California is a great state to travel in if you don’t mind all of the people. The views of the ocean are fantastic and the hospitality from friends and family is always appreciated.
Riding into San Luis Obispo, a friend joined us.
Guy riding with us to SLO (he is a friend): “Do you think these chamois (bike shorts) are see though?”
Me, riding right behind him: “I don’t think so, why you ask?”
Guy riding with us to SLO: “Well a guy on the tri team said they were but I just kept wearing them anyways.”
Me, still riding right behind him: “Well, I don’t think so but they do make your butt look extra nice.”
Guy riding with us to SLO: “Thanks buddy.”
Two days later. . .
Me: “Dude, I think those actually might be see through.”
Guy riding with us out of SLO: “You think so?”
Me (realizing what the shorts are): “Dude! Those are liners! Your supposed to wear those under mountain bike shorts or something.”
Drew (laughing at this point while taking a closer look): “That’s why there’s no modesty patch.”
Guy riding with us out of SLO (less of a friend): “What the heck is that?”
Drew: “It’s the part of the pad in the front that covers . . .” (enough said)
Guy riding with us out of SLO (still a friend of course – and laughing now): “Well shoot, I’m gonna’ keep wearing them without anything over the top anyways.”
We all hugged in our skin tight tights before wheeling our separate ways – always in perfect style.
As we were riding through the streets of L.A. we received an abundance of attention, especially from high school teenagers that had just been released for the day.
Young guys in a car: “Nice spandex, bro.”
Drew (three blocks later after catching back up to them): “How you boys doin’?”
Young guys in a car: ” – ”
Guy on a porch with friends: “Where you headin’?â€
Me: “The east coast.”
Guy on a porch with friends: “WHAT?! – did you guys hear that guy is going all the way to . . . ”
Big guy on the beach: “Maaan . . . those bikes are loaded DOWN.”
Us: ” – ” (I guess we could have at least said yes back – I think he’ll be ok though).
I had the pleasure of catching some waves with a real surfer dude near Carlsbad, CA. The waves were fantastic, even though they were rights, and the company entertaining and encouraging.
Surfer guy: “Yeah man, the water is pretty cold here. Not ice cream headache cold, like up north at Pismo, and Santa Cruz, and all, but still enough to be wearing a wetsuit and even booties.”
Me: I like ice cream. (I didn’t actually say this, but I wish that I had).
The ride out of San Diego resulted in three hard days containing over 8000 feet of elevation gain and 250 miles. That third day of riding also contained a number of “small†hills that weren’t big enough to show up on the topo maps. Although this turned out to be the hardest day of physical activity in my life the sunset at the end of the day was breathtaking. Although at this point I had little breath left in me, the quiet color that enveloped both mountains and fertile valley was miraculous. I have never been so grateful to roll into an RV park in my life – complete with hot showers and potable water.
Sincerely,
Jacob Publicover
