ALSO TOUCH - What does it stand for? - Day 3

DAY 3 - Monterey to Big Sur

Today we wore our team jerseys in memory of Christiana! We have 15 members from NorCal and SoCal and have raised over $35k as a team! Quite a few people were asking what does Also Touch mean. We (and members of the team were able to share her story and how Also Touch were the last 2 word in her journal. Only God knows how this will be used...

Today was another touring day starting in Monterey at Fisherman's Wharf and watching the sea lions. Then we cruised to 17 mile drive and along the beautiful coastline (pictures below). Just a fabulous day to be outside on a bike and riding for a great cause! We were able to go onto the Pebble Beach golf course (hole #18) and take pictures from the tee and the green. From there we had the 26.2 mile 'climb' up to Big Sur. This is the same route they run the Big Sur Marathon. As we got close to the Bixby Bridge, the fog started rolling in, so we could not see how long the climbs were. For me, this was great because "I'll get there when I get there", but for Maria - "she likes to see where she is going and how much she has to go". Just another day in God's beauty.

At the end of the ride, you get to enjoy the cold water at the River Inn. Yes, our feet did thank us!

BTW, we did ride 50 miles with about 3300' feet of climbing. We stayed within the speed limit this time ;-)

See you on Day 4....

Is that rain? - Day 2 - Santa Cruz to Monterey

Day 2 - Santa Cruz to Monterey

So last night, we heard a sound that sounded like rain, except it was intermittent. I thought that it was strange that it would rain on a section for 10 seconds and then move. Wow, thats a fast moving storm. Well, When it is midnight, i'm not thinking clearly... What moves water fast at 5-10 second intervals .... Yes, a sprinkler system. The sprinklers went off in the campsite at midnight and soaked 25% of the tents. While most of the water was outside, some tents had their vents open and it soaked the whole inside. What an exciting way to start the 1st night.

So, onto the ride. Today, we rode from Santa Cruz to Monterey - 56 miles in 4.5 hours and 2530' climbing. It was a very easy and relaxing day with LOTS of sightseeing. We had over 30 riders go with us (see the picture below) back to see the lighthouse in Santa Cruz near the boardwalk. For many people, this was their first time to Santa Cruz on a bike and it was a lot of fun. It was another beautiful day with gorgeous weather. Maria and I danced in Capitola to a live band - I'm hoping some videos do not show up on YouTube. We visited The Farm in Soquel, where I got my customary mocha chai - incredible - I like chocolate with everything! The best view was coming down into Monterey as we saw the wind-blown sand dunes and the Pacific Ocean on the right. In the distance, there was a large American flag waving. What a view! Until tomorrow....