Day 20: Arroyo Grande to Morro Bay,Ca

Hey everyone!

Well I didn't get on the road till past 11 it was sure hard to leave Laura Dotty's ranch! I had about 40 miles to bike today So I got back on the road.

After a short bit I hit a down hill and saw some nice country scenery.

After awile on hwy 1 I made my way to Pismo beach and took a side trip to the sand dunes.

After resisting the temptation to bike on it! I got back on hwy 1 and made my way to shell beach for more costal and sceneic views!

After this point I decided to take a detour toward Avila beach to see some more costal views I would not of seen staying on hwy 1.

After admiring the sceneic view I headed out and made my way back to hwy 1 and got to enjoy a nice bike path off the road. It was pretty flat for awile I then made my way to San Luis Obispo I almost biked past it but but decided to stop in town to pick up a few supplies and I saw a Trader Joe's and decided to stop in.  I shopped around and found a few supplies then on my way to the checkout a women stopped me and asked about my bike and told me how awsome it was that I was doing this trip and that she always wanted to try bike touring so we struck up a conversation  and started chatting her name was Courtney and she has her own business www.cookwell.org which she offers personal guidance in whole foods preperation so I gave her the link to my blog and she gave me her business card so after that I headed out I wished there was a way we could of hanged out more but it all happens so fast when traveling. 

Well after that I started making my way to the hwy and saw a Costco and decided to stop in they always have the really big all beef hotdog and drink for $1.50 and the $1.35 Yogurt sundae both of those always fill me up! 

So after that I hit the road feeling very full and was about 15 miles out from Morro Bay State Park on the way to Morro Bay I got some more great scenery!

When I was close I saw this cool bike planter!

At this point it was starting to get dark so I made the 2 mile trek in the dark to the campground when I got ready to pay I looked at the price and was astonished!

I found out state beaches are 10$/night but state parks are only 5$/night for hiker/bikers! So I'm paying 1/7 of the price of a regular campsite what a deal so that means I'd have to be traveling with 6 other cyclists to be worth getting a regular site! Well I got myself set up and setteled in for the night here's a shot of my spot.

Well that's all for this chapter thanks for reading!

Day 19: El Capitan to Arroyo Grande, Ca

Hey everyone! 

Well I got off to a eariler start today I left about 930am I had about 75 miles to bike today I figured after a day break I'd be ready for a longer day.

So off I went I found out there was a bike path I could take connecting this park with another one a few miles away so I took I headed up it always till I found this

But just as I was leaving there was a guy that told me I could go around it, so I did and headed on it over to the next park here's a shot of the path

So after that I looked around the next park for a few.

Then I headed back to hwy 101 the coast wasn't quite as scenic but the hills to the east sure were

I also got a little nervous when I saw this sign!

But luckily there were no gusty winds after a little more biking I saw Gavitora state parkand decided to stop in and the difference in price from hiker/biker was even more! Over 4 times the price.

I also talked to one of the park volunteers for a short bit before heading out just a mile up I passed a rest stop and came to a cool tunnel I had to bike through.

Shortly after the tunnel I got to the exit to get back on hwy 1 and say a sign that it was closed for the next 18 miles but the state trooper said I could bike through which was a big plus cause this ment little to no cars!

This part of the route is further away from the coast so through here I was surrounded by mountains and hills which was a nice change of scenery!

I managed to find a sign to get my bike in one as well.

Soon after this I made my way to Lompoc, Ca about 35 miles in whare I decided to restock on food and a some supplies I found a Grocary outlet of all places which is one of my favorite places to shop cause its always a great deal and they always have different items so its like a treasure hunt I think it makes shopping fun! So I got about 3 full bags of stuff which looked like to much to fit but with a little creativity and also de packageing some stuff I crammed it all in! I also stopped at big 5 to get another gas can for my stove then I was off finally by this time it was almost 3pm and I still had just over 40 miles to go so I got movin! I went off hwy 1 and took hwy 135 It was starting to look less like desert and more like Washington state through here plus some hill climbs as well another common thing In Washington.

Once I climbed this hill I coasted my way down into some vineyards.

I was then starting to run out of daylight again at this point it was almost 5 and I was about 50 miles in 

About 10 miles later I finally reached Guadalupe,Ca not too far from my next resting place.

