Saturday, October 11, 2008

Updated Google Map

This updated maps showes where we camped (green camping icon) where we hit up a motel (red bed icon) and where we stayed with relatives (yellow house icon).


http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=109894115411202227411.0004566942a58f7bd7c9e&ll=42.081917,-122.096558&spn=2.800728,5.20752&z=8

Thursday, October 9, 2008

SAN DIEGO!!!!

Well, WE MADE IT!!!! After about 1,140 miles of biking, almost a full month of camping mixed in with a few motels and family visits, we made it to San Diego!!!

The ending was pretty weird for me. We took 3 days off In Brea CA visiting Dan's Grandma which was very nice, but removed us from the biking portion of the trip!!! Which was very good for our soar muscles, but kinda made me forget about all the biking we did and the little portion we had to go!

But that didn't matter, we took off from Brea Tuesday with a little help from Dan's Aunt Shannon and cousin Jenny, how made the trek to Newport beach much easier (thank youu!!!!) Tuesday we biked to San Clemente, a nice short day of biking. But we had one more big day to go!

Wednesday was an interesting last day, we got an early start because believe it or not we had to bike through Camp Pendleton (the marine corps base). It was either that of bike on The 5 (big freeway out here...no thanks!) So camp Pendleton opened at 9, we biked 10 miles to get there on time and rode through the base. Very desolate, weird we saw tank crossing signs and we actually some groups practicing and could hear guns firing. So we got throught the camp and rode on towards San Diego. We thought we had plently of time so midday when I saw a smoothie sign I had to stop! We got a good last lunch, sandwhiches complete with Avacado (had to get a couple more in while in CA!!!)

So we had one more hill that thank goodness we heard about through other people, not to to bad probably about a 2 mi climb up. Nothing horrible, but it wa sooooo hot out so it took a little out of the body! So the time ticked by we were supposed to meet Dan's aunts at Hotel Del at 5. Well at about 4:45 we hit the bike ferry (we had to take that from San Diego to Cornado) long story short we took the ferry and the aunts picked us up at the other side! Super nice, we didn't actuall know we weere done biking until we talked to them on the ferry (nice surprise)

They treated us to a fantastic Mexican dinner in Old San Diego. We started our trip with Mexican, ended Laura's with Mexican then finally ours!!! They also made us shirts that say Crescent city to Cornado 2008 (Laura we have one for you that says to San Louis!!!) They are so nice

So we are done, my bike is apart and in a box to accompany me back on the plane tomorrow. I don't feel like we are done, but I was ready. MY butt was bothering me, my neck and shoulders and two of my fingers have been numb for the last month. But other than that it was a blast and I would do it again in a second! Except I'd try to tell CA they need wider shoulders on the rodes in some parts and deffinitly get a comfier seat and higher up hnadle bars haha! but besides that we all had a good time!

Oh and today, our last day in CA I finally had IN and Out burger for the first and I am happy to say hopefully not the last time! (yes laura I fianlly tried it!!!) It was acutally good, espcially the milk shake. Who knew they made neopolitan milk shakes?!?!

So we are packing up getting ready to go. Tonight we have Dan's grandmas bday celebration to attend which should be lots of fun with all of the Delaney fam.

We head back tomorrow, lots of pictures to come!

Liz

ps- no i don't proof read my blog entries so just sound out the words....i've always been horrible at spelling

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Manhattan Beach

Well we had a nice rest day here in CA! I had my first California beach experience and I thought I was going to drown in those monster waves. But I made it.....barely in and out of the ocean haha. We had a great day around the city, went out for a nice lunch. I had a sandwich with pineapple and avocado on it so I thought that was pretty exciting! Had a great dinner with Dan's aunt and uncle's family. First home cooked meal in awhile and it was delicious!

So back on the road tomorrow. I am praying that I'll make it...haha...no but seriously I am hurting. Surprisingly my legs are fine, it is totaly my back and neck. But we have Dan's Grandma's to look forward to tomorrow night, so it'll be great to have a home destination!

We plan on taking a few days off in Brea. Hopefully we will meet up with my cousins! Lots more of Dan's family, hit El Farlito for some delicious Mexican food I have been hearing about and if we have it planned right hit Disney Land on Monday...yayyy!

Tuesday and Wednesday we plan to finish the ride. I think we might get a little lazy and ship our camping stuff home and motel it the night in between.....sounds good to me!

So tomorrow we are off again....biking....as long as I can get out of bed in the morning...

Liz

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

We have reached LA!

Alrightie so Dan and I have had quite an adventure since we departed San Louis Obispo without Laura :(.

So we left Laura on Monday. Ridding without her was weird, we felt like we had lost our mother hen. But we had a big day ahead of us so we rode on. Monday was the first of what I like to call the Lompoc Twins.....aka the two big hills we had left. The ride started our great through more fields of vegtables. We made it to Guadalope before noon with more than 30 mi under our belts. But we still had the big hill to come! Either we got in better shape or the hill wasen't to big, because it wasn't that bad. The worst parts of it were; my butt was killing me (guess I didn't put enough cream on), it was super hot, and it was super curvy! After the hill we sailed downhill and got to our second motel in a row by 2:30. The rest was needed. We imediatly found a grocery store, bought a couple bags of chips, drinks, and sat on the curb and ate.....hahaha! This was followed by italian ordered out from down the street and monday night football, my favorite part about this was that the game is on earlier since we are on the west coast.

Alright so Tuesday, now this was a day! We had our last major uphill aka the second Lompoc Twin in the morning, again not so bad....just hotttt....which lead Dan to bike without a shirt, a little blinding but I guess it helped him ventalate. So after a rural morning we hit the highway, yes the highway. We even got to stop at a rest stop! We were on the highway for 24 mi! It wasen't that bad, there was a huge shoulder, just lots of glass and whizzing cars. So we made it by the highway, made it through Ventura and hit the beach in Santa Cruz. Actually we just hit the beach bike path because we had more miles to go. We made a decision at about 4 o'clock with 67 miles under our belt and at our prjected campsite to keep going. So we hit the highway again, this time at rush hour but no worries there was a bike lane....on the highway who would have thought!?? Anyways we ended up doing about 95 miles and camped at okay hike and bike site in Mcgrath.

So apparently I was hide awake from the ride all day because I could not sleep last night! But more biking was to be done today. Since we biked extra far yesterday we were going to hit Dan's Aunt and Uncles early...aka today! It was enough to power me through the day.....well atleast for the first 50 miles the last 20 I was dying hahaha. My neck hurt, my butt hurt, my arms hurt....pretty much everything but my legs but in the end those joined the party. It was an okay day of biking, I got my first flat tire of the trip...booo. We rode through Malibu, huge houses but right on route 1...???? no thanks! There were also a few more hills in Malibu than I thought thered be. Then once again we hit the beach on a nice bike path, but it made for slow curvy riding, espcially since I was dogging it. I was super tired, actually I still am....but i am excited for a real bed!

So we made it to the LA area, just 3 more days of biking left. We are spending tomorrow here on Manhattan beach relaxing (hopefully) then I think we are hitting Dan's Grandma's Friday. Not sure when we will finish our last two days of biking to San Diego but It will have to be before next Friday!

Liz

ps- We miss you Laura!!! Thanks for the super long update, I wrote one here for ya hahah!