Tuesday, September 30, 2008

30th of September, San Diego to Pine Valley California

Garmin says: 83.34 km - 3793 cal - 1821m ascent

At 7:35h this morning I finally climbed on my bike and started pedaling. I was pretty afraid of this first day, which started with 50 miles of climbing in scorching heat. Like promised the weather was very hot and I was already pretty shot after 30 miles. The route is really not pretty and I would recommend to anybody who would like to cycle cross country to create an own route rather than following the adventure cycling one, which basically follows really big roads. I had absolutely no fun on HWY 8 climbing against headwinds and having cars and truck flying by. Nevertheless I reached Pine Valley and remembered that Andreas and I had been cycling around here last Thanksgiving. There are so many pretty little roads around here, that I think, I would have found a more attractive option to go east. I will have to ride more miles to make up for the short ride today. My average needs to be 75 miles (120 km) in order to arrive in time.

Als ich gerade mal 10km gefahren bin kamen von hinten 3 junge Burschen, die wirklich schnell fuhren und recht heftig schwitzten. Besonders bemerkenswert war ihre Kleidung: schwarze Polyesteranzughosen gehalten von Hosentraegern mit langaermligen Polyesterhemden drunter.
I just had three beers and would very much like to sleep now... more probably tomorrow.

Monday, September 29, 2008

29th of September

We left this morning in foggy Morro Bay after a shared eggs Benedict breakfast at the harbor, where we could look at seals frolicking , tourist getting taught how to paddle, a huge rock and the power station. I let Justin drive again and I think he will do just fine without me. So tomorrow morning I will finally start riding and I am really nervous about it. I hope that I will not be too tired in the evening.

We found after cruising around in SD finally a Motel near the Airport and close to the point, at which I would like to start. The owner is an Indian Lady who lived in Florida before she settled here. Justin was impressed how I haggled the price down, but actually it was just her who did it. I just played along, some people are happier if they can negotiate, although I hate it, I can do it.

Justin was today the first time ever in hot springs. I am still smelling of sulfor and need to take a shower now and after that I have to sleep in order to be ready for tomorrow. I hope so much that it will not be hotter than today, which was already to hot for me. My photos are at
http://www.kodakgallery.com (password is Meta).

Morgen geht es richtig los und ich bin froh, dass ich wieder ein wenig allein sein kann, nach zwei Tagen bin ich schon voellig ueberfordert von der Jugend,besonders dann, wenn ich gefragt werde, wo dieses San Diego denn nun eigentlich auf der Karte ist.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

28th of September, California Central Coast

I finally filled out the profile, why do people want to share so much about themselves? I would actually prefer to not post anything, but I promised to put down what is happening on my trip for my friends and family to share. So can all be happy to get some information, but I really doubt that I will ever follow another blog.

We didn't drive as far as I thought we would today. I decided in about Palo Alto, that it would be much more effective to drive along Hwy 1, considering that it requires you to shift gears pretty often. Justin did a much better job than I expected him to do and we stopped at the required touristy places, like Big Sur for lunch, Julia Pfeiffer-Burns for the waterfall and San Simeon for the elefant seals. At the waterfall walk nearly all eucalyptustrees had been felt. So that where there once has been a forest, there is now a blank hill. the hills on the other side of the highway were totally scorched from the fires in summer and I assumed that the felling of the nonnative trees was more an act of fire prevention that a nativ reforestation. But still the beauty of the place has been quite deminished.

Wir haben uns fuer die Nacht ins Motel 6 Morro Bay begeben. Waehrend Justin seine Neue Kette installierte, bin ich an den Strand gegangen um noch das letzte Tageslicht auszunutzen. Nicht nur dass Morrow Bay mitten im Ort direkt gegenueber dem grossen Monolithen, den man schon von vielen Meilen entfernt sieht ein riesiges dreischornsteiniges Kraftwerk hat, dass kaum weniger auffaellig als eben jener ist, sondern es gibt auch direkt an Strand, der sehr schoen ist und ein gefaehrdete Voegelnistgebiet in den Duenen hat, eine Muellhalde mit Sondermuelldeponie, die gemein stinkt.

Zum Abendessen sind wir in den Ort gelaufen, das war sehr viel weiter als ich geglaubt hab und wir haben mindestens drei Polizeiautos gesichtet, die uns aber nicht gefragt haben, was wir hier laufend zu suchen haben...die central coast ist ja soooo aufgekaert. Wir sind schliesslich in einer Bar mit Pizzaservice aus dem angrenzendem italienischen Restaurant eingekehrt. Die Pizza war exellent und die Biere auch. Die Bar war mit soziemlich jeden vorstellbaren Whisley bestueckt und hatte auch Aperol, Cynar und aehnliche Dinge unter einem ausgestopften Elchkopf rumstehen. Ich habe mich angeregt mit drei voellig betrunkenen Skatern unterhalten, die Justin augenscheinlich zu betrunken waren. Seine Toleranz gegenueber Drogengebrauch bei anderen scheint nicht ganz so gross zu sein.

Bin jezt muede und muss schlafen

Saturday, September 27, 2008

27th of September

We will leave tomorrow and I need to teach Justin how to drive a stick shift. I am pretty nervous and I am kind of scared by my own courage, It is a very long time to travel and I don't know whether I will really enjoy it, but now it is a bit late and I will have to go for it.

Justin geht mir schon jetzt unglaublich auf die Nerven und ich hoffe, dass ich ihn auch waehrend der Fahrt ertragen kann, aber ich werd ja die meiste Zeit auf dem Rad sein und mich nicht viel um ihn scheissen. Ich hoffe wir werden morgen frueh auch beizeiten loskommen, was ich schon bezweifle,