Day 7 — Ventura to Los Angeles — Closing Ceremonies

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Jun 122010
 

The last leg of the the ride, down the coast along Malibu and in through Santa Monica to the Los Angeles Vets Center, where Closing Ceremonies occur.
Day 7 Ventura to LA, Closing Ceremonies
7:30am rode out. Into LA Vets Center at 2:00pm, Dis 61.0 mi, Av 13.1 mph, Tm 4hr 38 min, Oat 6hr 30min
Missed the 6:00am route opening (other days it has been 6:30am),
got out of camp closer to the 8:00am deadline.
Chicken Lady gets us up and going this last morning.

San Buenaventura State Beach campground, concrete silo restrooms in the morning light at ride out.

Morning light on the familiar concrete silos at Buenaventura Beach

Chicken Lady lays an egg on 2,200 saddles the morning of Day 7.

Chicken Lady’s 2,000 eggs, awaiting riders

This week you were a resident of the road. A conqueror of fear. A master of hills. An owner of love. A lover of life. A dream maker. A pursuer of dreams. A hero of the world. An angel on earth…..Love, Chicken Lady, ALC9

Cal Trans may have repaved most of Hwy 1 through Malibu this year the traffic, parked cars, road surfaces were all better than ever I enjoyed the stretch. At the rest stops, this being the last day, the crew gave out whole bars, instead of halves, of my favorite Crack bars (graham crackers sandwiching peanut butter and jelly filling). Along San Vicente Blvd. I snagged a muffin hand off from a bystander ate it, licking white marshmallow frosting off my bicycle glove.
Maryann at the Vet Center before Closing Ceremonies

Maryann Murphy before Closing Ceremonies, Los Angeles CA.

Luckily I got a spot near the riderless bicycle procession during Closing Ceremonies.
Afterwards, Ashe found me. I found my luggage.
We loaded the Volvo, drove home, stopping in Malibu for food.
I was in my own shower & bed by 7:30pm, luggage strewn around the room.
Another fantastic year!

Day 6 — Lompoc to Ventura — via Santa Barbara & Paradise Pit

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Jun 112010
 

(334,2,’2010-06-11 18:44:08′,’2010-06-12 01:44:08′,’

Today, we descend through Gaviota Pass gorge, and see friends in Santa Barbara (my hometown), where Rod Lathim and folks setup the Paradise Pit rest stop.
Day 6 Lompoc to Ventura
7:15am rode out, Cal Trans opened Hwy 101 Vista Point bridge to ALC9 riders at 9:30am. Into camp 6 at 5:15pm, Dis 87.7 mi, Av 14.0 mph, Tm 6hr 14 min, Oat 10hr 0 min

Recalled last year’s ride rained out Day 6, and we were bussed through Santa Barbara.
This year, I arrived at the CHP routine closing at mile 25.9 just as they opened the Vista Point bridge. From Tucker’s Grove, at mile 47.2, I carried my lunch sandwich onward to join Phyllis Anderson, Carol Preston, Ashe Coutts, Lynn Hurley, Jen Shaw, Rebekka and Claire Putnam at their picnic alongside Los Positas Road.

Jen Shaw & Lynn Hurley Santa Barbara CA.

 

Lauren Hawksworth, Tom, & Kim Liscombe at Paradise Pit Santa Barbara CA.

 

Tom & Thom Finni, at Paradise Pit

 

Tom, Mark Bennett, & Otto at Paradise Pit

 

Marilyn Makepeace & Tom at Paradise Pit

 

Steve Dawson & Tom at Paradise Pit

 

Angels & Tom at Paradise Pit

 

Jim & Sallie Dougherty of the Lobero Theatre Foundation, & Tom outside Stacky\’s Seaside in Summerland CA.

 

Lunch II, Stacky\’s Seaside Summerland CA.

Day 5 –Santa Maria to Lompoc — Red Dress Day!!

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Jun 102010
 

Today’s ride was from Santa Maria to Lompoc. About 10 miles after leaving Santa Maria I passed some paramedics helping one of our cyclists who had fallen with what appeared to be a head injury. Hopefully, all will turn out well.

The Red Dress outfits were great. I took lots of pictures and movies in camp and throughout the day. Check back here in the coming week when I have the time and technology to post some.

More winds today with very strong head winds along Santa Rosa Road as we were approaching Lompoc, so much so that I was even having to pedal hard, head down, on the downhill sections.

Tomorrow we ride through Santa Barbara and I will be able to see some friends and very familiar roads.Day 5 Santa Maria to Lompoc 7:00am rode out. Into camp 5 at 2:40pm, Dis 65.3 mi, Av 12.2 mph, Tm 5hr 20min, Oat 7hr 40minrn(head wind from mile 50 through mile 65)

Red Dress Day

Clue, first thing, dropping off the tent and luggage at the truck, this was no ordinary day!

