So we were out and ready to go by around 8:15. However, Evan said that he would put my new pink tape on my handlebars...quickly before we headed out. Unfortunately, it took him a little longer (bless his heart...he had to deal with especially thick tape) and by the time he finished, the group had started without me. I was confident though, that I could catch up with them, as I got instructions as to which direction they started, and I was off. Julia went with the group, 
having heard that I was in the first group out, so she thought she was trying to catch up with me.Out I went, pedaling hard, following the arrows on the road, until I ran out of arrows all together. I kept going thinking that I would catch up with the group sometime soon, but I never saw a soul. I thought perhaps I had missed a turn, so after climbing a hill, i turned around and went back, searching for the missing arrows. Alas, after going back up and down the street a couple of times, there were none to be found, and I ended up stopping at a salon in a strip mall and borrowing their phone to call the emergency contact number printed on my number. After two attempts, and no one picking up the phone, I decided my only option was to return to the hotel. Additionally, I didn't have my cell phone with me, nor the cue sheet...so I was totally and completely lost. When I pulled into the hotel though, I met one of the organizers and she and her husband kindly took me to the first rest stop where I met back up with the group.
Come to find out when I had left the hotel, I had turned left (as instructed by the SAG guys) and I should have turned right. NO WONDER I was never able to catch up with the group, and no wonder the arrows ended (come to find out those arrows were for a running race recently staged). Sigh...
Come to find out when I had left the hotel, I had turned left (as instructed by the SAG guys) and I should have turned right. NO WONDER I was never able to catch up with the group, and no wonder the arrows ended (come to find out those arrows were for a running race recently staged). Sigh...
However, in hind site it was probably a good thing that I didn't follow the group, as my knee was still really hurting from the day before, and the first leg of the day was filled with hills, which really puts a lot of stress on the joint. After the first rest stop, we wound our way through UCSB, how fun it would have been to go to college there...right on the beach.
We then made our way into the canyons and once again went up and down hills. 
I had hoped that my knee would start to feel better once I warmed it up, but it never eased up on the pain. 
At one point, half way up a long hill, I had to cry uncle and get in the SAG wagon to the top. 
Then I was out for the REALLY fun downhill as we wound through the canyon.
We then made our way into the canyons and once again went up and down hills. 
I had hoped that my knee would start to feel better once I warmed it up, but it never eased up on the pain. 
At one point, half way up a long hill, I had to cry uncle and get in the SAG wagon to the top. 
Then I was out for the REALLY fun downhill as we wound through the canyon. We did pass some famous people's homes, two of which we knew about...Steve Martin and Oprah...we didn't really see her house, but heard that we were in the area. I had to climb in the van one more time when the knives started going through my knee again, but I was able to get out for the last 6 miles or so and finish with the group, happy with the thought that I would not be getting back on the bike tomorrow...according to plan.
We hit the hot tub today, which was a really good idea before we went to dinner. Dinner was a yummy Italian affair and we heard from a survivor and her story...one of the many amazing ones we are hearing through these days.
Tomorrow Julia will head out with the group down PCH 101 while Janice and I attend church in Carpenteria. Afterwards, we will drive the route and join back up with the group at Point Magu, the end stop of the tour. Tomorrow is sure to bring further adventures...
Overheard and Observed:
- Look, there's Steve Martin's house
- On the way back from dinner, Janice, unknowingly, started walking like she was sore out of pure empathy before she realized that she wasn't sore, and resumed normal walking
- Huge eucalyptus trees, creating an amazing canopy to ride under
- Beautiful Hope Ranch (most saw this, one missed this)
- Bad roads (read akin to cobblestones) along with fallen palm fronds through the UCSB campus
- Having to stop at EVERY ONE of the stop lights on the UCSB campus (Julia thanks Sid for the loosening of her pedals so she could unclip easily)
- The local Motos (guys on motorcycles) freaking us out at lunch time by saying that locals never ride the route we were riding because of all the hills.
- Curtis (not Judd) who had only ridden once for 7 miles, along with one spin class made it completely around the course
- Some of the support guys getting out and running behind some struggling riders (not us :)) by pushing them up the hill
- Julia telling Janice that "Gretchen's in an ambulance" and sending Janice into a fit looking for me. (meanwhile, I was riding in the car to the first rest stop)
- We did not opt for the shortcut back to the hotel, but rather finished the entire loop for the full mileage.
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