October 16, 2022
Day 37 - Carpinteria to Malibu
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After a day of rest, I was ready to get back on the road and, at this point, looking forward to the last few days of the tour.
Leaving Carpinteria, I wound through town and onto the bike trail that parallels Hwy 101 and is separated from the highway by a concrete barrier. I wish there were more of these bikeways throughout California. At around mile 8, the trail ended, and I was routed left under the highway and then turned south onto the Pacific Coast Hwy (Hwy 1), far less trafficked than 101.
The Coast Hwy passes back under 101 and then out to the ocean, where it hugs the shoreline all the way down and into the city of Ventura. As I entered Ventura, the route jogged west onto the Omer Rains Coastal Bikeway, which goes along Ventura City Beach. I had to slow down here as there were lots of pedestrians, kids on bikes, and people walking their dogs. But I didn't mind. It felt somehow festive to me — all these people enjoying the seaside together.
When the Coastal Bikeway ended, at around mile 20, I continued along Pierpoint and Harbor Blvds, skirting the west side of Oxnard and then rejoining Hwy 1. Shortly after this intersection, I came upon Point Mugu Missile Park, which showcases a history of missiles and warplanes, and stopped to take a look. Unfortunately, all of the informational signs were weather worn, with cracked surfaces, making them illegible. So I didn't learn anything from my visit.
I did, however, meet with the guys from the tour, who arrived shortly after I did. After wandering around the park a bit, speculating aloud about what was what and when it might have been used, we continued our journey together.
By this time, the clouds had lifted and we were welcoming the warmer weather. Spying a large stretch of sand, some picnic tables, and portable facilities, we stopped for a long lunch at Thornhill Broome Beach.
After that, it was only 10 miles to Leo Carillo State Beach, where the group would be camping. I waved goodbye to the guys and continued on for another seven miles to my destination — the Malibu Country Inn, in Malibu Beach. This had been the nearest accommodations to the campground that I could both find and afford, the nightly hotel costs in this area being extremely inflated.
I had a hard time finding the Inn, even using Apple and Google maps, because the entryway had only a discreet little sign on the wall, and the driveway up to the Inn itself was extremely steep. From the street, it looked like a driveway to a private residence. I rode up and down Westward Beach road until I finally figured out that it wasn't a private driveway. Too steep to ride (at least for me), I pushed my loaded bike up to the office and checked in. The Inn has a "cottage-y" feel to it. My room was quite comfortable and even had a little balcony where I could sit in the sun and enjoy a distant view of the ocean. What luxury!
In Malibu, I met up with a fellow cyclist. I had originally met Lynda T. in Napa on one of the Eagles Club group rides, and she'd been following me on this blog and on Strava, and cheering me all along the way. She lives in nearby Thousand Oaks and offered to meet me for dinner. We went to Spruzzo Restaurant, literally just across the street from the inn. The food was great, but the company was better, and I loved the opportunity to get to know Lynda better. (Thanks, Lynda.)
All in all, it was a pleasant (if uneventful) riding day, topped by a heart-warming get-together with a new friend.
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Today's ride: 58 miles (93 km)
Total: 1,542 miles (2,482 km)
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1 year ago