Berkeley, CA to San Francisco, CA I ride the BART over the bay to San Francisco in the morning. I call Bruce to plan a meeting, and he proposes coming down to pick me up today. I have a few hours to hang out, so I munch on calamari on the wharf and talk with…

San Mateo, CA to Berkeley, CA Starting early, I head toward the bay with no idea what I’ll find there. I’m soon riding through the mirred towers of the headquarters of Oracle, Inc. The buildings themselves look like giant flowchart databases. No one is around this early, and the morning sun reflects blue off the…

Half Moon Bay, CA to San Mateo, CA I’m not exactly sure what the cause was, but my trip changed at this point. You may have noticed that a while back I stopped keeping the detailed statistics on my daily riding time, milage, and spending. Often during the trip I would go a few days…

Pidgeon Point, CA to Half Moon Bay, CA Interesting first night in a hostel. On the good side, it was nice to have bathroom, living room, and kitchen to use. I liked meeting, cooking, and eating with other people. But it was an added expense, and the guy in the bunk under me snored like…

Santa Cruz, CA to Pidgeon Point, CA Sun today, through high, wispy clouds. I have cereal and cinnamon rolls with Zach and roomies, then say farewell. I watch breakers smashing into the rocks as I leave town. Civilization dissipates quickly, and I’m gliding through hills and fields. By early afternoon I reach the Pidgeon Point…

Soquel, CA to Santa Cruz, CA The thought that it is Valentine’s Day does not occur to me at all. I’m just happy that the pouring rain has let up and that I’m still warm and dry. Unfortunately the feeling doesn’t last. I get up and begin the extremely unpleasant process of putting on my…

Carmel, CA to Soquel, CA I wake up earlier than Buzz and Cheryl. Looking around Zach’s old room, I see jazz posters, bike pictures, and a picture of Zach meeting Dizzy Gillespie. There’s a bike quilt with panels made by various family members for Buzz’s 60th birthday. I take a shower and poke around until…

Carmel Highlands, CA to Carmel, CA Shileyanne provides yet another very pleasant breakfast with boiled eggs, cereal, and yummy scones. I wait a while to meet Maxine, who’s having a little trouble finding us. When she arrives I like her immediately. She’s an attractive, alive personality. She gives me her number and invites me to…

Carmel Highlands, CA I was planning to leave this morning, but it’s raining like hell again and I just don’t feel like it. Shirleyanne has to go to work but she invites me to stay another night and meet another of Mom’s writer friends who’s visiting tomorrow, Maxine. I gratefully agree and spend the morning…