May 12, 2012
Day 4 Redondo Beach to Dana Point 59 mi
Today was all about cars and people. They were everywhere! I think this is what we thought yesterday would be like so guess you could say we expected it. Our destination was to be Doheny State Park...we made it there but we didn't stay. I'll come back to that......The first 40 mi were as expected with the added joy of mostly tail winds and slight downhill. So we were moving right along. We made sure to have lots of fluids, food and sun screen on today - so there was no bonking today.
What we didn't count on was our estimate of the distance being off nearly ten miles (on the long side) and that the last 15 mi would have several hill climbs....the kind that are true to Calif 'steep and deep'. The traffic just by the sheer volume is amazing! The foot traffic in some places was as bad as the auto....this is one section of the Pacific Coast I do not need to ride again...once you hit Orange County the cars also change. No more Hondas or clunkers...everything is bright, new, big and many - many are unpronounceable by me. There is a lot of money in them there hills!
However that does not prevent them from trying to run you off the road. One woman had me chasing kids up on the sidewalk. She never saw me....really with that large yellow bag and me all in yellow! Huntington Beach goes on forever..the hills start around Newport and get really interesting near Lagua Beach. Maybe because it is Mothers Day weekend there were more people out. In Laguna watch out for cars and people on the road...also you have '0' shoulder in downtown Laguna. I was able to make it up the hill with an escort. A large semi truck let me take the lane and he stayed behind me blocking the cars!! What a nice thing to do!
The streets were covered at times with so much #%^* I have no idea how we avoided flats.....got to be those Contential Tours and City Ride tires.
Ok......do NOT plan on staying at Dohney. The park aids at the entrance told us at leat 5-6 times there were already two people in the H/B. No problem whe had 18once in a park in Oregon..we rode on down to the site and both of us just said NO WAY. It was maybe 20' in diameter-right behind the bath room, next to the train track, only one table, next to regular campers with full camp ground and the two there were maybe local homeless...who were already buzzed and talking non stop. There was no way. We found a hotel on the phone and were out of there (got our money back).
Tonight we had dinner with Gabrielle and Martin....Our daughter and her boyfriend. Was really nice to be able to visit with them on their home turf. Not many photos today.
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Today's ride: 59 miles (95 km)
Total: 179 miles (288 km)
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