Another 7:45am leaving camp late day. Fed myself well, got past the Malibu Hwy 1 car doors, and around 3:00 pm piled into Ashe’s Volvo for a food stop at Dume grocery (Malibu) and home to a real bed.
Another great AIDSLifeCycle ride complete.
Dis 62.8 miles, Av 13.9 mph, Tm 4 hr 30 min, Oat 5hr 30 min
One job-well-done, tired rider (Vets Center, Los Angeles…..end of the ALC-2013 545-mile ride)
Started the day with a flat in the camp! On the road at 7:45am, an all time late start.
Saw fellow Santa Barbaran, Andy, at the regrouping Vista Point…he is such a strong dude, he cracked his bike frame (Cannondale, an ALC sponsor loaned him a bike for the ride duration).
Carried my Girsh Park lunch with me to meet friends at Los Positas and Modoc Rds, in Santa Barbara. Arrived in Ventura camp at 5:15
Dis 89.1 miles, Av 15.0 mph, Tm 5 hr 55 min, OAT 10 hr 10 min
Total miles traveled : 481.3 (88.8% of total route)
Yvette and Andy (the guy who broke his bike frame), at bike repairs, Vista Point.
Carol, Tom, Carla at Las Positas & Modoc Rd, Santa Barbara
Tom & Ashe
Phyllis (102 years old) & Tom
Rod Lathim, founder of Paradise Pit for 15 years, serving up McConnell’s ice cream.
Assembled the Red Helmet (yes, definitely a task better done the night before), dressed, and got on the road. Weather a bit on the cool side, so started with non-red outer layers to keep warm (Leg warmers, Patagonia vest, long sleeve shirt. As the day progressed, the layers never came off. Red did not show on Tom all day, until setting up the tent in camp. Good day as far as no winds and no aches or pains. Tented off the grid, at lake front plot. There were sounds and sights of frogs, ducks, and geese. Next year, stake out the East lake front grove. Ate two dinners.
Dis 43.1 miles, Av 12.3 mph, Tm 3 hr 30 min, Oat 5 hr 30 min
Total miles traveled 397.0 (73.2% of total route)
Dropping off our bags, before the day’s ride.
Two minutes ago she still wore red high heels, while working the ramp all morning.
Don’t know any of these folk, hooded or not.
Lobster in the breakfast line.
Shelley Brayton, alias Wonder Woman, also answers to the name of Michael’s sister.
Jack and Martin arrive in camp parking.
Keep an eye on those shoes and hems.
Cantilever bicycle heels, …what did you expect?
Poodle dresses….
Is that a ‘No way is it going to fly’ voice I hear?
And we have ‘Blast off’…..a successful launch.
Red riders, seen as the AIDS red-ribbon symbol,….a bit stretched out , but still a moving red ribbon.
Ate at Duckie-s Chowder in Cayucos. (Big bowl of New England Clam Chowder plus a hamburger….next time ask for milk). Took along Cuesta College lunch bag (mile 49.5), and ate it at rest stop #3, the PG&E Comm Center (mile 61.2). Worked great.
Climbed Quadbuster, saw sunny view of the coastline from Half Way to LA, sunny sky the entire descent to Cambria.
Right knee had little strength and was tired of the Rollers miles: mile 6.7 through mile 98 at the end of the day. Good news: No bad wind at Guadalupe, and no bunching up or riders (no crowded feeling). That night I was too tired and it was too late to assemble my Red Dress Day 5 helmet…Will do that the morning of Day 5.
Total miles traveled 355.0 (65.5% of total route)
Dis 98.3 mi, Av 13.7 mph, Tm 7 hr 10 min, Oat 10 hr 15 min.
Lunch 1 at Duckies’s Chowder, Cayucos, CA
San Lorenzo County Park, King City to Paso Robles Fairgrounds. Rear tire blew while airing up to leave King City camp. Magdalene and a guy helped me change it. Got out just before Cut Off. Headwind mile 50 thru 66, (Headwind starting from exiting Camp Roberts all the way into camp at Paso Robles). Another long day.
