We started the biggest climbing day of the trip with a ceremonial dip of our rear wheels in the Pacific Ocean. Although we fretted about the climbing, which you can see on my Wahoo computer, of 4100 feet over 20.7 miles, it was not awful. This was the longest bicycle climb ever for all three of us (5800 feet total), but the incline percent was a steady 5 to 7 % percent with few incidences of 9 plus.
We ended up chilly and tired as we rolled into Pine Valley, CA at about 6:30 PM. Thankfully Carol and Julie scouted about the few meal choices so we knew to order dinner at a roadside restaurant 20 minutes before it closed. The trip took us through one very scenic park and exposed us to our first, but not last, interstate leg of 4 miles.
Tomorrow we start in a cold rainy morning and rapidly descend 3000 into the arid desert climate. That weather will be welcome for now…
Looks like you guys are off to a great start. Have fun!