Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 34

Thursday, Sep. 20, 2007

Back to Humans

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park → Monterey
Distance: 97.56 km, Time: 7:11:52 Std., Total: 1.036 km

  I asked an elderly lady walking her dog where I could find the Hostel. She was very kind and showed me with her forefinger the direction. At exactly 4:00 in the afternoon I rang the bell of the closed door, and a sleepy hostel warden opened the door. He explained me that I have to came back at 5:00, they are still closed. I wanted to wait this one hour.

   Through the door I stepped into an oasis of silence, it was very quiet. The lounge looked like a large living room with thick English leather club armchairs and sofas; the many books in the shelves invite the guests to linger longer than intended. The only drops of bitterness came in the form of wooden boxes in which you had to drop coins to connect to the internet. To the defense of the hostel I want to add that I listened to the owner and some employees that they planned to upgrade the equipment.
   Stepping into the room I realized that this was my first bed after my departure from Los Angeles two weeks (!) ago. The room had several bunker beds but as the first in the room I chose a single bed beside the window. It had white bed linen and a white pillow cover with a white blanket and looked very clean to me. I could control the air flow of the window from my bed in case it got to hot. I had my own plug socket where I could load my batteries of the camera.

   But the best of the whole hostel experience was a big lockable bike box behind the building with enough additional space for my bags and my camping gear. I had to put down a deposit of US$ 2.00 which was refunded to me the next morning without problems.

   After I had settled I wanted to wash my clothes. Not far away from the hostel I found a DIY laundry. As one cycle takes 20 minutes I crossed the road and went into a supermarket to buy some supplies. As I returned to the laundry I notice a strong young white man through the glass door who piled up orderly coins on one of the washing mashine. I passed him and had to wait for some minutes until the spin cycle was completes.

   After me a Mexican young man stepped into the laundry. His clothes were washed, with one hand he sorted his clothes, with the other he talked Spanish into the cell phone. Suddenly the young man bad-mouthed him with very dirty words. I immediately noticed that he was mentally disabled and decided to walk with a smile towards the young Mexican  in support. I told him that he should not take this seriously. The Mexican smiled and left the laundry.

   The young white man opened the still running (!) washing machine and took the very wet clothes out of it, changing the floor into a swimming pool. As the only other person in the laundry I had to step in and advised him with a very authoritative voice to “put the wet clothes back in the machine until it is finished!” To my surprise he followed my strong voice, actually bit himself into his forefinger (!), kicked several times (!) against the running washing machine and finally ran out of the laundry with the words “I am in a bad mood, I am in a bad mood!” I was alone now, packed my things and went back to the hostel.

   Back into my room I could observe two police officers arresting three homeless. Behind the hostel there are several empty chairs and tables for tourists but have been seized by the homeless. They have been drunk and bawled so disturbing that one of the neighbors made a report. One cop had leather gloves and asked for their identity, of course they did not have any. The other cop put disposable handcuffs on all three of them while in the police car a German Shepherd barked. Five people, two policemen, three homeless and one barking dog drove away. Tomorrow morning I would run into two of the homeless on my way to the bike box sitting on the same chairs.

   I've met two young British men who rented a car and discovered California with it. We had a lot to exchange...Before I went to sleep a 10:30 I still checked my charger. 

  I had a nice sleep and woke up to open the window in the middle of the night. Maybe I still longed for the lonely nights in Big Sur...Sweet dreams accompanied me thru the night.

http://www.montereyhostel.org/

(to be continued)

Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 31

Tuesday, Sep. 19, 2007

Intimate Big Sur

Los Padres National Forest→Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Distance: 84.14 km, Time: 6:04:24 hrs, Total: 938.44 km

   Returning from the waterfall to the main gate I found my bike still waiting for me, expecting me to continue the ride...

   Back on Highway 1 it got considerable more difficult. The steep road together with the strong headwinds let me get off my bike several time and push it through the spectacular scenery. But like the saying “what goes up must come down” later I experienced a breathtaking downhill ride through redwood forests which also had some conifers, oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods, maples, alders and willows. The air became much cooler but also very fresh and had a distinguishable scent of needles from trees falling on rich soil.

