Monday 26 November 2007

Today was our chance to take it easy and to take a bit of time to look around town, so that's what we did. Leaving the hostel we rode around town, enjoying the look feel of the place and stopping for a quick look in a very large, three story bookstore. The roads were almost deserted as the place started to come to life, the one way streets and bike lane's making it easy to ride around.

Passing a huge Morton Bay Fig tree, allegedly the largest in the USA, and big enough to shade 1,000 people under its branches at midday we spotted some "homes" set up in the drain system that runs under the freeway, interestingly enough, many had bicycles for their mode of transport.

Passing the tree we rode down to the waterfront where we inspected the marina with its expensive yachts, motor launches and historic vessels before we enjoyed a trip down the bike path that runs between the beach and the palm tree lined grass and the road. A quick trip up the wharf saw us talking with a man called Stan. Stan had ridden from Florida to raise awareness of visceral fat which results from sedentary lifestyle. We enjoyed a chat about cycle touring, swapped a few stories, took a few photos and then he gave us some of his Adventure Cycling Maps for the trip across to the Atlantic. Stan's blog is here. Stopping near the public toilets we immediately spotted a number of bicycles, all with large packages in them and some people near them exercising.

For some time we had been hearing about a team of musicians who were traveling down the coast carrying their instruments on their bicycles and even powering their amplifier by pedal power. The group we had just met were in fact, the musicians, or some of them. These guys and gals are riding extracycle's which are bicycles with that extra bit on the back, enough extra for them to be carrying drums and even a cello! Yes, a cello!

Is that a violin in there?

Cello on the back, drums on the front and a mask to keep the pollution at bay

Yes, she has wings on her shoulders.

That's the Cello in the blue wrap, next to the bamboo didgeridoo's.

Leaving our musician's after a short ride with them we found our way to Trader Joe's a store that we like to shop in (because it's cheap) before we made our way along the coast towards Carpinteria, all the time enjoying the ocean view on the other side of the freeway, and the sunshine, oh yes, the sunshine. A nice relaxing day in the sunshine among the palm trees next to the water - that is Southern California.

Today's Stats

From: Santa Barbara

To:Carpinteria

Ride Time:
1 hrs 54 min's

Distance:
24.82 km's

Av Speed:
12.90 km/h

Max Speed:
35.50 km/h

Max Altitude:
48 m

Av Climb:  2 %

Max Climb:  10 %

Weather: 10-21 deg C. Sunny.

Camp Location:

N: 34°24'17.9"

W: 119°31'57.9"

Tuesday 27 November 2007

Leaving Carpinteria we rode along the highway, bike paths and local roads until we arrived at 3-2-Go The Trike Store where we were warmly greeted by Wayne and Kay, owners and operators of the store.

Tuesday 27 November 2007 to Sunday 02 December 2007

Wayne and Kay are quite heavily involved with the recumbent fraternity in their area and with a large group in town they are kept quite busy. We are staying with them for the next few days while we re-group, re-supply and re-organise ready for the next part of the trip which will see us pass through the desert as we head towards Phoenix Arizona.

During our stay we have bought a new tent because of the old one's poles breaking, returned the old one and we have carried out some much needed and required trike maintenance. Taking advantage of the fact that we are staying with people who not only ride trikes, but maintain and sell them, and they have much better facilities to work in than a campsite, we managed to replace tyres on both trikes, the failing bottom bracket on Pip, tune gears, replace cables, and brake pads and generally gave both trikes the once over.

Lunch over we began the return trip, downhill and a blast despite the headwind that slowed us somewhat. Before long and all too soon, we had arrived back at the car park where we started and all that was left was to ride back to 3-2-Go The Trike Store, replace the trikes in their racks and to head back to Wayne & Kay's. We had enjoyed a great days ride and some equally great company. More information on the Ventura Recumbent Riders can be found at www.vcrr.org or http://www.vcrr.org/news.htm

Wayne

Kay

Pete

Linda

and the whole bunch after lunch.

Today's Stats

From: Carpinteria

To: Ventura

Ride Time:
2 hrs 6 min's

Distance:
31.78  km's

Av Speed:
15 km/h

Max Speed:
41 km/h

Max Altitude:
10 m

Av Climb:  2 %

Max Climb:  7 %

Weather: 8-18 deg C. Sunny.

Camp Location:

N: 00°00'00.0"

W: 000 °00'00.0"

Sunday 02 December 2007

Leaving Ventura today and the wonderfully generous, friendly people that we had stayed with was hard. Wayne and Kay had made us feel so special and had spoilt us rotten (as have all the people we have stayed with in Alaska, Canada, and the US) that leaving town was hard, but life on the road beckoned yet again.

