PCT 2007 Day 20 – San Francisco – Half Moon Bay

PCT 2007 Day 20

Stage 20 / 4-14-07
San Francisco – Half Moon Bay
35.29 miles; 1127.41 total miles; 10.6 mph avg.; 3:19 hours
Rain in AM; clear by noon, windy

Today’s stage was super short but it had two climbs. They weren’t too bad, they were cat. 3 climbs at best.

I woke up at 7 AM and my dad and I tried to figure out my stops for the next week but got hung up, so we stopped. I went over to IHOP for some chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and an English muffin. It was mmmmmh tasty.

The plan was to stay in the room right up to checkout at 11 am. I realized it was Saturday and my call to my dad was free so I called back and he had figured out an 8 day plan to LA. We went over it and it looked good. During this time, I was watching the weather channel. From what I saw I was going to need around an extra half hour for the storm to pass after checkout so I wouldn’t have to ride in the rain. (Mined you that was just my guess.) Once I checked out, I stood under the roof overhang for 10 minutes, at which point I decided I should just get going since I was bound to get wet at some point. I road for maybe 5 minutes and the rain stopped. I had both my rain jacket and pants off within the first 10 minutes of the day.

I rode through the Presidio, which was just beautiful. There are a lot of nice buildings in there. I climbed up El Camino Del Mar to the Great Highway and was back on the coast again. In Pacifica I followed the bike route signs through back streets which happily took me by a pizza shop and my lunch for the day. More back streets and then onto Rt. 1 again for the final climb over “The Slide” as it’s called and it was all down hill to Half Moon Bay. On the down of the final hill, I had some wonderful views of the ocean and some old WWII gun placements.

In Montara I had a chat with a guy in a pickup who said he usually offers rides to cyclists going over The Slide since it’s so narrow and dangerous. Two young teenage boys came over on their bikes to ask where I started from as well. We all talked for 15 minutes and then I was off.

Once to the CG, I realized the wind was going to be a serious issue. Cooking was down in the lee side of the bathhouse and I didn’t put my tent up until after dinner. I was hoping the wind would die down. It still hasn’t; but, it also hasn’t blown the tent down either.

The weather is supposed to be great for the whole week. I’m looking forward to a great week. Off to read my book for the first time in weeks.

Scatman 2011- After yesterday’s long ass day I wasn’t happy about the weather when I got up.  As you can see I dragged my feet most of the morning until finally getting going.  As much as I realized how much I didn’t like the big city feeling I was in no rush to leave in the rain.

This being a short day was great for my mind.  If it had been another long one it would have been really tough on me.  Being that it was short I felt recharged for the push to LA.

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Scatman

Get out there!

You can check out my Appalachian Trail or Continental Divide Trail journals too!