Bike Ride

This morning, after finishing reading Stewart's book (I'll talk about that later), I went on a bike ride to Huntington Beach today. HB was not initially my destination - but when I got to Pacific Coast Highway, where I had to cross the street (the bike path was flooded), I started following this group of three guys (two of them on road bikes and in full road bike regalia. The one guy who was riding a mountain bike, and in sweats and a t-shirt crossed the street with me - hey, that's a crazy place to cross! I was glad of the company - and for awhile I kept up with him but then they lost me), and then suddenly I was a little confused. I knew the bike path to Seal Beach was around there someplace but somehow I couldn't find it. Instead I stayed on PCH, which was quite an adventure. There's a nice wide bike path there and lots of stuff to look at, but I felt very unsafe. The speed limit for cars is 55 miles an hour, but I ask you, when was the last time you drove the speed limit on PCH? Whoosh! was the sound in my ears. And I couldn't turn around and go back because the highway is divided and there's a big wall down the middle. I kept telling myself - at the next light, turn around and go home if it's too scary, but every time I'd get to a point where that was conceivable, another group of cyclists would engulf me and I'd get all fired up again. Still not really keeping up, but they were inspirational.

I have to admit that though I grew up in West Los Angeles, I'm pretty hazy when it comes to the names of the beaches and beach communities. At some point I got sick of PCH and headed to the right, where I found myself on one of those bike-friendly one way streets that serve the people lucky enough to live a few hundred yards from the ocean. I just kept heading (south? away from home). Not a lot of speed through here but I was getting a little tired (this was about 15 miles into my ride, and there was a lot of wind). Finally I took a break (and a photo) and drank a bunch of water. I considered going back (my goal was for a 30 mile ride, at least, and at this point I was guaranteed at least that), but then another gang of cyclists whizzed by, and I hopped back on my bike.

Heading further south, it's not a real bike path. Or maybe it is, but it's called a "multi-use path" in those parts. I had forgotten that today is Saturday, and there were a lot of people out, so it was almost as treacherous as PCH had been.

One thing I really like about riding in areas like this is people watching. I saw a couple of sea captains, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (20 years into the future), cute dogs, Balloon Boy, surfers in various states of undress. I  was chewed up and spat out by several large groups of sparkly cycling groups, whistled at by a (presumably drunk and/or blind) dude in a huge truck, and I almost ran over a woman and her dog (dog saw me, woman didn't). I love those surfboard hitches the surfers have for their surfboards on their bikes. I saw one guy with a dog hitch on his bike for his dog. I saw a couple of beautiful golden retrievers like my mom and dad's and now I totally want a dog. I saw one woman with my exact flabby body shape walking along wearing a bikini top. Granted, she had a very beautiful tan. At one point I had the Doors song, "Hello I Love You" in my head, and then, magically, it turned into "Mean Mr. Mustard" by the Beatles. The mist from the ocean or the haze in the air covered my sunglasses and I had to stop to wipe the water off my lenses. I had teary eyes which is somehow embarrassing, and a dry mouth, and my knees felt creakier than usual. I was gone for about 3 hours, and now I'm starving. I was amazed by the beautiful ocean, and confused about my exact location more than once.

Fun! When can I go again?