Truck G crew, Day 5, Red Dress Day

 

air in the tires, a morning ritual

What’s this, the Sisquoc Store is for sale?

A favorite stop, although there are not many other choices around this part of the woods.

Sunlit, clear, mild weather…through beautiful Foxen Canyon. A prim doyen in red suit, white gloves & pearls ushered cyclists into a winery rest stop.

Bear to your left, and mind the exiting traffic, …dearies.

 

Ok, now back to work!

 

Church and cemetary on upper Foxen Canyon Road, Santa Ynez CA.

 

Colt rolling and frolicking in the meadow at Alamo Pintado Rd. miniature horse farm

rnrn//rnTurning west onto Santa Rosa Road, strong headwinds made for plodding … crunched pedals to make headway going down hill. The headwind lasted most of the way into camp. It was a hard day’s work.rnrnps. At dinner the man next to me said he has paramedic training and had been one of the first to come upon the morning accident (It was one of the worst he had seen.) Possibly clothing had caught in the front wheel, cartwheeling the woman and bicycle, she may have landed on her head (was wearing a helmet) and seemed to be unconscious for 4 minutes, possibly suffered a concussion. Awaiting the ambulance, a FedEx sponsor/escort truck parked in the traffic lane to shield her. She was talking and had opened her eyes when I passed. I don’t know how it turned out.

This is what I wore most of Day 5

 

Day 4 — Paso Robles to Santa Maria
We pass the halfway point to L.A.

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We pass the halfway point to L.A.
Jun 092010
 

Day 4 Paso Robles to Santa Maria
6:45am rode out. Into camp 4 at 3:50pm, Dis 94.4 mi, Av 14.4 mph, Tm 6hr 32min, Oat 9hr 15min
(head wind from mile 80 through 95)

Hurray – Yeah! After a morning climb up the “Evil Twins” we arrived at the “Half Way 2 L.A.” point with the sun out and beautiful, clear weather. Great for lots of photos and celebration.

Afterward there was a long, very enjoyable descent then on into Santa Maria for the night. Today’s journey was 98 miles which I did in 9 hours and 15 minutes, a “short” day time wise so I could leisurely put up the tent, eat dinner, then back for seconds !, shower, and set out my red dress outfit for tomorrow.

Tomorrow — Red Dress Day!

 

Morning line, taken while peeling off clothing layers, in the warming sunlight.

Morning lineup

The summit of the second of the Evil Twin hills, was ‘Half Way 2 LA’.

Tim Alt of Baltimore

img 1625, Tim Alt of Baltimore

Tom, Half Way 2 LA, Day 4

img 1628, Tom at Half point

Maryann Murphy

img 1633, Maryann Murphy at Cuesta College San Luis Obispo lunch stop

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I soaked in the agriculture and coast scenery the first 20 miles. Talked with a young cyclist about how current 20 and 30 year olds perceive AIDS, protease inhibitors, and how HIV affects/effects their lives.

Day 3 — King City to Paso Robles – HOT!’

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Jun 082010
 

(218,2,’2010-06-08 19:00:07′,’2010-06-09 02:00:07′,’HOT Temperatures today.

After a cool morning go at “Quad Buster”, a sustained mile at 10% grade, we arrived at the tiny town of Bradley for a barbecue hamburger lunch at the elementary school with our purchased meals benefiting the school.

The next stop at Mission San Miguel showed years of earthquake retrofitting and other repairs are complete and all is now back to normal. Leaving the Mission brought a hot 90 degree ride down a very bumpy section of Highway 101 then along back roads that ended in camp at the Paso Robles Fairgrounds. Where the camping area last year was all lawn it’s now hardpan, apparently for water conservation. We are pitching our tents on hardpan!

Tonight was laundry night – At dinner my vegetarian friends asked me for my second helpings of chicken.

What a day!

Day 3 King City to Paso Robles
6:55am rode out. Into camp 3 at 1:45pm, Dis 61.7 mi, Av 13.9 mph, Tm 4hr 26min, Oat 6hr 45min
Quadbuster hill at mile 10.8 took some effort this year. I carried cash to buy the town of Bradley’s postcards, schoolchildren’s pins , hamburgers,
and Mission San Miguel’s postcards.

img 1590

Bradley CA fundraising BBQ

 

Chris Fava and Tom, at Bradley CA

Chris Fava & Tom, Bradley CA.

Answered the Mission San Miquel gift shop cashier’s questions about the AidsLifeCycle Ride. While buying postcards, I learned from a long time rider, Day 5 was originally Dress in Red Day, the red line of cyclists being a symbol of the AIDS Red Ribbon. It morphed, to RED DRESS DAY.

