From Jody:
Riding, riding, and riding some more.
Monday Peter and I rode from Santa Barbara, with Janie
driving The Little Darkness, loaded to the gills. We left just past 7:00, a
little later than I’d like, but breakfast is important and the hotel started serving
its complimentary fare at 6:30. Didn’t want to gobble too much, too fast as
bikers travel by stomach as well as by leg. A happy tummy is important. And
yes, Janie, I do mean to include drink as well as food. I know, I know, I never
drink enough before or during bike rides, but I will, I promise. After twenty
miles, the bike computer said we’d climbed 2300 feet, but were only 74 feet
above sea level. Lots of rises and downhills. Totals on the route for the first
day was forty five miles and nearly 4000 feet of elevation change. I later
joined Janie for a return ride on the last several miles, along the bikepath
sponsored by the Rotary Club of Ojai-West. 
Rotary Club of Ojai-West sponsored park.
Day two started a bit earlier as we were a few miles out of
Ojai when the sun’s diamond sparkle brilliance burst above a nearby peak. And
then the first major climb of the day. I huffed and puffed to a lookout over
the Ojai Valley, with marker courtesy of the Rotary Club of Ojai.
The second day was longer and the road wound through dozens of sites that were home to nurseries, floral farms, orange groves and farms with pickers harvesting red peppers. We cycled about fifty miles and the elevation gain was around three thousand feet. Rode past the rear entrance to Magic Mountain, a Six Flags amusement park with rides that towered above its industrial neighborhood. Stopped at a traffic light, the bike’s computer showed the temperature a few feet above the asphalt was 104 degrees. Later, the computer said the day’s high was 97.
The second day was longer and the road wound through dozens of sites that were home to nurseries, floral farms, orange groves and farms with pickers harvesting red peppers. We cycled about fifty miles and the elevation gain was around three thousand feet. Rode past the rear entrance to Magic Mountain, a Six Flags amusement park with rides that towered above its industrial neighborhood. Stopped at a traffic light, the bike’s computer showed the temperature a few feet above the asphalt was 104 degrees. Later, the computer said the day’s high was 97.
Janie accompanied me at the start of today’s ride. The
streets of Santa Clarita are wide and bicycle friendly, for the most part. Some
traffic on certain streets, but we had others mostly to ourselves. Perfect
weather at the start and great enthusiasm.
Photo by Peter Doran (www.pdoranphoto.com)
As we left town, the bike lane shrunk
to a few fingers’ width, with a rock outcropping close by and Janie chose to
relinquish the saddle for the familiarity of The Little Darkness. Two miles
further, I heard the howls of coyotes. Didn’t get a chance to learn more of the
source. Interested to see more, but not that curious with only two wheels of
pedal power to keep my heinie away from canine teeth.
Bouquet Canyon is a rider’s
paradise and most enjoyable in its lower portion. The two successive climbs
were more challenging, but the day’s route was only forty miles and I took my
time. Peter is a great photographer and managed to capture a few images of my
better side.
Photos by Peter Doran (www.pdoranphoto.com)
Each climb ended with a rapid descent, the last coming into
Lancaster, CA, our stop for the day. Lancaster has an unusual street naming
convention, as we passed K-4 St., Avenue J-4, Avenue J-8 and Avenue J-15A. Hot and dry – when we left the restaurant
after lunch, I started the car and its thermometer read 115. The reading
climbed to 117 before settling at 113 when we returned to the hotel.
Coyote is always out there waiting, and Coyote is always hungry.
~Navajo proverb
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