Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 11

Tuesday, Sep. 12. 2007

I heard a Mission Bell...

Ventura→Carpinteria

Distance: 46.6 km, Duration: 3:19:08 hrs, Total: 332.25 km

  After I peeled myself out of the sleeping bag in the early very quiet morning I cycled back to the center of Ventura. How early? So early that I did not even see one soul during this approx. 3 km mostly downhill ride. 

Early Morning in San Buenaventura

 A thick fog wrapped the whole village while the mountains already reflected the sunlight. I suppose the important moisture for the very dry land came from the nearby ocean. 
On the main road I turned left and stumbled upon the statue of Father Junipero Serra, who, as the reader can guess, founded the Mission of Ventura. As I turned around to cycle back to the main road when I discovered the German flag upside down, the stripes not black-red-gold but rather gold-red-black. The led me directly to the Mission, not far away from it I got off my bike.

San Buenaventura Main Road

The Mission of Buenaventura was the last of the nine missions founded by the Father himself out of a total of 21 religious outposts throughout California. On Easter morning of Mar. 31, 1782 he raised the Cross at "la playa de la canal de Santa Barbara (the beach of the Santa Barbara Channel). Assisted by Padre Pedro Benito Cambon he celebrated a High Mass, preached on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and dedicated the Mission to San Buenaventura. The Mission's first church building was destroyed by fire, the construction of a second church was abandoned because "the door gave way." In 1792 work was in progress on the present church and the small utility buildings (with the church) formed a quadrangle enclosing a plaza. Although half finished in 1795 the church was not completed until 1809. Dedication was held on September 9 and the first liturgical services took place in September 10 the same year (www.sanbuenaventuramission.org/history).

I walked around and let the mystic fog and the white buildings of the Mission settle in. The door to the main building was closed which was to be expected considering the early hour. Some Mexicans were busy cleaning up the park and the streets in front of the Mission and prepare it for the day. Under a huge foggy tree I discovered a sleepy young man who put his hoodie over the head and went on a park bench to continue his sleep.

Even with the fog I succeeded to take a picture right in front of the main gate of the Mission. I've tried to frame it with white roses planted on a street leading to it. On the right side there is a mural illustrating foreigners (Chinese, Mexicans) standing in front of this Mission.

Mission of San Buenaventura (or Ventura)

 I cycled along Brooks Avenue which led me to Harbor Boulevard. Passing the free space of the Country Fair Grounds I arrived at the Ventura Pier. The parking lot was already packed with cars of the surfers even the wind and the ocean itself was very cold at that time. As I watched the sea a Finn who walked his dog stopped and started talking to me. He told me that he came the first time here ten years ago and decided to stay. He became American citizen and told me that he does not want to "leave anymore". In this environment his decision is very understandable...

Rules for Surfing

It got too cold for me so I decided warm up myself. I parked my bike in front of an American fast food restaurant and got a good breakfast with a large cup of hot coffee. Only than I realized that I did not have coffee after I left Hollywood two days ago.

Back on the road I cycled accidentally past the Ventura Bike Depot, maybe I could ask here for the bike chain. Because of the early hour I stood in front of a closed door. Beside it I could discover an important note "The shop is only opened on weekends!" As today was Tuesday I had to look for a chain replacement somewhere else.

(to be continued)