7. Gaviota to Port Hueneme, CA, USA

Not gonna lie: The first two hours of this day sucked. I didn't have any coffee, the overcast sky turned the Pacific to lead, and I couldn't find a place to pee along Highway 1.

My fortunes changed when I spied an IHOP in Goleta. I may be the only American who has never eaten at an IHOP, but I rectified that sorry state of affairs right then and there. I drank a full pot of coffee and ate a plate of Eggs Benedict (I don't love eggs, but I need a ton of protein, and eggs provide some of it), then rolled my happy bootie on down the coast.

Santa Barbara was hopping, but I didn't stop again until Carpinteria. This town won my heart during my first AIDS/LifeCycle ride, in 2022. I was worn out, hot, and lonely after some road construction separated me from my crew. But when I rolled through Carpinteria, an entire cafe stood up and clapped as I rode by. Today, I stopped at that cafe and ate a slice of key lime pie that was so good it made me want to howl at the sun.

The ride through Ventura was fast and fun, as usual, following the excellent bike path along the water pretty much all the way to the Navy base at Port Hueneme. I checked into a discount hotel where I had to pay a deposit for incidentals that included "strong odors." With lingering questions about hygiene, I slept in my sleeping bag as my laundry dried in the gentle breeze of the aircon.

Distance: 73.61 mi / 118.47 km

Climbing: 1,430 ft / 436 m

Totals: 444 mi / 714 km; 17,438 ft / 5,315 m

Sleep Spot: America's Best Value Inn

Song: "Fly" by Sugar Ray

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