Day 22 Recap: Home Cookin' and Chip Seal

Today is the day of the California Coast Classic that everyone looks forward to and perhaps fears as well. The ride from Big Sur to Cambria is why is the CCC is billed as "The Ride of a Lifetime." But the 4,500' of climbing can be daunting for those not used to it, like our visitors from Texas and Maryland. The CCC delivered another perfect day, which for a lucky few, culminated in dinner at mom's house in Cambria.

Looking back towards Big Sur after the first climb out of camp

I hit the road pretty early but unlike last year when I was way out in front until the "Pink Bike Lady" caught me in the last half-mile to Ragged Point, I had a lot of company today. Of course, I also made quite a few photo-op stops even though I was anxious to see mom.

Photo op stop

...another

...and another

...and another

...ditto

...you get the point

After all the climbing concludes at Rocky Point, it's a blistering pace to the finish 20 miles further down the road, thanks to the tailwind that escorts you this time of day to Cambria. While I handled the climb OK, the pace afterwards helped restore confidence in my cycling ability.  Well, at least it did until Steve Divney flew by me at about 32 mph. He did the same thing to me the day before. If Dickney wasn't such an apropos nickname, I'd have to start calling him Pink Lady II.

No pics of Dickey, he was moving too fast - but I managed to catch these elephant seals

So, the big cycling talk in these parts is about the heavy rock, chip seal Caltrans used to pave this 20-mile stretch of road. Local cyclists and cycling clubs are up in arms. Others have weighed in and said it's not so bad.  I've done some riding on it but this was the first time I've ridden the full stretch.

Chip seal: Big deal or no big deal?

Here's my "two-strikes-you're-out" verdict with 1,300 miles of Pacific Coast qualifications under my belt:  We flew down this stretch of road.  Heck, Dickney was going so fast he might have been 2" ABOVE the road. So, for a single, wind-to-your-back, 20-mile stretch of the CCC, it was.....NO BIG DEAL,

Why is this rider not in the bike lane?

As I already mentioned, we had the good fortune of cycling one-way, with the wind at our backs. What about those folks cycling 12 mph against the wind, getting slowed 2-3 mph by the rough road? And what about the fact the bike lane is worse than the road because all the loose stone is in the bike lane and there's nothing rolling over the bike lane heavy enough to smooth it out even a little bit....OK, that's a BIG DEAL, so STRIKE ONE.

6 miles and one vote to go

Now imagine that you're a avid cyclist living on the Central Coast (and cycling is big here). This isn't the Bay Area, where you have 100 different routes you can ride. In this area, with few exceptions, you go south on Highway 1 or north on Highway 1, and then turn around and go back the way you came from. With all due respect to those who only have to ride it once, it's not about you. This stretch of road sucks for the cyclists who live here. Final verdict?  STRIKE TWO/BIG DEAL!! But there is finally some hope: Caltrans just agreed to spend $1.5M to fix it.

Four out of five agree: BIG DEAL!

OK, it's 1:00am and tomorrow's ride is now going to be brutal. But I have to close this recap with a huge thank you to my mom, who cooked for 9 tonight. In addition to mom and me, our Links for Life team minus Dean (not feeling well) came over, as well as Beth Miller, who heads up the northern California CCC efforts, Jack Klippel, the retiring CEO of the Arthritis Foundation, and Jack's son Jason, who came all the way from Maryland for the ride. We had an awesome dinner and then most of us had a nightcap at the Cambria Ale House. Unfortunately, we had such a good time, I only got one pic, and that was in the kitchen. ...And with that, lights out for me tonight!

L-R: Terry, mom, Jack, Beth, Derek

Day 22 Recap:  Big Sur, CA to Cambria, CA
Actual Miles: 73.7
Cumulative Miles:  1,418.8
Elevation Gain:  4,721'
Cumulative Elevation Gain:  60,366'
% Distance to Mexico:  75.4%