DAY 18: Half Moon Bay State Park to Sunset State Beach.

August 20, 2018

STATS:

Distance: 75.83

Average Speed: 11.2 mph

Time Pedaling: 5:57:57

Maximum speed: 33.8 mph

Expenses: $43 (coffee, cookies, campsite, and a huge grocery haul in Santa Cruz)

Today was a pretty average day on the road. My morning started out overcast and chilly, with a decent wind out of the west. I was slow to get out of camp, but once I was I headed into Half Moon Bay to charge up, get some coffee, and use some wifi.

I left town at 10, and the going was immediately...drab. Gray skies. Mist falling. Unremarkable scenery. It was a bit of a slog for the first 30 miles.

I stopped to make lunch at Pie Ranch, an innovative farm that supports budding farmers. It was a pleasure to see their quaint shop and buy some shortbread. I also struck up conversation with two very encouraging women that both provided me with the inspiration to keep plugging away today.

After lunch I felt significantly recharged. I progressed south towards Santa Cruz, passing more and more verdant farmlands. It's always remarkable just how fertile California really is. Brussel sprouts, strawberries, lettuce, kale, and (I think) artichoke all lined my ride for the remainder of the day.

Another object that stood out on my ride was a ghost bike located just a few miles before the start of the Santa Cruz bike trail. Ghost bikes are bikes, painted white, that are placed at the location where a cyclist was killed. I've passed a few since Canada, but for whatever reason this one stood out to me and I became quite emotional. It's a simple tribute that encompasses so many emotions. I was reminded of how risky cycling can be, and how one's lasting memory can become just a simple wayside ghost bike in the mere blink of an eye. However, to let such fears inhibit one's desire to get out there and ride would be foolish. Rewards beget risks.

I eventually made my way through Santa Cruz, following a mix of bike trails, my own route, and the ACA maps. I always enjoy feeling confident enough to give it a go on my own. I stopped at Safeway to load up before a long stretch of few services before San Simeon. I was a little too gungho with my purchases, and ended up stuffing both my panniers and my pockets to the brim. My pants nearly fell off as I left the parking lot.

I rode the final few miles to Sunset State Beach, a unique campground in that it is completely surrounded by farmland. I set up alone at the hiker biker site and had a shower, with brief whiffs of strawberries from the neighboring fields blowing into my camp. I'm now using the park wifi to post this blog before I hit the hay.

Tomorrow it's on to Big Sur, which I have been looking forward to since starting my trip! Updates may be slow depending on cell service.

The road leading to camp. Brussel sprouts!

If you look close enough you'll see the fields I'm talking about.

Gas: passed

Today's ride: 76 miles (122 km)
Total: 1,318 miles (2,121 km)

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