Malibu, California
Sunday, August 8, 2010
I didn't get much sleep last night, although not as a result of any nocturnal critters, but due to being so excited that we were so close to the finish line! Everything we've achieved feels so surreal so I can't wait for the enormity of it all to sink in! As I am not the cheeriest of morning people at the best of times, you can imagine what the lack of sleep and mandatory early rise did to my spirits! On the plus side, according to the book we had a very flat day (big YAY!) alongside a speedy shape shifting scenic backdrop to keep us interested. We started the day cycling on the freeway, a usually very mundane ride but today we were meters from the ocean and were given the treat of spotting a pod of dolphins about 200 feet from the beach, trawling for fish. My attempt to capture them on film consists of a few seconds of them surfacing and numerous painstakingly long minutes of ocean scanning and a ridiculous commentary trying to find them again. We were then taken off the freeway into Ventura and onto a cycle path past some amazing houses and along the boardwalk of the beach. Next we entered
Oxnard, an incredibly non-descript town situated on some desert looking plains where the cycle route decided to take us sightseeing past a sewage plant- what more could you want when you have no windows to shut out the smell or engine that makes you speedy enough to outrun it! We were making good time though so had a nice leisurely lunch in the sunshine. We accidently timed our departure at an opportune hour as we cycled off and were entertained by a US airforce air show as we rode through. We cycled past miles of farmland which unfortunately didn't shield us from the wind that decided to blow against us and make our leisurely flat Sunday cycle a lot more strenous! On our final stretch we were taken back out to the coastline, with cliffs and mountains to our left and public beaches and vast ocean to our right. We stopped for a break by one of the beaches and topped up our Vitamin D in the sunshine. We got to the campsite nice and early and settled in. This would be our last night camping as the streets of LA that beckon our wheels tomorrow mean a hostel is required and the next night we'll be sponging off my parents when they join us! I bought my shower tokens and off I went to find they had no hot water so I decided to avoid lowering my already low body temperature and scent my tent with the result of a days cycling...lovely! Early to bed for a big cycle tomorrow through the streets of LA!
Comments
So excited to be seeing you later today!!!! Well done, you are amazing.........Good luck for the penultimate day!!!! XXXXXXXXXX
Well, seems that the nicest part is coming at the end. Hope you have a ball on your last few days. I can't say enough how well you have done, that's an achievement of a lifetime, but I reckon there are more to be done??????Lots of love xxxxxx
Wow, so well done Pipps,
Respect.
Can't wait to review the video!
See you soon