PCT 2007 Day 28 – Thousand Oaks – Redondo Beach, CA

PCT 2007 Day 28

Stage 28 / 4-22-07
Thousand Oaks – Redondo Beach
60.52 miles; 1633.78 total miles; 12.1 mph avg. 4:58 hours
Overcast and most cloudy, a few sprinkles

I got a good night’s sleep but 6 AM came much too fast. I showered, packed, and had breakfast (brownie, mini powdered donuts and strawberry/cranberry juice). So healthy I know!

I was on the road by 7:30 AM. Matt gave me a route through the Santa Monica mountains to Malibu. It was a beautiful ride though the road was narrow and had a lot of rocks slides on it. When I was almost to the end near Rt. 1 and Pepperdine University, I saw two deer down in the gully beside the road.

Once to 1 and the flat road, I noticed I felt sluggish, then I heard “the noise”. The trailer had a “goat head” (thorn) in the tire. So flat #1 for the trailer and #2 overall.

I followed 1 to the bike paths that run along the beaches of Los Angeles (LA). Not many people were out since it was barely 60. My route from Santa Monica down was on the bike paths. I finally got off the path in Redondo Beach area.

I spent a while at the Hermosa Pier watching some volleyball games and I also chatted up a guy waiting for his friends. The weather was getting worse, so I made my way to the hotel.

While in Malibu I saw a Pelican so I pulled over since I hadn’t seen one before; then I noticed that in the surf there were three dolphins. It was really cool. At that same moment I saw a Second Ascent rider (Second Ascent is a local bike club in Seattle).

I got an email from the Ibex Wear rep., maker of the wool cycling clothes I wear, and he is sending me some new stuff to San Diego.

I have to thank my friend Matt and his wife Alice for their hospitality. They totally catered to my needs. It was really nice to not have to think about everything I had to do. They were great! Thanks guys.

Scatman 2011- My stay with Matt and his family was took short after not seeing him for 6 years.  As life would have it we both had places to be.  The ride to Malibu was excellent.  I still find it hard to believe I went so far with only two flats.  They would be the other two I had.

The bike paths through LA were nice but I still didn’t care for the big city feel.  I was used to small towns and less people.  It’s a total contradiction but when I rode alone all day I wanted someone to talk to at night but when I got to the city with people to talk to I wanted to be alone.

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Scatman

Get out there!

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