Let's Talk about FOOD!

Mike & I always thought that food would be a major part of this trip.  We envisioned working up a big appetite & enjoying delicious, relaxing dinners every evening.  After all, we could eat anything we wanted, right?  Well, it hasn't exactly worked out that way.  

Don't get me wrong, the food on this trip has been great but not in the way we had anticipated.  First of all, eating is a very primal thing.  You burn a lot of calories while cycling and when you're hungry, you HAVE to eat ... NOW!  We find that breakfast is must. Many of our hotels offer a complimentary breakfast, with the Holiday Inn Express serving surprisingly tasty eggs & sausage.  Cereal, bagels & hard-boiled eggs also work well.  We grab some snacks for the road (my favorite is bananas & peanut butter) & also carry Trio bars & HEED sports drink which isn't too sweet.  We eat every hour or two on the road & sometimes don't eat lunch until we reach our destination at 2 or 3 pm.  By that time, we're STARVING & nothing sounds better than a burger, quesadilla, or tuna melt.  

Here are some of our most memorable meals:
Fish & chips at Barbara's Fishtrap in Half Moon Bay with our friends, Mike & Mary,

Delicious Thai green curry, pad thai noodles & salad with tofu & peanut sauce at Thai House in Santa Cruz, 

Tuna melt on rye & grilled cheese with bacon & tomatoes on the patio of the Monterey Brewing Co. in Monterey,

Breakfast served in our room at the Spindrift Inn in Monterey,

A giant carnitas from the Burrito Bar next to the River Inn in Big Sur - split it & sat in the shade overlooking the river,

The Ambrosia burger at Nepenthe in Big Sur - how could anything taste bad with that view? So fun having Virginia & Joe with us!

Tuna melt & turkey/avocado sandwiches for lunch at the Ripplewood Cafe in Big Sur - I love old-fashioned places with counters!

Dinner in our cabin at Big Sur

Another tuna melt (split) at Whaler's Cove Cafe in Gorda.  It was SO hot out, we poured iced water over our heads before leaving,

Big, old-fashioned breakfast (Ortega chilie & cheese for me; sausages @ eggs for Mike)  at Pine Tree Family Restaurant in Cambria - one of our few 'big' breakfasts.

Black & blue (grilled with blue cheese) burger & beer battered fries (the BEST!) for me & a grilled flat iron steak salad with blue cheese for Mike at Schooner's Wharf in Cayucos with an amazing view of the ocean & wharf (yes, the photo is real!)

The BEST barbecued pulled pork sandwiches as Fireside Grill in San Luis Obispo,

Gourmet clam chowder & long island iced tea at Steamers in Pismo Beach,

Yummy fish & chips, coleslaw & salad also at the bar at Steamers in Pismo Beach,

Finally, after a tiring ride into Lompoc, we found El Toro Bronco which had terrific enchiladas, tacos & a my favorite:  a giant carnitas burrito.  

I still have half for dinner tonight & Mike will pick up a tuna Subway sandwich to eat in our room at the Embassy Suites.  We're too tired to go out!

Day 9 - the hills. oh the hills.

 

DAY 9 of the Asmi Cali Coastal Tour

Pismo Beach to Lompoc (49 miles)

Today, there were some big hills ahead so we left early - also wanted to try to beat some of the heat as the route headed inland, away from the ocean breeze.  Past Oceano, we started running into cyclists on the Arthritis Ride.  They had started in San Francisco a couple of days after us.  We almost envied their SAG wagon & how light they were traveling but also felt just a little bit superior.  At one point, an ambulance with its' siren on sped past me and I thought:  "Don't let it be one of the riders!".  Then I saw it stopped ahead with a group of riders off their bikes and I said:  "Please don't let it be Mike!".  It wasn't.  One of the riders had hit debris on the road & went down, dislocated her shoulder.  Fortunately, it wasn't more serious but it was a good reminder to Mike & I of how careful we have to be.

We rode through more agricultural areas today.

At one point, I saw what I thought were orange  flowers growing but it turns out they were squash blossoms on zucchini plants - so beautiful.

I think I'll appreciate farmers & farmers markets even more after this trip.

We had been dreading Harris Grade which is a 3 mile switchback road with a steep climb. Turns out, it was closed for repairs so we were sent on a detour on San Antonio Rd.  It's a wonderful little back road with little traffic but it's desperately in need of repair.  We bumped along for about 6 miles before rejoining the old historic Highway 1 & our little 'butt-skis' were hurtin'!