Recharging at the Paso Robles fairgrounds

Laundry time (5-gallon bucket style) at fairgrounds

Michael LeCorte, sporting tan lines, and friend at fairgrounds

Michael LeCorte and diner friend

Dan and Silvia at fairgrounds

Tom\’s tentmate Dan, and his friend Silvia

 

Day 2 — Santa Cruz to King City — 108 miles, whew!

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Jun 072010
 

Today’s ride was the longest of the week, 108 miles. I did it in nine hours. The trick this year was getting out at the opening of the starting gate, riding out at 6:30 a.m., a terrific idea as it turned out.

It was a very windy day. Great when it was coming from behind as a tail wind but very challenging when from the front or side. At one point when the winds were coming from the side a semi truck came by that sucked me first into the traffic lane then, immediately after passing, I was sucked off the roadway and onto the gravel shoulder. Luckily I was able to maintain my balance and not fall.

Day 2 Santa Cruz to King City
6:40am rode out. Into camp 2 at 3:45pm, Dis 106.0 mi, I accidentally erased my bicycle’s computer, Oat 9hr 5min
The 6:40am was my earliest ride out time to date. I rode out of Santa Cruz ahead of the commuter traffic. I left Dan burrowed in his sleeping bag. Had yet to see him in day light.
Saw Ginger Brewlay flanked by Deloitte cyclists at the artichoke stand.

Ginger Brewlay, flanked by Deloitte cyclists, at the artichoke stand

img 1550
and big farm cutouts towering over small cutups

Catching lettuce

img 1554
Wrote to my brothers on the altar cloth at Mission La Soledad.

Mission La Soledad

///

////

Skinny dipped under the green bridge, had a cookie from the Cookie Lady and the newly weds,

img 1571, img 1568

timed the roller coaster hills (race down, coast up) the last 10 miles into King City (actually enjoyed them this year). Signed up to receive a massage. First daytime meeting with Dan (or was it the next morning?).

Day 1 — San Francisco to Santa Cruz — The Adventure Begins!

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Jun 062010
 

This morning it all began. The day’s outset from the Cow Palace was very foggy but by the time we’d ridden 60 miles to the third rest stop the day was sunny and looking to be warm and beautiful on down to Santa Cruz our first overnight.

7:00am rode out of the Cow Palace. Into camp 1 at 2:00pm
Dis 79.4 mi Av 15.9 mph Tm unrecorded (knocked computer out of commission)

I was moved by the rider-less bicycle (for those who can’t ride and those who have passed on) during Opening Ceremonies.

Opening Ceremonies inside the Cow Palace, Daly City

I used my fingers as windshield wipers for my riding glasses. The dew/fog was thick the first 60 miles. Police escorted us, and we had multiple riding lanes from the Palace to the SF/San Mateo County line.

Fog and lunch at San Gregorio State Beach

I got to camp, set up the tent, met Silvia and Betsy who said they were friends of my tent mate Dan, showered, ate, and turned in.

Camp 1 Harvey West Park Ball Field, Santa Cruz CA. I got the dirt infield.

Chris Fava and fellow Motorcycle support rider, back at camp 1

Chris Fava and fellow motorcycle support guy

 

 

Around 9pm my tent mate climbed in, we shook hands, introduced ourselves ‘Nice to meet you. I’m Tom. Hello, I’m Dan”, and fell asleep.

Travel & Orientation Day at the Cow Palace

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Jun 052010
 

Travel day/Orientation day

6:15am departed Santa Barbara with Ashe and his Volvo. Pulled into the Alpine Inn, Daly City at 11:00am. Walked over to the Cow Palace at 12:00noon

Taking the bicycle to drop off at the Cow Palace

Tent assignment told me I’d meet my tent mate at Camp 1.

Met newbie Maryann of the Chlorox Co./ Oakland, reconnected with Tim of Baltimore. Ashe bought me an ALC9 baseball cap. We lunched at Joe’s Cable Car burger stand, Mission Street. We visited the next door auto body shop.

We bought tomorrow’s Starbuck’s Turkey muffin & Juice breakfast.
,

Recent ALC9 donors

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May 272010
 

I want to get these names out there, in appreciation. Their donations help.

Steve K. McGuire

Kim Liscombe

Wendy Foster

Mark Sargent

I’ll hand deliver their check Orientation Day Saturday June 5th.

We start riding from San Francisco June 6th,

pass through Santa Barbara Friday June 11th,

and end in Los Angeles Saturday June 12th.

I have yet to pack my bag(s).

Tom does what?!

 AidsLifeCycle 2010, All Catagories  Comments Off on Tom does what?!
May 272010
 

(173,2,’2010-05-27 14:51:05′,’2010-05-27 21:51:05′,’For those who ask what I eat and do to keep up, the New Sugar Busters book pretty well sums it up.

I will add to this post, later, laying out the highlights of it.

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