   Highway 1 led me to the entrance of the Pfeiffer Big Sur States Park. Occasionally I passed some house which actually indicated that Big Sur will be over soon. Still on the main road I discovered the Big Sur General Store which is “a Big Sur tradition, offering everything from camping supplies to a great selection of local wines, made-to-order pizzas and burrito bar. We’ll even make summer smoothie with fresh, local fruit.” There I bought my supplies for today’s dinner but also for tomorrow’s breakfast in case I got up so early that the store was still closed. For the location the prices seemed very reasonable to me.

   Leaving Highway 1 on the road to campground I cycled to the Big Sur Lodge which “long has been a haven for writers, artists, seekers of beauty, and weary travelers in search for peace and majesty that the ancient redwoods bestow on body and soul”. The compound includes the hotel and the lodges, but also a restaurant, espresso bar plus a gift shop and a general store.  

   I stopped there and roamed thru the shops open for the public. There have been also different maps and book on the shelf. I opened one book of a female artist from Big Sur with a foreword of the actor, director and producer Clint Eastwood, conveniently the former mayor (1986-1988) of Carmel-by-the-Sea, tomorrow’s stop.

   After I registered myself at the entrance the Pfeiffer Big Sur States Park the ranger instructed me to ride to one of the nicest Hiker & Biker on my whole trip! After passing some RVs and a water station for the campers I built up my tent under one large redwood tree, the fallen needles gave me a soft but firm underground. The scent, as mentioned, is for me one of the most intriguing in the world and made me nearly high.

   After I settled myself I noticed a lonesome elderly man sitting on a table playing cards with himself (!). Out of politeness from camper to camper I walked over, sat down and he began to talk. As a 20 years old he reported for duty to the Vietnam war (Nov. 01, 1955-Apr. 04, 1975) and was part of a tank crew. After he returned from war he worked and lived in a restaurant as a cook. The restaurant was sold to an investor who brought in his home team; he lost his job and had to move out of the place he lived. Since then he is homeless and lives on the streets. As he has no permanent residence the government cannot send him the pensions as a war veteran. At the same time President George W. Bush is planning to cut these pensions for the servicemen. Therefore he supports the candidacy of Hillary Clinton because under her husband Bill Clinton ‘everything was better’.

   His goal was to move to Texas where a comrade-in-arms lives. The soldier turned pastor promised him that the homeless can live with him and give him a permanent address that he can receive his pension. Good luck!

   The whole story sounded very reasonable…But smelly and dirty he had obviously no money for a 25 Cents shower but he drank quality beer and had money for grass which he, as he put it, ‘wanted to dope himself for the night.’ The same spirited comrade joined us, ‘a tramper’ how he introduced himself. The soldier collected fire wood even there are many signs that this is not allowed because of 'fire hazards' but he made a big fire with high flames anyway. To my question ‘is this allowed in a State Park?’ he answered that he "cleans up the wood of the forest and prevent the forest from burning!"

   Finally I looked for a reason to leave both of them. Honestly I have experiences with a drunken and out of control father but no experience with drug users whatsoever. But I know that people can do terrible things when they are high and out of control. For my own and my equipment’s safety I locked my bike very tightly on the tree, my whole luggage I stuffed in my one man tent with one bag serving as a pillow and the other as a pad under my legs and was surprised how good I slept.

   Only once I woke up from the monotone sound of falling raindrops but I did not want to peel myself out of my small tent so I just kept on sleeping.

(to be continued)

Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 27

Tuesday, Sep. 18, 2007

The Silence of Nature

San Simeon State Park → Los Padres National Forest

Distance: 71.33 km, Time: 5:26.02 hrs, Total: 854.30 km

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.

(Mother Teresa)

   According to my tour guide and the change in scenery I was already in Big Sur, one of the most fascinating natural spectacles in the USA. But I would question if it's one of most spectacular in the world... The sparsely populated and therefore rather untouched region stretches along California's central Pacific coast. In fact, there are no specific area restrictions, but the main part stretches for 143 km between San Simeon in the south and Carmel-by-the-Sea in the north; in the east, the western promontory of Santa Lucia forms the natural boundary. 

   Artistically, there are not a few people who would call Big Sur the "cradle of American landscape painting". The painter Francis McComas (1875-1938) aptly called this area the "greatest gathering of land and sea in the world"! Everyone interested in photography and photographers associates Big Sur with famous American landscape photographers such as Ansel Adams (1902-1984) or Edward Weston (1886-1958), who made his last photo after the onset of Parkinson's disease in 1948.