After a long, steady climb

we rolled into Lompoc feeling tired but very fortunate:  We were safe, the  heat & hills had been manageable, & there was a comfy bed, warm bath & cold beer just up ahead!

ps. my cold is now in my head & chest & it hurts when I cough.  I wonder do I need antibiotics?

INTO THE ARCHIVES

Blog Post #11 "Honeymoon in Europe 1979"

Day 8 - Beach, Flowers, and Sky

 

DAY 8 of the Asmi Cali Coastal Tour

Cayucos to Pismo Beach (42 miles)

We really liked Cayucos & had a great dinner last night overlooking the beach.  Afterward, we headed for the Brown Butter Cookie Company only to find that it was closed.  Kudos to the ladies who opened the shop after seeing us woefully peer through their window.  We bought 2 brown butter cookies & were headed down the block when one of the ladies came running after us with a half dozen cookies.  We had told them we were riding down the coast & I guess they were impressed.  The cookies are delicious & are sold online.  Check it out at www.brownbuttercookies.com. 

 
It was a little chilly when we started this morning which felt great.  The sore throat I had in Big Sur has turned into a full-fledged head cold & I dripped & sneezed & coughed the whole day.  Surprisingly, it didn't seem to affect my riding.  Maybe that's because there were so many other things to focus on.

The ride around Morro Bay was wonderful.  We found a path that ambles through sand dunes & past Morro Rock & there wasn't a soul on it.

Leaving Morro Bay, we rode through Morro Bay State Park which has a beautiful golf course on one side & the beach on the other.  The road then took us past marshlands

& fields of pumpkins, cabbage, & flowers.

By then, the sounds of birds had been replaced by the sound of cars whooshing by but there was a wide shoulder so it was okay.

We made a side trip into San Luis Obispo to get some work done on Mike's bike & have lunch.  

On our way out of town, we stopped at a place that sells new Airstream trailers which are really cool.  Here's Mike checking out our next mode of travel:

Then we headed into the wind to Pismo Beach.  Most of the day has been on bike lanes which really helps.  A quick stop at the pier

& the pharmacy for cold meds, then we checked into Pismo Lighthouse Suites which is a gorgeous Cape Cod themed, all-suite hotel on a bluff overlooking the ocean.  Our room is on the top floor, 1,000 sq ft with a living room, bedroom, 2 bathrooms & a balcony.

We may never leave!

- Suzanne & Azul (Suzanne's Bike)

INTO THE ARCHIVES

Blog Post #10 "Asmi Updates from Danielle"

How Team Asmi Works

Mike & I make a pretty good team.  He's the mechanic/maintenance man (duct tape ever on the ready!);  I'm the navigator/planner.  He hunts & gathers for essentials like ice cream & beer; I figure out how far we've gone & where we're headed the next day.  It works. 

We like to ride at our own pace with Mike out front.  I can almost keep up on the flats, but he loses me on the hills.  We enjoy the time riding alone - it's very freeing & allows our minds to wander.  We're both happy with our decision to ride solo instead of tandem. 

Mike is great about waiting for me & making sure I'm okay.  I think he's a little surprised at how well I'm doing.  Frankly, so am I!  Of course, I'm carrying a lot less weight than Mike: he has about 10 lbs. more than me & his bike is much heavier.  Who ever heard of riding a mountain bike down the coast!?

I am carrying 2 things that Mike isn't:  a nose shield that attaches to my glasses & protects my nose from the sun.  Mike thinks it makes me look like a duck but at least my nose won't fall off.  The second is one of those kiddy flags that attaches to my bike & hopefully makes me more visible to drivers.  Again, it's not something Mike wants on his bike.  I like what the fellow at the Santa Cruz Bike Shop said:  safety first.  I added a little Canadian flag to it (I'm Canadian, for those of you who don't know). Now everyone thinks we've cycled from Canada!

More later from Pismo Beach.

Day 7 - Destination Sunflowers!

 DAY 7 of the Asmi Cali Coastal Tour

Ragged Point to Cayucos (38 miles)

Easy ride today, only 38 miles from Ragged Point to Cayucos.  We got an early start to beat the traffic & the heat.   

The first 26 miles to Cambria were magical.  The temperature was pleasant & the road empty.  It was like someone had closed the highway just for us!

We quickly left the cliffs of Big Sur & meandered along gently rolling terrain that followed the shore. 

