The Big Sur

Yesterday was hectic, but also my best day of riding thus far. The Sea Otter was unbelieveable; thousands of people, hundreds of booths, races all around. The bicycles on display were surreal and incredibly expensive, especially the Triathlon bikes. I had a lot on my mind (for a touring cyclist) but still enjoyed it a great deal.

Around 4:30 in the afternoon I decided to shoot for the Andrew Molera State Park near Big Sur, the best decision I've made. I somehow threw a cotter pin from my trailer that would have been extremely hazardous if the trailer came loose riding Sur, but luckily I found out only 1/2 mile from the last shopping center and was able to replace it. Relief! I bought an extra in case it happens again. The cotter pin holds the fork down for the trailer, and had the fork come loose it would have destroyed my rear axle and sent me flying over the handlebars, probably into the ocean!

I rode Big Sur as the sun set to the west over the ocean; I could hear the waves crashing on the beach below me, sometimes 200 feet straight down from where I rode. It was breathtaking and I couldn't stop smiling. I rode over huge bridges and tall, curving mountains flanked by grassy plateaus, with no buildings in sight and hardly a car. I got to Andrew Molera at 7:35 (the sun was projected to set at 7:47!)

I met a couple who had been cycling from Seattle with their dog in a Burley trailer. They were in their late 20s, and the woman cycled professionally. A man from Santa Barbara had offered to share his camp site with them, and allowed me to stay as well. I pitched my tent quickly and joined a group gathered around a campfire, including two girls riding up from LA to San Francisco and a couple from the Bay Area.

We enjoyed wine and trail mix, and exchanged stories from the road until the fire burnt out. It was excellent.