Los Angeles, CA to Irvine, CA
58 miles
So I left Los Angeles on a day of epic rains - I couldn't have asked for a better day to start this journey. The rains cleansed the city of its detritus and I felt a renewed vigor with every splash of water on my face. Sans-fender, I loved riding through the city drenched with life. It was very difficult leaving home; watching my parents disappear in the distance, and crossing the threshold at the edge of town were moments that really made me reflect on the gravity of my decisions.
Pam rode her bicycle to Long Beach with me, which made a lot of things easier. Laughing and then crying, and then reminiscing days gone by, I was very happy to have her along the first few moments of the voyage.
I ended the day fording through heavy streams and fertilizer run-off in the Irvine wetlands. It was how I imagined some of the more eventful and challenging days to be like. I spent the evening at Alex's place and had dinner at my favorite vegan restaurant, The Wheel of Life.
The night ended with my mind spinning in thoughts of the day, friends, the night before, the trials coming up, the lessons coming up. I felt ready. It was good.
Day 2:
Irvine, CA to Encinitas, CA
75 miles
Alex rode with me to Oceanside, reminding me how sluggish I was with my 42 lbs of gear trailing behind me. His exuberant personality and warm company kept me smiling the whole day, as we enjoyed a perfect post-storm ride day. The clouds billowing against the horizon and lazily sauntering over the nearby hillsides made for an image of dramatic contrasts. A swift tailwind propelled us down the road and the crisp air was a blessing beyond measure.
My first fall, a spill down a muddy wash left me looking like a hardcore adventurer. My clothes dirtied and my bike well worn, I was now savoring everything about being on the road.
I spent the evening at San Elijo State Beach with two other bicycle travelers: Aaron, who was riding from Seattle to San Diego, and Bill, who started in San Francisco. I concluded that if every day of my journey turned out to be like this one, I think I made the right decision.
Day 3:
Encinitas, CA to San Diego, CA
26 miles
Met up with Sablove and Tank at UCSD and enjoyed a wonderful ride around La Jolla and Pacific Beach. The sky finally cleared up and it was finally feeling like Southern California again.
We ended my last day in America performing sun salutations as the sun dipped down the not-so-infinite horizon.
1 comment:
hugs and lots of Love to ya! :)
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