   As I cycled in thoughts I suddenly noticed something silver shimmering lying beside the road. After further inspection I looked onto a motionless snake wide with open eyes staring at me! It did not look that it was overrun by a car so I assume the snake could not move due to the cold morning. I think 'torpor', a 'state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually by a reduced body temperature and metabolic rate' is the right biological word.

Snake unable to cross the Road

  Here is the road is quite flat and therefore easy to cycle. I really enjoyed the view of the ocean to my right and the rough and untouched landscape of Big Sur on the left. In this silence I suddenly believed that I’ve heard the sounds of howling seals. I parked my bike on the side of the road, took a few steps over a small patch of grass, and actually saw a group of Elephant seals right below of me in the sand. Elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, are true seals, or earless seals, members of the pinniped suborder.

   In order to warm the bellies of the morning sun, they lay mostly motionless on the sides or on their backs; only now and then they moved lazily their front fins to throw some sand on their bodies. Seeing these fat animals with their happy faces was plainly funny and put a smile on my face. Alone I sat there and took a few long minutes to watch them...

Elephant Seals on a lazy Morning

  Later I rode to a rather large and hectic parking lot; on the side towards the ocean the park authorities built a wooden veranda, the official observation platform. Families tried to catch a glimpse of the seals with their telescopes or tried to take pictures with telephoto lenses. Sometimes freedom on a bike is an advantage; in this case you can discover these interesting animals before others and enjoy them alone and undisturbed-only the seals, you and your senses...

(to be continued)

Bike Tour in the USA (2007), Part 24

Monday, Sep. 17, 2007

Friendly America

Morro Rock - San Simeon State Park

Distance: 72.35 km, Timer: 5:09:21 hrs, Total: 782.97 km

   After I left the brick and mortar shop of Cambria Bicycle Outfitter I spent some time checking out Cambria. It was very clean and nearly every house made of wood. I felt back at least 100 years back in time. Every tourist longing for ‘tradition’ in the USA should go there and have a good look.

   What stood out for me was the high portion of European Americans which was unusual high; I could neither see one African American or one Mexican anywhere during my 1 ½ hours research of the town for 1 ½ hours.

   As I wanted to say farewell to the city leaving for Highway 1 northbound I've heard someone shouting my name. I've turned around and recognized the young man who lead my way on his bike from the hardware store to the bike shop. He went with his girlfriend for lunch. After a small talk he shook my hand and wished me good luck for my trip.

   Leaving Cambria I did not quite realize that the road ahead was already a part of Big Sur, a rugged section of California's Central Coast between the Carmel Highlands in the north and San Simeon in the south where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean, that is frequently praised for its dramatic views. Big Sur has been called the 'longest and most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States', a 'national treasure that demands extraordinary procedures to protect it from development' and 'one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere in the world', an isolated stretch of road, mythic in reputation.' (wikipedia)

   Two miles north I came to the San Simeon State Park and Campground for in which I planned to stay for the night. After leaving Highway I came to a small wooden hut which already prepared the registration forms. I registered me, my bike and the tent on the Hiker & Bike, put US$2.00 in an envelop and threw it into a letter box - finished was the DIY registration.

   I wrote to the designated Hiker & Biker and pitched up my tent. I threw all three of my bags (two rear panniers) and one duffel bag into my tent and decided to ride back to Cambria. I remembered a big supermarket at the northern side of the city and wanted to get there for some food and drinks.

   The road was mostly downhill, I enjoyed to ride without any luggage. It did not take long and after arrival I forget to bring a lock. Again, I had 'Gottvertrauen' (trust/faith into the lord) and just leaned it beside a rail protecting the shopping carts. As Big Sur is a long and lonely road I bought a lot of stuff for the road; my bike which was still where I parked it waiting for me!

   While riding back to the State Park I rode and eat 'salt sticks' or 'pretzel sticks' as they are know. Suddenly I noticed a squirrel jumping and running on a wooden path beside the road. I stopped and threw a salt stick in its direction. He took it, sat on his rear legs and nibbled the stick holding it on with his front feet paws. I made a photo before it took off with its possession onto the next tree. I assumed that the squirrel could handle the pretzel stick better than ex-President George W. Bush who chocked on a pretzel and fell on the floor from a couch, bruising his lip and scuffing his cheek!

   Back to the State Park I enjoyed a generous dinner. The food which needed cooling I ate first and finished the whole dinner with a nice cake! After I had eaten I thanked God that He was so kind to give me delicious food to eat and a nice place for the night!   

   (to be continued)