The Long Way Home

It all started with an idea I had over a year ago. I wanted to try to ride my bike home from school, but it just so happened that school is hundreds of miles from my home in Oakland. With my busy school, racing, and training schedule last year I wasn’t able to bring this idea to fruition. I thought the same would be true this year with my plans to attend cyclocross nationals at the end of fall quarter. However, when a conflict with my biology class final canceled my nationals plan, I knew that I had to make the best out of it. This meant finally getting to attempt my ride home.

It was time to start planning. I broke the trip up into four days: Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo, San Luis Obispo to Big Sur, Big Sur to Santa Cruz, then finishing it off with Santa Cruz to Oakland. I organized places to stay with friends in San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz and a hotel in Big Sur (thanks Calder Wood and the UCSC BKE house for letting me stay at your places). I calculated the amount of food I would need, what clothes I would need, and what tools and spares to bring. I decided on bringing a lot of GU Energy Stroopwafels, a few packages of Chews, some Hydration Drink Tabs and a bag of trail mix. When it came to clothes I knew I had to pack warm for riding because, although it is California, cold and rain were in the forecast. I decided to go super minimalistic with tools and spares, carrying only a multi tool, mini pump, tire plugs, and two quick links. I was able to fit all of this into a riding backpack, a handlebar bag, and a small saddle bag.

Fast forward to the Monday after the end of the quarter, the stress of finals gone, it was time to depart. I packed up all of my things and set off at 8:30am. I started the ride by cruising through campus and over to Old San Marcos Road to head up and over “the pass”, aka Highway 154. At this early point in my journey I was feeling super stoked and optimistic, not knowing what the next few days would hold. I crested the first long climb of the trip and descended towards the town of Los Olivos. I turned off the highway and towards the middle of nowhere on Tepusquet Road; a really pretty rolling farm road that added some nice bonus miles. This brought me north of Santa Maria, and from there I drilled it along the highway, stopping for some ice cream to carry me to San Luis Obispo. I got there after just under seven hours on the bike and immediately ordered two pizzas. If there was ever a time for DoorDash, this was it. I slammed down one and a half of them and went to sleep… at 7:30pm.

I woke up the next morning around 7:00am and ate a bit of the leftover pizza. I headed out around 8:45am for a much more pleasant, but still long, day on the bike. My legs felt super heavy when I started the ride and it wasn’t until after I stopped for coffee and a cookie, about 70km(44mi), in that they warmed up – and yes it was an oatmeal raisin cookie and no, I’m not sorry about it. After the stop I started hammering up the coast. Along the way I stopped when I saw a sign about an elephant seal beach and it didn’t disappoint, there were indeed elephant seals and even some babies. As much as I wanted to hang out, watch the seals, and look at the beautiful view of the ocean, I had to get back on the road. As I approached Big Sur there were a few punchy climbs that I was able to sap my legs on, followed by a nice long fast descent to the hotel. I finished day two in under six hours. That meant another big meal was on the agenda, which this time consisted of a banana, a burrito and another entire pizza. I hung out in the room for a bit, then got to bed nice and early again.

The third day started a little slower due to a rain storm rolling through Big Sur. While I was waiting for the rain to pass I got to watch some of the impeachment hearing… what a day. After the rain subsided I headed out for another beautiful day on the bike. It started with more time along the Pacific Coast Highway with a bonus climb up into the redwoods. This was the only real climb of the day, the rest of it consisted of some small rollers and a lot of flat coastal and farm land roads. When I started getting closer to Santa Cruz the weather turned from beautiful and sunny to abysmal cold, rain, and a block headwind. I’d been lucky enough to have either no wind, or a tailwind until that point on the trip. So, I spent the last hour and a half of the ride freezing cold and wet. Luckily, right before getting to my final destination I was able to stop off at Rock Lobster HQ to chat with Paul Sadoff (and stand in front of his shop’s space heater). I then headed just up the road to the BKE House where I finished up my ride, again in just under six hours. On the menu for dinner that night was two burritos and a bag of chips, all eaten while the BKE House puppy was begging for some. Somehow I resisted and finished off the meal. I went to bed at the super late hour of 9:30pm – I know what a rebel.

