Saturday, January 10, 2009

Nomad No More


Silver City, NM. 30 December 2008.

Congratulations, you have made it to Bakersfield in time for Christmas.  Spend the Holidays in your aunts house surrounded by cousins and their kids.  Take your grandpa out for french toast breakfast.  You catch a ride with your Dad down to San Diego, then to Joshua tree.  Spend a few days hiking and climbing on the rocks before heading home to New Mexico.  Store your bikes and trailers, and consider taking a climbing trip next time. 

A BIg Kid's Playground


Monterey, CA

(spend your last day in Monterey at the Bay Aquarium, which you explore from roof to basement, watching sea otters, finding tree frogs, and searching for the sea dragons)

Day: 22 Dec 2008
Weather: sunny, breezy
Health: acting like a kid in a candy store
Food: free pancakes :)
Next Landmark: Bakersfield, CA
Distance Traveled: Just shy of 800
Big Sur State Park, CA.  21 December 2008

The electric cable snaps down the road, creating a small wildfire, and cutting off electricity to the community.  You spend the night huddled under piles of blankets, hoping it doesn't snow.  Wake in the morning to hot cider, clear skies, and an adventure in the Andrew Molera State Park.  There you witness a scene from "The Birds," spy a wildcat, lend your map to a lost family, and avoid the rain by playing gin rummy under the outhouse roof.

California + Fire = Burnt Big Sur


Fernwood Resort in Big Sur, CA

(catch the bus to Big Sur, bike to the national park to find out it is closed due to fire damage, go to the beach instead, befriend a local with a dog that chases seagulls and scares small children)

Day: 20 Dec 2008
Weather: california sunshine :)
Health: looking forward to a warm hotel room
Food: free pancakes with peanut butter mmm
Next Landmark: Monterey, back down the mountain
Distance Traveled: 765 miles

Strawberry Fields Forever

Monterey, California

 (eat the most amazing strawberries in the world, follow potholes mud plastered farmer roads, wonder why there isnt a ferry across the bay) 

Day: 18 Dec 2008
Weather: sun, cloudy, rain, sun, looming storm
Health: wondering if monterey is really 11, no 6, no 12, no 20 miles away-  you think the highway patrol should figure out what is wrong with their odometer
Food: trailmix and cliff bars
Next Landmark: Big Sur, um up the huge mountian
Distance Traveled: 765.7ish miles

Scenic Rating: 9


Sunset Beach, CA 

(leave late from SC to hit up the bike shop, meander along next to the ocean, you are the only ones in the campground so you get the "sunny spot")

Day: 17 Dec 2008
Weather: Off and on rain and sunshine
Health: brrr, impressed with surfers in the wintery surf
Food: couscous and a bad brand of instant chai
Next Landmark: Monterey, still ahead 
Distance Traveled: 720ish miles

SurfCity (Almost)

Santa Cruz, CA

(pass by a brussel sprout packaging plant, a snowman!, and surfing paradise. watch the christmas trees strapped to the top of cars whizz by, wonder if everyone in SC really is crazy or if it's just you)

Day: 16 Dec 2008
Weather: sunshine! whoooo
Health: teeth chattering and windblown 
Food: $1 pizzas downtown sc
Next Landmark: Monterey, some miles
Distance Traveled: 702 miles

Winter Wins the Race


Pigeon Point, CA

You have reached Pigeon Point Lighthouse!  It is raining buckets outside, and doesn't show signs of stopping. You are 30 miles from civilization, you can:

1. Brave the road with poor visibility, a slippery surface, and terrified due to a fall Lo had yesterday.
2. Hole up in the Hostel, not leaving the warm and safe indoors except to sit in the Hot Tub. 
3. Sign up for another night at the hostel and spend the day jumping in tide pools.
4. Hitch a ride to Santa Cruz with a crazy lady you met in the hostel.

Which do you choose?  3.  

---
You chose to stay in the hostel, and explore the local ecosystems.  You bike to lunch (about 3 miles away) when the sun shows its face, however you were unlucky enough to get soaked on the way back.  Celebrate with a soak in the Hot Tub.  

On the Road Again

Montara, CA

(start out on the road again after almost a week in San Fran with Mini&EO doing touristy things in addition to making pipecleaner ornaments and playing little big planet, meet up with a good friend in Montara)

Day: 13 Dec 2008
Weather: Raining, chilly, sun-streaked
Health: well rested 
Food: Indian and 22 oz beers
Next Landmark: Santa Cruz, 60 miles
Distance Traveled: 636 miles