Day 23, Marina del Rey, CA to Costa Mesa, CA.  49 miles and 1408 feet of climbing.  Ride The West 2013 is officially over after another super day of riding in sunny California.  Left Marina del Rey via bike paths along the beach.  After 15 miles we had to venture into LA where we crossed paths with refineries and shipping facilities.  While there we seldom saw a car, it was all semi trucks in a big ole hurry to get someplace.  Not real biker friendly territory. The last couple hours of the ride were back on the beach thru Huntington and Newport Beaches.  It was a ride of contrasts! 

It is hard for me to explain how much I enjoyed this trip.  I came with the intention of seeing the West coast, riding my bike thru gorgeous scenery while relaxing and just trying to enjoy the entire experience.  I definitely achieved my goals.  I saw parts of this wonderful country I had nevery seen from the seat of a bicycle and it was spell binding!  My odomoter indicates that I traveled 1471 miles.  Compared to my last ride it was "short" i.e. less than half the miles of the cross country trip.  Some people my say it was nothing but a "step for a stepper".  However, the riding was intense with all of the very steep climbing that we did.  This was not a leisurely ride in the park.  I had the opportunity to ride with 18 wonderful individuals, all of whom share in common the love of cycling.  They were truly a great group of people.  There wasn't a knuckle head in the group. The staff of America By Bicycle are top shelf.  Jim, Mike, Karen and Barbara run a very organized tour.  Though I have never ridden with any other tour company, they have to be the best in the business.  I was able to take my time, ride at my own pace, stop and take pictures (875 of them) and make sure that I was able to experience the best that the tour had to offer.  It was very special.  My whole experience reminds me of a story I heard:  A young bull and an older mature bull were walking across the prairie.  They came to a valley and down below was a herd of hoeffers.  The young bull, snorting and pawing at the dirt says to the old bull, "Let's run down there and have our way with some of them!"  The old bull said, "I have a better idea.  Let's walk down there and have our way with all of them."  Well I had my way with all this trip had to offer and it was memorable.

 

Leaving Marina del Rey

 

 

On the bike path.

 

Huntington Beach

 

It will take weeks for my smile to become "unstuck!"

 

 

Nope, not all of California is pretty.  We rode thru some very industrial and "challenged" neighborhoods.  Also got to see and experience some of that infamous LA smog.

 

Bike is in the box.  Fed Ex will pik her up in the morning and I catch oa 7:15 a.m. flight to home sweet home!