We stopped at Piedras Blancas to view the colony of elephant seals

then rolled past San Simeon & Hearst Castle,

into Cambria for breakfast.  From Cambria to Cayucos is only 13 miles but the road takes you inland for about 10 miles. That may not sound like much but try riding it in a sauna!  It was nasty with no shade & 105 degrees.  We were dying, literally, to get back to the coast where the temperature dropped 20 degrees!

We're in Cayucos, a cute little beach town with a wharf & miles of beach.  

I had warned Mike that we were staying some place a little "different" tonight but when I turned into the Seaside Motel, he thought I was joking....I wasn't. 

We checked into Room No. 10, Sunflower Surprise, and discovered...well...lots & lots of sunflowers!  Each room is decorated with a theme:  Fish Fantasy, Birdhouse Bungalow, Tea for Two...I think we did okay! We decided to go cool off in the ocean only to discover that we are wimps!  The water is so much colder here than in LA - we settled for getting our feet wet.

Early dinner tonight, then sunset on the beach.  As Mike's mom always says:  Life is good!

- Suzanne & Azul (Suzanne's Bike)

INTO THE ARCHIVES

Post #9 Sept. 10, 2010 "Itinerary"

Day 6 - Heat, Hills, and Flies

DAY 6 of the Asmi Cali Coastal Tour

Big Sur to Ragged Point (50 miles)

50 miles today from Big Sur to Ragged Point - 8 hrs on a bike in 100 degrees!

There were 3 things I was worried about on this trip:  heat, hills & getting sick.  Well, today we had them all.  I started feeling sick yesterday with a sore throat & headache & just prayed that I wouldn't feel worse today.  Thankfully, I felt about the same so we were up & out early to beat the heat.  Yeah, right! The hardest day of the whole ride with mega hills & there's record heat along the coast!  By 7 am, I was down to my t-shirt & wondering where this Santa Ana had come from!  But despite the heat & hills, the first half of the ride was SPECTACULAR!  Traffic was light & the scenery indescribable.  It actually got a little cooler as we rode closer to the water & we had absolutely the best ride ever!  The hills were tough & there were a few times I had to stop to catch my breath but I never walked my bike so I consider that a success!

Besides the heat & hills, the biggest problem was the flies!  Apparently, they love the heat & decided to escort us to Ragged Point.   I discovered that if I pedaled over 6 mph, I could evade them;  under that, I looked like Pigpen on a bike!

Ragged Point was such a welcome sight.  We have a nice room overlooking the ocean & can hear the waves crashing below.  The first thing we did was get some nice, cold beer & sat outside taking in the view.  Just about to head over to the restaurant for dinner - believe me, we earned it!

oh, by the way:  Mike & I kissed & made up a long time ago!

- Suzanne & Azul (Suzanne's Bike)

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Post #8  Sept. 10, 2010 "Just the Two of Us"

Day 5 - When the Ride gets Tough, the Riders get Tougher

 

DAY 5 of the Asmi Cali Coastal Tour

Big Sur (0 miles)

Yesterday, we rode from Monterey Bay to Big Sur (47 miles).  And we had our first fight.  It was bound to happen:  we were lost & hungry & when you're riding bikes, that's a REALLY BAD combination!  We left Monterey & rode for about 7 miles up Viejo Rd. which was a quiet, winding road with no grading!  The guy at the bike shop in Santa Cruz who added an extra gear to my bike said it was my "bail out" gear & would get me up anything.  Well, on Viejo Rd., I had to bail out on my bail out gear twice & walk to the top.  We then found ourselves at a confusing intersection:

& asked some bikers which way to go.  They pointed us down the hill & when we got to the highway, we realized that we had circled back almost to the beginning - how frustrating!  So it was another long climb up into Carmel & some much needed food.

From then on, the day was wonderful!  The ride between Carmel & Big Sur is beautiful with stunning ocean & mountain views.  There were a couple of long hills & it got pretty warm (where did this weather come from?!) but it was a great ride. 

We're staying 2 nights at the Ripplewood Resort in Big Sur in a funky cabin right on the river.  Virginia & Joe joined us last night & we had a wonderful sunset dinner at Nepenthe, one of our favorite spots.  Today is a day for laundry, naps, sitting by the river, & reading.  BIG hills tomorrow....but that's another day!

- Suzanne & Azul (Suzanne's bike)

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Blog Post #7 Aug. 31, 2010 "I'm Not Afraid, I'm Too Brave"