Day 3; King City to Paso Robles

Day 3; King City to Paso Robles

I woke up on day three to a beautiful sight of tents.  I am really starting to like the camping life and porta potty trips.  Food lines are fun and move quick.  The hot showers are delightful.  Truly, this is a fun camping experience.

Rows of tents!!!!

Darth and the gear trucks

A list of fun facts from AL that they pass out in the morning newsletter

I easily find my SAG'd in bike due to the highly organized efforts of ALC staff.  They moved some 1500 bikes from lunch and rest stops to the camp overnight, tagged them all, made a spread sheet and then let us all know where to find our bike in the easily marked mixed drinks named bike stands. 

Blanch survived the night, though her back tire is low.  I fill her up and we take off.  Not one mile out of camp, and the tire is low again (little did I know the small gouge in the tire is causing an air leak).  It is temporarily fixed enough for me to ride on.

Ahead of us is the infamous quadbuster.  We hear how challenging it is.  And it is a massive steep hill.  But once again, there are tons of people cheering you along the way; either biking by your side or pulled over to cheer you on.  What is funny, is that quadbuster was not much of anything.  Don't get me wrong, it was hard.  But Romi and I kicked its ass so easily, it was not all the hype they made it out to be.  It was a very peaceful ride up actually.  And yes, some others were struggling, but everyone got cheered on and everyone made it up quadbuster (that I know of).

Two bike shots of riders on the road just prior to quadbuster

The ride down the backside of quadbuster was sweet though.  It was so beautiful!!  It reminded me of the countryside back home in Colorado.  The air was still, It was quiet. The downhill was SWEET!!  On the way, a bird flew overhead.  Being in that moment, I had my first Zen moment on the bike.  I was completely present.  I looked at this bird and thought, could this be Ricardo, watching over me, joining me on the ride.  Is it someone else's guardian angel.  Is it someones sister, daughter, son, lover, friend.... Is it someone saying thank you.  A beautiful bird, soaring over us on a beautiful day.  I was so peaceful and would say I was being peace.  It was incredible and probably the most memorable moment of this ride.

We get to rest stop two, and it is words with friends themed.  There is a church in the background, and the scrabble board shows all the words that describe ALC.  Love being right in the center.  They say this is a big love bubble.  They are right.  I am smack dab in the middle of it and feel so full of love.  For my fellow riders, those that I am helping by doing this ride. my family, friends, boyfriend and myself.  I am at peace and surrounded by love.  I wish that felling on everyone as much as possible.  What an incredible day so far.

Found some elves on the way (each day, these four dressed in different themes and were the coolest bunch on the ride.  So full of energy and so much fun).

So bike was, the tire is not doing well. Each time I turned right, I would fishtail left.  I go slow, Romi ride wife by my side, and try to figure out what the hell is wrong with Blanch. 

We have lunch in Bradley.  This is a small small town of about a few hundred people. Each year they come out and do a BBQ (non ALC sanctioned) to raise money for their school.  It was burgers (really good burgers) chips and soda.  The line was long but the town was so welcoming.  The kids serve you, take the money and interact with you.  They were so cool!  Asking what you did, how is the ride, thanks for coming through our town, thanks for being a hero.  Here is what is the best.  We are in a podunk small town.  Should be filled of bigoted persons hating the gays and hating HIV and that silly gay disease.  You would think, right.  But no.  Because of this ride, these kids are being exposed to gays. lesbians, straights, crazies, and all sorts of shenanigans.  But they know why we ride.  These kids will grow up to accept what is different from their small town (similar to Falcon CO, my hometown where I was taught bigotry and hate).  I was so amazed that these kids were going to have such a great experience and exposure to society.  Great job to you, Bradley CA.  They also sold buttons and bandannas to assist with the raising of money.  I bought three :)

David's SAG truck on one of the three roads of Bradley.

The BBQ at Bradley

The long ass line for the burgers.  But well worth the wait.

The main street of Bradley. 

A sexyrican (insider moment) after a double cheeseburger, bag of chips and two Coke's.

We continue on through amazing countryside and vineyards.  It was just incredibly beautiful.  It was some of California's best scenery.  To be honest, not much to say, just quiet amazing California countryside.

Viagra man on the side of the road.  He dressed up each day and would be condom man, a four leaf clover, etc and cheer on riders.  He was creepy, but cool. And who doesn't want a picture with Viagra man.

Rest stop 3!  I caught up with David and we take some photos.  The Seuss Grinch was on the back of his truck.

Rest stop four. The best little fourhouse in Texas. On the backside of a Mission!  But the Mission supports the ride every year, and the girls of RS4 passed around a bucket and I believe raised $6000 for the Mission! 

Can you spot the elves??  Rest stop four always brings on a big crowd.

Yes, she is shooting a baby.

The back of Romi's jersey and a fun RS4 sign.

Camp!  Finally. Took Blanch in to bike tech.  Sure enough, she needs a new back tire and two new tubes.  Cost, $50.  That is cheap!  Seriously.  And the bike tech guys are super cool! She will be ready by 7.

We are in a fairgrounds at camp.  The place was HUGE!!!!  And there was an ice cream stand :)  I spent some quality time with Raquel and David.  I needed some time with them to sort our feelings from the ride and to help figure out this feeling of the ALC love bubble.  They are great to me and I am glad to have them with me through this journey.  I also, sadly, have a couple cigarettes.  But again, it felt right.  I cant explain it, but it was what I needed (and no, I have not had a single one sense then, almost 2 months later and have no urge for one :))  I too get hit on here and there.  It is flattering, and I politely say thanks, but no thanks, and it reminds me of what I have waiting for me in Ventura and how much I miss Jose.  I will see him soon.

Jordan and I!

Camp at the fairgrounds.

So, at dinner we get some notes.  At Bradley, they raised over $16000 through the BBQ and buttons/bandannas.  Enough to cover a year of their after school activities for the entire school!!!!  The Mission got $4000 dollars from donations from riders.  The reach of what ALC does not only for their cause, but for the cities we go through is amazing.  The reach is incredible!!!!  One 17 year HIV positive woman is 60 years old, and done the Paris to Breast ride; 760 miles in 90 hours!  There is  rider who was recently hit by a semi truck door that opened on her, which flung her into the road where she was struck by another semi and ran over.  She has had replacement surgeries of bones and suffers in daily pain, and is doing the ride, complaint free.  A rider who has had both knees and his hip replaced, doing the ride!!!!  I will never bitch again when I am in pain or I fell I have it rough.  They ride, cause they can and they want to save lives!


Best selfish part of the day, I got a free massage.  You get one 15 minute massage on the ride.  Well, I was with David when the Massage tent guy came and asked David to get a free massage for Media.  David put me in his place instead so I got an extra massage!  And my back could be in media print for next year!!!!  It was a great massage (and my back made it in the recap video and is also online!)



We go to sleep, it is a really windy night in camp!!


Till next time,
Keep peddling!