Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 5

Monday, Sep. 10.2007

Finally on the Road!

Hollywood → Coastal Highway 1

Distance: 107.42 km, Duration: 7:51:28 hours, Total Distance: 181.63 km

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” Ernest Hemingway

 

Today I finally left the hotel after an acclimatization time of two days. My pulse increased due to the very noticeable joy, clear symptoms of travel fever.

Already at 6:30 I stood beside a telephone booth on Hollywood Boulevard to call my wife and daughter in Taiwan. She was happy for me that everything went smooth and wished me good luck on my tour. It's a pity that she could not be with me...

Back in the hotel I showered extensively, organized my things and packed them into my bags. The waterproof duffel bag with my tent and sleeping bag was still untouched; obviously I do not need either of them... The reception opened at 7:30 so I went to a nearby Mexican restaurant and ordered scrambled eggs with bacon and a good mug of coffee ($3.50). In this early hour I was the only customer.

The time of my finished breakfast coincided with the opening of the reception. The lady was not quite awaken yet but everything went smoothly. With the check-out she returned my $40.00 'security deposit' something I've never heard of. Because this 'hotel' did not give me any key so I did not have to return one.

View of the Hotel

Back in the room I said goodbye to my German friend who woke up in the meantime. I wished him good luck for his time in the US and send him my best wishes from the heart.

With full hands I hauled my bags to my bike already pawing with his hoofs (or wheels). On the handlebar I attached my handlebar bag, on the rear carrier two saddlebags and the duffel bag I fixed on the top of the rear carrier with an elastic cord. On the empty carton in which I sent the bike to the US I wrote 'Do not discard before Oct. 05'. But, as it later turned out, I did not need it due to a miracle in San Francisco.

Full of high spirits I left the hotel and cycled passed the friendly Toyota Dealer and the breakfast Mexican restaurant along Santa Monica Boulevard until I arrived Beverly Hills. Here lives, as portrayed by young Will Smith in the 'Fresh Prince of Bel Air', the High Society. Lavish houses with well looked after gardens are dominant, European and predominantly German cars are parked on the driveways.

I cycled under comfortable shady trees when I notice a middle age lady jogging. She stumbled and seemingly hurt her ankle but obviously could hobble back home.

Beverly Hills

I continued and discovered the 'Church of the Good Shepherd'. The parish was founded on December 12, 1923 and is therefore the oldest church in Beverly Hills. From the architectural point of view the church is build in Mission Revival architecture, the stained glass was  originally shipped from France, Germany, the British Isles and the US. Most Catholic movie stars who live or lived in Beverly Hills, from Rudolph Valentino to Bing Crosby attended Sunday Mass here (wikipedia).

Church of the Good Shepherd

Not far away I've discovered the Electric Fountain Beverly Hills on the corner of Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards. In the center is a statue of a North American Indian kneeling in prayer. The sun stood so that the water broke into a rainbow in the moment I took the photo. This peaceful picture should served as a symbol of my upcoming bike tour unfolding right in front of my eyes.

Electric Fountain Beverly Hill

I cycled along the same part of Wishire Boulevard like yesterday. My next destination was the Statue of Santa Monica who gave the name to this district of Los Angeles. Also known as Monica of Hippo (322-387) she was an early Christian saint and the mother of St. Augustine of Hippo. She is remembered and honored in most Catholic denomination, albeit on different feast days, for her outstanding Christian virtues, particularly the suffering caused by her husband's adultery, an her prayerful life dedicated to the reformation of her son, who wrote extensively of her pious acts and life with her in his Confessions. Popular Christian legends recall Santa Monica weeping every night for her son Augustine. He was an early Christian theologian and philosopher whose writings influenced the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy.

(to be continued)