Shifting Gears

Season 3 Episode 16 (10/21-23) Farm to Table Gratitude –  10/21 Plaskett (Big Sur) to San Simeon, CA. 35 miles 2390’ climb. We woke up still on a high from yesterday’s epic ride. And just as the last 25 miles north of the closure were quiet like a country road, so was the start of today’s ride that was south of the closure. In the first 11 miles, only 15 cars passed us. It was both wonderful and unsettling. The road is all ours. At one point, I passed two women sitting in lawn chairs on the shoulder of the northbound side (opposite side) as they were eating a relaxed breakfast as if looking out from a wonderful oceanfront table. I stopped on my side (southbound) and for 10 minutes we spoke casually across two lanes of what is a highway, but felt like we were neighbors speaking across a quiet residential street. I learned they were mother and daughter eating before hiking and were from San Luis Obispo or simply SLO as they advised me locals say. They told me that I must stop at the ...

Season 3 Episode 15 (10/20) Big Chance on Big Sur – We woke up on 10/20 with increased excitement and both of us could feel the adrenaline pumping as we had much at stake. As described in greater detail in Episode 14 , we decided to go for it and see if we could bike through the road closure on highway 1 south of Big Sur (for 2 miles from Lucia to Limekiln State Park.) Maybe due to being eager, we decided to get going and try to get 10+ miles in before eating any breakfast. So we headed out on empty stomachs. Some of you might think we also had empty heads.  Just a few miles out we reached the Monterey Peninsula and started riding the iconic and magnificent 17-Mile Drive, home of Pebble Beach Golf Links and other oceanside courses. Passing the Pacific Grove Golf Links, one of the holes was sponsored by Dos Caras Tequila, and we saw they were serving shots. I was told they are actually sippers not shots. Well I must say it did go down very smoothly. Given it was the first thing I at...