The next morning I dragged myself off of the couch at around 8:00am, made some plain oatmeal, and put on my soaking wet shoes and helmet. I set off and immediately started a 25km, 800m (16mi, 2600ft) climb all the way up empire grade. With all the bags this took me over an hour. I proceeded to drop down, both in elevation and temperature, into Big Basin. My legs felt bad from the start and the cold really locked them up. All I wanted was a coffee and a warm meal, but I would only get one of those, and let’s just say it wasn’t the one with caffeine. That came at a shop about 89km(55mi)from the start of the ride, after climbing all the way out of Big Basin and rolling along a ridge. I was freezing, hungry, and exhausted. At this point I didn’t think I could finish the ride. I had covered around 612km of the 692km (380mi, 432mi). of the trip and I was genuinely considering throwing in the towel. I even texted my Mom and Dad that I might want to be picked up and told my coach John Cheetham of Tempo Endurance Coaching that I was thinking about calling it quits. They both responded telling me that I could do it, that I didn’t complete the previous three days of riding just to give up on the final day. I dropped down towards the Bay thinking I wasn’t going to make it, but somehow I started to get some good sensations back in my legs. I put my head down and started pushing it towards the Dumbarton Bridge. Once I crossed it I knew I would finish; the only thing that stood between me and the end was the East Bay Hills. I kept on putting down as much power as my tired legs could muster while the sun started to set. When I got to Castro Valley it was officially night. I turned on my lights and forged on, I was so close. Finally, after about an hour of riding in the dark, I was at the last, small climb of my four day journey - Monterey Boulevard. I put everything my legs had into drilling it up that climb. I wound down to my house, walked through the door, and knew that I made the right choice to continue, nothing could beat the feeling of accomplishment at that very moment. I gave my parents each a big hug, and told them about all the amazing and difficult parts of the journey, and everything in between.

This was the longest four days of riding I have ever even thought about attempting. At the start there were so many unknowns. Do I have enough food? Did I pack warm enough? Did I bring enough spares? Will my legs be able to handle the daily mileage? Will I be mentally tough enough? And at the end of the trip I was able to answer all of these questions with a resounding YES! I learned so much about how my body reacts to pushing myself day in, day out; and some new strategies to get myself through those really difficult days. I also learned to never doubt myself, because if I truly put my mind to something I can accomplish anything. After this incredible four day experience, I came out with a different outlook on training, travel, and how to stay mentally tough which I can’t wait to use in the upcoming season and beyond.

Packing List

Clothing

Base Layer - 1

Bib shorts – 2

Helmet - 1

Long sleeve jersey - 1

Neck Buff - 1

Pair arm warmers - 1

Pair leg warmers – 1

Pair of gloves – 1

Pair of socks - 4

Rain jacket - 1

Riding shoes - 1

Short sleeve jerseys - 2

Sunglasses - 1

Shorts - 1

T-shirt - 1

Food

Bag of Trader Joe’s Trek Mix - 1

GU Stroopwafels - LOTS

Package of Cinnamon Instant Oatmeal - 4

Package of GU Chews - 3

Tools

Mini Pump - 1

Multi tool - 1

Tire Plug - 10

Storage

Backpack with three liters of water storage - 1

Handlebar bag - 1

One liter water bottle - 2

Small saddle bag - 1

Other

Bose Sleep Buds and case - 1

Ear buds – 1

Four day supply of tooth paste in plastic bag - 1

Front bike light – 1

Garmin - 1

Garmin charge - 1

Phone charger - 1

Rear bike light – 1

Road bike - 1

Sleep mask - 1

Tooth brush – 1