So I called the Laura Dotty  she has a farm and let's cyclists camp for 10$/night I got the directions the rest of the way to her place it was about 8 miles away at this point it was about 630 and totally dark so I turned on all my night lights took my time.  Soon after I arrived she was so sweet and welcoming she showed me a around and told me she also advertises this place on Air BnB. And since I was the only one here she let me sleep in the bunks in the top of the tower! Here's a few shots I took of the place the next morning! 

               It also had a nice view!

           Here's the tower I slept in!

Once I got setteled in to took a nice shower in the bath house and then made a fire and enjoyed some dinner wine and cheese in front of the fire man it was nice! :-) Soon after that I headed for bed. 

The next morning I looked around the farm and took my time. I made some breakfast!

Man what a nice place I sure hate to leave but after that I headed out. Also if you wanna stay here as well give Doty a call 805-574-3901or email: dadoyts@yahoo.com or the web www.ILGWellness.com 

Well that's all for this chapter thanks for reading!

Day 17 and 18: Ventura,Ca to El Capitan State Beach

Hey everyone!

Well that morning I chatted with Deg Matt and Kevin some more  and took a pic of the coast by our campsite.

After that I said thank you and goodbye to Deg Matt and Kevin I tried to pay them some money and they didn't even take it! I've been amazed so far by the generosity of everyone I've met this trip and I definetly plan to pay it forward cause honestly if I did somthing nice for somone I would rather they just say thank you and pay it forward and help somone else in need  down the road then just have them give me money. So off I went back on the coast for more great scenery!

I had about 55 miles to bike today.  I Eventually made my way to Carpinteria,Ca and stopped at a park just on the outskirts of town for a quick break and saw more great views!

I stopped at a local bike shop in town for a few to look around then I headed out and made my way to the next town Summerland, Ca this place was right on the coast an had some classy resorts a lady that lived locally saw my bike and asked me about it she also told me about some of her friends that biked around the world and also warned me about some of the roads comming up after that she headed off and I got back to biking. Well eventually I made my way to Santa Barbra, ca and it was all bike path through the town!

While I was in town I decided to stop at REI in Santa Barbra.

After that I pressed on and biked through some rolling hills and beaches and more great scenery.

So I eventually made my way to another longer bike path and it was a nice easy ride with a nice sunset and I made my way to the University of Santa Barbara it was a really neat college to see they had bike racks everywhere it was quite a site! 

Just when I thought this was a lot of bikes I went a little further and saw a even bigger area of bikes and also a bike repair station so awsome! :-)

After biking through this amazing bikes galore college I made my way back to the coast still on the bike path it just keeps going I eventually made my way to Goleta beach whare I stopped for a quick break at this point the sun was just about set so I kept moving. I eventually got off the bike path and made my way back to hwy 101 which at this point I had to bike in the dark! So I turned on 3 rear light and 2 front lights and my rim lights a recent purchase at the Santa Barbara REI. So I biked my way up luckily it was a wide shoulder and about an hour later I got to El Capitan state beach whare I decided to camp for the night. I this one was much more clear about whare the hiker biker sights were and the price was right on the sign

Well I'm sure glad I'm a hiker/biker as you can see its 35$ for a regular site so over triple the price lol! 

Well after that I got set up and setteled in for the night.

So the next morning I decided I like this place so much that I decided to stay an extra day to explore the area here's 2 shots of the site.

The bathrooms were right there the camp host was in the rv on the right and I had running water right on the site and also the bathrooms were very spacious there was also just up the hill a classy campground with cabins and yurts called the El Capitan Canyon it also had its own market that I hanged out in and it had free wi-fi an a nice fire place that made it warm and cozy I also went up the street to the rv sites called Orca Mesa I was told they had a laundromat so I headed over to wash my 4 day old dirty bike clothes with a little persuasion the lady there let me wash my clothes well later that night I went back to the Canyon market whare I left my phone charging and watch some shows on my phone and got the rest of the way caught up on the blog finally!

They closed at 8 and she said I could hang out outside if I wanted so I did!

So after doing doing a little more relaxing I made my way back to camp to sleep for the night. Well that's all for this chapter thanks for reading!