Packing up and launching from their shop 3-2-Go- The Trike Store, we rode through the streets with Wayne, Kay, Rich and Dan, working our way towards Santa Clarita. Taking the back roads, shopping mall car parks and shortcuts allowed us to remain out of the traffic for quite some time before we were left with no alternative but to get among the vehicles. Thankfully there was a shoulder to ride on as we made our way out of the shopping areas and housing estates having met John Axen along the way.

They say that everyone in the world has a twin, and John's twin is undoubtedly Santa Claus, his long white beard, white hair and glasses all genuine and Santa like. Added to which John helps his twin each year by working as Santa at various places, often for charity.

Stopping for lunch at the Santa Paula airport the group of us sat inside enjoying our last meal and time together before Dan took over as ride escort and director, as he took us another 35km up the road to an an RV Park near Santa Clarita that Santa was arranging accommodation for us in.

Riding through the regions citrus crops was interesting, the terrain flat with the occasional rise to reduce our speed somewhat. The hills off to our right basking in the sunlight and making for a pleasant view as we rode past so much citrus, all of which is irrigated by the nearby river.

Working our way up through the long canyon and past the citrus we eventually came to the County Line where we left the Ventura and entered the Los Angeles County, climbing a few small hills as we did so. And then, just as we wondered if the RV park really did exist there it was, like a mirage in the desert, RV's of all shapes, sizes, colours and makes.

Dan was ahead of us and as we pulled into the drive he informed us that we needed to talk to the guy in a Jeep Cherokee sitting in front of us as he had a site all organised. The vehicle was covered in logos and in our tired state we thought it was the local TV or radio station - oh no a media interview! The driver said to follow him and so after farewelling Dan we followed behind the jeep, wondering what we were getting ourselves into, eventually arriving at a large RV painted with logos and a picture of a Phoenix rising.

Greeted by a man (Dave) a woman (Laquita) and the jeep driver (Aaron) we were gobsmacked to find out that Santa really did his job well. Santa (John) had gone to the RV park to arrange our site and to try and negotiate a cheaper price for us only to be told that they don't take tent's anymore, but then he saw and RV pull in with bikes on the back and had mustered enough boldness and courage to talk to them about us and our need for a place to stay. Aaron and family then telling him we could stay with them.

Looking around and with the light beginning to fade, Joanne and I asked where we could put the tent, only to be told by Aaron that we could stay IN the RV tonight! Parking the trikes under the awning we were ushered into the bus and where we found an incredibly comfortable place to stay, complete with a gas fired fireplace and fire!

Aaron, we found out was recovering from a spinal cord injury which we obtained after a motorcycle accident in 2000. With a broken neck and motorcross career, Aaron and his family set about getting his life back on track, albeit in a direction that had not been planned. There is much we could say about Aaron, but his website http://www.aaronbakers.com says it best.

What we can tell you about Aaron is that he is an inspiration and total pleasure to be around. In the face of huge adversity, pain and loss, he has indeed risen out of the ashes like a Phoenix. Aaron is one, if not - THE most inspired, motivated, committed, focused and unequivocally generous people we have ever met. His drive to succeed and win on the track is now focused on his desire to help others rise above their situation, no matter what their adversity. Take some time to visit and read about this at http://www.aaronbakers.com/foundation.

Aaron and his Mum, Laquita had worked hard at getting him back moving and back on a bike, this time a tandem, and after 2 years of trial and tribulation Aaron and a team of his buddies took off on the Rise Above Tour, a cycle ride across the USA. Take some more time and visit the site that records that - http://www.riseabovetour.com/

We spent quite some time enjoying our new found friends company, a shower, washing our clothes and Laquita's fabulous cooking, all the time sitting in the RV in the warm as the evening dew settled on things outside. Santa turned up and we spent some time chatting with him about recumbent's and all sorts of things.

Santa, Dave and Laquita left and we were left with Aaron, spending more time together chatting about his tour across the US, his planned tour back across and our, past, present and future before we all hit the hay - it had been quite a day!

Today's Stats

From: Ventura

To: Valencia RV Park

Ride Time:
4 hours 51 minutes

Distance:
74.4 km's

Av Speed:
15.3 km/h

Max Speed:
40.7 km/h

Max Altitude:
292m

Av Climb: 2 %

Max Climb: 5 %

Weather: 6-18 deg C. Sunny

Camp Location:

N: 34°25'47.4"

W: 118°37'26.9"

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