Day 83: Tehachapi to Palmdale

September 13, 2014
Tehachapi to Palmdale
67 miles

Psychologically my eco-conscious brain had a rough day. On the one hand, it was delighted to see all sorts of wind  and solar energy, including large and small scale operations. But then I also saw sprinklers trying to irrigate a desert. One side of the road was dirt and shrubs while the other side of the road was some sort of leafy plant growing in neat rows. And then I was happy to see bike lanes, but then I was disappointed to have to drive through a gigantic stretch of urban sprawl that is Palmdale and Landcaster.

It's too hot to bike comfortably. That's been a recurring theme in southern California.

So not the greatest day of riding, but I did get to see some random interesting things.

The owner must be a Don Quixote fan.

Stupidly long and straight and hot road.

I call this kind of tree a Sasquatch tree.

Look at the crops on the left. Look at the conditions they are growing in on the right. Why are we irrigating the desert?

There was a big bike race and I happened to be going on the same route. I left so early I got to the turn around before anyone else. I was hoping the spectators would start cheering for me, but they mostly ignored me.

I saw this tortoise on someone's driveway.

Yay! Solar! Now if only California would stop stealing and wasting the water.

Now if only California could get its water situation right. Here's an aqueduct that is feeding at least one  giant city that shouldn't exist where it is. I ranted a lot about water usage in my head.

I didn't even realize it until much later in the day, but the combination of downhill and tailwind during the morning pushed me to a new speed record: 52 miles per hour. Not bad!

Day 82: Lake Isabella to Tehachapi

September 12, 2014
Lake Isabella to Tehachapi
65 miles?

Early start and a beautiful sunrise started the day off right. There was also an amazing moonrise over the mountains, but I couldn't capture that with my camera.



The morning was the best SoCal riding I've had so far! Cool temps (Only 85 degrees at noon!) and a nice breeze made it possible for me to enjoy the sparse beauty of the landscape.



Then in the afternoon is got hot, and the landscape got a little too sparse for my liking.



And on top of it the pavement turned to black, which just radiated heat into my face.

Saw my first rattlesnake!



This is a famous train engineering thing, the track circles underneath itself as it climbs the mountain. I was at the wrong angle to capture this train go over itslef, but there it is.



Am camped out at an airport. A man gave me the pass code to go into one of the lounges and onto the landing strip, but I couldn't get it to work. So now I'm outside the gate next to some very loud trians, planes, and highway traffic.

Good thing I have earplugs!

Day 81: Sequoia National Monument to Lake Isabella

September 11, 2014
Aspen Creek Campground to Lake Isabella
71 miles

Aspen Creek Campground to Paradise Cove Campground, Lake Isabella

For how often I look at the map of my route, it is shameful that I get lost at all. I made another wrong turn and it took me around Lake Isabella the long way. Things worked out though, because I found a free campground.

But first, I finished exploring the Sequoia Forest. My first stop was at Dome Rock. While I was up here, I could hear some fighter jets doing their sonic boom. Otherwise it was a very quiet, meditative place to be.



Next I walked a part of the Trail of 100 Giants. It had many weird turns and I neglected to grab a tour guide map thing, so I only saw a little bit. Contrary to what two people in a restaurant told me, Sequoia National Park is better. This doens't surprise me since neitehr of the women had actually been to the national park, and you would expect them to put the best sequoia groves in the national park.

What the roots of a sequoia look like.



Glad I wasn't standing underneath when this happened:



What do you do with a fallen Sequoia? Play!



I left the forests to return to the unforgiving desert heat.



The ride wasn't too bad because I was able to cool off every 20 minutes in the river that ran alongside the road. I would dunk my shirt and 10 minutes later it would be almost completely dry.



I saw this.



This belongs in an art show for capturing the essence of a nasty latrine, and the inadequacy of signage in getting people to take basic care of things they share. The sign says "Close lid and door when leaving. Help keep our toilet clean."



California doesn't actually have lakes, but they do have reservoirs that they call lakes. And then they take the water to grow grapes, and in the end they both shrivel up. The grape turns into a raisin. The lake just goes away.



I added well over 11 miles  to my trip by going the wrong way around the lake. If I had realized my mistake earlier I could have biked across the dry lake bed. It reminded me of "Holes."

Tomorrow I will be using the last section of my ACA map! About 500 miles to the border!

Day 80: Three Rivers to Sequoia National Monument

September 10, 2014

57 miles

7:40 ride time

Three Rivers to Aspen Creek Campground, Sequoia National Monument

FINALLY left Three Rivers to continue on my journey. 

But first, I thought my friend Shawn had somehow landed at the campground I was staying at. Turns out it's just his German look alike. He was even more dressed like Shawn before.

I was able to get a nice early start and so the first 20 miles were very comfortable, and I was starting to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of the geography and landscapes here. I made 4000 miles! Making progress!

The heat came, and it was oppressive. And there was a  monster climb to undertake. I climbed from 1500 feet to 7000 feet. Once it cooled off to high 80's, I felt good again. 

I stopped by an AMAZING oasis that had waterfalls, climbing rocks that went in and around pools of water and waterfalls, and had jumping rocks, and a poorly constructed rope swing. Sorry it's sideways.

I made it up to Sequoia National Monument, which is different from the park. Some people at a gas station told me that the trees here are better than the national park, but they haven't even been to the national park. I"ll have to be the judge of that.

Day 79: Three Rivers

September 8, 2014

0 Miles

Spent yet another day in Three Rivers. I will be so well rested by the time I get back on the bike...

Day 78: Soccer Match

September 7, 2014
0 Miles
Three Rivers

Today marked Tyler's completely unexpected return to the soccer pitch!

But before that my tour guide and I climbed rocks and swam in the river. The river, I am told, is very very low and usually these rocks are not at any risk of being struck by a boat propeller. California is definitely in a drought. Do your part to conserve water.

After a swim, we went to Cynthia's soccer match. It was too hot for soccer, but like true soccer players they played anyways. In the last half of the second half, they asked if I wanted to throw on a jersey and play. I couldn't resist so for the first time in two years, for the first time since my back surgery, I played soccer. It made me so happy to play! So happy! And I even was able to make some good passes while I was in.

After the game, while buying food to grill, my weak calf was aching, but it didn't bother me because I was so happy from having played soccer again.

Never expected that to happen on this trip!

Day 75 - 77: Three Rivers

September 4-6

0 miles
Three Rivers

I'm staying at a campground and in exchange for a couple free nights of camping I'll clean up some brush piles. 

I'm basically spending my whole time sleeping, reading, and laying in the shade. I spent a couple hours going to use the internet, getting food, and clearing up the brush pile. It's so hot it really prohibits you from doing anything, but I haven't had a day of actually doing NOTHING since.... I can't remember? Not on this trip, that's for sure. 

My legs will thank me later.