Right Knee pain 2.5/10.0 the whole day.
At the small town of Bradley I just donated money to the school fundraisers. The bbq hamburger line was too long. Mission San Miguel, just a short rest stop this year for me.
While walking my bicycle into parking at the fairgrounds, I was handed Paolo’s letter.
Total miles 257.3 (47.5% of total route)
Dis 65.4 mi, Av 12.3 mph, Tm 5 hr 12 min, Oat 8 hr 40 min.
Santa Barbara rider, Yvette Keller….a different helmet color each day.
I appreciated Santa Cruz’s new bicycle paths, and moving out of the city a little faster. I skipped Salinas’s bad lunch stop food and ate at the Artichoke Wagon (mile 47.7) . The Artichoke Muffin and pork burrito were good. Later went inside the Mission La Soledad (mile 81.3). I also saw the Cookie Lady, in the tent area.
Total miles traveled 190 (35.2% of total route)
Dis 110.0 mi, Av 15.0 mph, Tm 7 hr 18 min, Oat 12 hr 20 min.
Right knee pain 1.0/10.0 for last quarter of the ride; a long day, skipped evening shower.
![](\"http://www.tomnelson.org/alc/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IMG_4191.jpg" "IMG_4191")
Altar women place memorial altar cloths………..you can go up to and touch…..
Cow Palace, Daly City to Harvey West Park
Dis 85.0 mi (15.2% of total ride), Av 14.5 mph, Mx 40.6 mph, Odo 173.3, Tm 5 hr 52 min, Oat 7 hr 30 min
Slept in too late, walked the Monster gear bag over to the Cow Palace, checked it into the wrong transport truck, Ashe & I watched Opening Ceremonies, sat a long time in the bathroom, Was one of the last riders out of the Palace. Overcast, drippy, day some sun, no rain.
Arrived at the Cow Palace in the dark morning hours.
Tom, tote bag, and the Monster bag.
Monster ready to board the ‘wrong truck’….I did find him at the end of the day.
Opening Ceremonies inside the Cow Palace…likely the march of the Riderless bicycle……
Lunch stop at San Gregorio State Beach, mile 44.2, 11:30 to 12:00.
ALC riders from Santa Barbara: Andy Schumacher and Jack Azar.
Jack and his helmet mascot.
Ashe and I drove up to check in for this year’s ride. Load Volvo at Monterey St. 6:30 to 6:45am. No roof rack, Giant inside with (1) beach towel & (1) sheet. Drove non-stop SB to Daly City in 5 hours and 30 minutes, 6:45 to 12:15. Arrive at Chipolte-Daly-City for lunch 12:15 to 1:00pm. Check in with debit card at Alpine Inn high parking lot. Walk Giant (E-ticket, CDL ID) to Cow Palace . Bike drop, Safety Video, Orientation check in and tent chip. Finish Cow Palace at 3:30pm. Get Alpine Inn keys, unload Volvo, and drive to E-bike shop 3:30 to 4:00pm. Try E-bike, eat at Joe’s Cable Car Burger, buy Starbuck’s LCT Turkey Muffins and O.J. (Best to have already bought these in SB) , back to Alpine Inn, 4:00 to 6:45pm. Set out Day 1 kit, tote, inflate Aero-bed, routine (Best to be done and lights out at 7:00pm) 6:45 to 8:45pm.
Casey of Team Ventura, puts back together shipped bicycles, outside the Cow Palace bike drop-off.
Handing over the Giant to Cow Palace overnight parking….where it waits for the starting Ride Out tomorrow early morning.
Tom and Ashe as Evil Twins: a nickname for two challenging back-to-back hills.
Arrange tent mates ahead of time, or its potluck.
Cannondale sponsored pro-cyclist Peter Sagan at the green Cannondale tent.
