Day 19, September 27, 2007

Paso Robles, CA to Santa Maria, CA
86.4 miles, 13.8 mph, 6h 12m 47s (max speed 37.6 mph)

Up at 6:00, 6:30 continental breakfast at hotel - egg and cheese omelet, 2 bowls raisin bran, muffin and orange juice, 7:30 load luggage, 7:35 route rap, 7:50 on the road.

It was a chilly 51F start today, but it did warm up to 65F by 10AM and a high of 87F by mid afternoon. For the first 55 miles there really wasn't any scenic views and I didn't see anything that lent itself to my being creative or goofy. I can't recall this ever occurring in my over 10,000 miles of ABB riding since 1999. I have never ridden over 50 miles in a day without a photo opportunity of some type. But, there was an "event" at 15 miles. I got my first flat tire, unfortunately at a very busy intersection. I was riding with Tom and he helped me change it. It took about a half hour for us to get back on the road. The first SAG was at 30 miles in the town of Pismo Beach. The town was fogged in, and the temperature dropped down to about 50F with an uncomfortable cold breeze off the ocean. The rest of the day was a route through a commercial vegetable operation. I saw hundreds of acres of lettuce and broccoli. I observed two types of lettuce harvest. (1) throw them in a box (2) pick, wrap and box (see pics)

I arrived at the hotel at 3:40, checked in, showered, worked on journal, went to RAP, went to dinner at Denny's, back to room to finish this short journal and send it to Ed. Tomorrows ride is 39 miles to Solvang. Yes! That's right! Only 39 miles! That is correct! This is not a mistake! This is not a cruel joke! Tomorrow will be a really short cycling day. We really need this! WOW!

There is a continental breakfast here at Comfort Inn from 6:30 to 9:30 and luggage load is at 9:00. We could easily be in Solvang by 11AM. We'll be staying at a Best Western Inn. Our rooms probably won.t be ready until 2PM so we will need to find something to do. Maybe I'll go to a movie. (wink)

Farmer John
SAG 2 at Pismo Beach	Lettuce harvest
All you can see is lettuce	Iceberg lettuce
Future lettuce crop will be planted here	Broccoli
Lettuce harvest and packaging