Into Central California We Go

Todays ride took us from the Blackbird Inn in Cambria to Santa Maria. We averaged 15.6 mph on this 78 mile ride. Even though Gary and have been using sunblock, we are both very red after todays ride. As most of the guys I ride with know, I don't drink much when I ride, even though I know I should. Today, I went through 6 bottles of water and Gatorade.

The ride took us through Morro Bay and into San Louis Obispo, where we rode down the same street the Tour of California finished last week. From SLO, we headed for the coast and we lunched at a great Mexican restaurant in Pismo Beach. After Pismo, we heaped through Grover Beach – which by the way – offers our first opportunity to hop on the Amtrak and head home – which we did not take. Gary was showing remarkable speed this afternoon. We both feel it was the extra beans at lunch – whatever, it helped him to propel along at a great pace.

We then headed inland and we came to a spot on the map that we could not figure out why we would not just take a road that appeared to be 5 miles shorter – until we saw a 1500 foot steeeep climb that the mapped route took us around. We gladly followed the map and went through some huge estates outside of Arroyo Grande. After Arroyo, we dropped down into the growing fields of the Santa Maria valley and stopped for some of the sweetest oranges I have ever tasted. We then took advantage of the 23 mph tailwind to travel the last 7 miles into Santa Maria – tired and starting to feel the effects of 4 straight days of 70 miles plus. I still am refusing to give Gary a massage. Tonight, we make a big effort to stay up past 8:30.