cruz tri-athelon today

Farmland scenery today between Santa Cruz
- see the individually irrigated ridges and furrows

Strawberry Fields forever

Bike paths leading to Monterey

Didn't realise the Northern line went
out as far as Monterey

Beach at Monterey - Karen, remember
fish and chips on the beach there!

Harbour at Monterey

Which one was your boat Maurice?

Made me laugh but all tough hills are called
Rat Bastards by the Vancomex team

Chris punctured towards Big Sur

Vancomex team tree watering

Tom and Chris getting their legs over!

On the way back to hotel after pick
up on Big Sur

In the boot on the way to the
hotel from Big Sur

Saturday, 22 September 2012

22nd September - San Francisco to Santa Cruz

We were concerned about how long it could take to cycle out of San Francisco, so we agreed to set off at 7.30am and Scott would use his local knowledge to lead us out on his bike as far as the Golden Gate Park. Before setting off there was an official 'map and navigator kit' handover from Chris to Brian (see picture). Brian takes over the navigator role for the next 5 days of the tour. Simon (Maurice's cousin) has joined Team Vancomex for the remainder of the journey and today was his first day of riding with us.

It was great to cycle through San Francisco early on a Saturday morning when the traffic was light and see again a number of the glorious sites we had seen on the city bus tours the previous day (Tom for the first time as he slept through the tours!). Cycling through the Golden Gate Park was a particular pleasure. Scott left us to find our own route from the park to Santa Cruz - not a peddle revolution wrong the whole day!.

Once out of San Francisco we hit some headwinds with Maurice leading our Peleton. He continued to lead when we hit the hills at Daly City and blasted on even harder leaving us all behind. This was followed by some more high speeds (40+kms) along flat roads for over 5 kilometres. Maurice had returned to San Diego for business and missed a day of the ride before rest day. The Vancomex team, after experiencing his performance on the bike today, are now questionning whether his absence was in fact work related or a visit to Lance Armstrong's chemist or an overnight stay in an oxygen tent?

At 10.30 we stopped off at Half Moon for coffee and waffles with blueberries, cream and maple syrup- magnificent. After our stop we continued to hug the coastline and stopped off at Pigeon Point lighthouse, the tallest in the USA and California's oldest working lighthouse. A very enjoyable detour where we met an American family on a three berth tandem - mum, dad and daughter cycling to Los Angeles for a date with Disney World (see picture).

Around 2.00 pm we stopped at a campground at Ano Nuevo for lunch - 3 eight piece pizzas between six of us made the hills that followed a bit more challenging!! Reaching rolling roads again we pushed on through Davenport to our lodging for the night at Santa Cruz.

Today was a relatively easy day, only 87 miles of cycling and 4000 feet of hills to climb, but we all suffered at various times throughout the day with tiredness. However, another excellent day's cycling. Commendably, Simon, despite jet lag and riding a borrowed bike from Maurice easily kept pace with the group. For this we rewarded him 'Outstanding Cycling of the day' during our evening meal.

Also during the evening meal we had the nominations for TWIT of the day. The award went to Tim for leaving his favourite sweater in the restaurant at the previous evening meal. It was only retrieved by the waitor running along the street to return it to Tim. Another contributory factor was his keenness to show Brian and Chris how to operate the hotel's guest washing machine.