Day 13 (June 23)-San Gabriel to Newport Beach (reposted)

Carolyn's rendition of Mark
after a hard day's ride

I guess one could expect that not every day on a two-week journey is going to be great, and not every day of riding is going to be idyllic.  Today was that day.

I underestimated the time and difficulty of today's ride, so my "late start" didn't help any.  It wasn't that difficult physically, but finding my way out of the San Gabriel Valley was a challenge and a half.  First of all, I quickly lost my bearings--didn't know which way was north, south, east or west.  The terrain was of no help, because all I saw were hills in all directions.  One thing I've learned is not to hesitate to ask for directions--and NOT to trust just one source!  I ended heading the opposite direction for a few miles, figured it out, slugged my through horrible traffic, trying to locate the Rio Hondo Bike Trail, which would connect with the the San Gabriel River Bike Trail, which then would lead me to the Pacific Ocean and "PCH" (Pacific Coast Highway) all the way to San Juan Capistrano.  The original mileage estimate was 67 miles, but within an hour and a half, I'd made a number of errant turns, and had no idea how far away my destination actually was.

I spied what I thought was the Rio Hondo--a concrete canal with an asphalt bike path.  (What else would one expect in LA?)  Turned out to be some man-made tributary, and I ended up in two inches of sand underneath an underpass facing a locked gate.  Somehow I found my way out of that mess and into an industrial area along a freeway.  But which freeway, I had no idea.  I trusted my gut (which has not always worked directionally on this trip), and ran into Rosemead Boulevard, and, voila, I discovered the REAL Rio Hondo Bikeway!  A 45 minute leg had turned into two hours.  Ugh.

The upper end of the bikeways were great riding.  One could forget they were in Los Angeles, as the paths took me through wooded areas with a fast running stream or small river.  The surface was fairly smooth and good riding.  Where the San Gabriel River Bikeway intersected the Rio Hondo, I met a young Hispanic woman riding a very nice bike with very snazzy bike clothes, so I figured she probably knew the area well.  I confirmed I was going in the right direction, asking, "If I turn right here will it take me to the ocean?"

"Yes, yes.  But when you come, I think it's Whittier, you have to get on the street and turn around you know," (making wild gestures with her hands).  And then there is water on the path, maybe it's best to go around, and, well, you know, like that," (more hand movements).  I'll be honest, I didn't get it all, but felt better that my general plan was confirmed.

"How far is it to the beach?  About 20 miles?" I queried, as that was what I was estimating at this point.

"Oh no!  Much futher!  Mayber 60 or 70 miles.  You better start riding.  The sun sets around eight o'clock."

(It was 22 miles later I turned on to the Pacific Coast Highway.  I guess different people have different senses about distance!)

I found that street and how to reconnect with the bikeway, but was NOT prepared for what was next.  I entered a tunnel going underneath and found myself over ankle deep (as I pedalled my bike) in water!  My chain and pedals were completely under, but I had no alternative but to keep on pedaling.  Upon reaching the other side, a city worker was walking down to, it appeared, measure the depth of the water.

"Whoa!  It was a little deeper than it looked!"  I exclaimed.

"But, you insisted on going through, right?' she laughed.

I now know what my fellow biker was talking about.  Just a little too late.

At about this point, the "river" turned into a giant concrete ditch (typical of L.A. rivers nearer the coast), with no barriers from the fairly stiff, on-shore breeze.  And the wind was getting colder.  It was 90 plus degrees when I left San Gabriel.  I was sweaty, and began chilling.  I was WAY behind my estimated schedule, and still had 30 miles to go.  For the first time of my trip, I actually began to feel a bit discouraged.

To add to that feeling of frustration, construction was going on and the bike path was closed off.  Big "Bike Detour" signs were posted, but not a hint of where said "detour" might be.  Once again, I winged it.  I stopped at a Jack-in-the-Box, hoping that a Jumbo Jack with cheese would revive my spirits.  It did--but just a little bit.  I found my way back to the bike path, the headwind, the chilly breeze, and a destination that didn't seem to be getting any closer.  Once on the PCH, the headwind abated, but not the cold and tiredness.  I was going to run out of daylight.  About five o'clock (which is when I told Carolyn I would be in San Juan Capistrano), I found myself in Newport Beach, still 20 miles away.  Carolyn piloted the "rescue wagon," finding me puffing up a hill, near Avocado Street.  I slapped my bike on the trunk of our Toyota, and would pick up my ride here tomorrow.

There was a slight sense of failure in this.  Every day for the past 11 days of riding, I had made my destination as planned.  Not today.  After 700 miles of cycling, I guess I should give myself a break.  I can make up the extra miles tomorrow.  Still...

My friend Chuck Grimsley and his sweetheart, Margarita, drove down from the Long Beach area to have dinner with us.  Chuck and I met while attending Northrup Institute of Technology's Aircraft Maintenance Institute in 1977-78.  We graduate second and third in our class (I think he was second).  We've stayed in touch ever since, and I count him as a good friend.  Thanks for dinner, Chuck!  He's a fellow cyclist, so it was fun for us to "talk shop."  Margarita and Carolyn are both retired school teachers, so they got some "talk shop" in as well.  It was a very good ending to what otherwise was a bit of a tough day.

L.A. traffic, even on a bike!  Wind, detours, moments of "lostness" made for a frustrating day.  First day I haven't made my planned destination. :(  Will make it up tomorrow.  More later.

San Gabriel to Newport Beach:  59 miles
Total miles this trip to date:  765