Day 34 - Pismo to Lompoc - Riding the California Dream

October 13, 2022

Day 34 - Pismo to Lompoc

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When I decided to convert my tour from camping with the group to inn-to-inn, I intended to stay as close to the group and the route as possible. In today's case, the group would be staying in Refugio State Park, ~73 miles to the south of Pismo Beach, and then ride ~35 miles the following day to Carpinteria, where we'd be staying in a motel and have a rest day.

Refugio State Park is in a remote area with no motels or hotels or even AirBnb rentals. The nearest accommodations I could find on the north side of Refugio were in Lompoc. And there was nothing within 10 miles south of Refugio — not that I wanted to ride more than 70 miles.

So I would have to reverse the ride mileage, stopping in Lompoc today and then ride 70 miles or so the following day to arrive in Carpinteria. And this also meant I would be on my own for the next two days, with no sag available while riding to Carpinteria. I thought, Okay, I can do this, and had booked a room at the Motel 6 in Lompoc.

Since I would have a short day today, I decided to treat myself to a relaxed morning and a hot breakfast. The Grover Station Grill, just down the street from the Pacific Inn, served breakfast all day, had decent reviews and opened at 7:30 am, so that's where I headed first.

The grill has an informal atmosphere and a basic American food menu. I ordered french toast with two eggs over easy, coffee, fruit, and orange juice. After weeks of rushed, cold breakfasts (because even instant oatmeal doesn't stay warm long enough) eaten either standing up or sitting on damp folding chairs, it felt so luxurious to have warm food and eat at a table. With a napkin.

When it comes down to it, these small pleasures in life really make a difference.

Feeling relaxed, happy, and full, I got on my bike and began the ride to Lompoc.

The Grover Station Grill (screen capture of Google Maps street view)

As I was stopped by the light at the intersection of Hwy 1 and Pier St — the entrance to the Pismo Beach State Park — who should emerge, but Marty, Scott, and Steve (the three amigos)! So off we went together. I thought I would be riding alone all day, but it turned out that we would ride together all the way to Lompoc. The only thing about riding with the guys, is that they rarely stop, so I ended up only having time to grab a few pictures along the way.

The Hwy moved inland a little, with great sand dunes between us and the ocean. This is a popular recreational area for Dune Buggies, and we could hear their combined roar (presumably up over the hills, on the ocean side) from the Hwy.

After crossing the Santa Maria river and passing through the small town of Guadalupe, the highway moved further inland, bringing us through vast acres of industrial agriculture. And I mean vast: As far as the eye can see, there are oceans of strawberries, cabbages, brussel sprouts, artichokes, spinach, and more. And miles and miles of rows that have been covered in plastic, reflecting the light so that the land looks like it's covered by great still lakes of water. (I wish I had pictures of the plastic.) There are also acres of hoop houses where they grow berries.

At approximately mile 30, we turned off the highway to climb Harris Grade.

The climb was curvey and steep in some places, with no shoulder, but thankfully there wasn't much traffic. I didn't find it too difficult, even with my loaded bike. And the descent to Lompoc was so much fun — well worth the effort!

At the foot of Harris grade, a view of the agricultural fields to my left.

The three amigos — Marty, Steve, and Scott — beginning the Harris Grade climb.

Just around the curve, even more cultivated fields.

The view of Lompoc from the crest of the Harris Grade.

The Lompoc Motel 6 was right on the route, so I said goodbye to the guys and tried to check in. The room wasn't ready, so I decided to find a hardware store and see if I could find a screw to replace my lost GoPro thumbscrew.

The hardware store search was a bust (the two stores Google gave me were a wholesaler and an abandoned building), so I ended up a Walmart looking through their small selection. No luck, but it did pass the time while waiting for my room.

The Motel 6 itself — well, there's budget and then there's budget. This particular motel fit the latter category, with questionable-looking guests and a room door that looked like it had been pried open on at least one occasion. I was careful to slide the bolts in place and make sure the windows were locked while I was there. Still, it was warm and dry and clean enough, had hot running water and towels, and there would be coffee in the morning. What more could a girl want?

Some of the cars parked at the Lompoc Motel 6 — just sayin' . . .

Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 1,413 miles (2,274 km)

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