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DAY FIVE
Oceano to Lompoc - Approximately 55 miles.
According to our "cheat sheets" - today looked like it held some challenges 30-40 miles into the ride. By now, I've learned to just start out and face whatever may be ahead. I looked at the route sheet and realized that the highest hills have been conquered, even though I know that short, steep hills can be more of a challenge than a long, but gradual high one.... I was surprised, therefore, to come upon a short, steep hill at about mile 3. It was about three blocks long, but was quite steep. Coming so early in the ride, I felt pretty strong, and found I was up to the challenge (even though I saw a number of folks walking their bikes toward the summit). (As a very slow rider, I must take gratification anytime I can ride up a hill without stopping - or walking - so I feel a sense of accomplishment the few times I am able to pass anyone.) All riders who pass one another are instructed to call out "On your left" as they pass. Most every rider does this, and it makes riding much safer. I am usually the one who replies "Thank you!" - so it is nice, once in awhile to be able to call out "On your left!" It's so infrequent that I can ever call out this warning, that I find I do it even when the riders have stopped along the road!
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A strange thing happened as I was cycling. Before our route joined Route 1, we had an area of nice country-like riding. Ahead of me I saw what looked like a white car on fire (at least I saw smoke). As I neared the scene, I saw a number of AIDS riders gathered around the smoke ... I stopped to see what was going on, and was so grateful that my curiosity prevailed! Here was the reenactment of a traditional sight on the AIDS rides. This Indian woman lost four family members to AIDS. Her gratitude to the AIDS riders has resulted in a yearly "blessing". She is a true Indian and we all gathered around her as she explained why she rises early in the morning of the day the AIDS riders will be passing. She comes out here, where we pass, and takes the time to thank us and bless us. )
I remember passing her yesterday, coming into Oceano. She was sitting in a front yard, telling riders, as they passed, that she was giving her heart to us. Her thanks were so genuine, that I remembered her, and was delighted to be able to see and thank her again. After offering a general blessing for us, she began going around the circle. From our head to our feet, she passed her smoking fire in blessing, then she hugged each of us, one at a time, and gave us a personal blessing. Here she is giving me a hug after blessing me. There was not a dry eye among the bunch of us, and we all left with a feeling that we had touched something both spiritual and special.According to Steve, a fellow CAR8 rider, this Native-American woman's name is Judy. She comes from a tribe in South Dakota. He doesn't recall the name of the tribe. Steve believes that she referred to herself as a "Sundancer" or something like that. A tribal member who, as a part of ritual, dances for 4 days straight without rest.
As we ride into Oceano, riders see her standing on the side of the road, sometimes with her dog, holding a sign which reads, "Thank you for my brothers and sisters". She has 4 siblings or other relatives who have died of AIDS. She also waits on the side of the road as the AIDS riders leave Oceano, on the day that we ride to Lompoc. This year she was offering native blessings to all riders who were interested enough to stop and talk to her. She truly is a very sweet woman. Any riders who are doing CAR9 next year should be sure to stop and meet her on the way into Oceano and again on the way out. During CAR7 she was the only person for whom Steve stopped and asked what her story was. She would get a big kick if everyone on the Ride next year stopped to meet her.
After cresting that first hill, there were "rollers" that provided ups and downs until we neared the town of Santa Maria. It was in this little town that I began the 1993 Solvang Century. Two of my daughters, Kitty and Christina had participated in the Solvang Century the year before and I fell in love with the place, and with cycling as a result of that experience. I wondered if our route today would cover any of the roads we traveled in the Solvang ride, but if we did, there were few I recognized. One area I did remember was the ride through Vandenberg Air Force Base. But I get ahead of myself.
About 13 miles into the ride we reached the tiny town of Guadalupe. It seemed as though most of the town had lined the streets to offer us good wishes and congratulations for our success thus far. At one corner I stopped to receive a paper flower made by the school children of the town.
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Girl Scouts were handing out free Girl Scout cookies. I made a small donation to their cookie sales and took a picture of this nice group of leader and girls. One of the girls held my bike while I fumbled through my knapsack/camelback for my money and camera. I hope they sold lots of cookies, and I hope they know how much the AIDS riders look forward to those flowers! Team Mate Michele kept her flower from last year (proudly displaying it on her bike handles) and now has another flower to add to it!About 7 miles out of Pit Stop #2, we came to what is called "Hill" it was a mile long and came after a series of more "rolling" hills. The countryside here was quite beautiful - still many farms, but more and more vineyards were in evidence. Pit Stop #3 at Winifred Wollman School was just after the crest of the "Hill" and provided welcome food, drink and facilities!
At mile 34 we came to "Climb for Life" hill - 1.2 miles long (need I say more?), followed by a fairly steep (but by now enjoyable) downhill. From here we rode a fairly steady incline until "Pain Pass Hill" which was a climb of 1.3 and which was an "introduction" to the "climb of the day" - "King of the Hill" hill. This is actually the major climb on the way to Vandenberg Air Force Base. I think it was executed in reverse on the Solvang Century ... at any rate, there is a switchback between Pain Pass Hill and King of the Hill, at which many cyclists stopped to contemplate the climb ahead. Coming up Pain Pass Hill, I was followed by a younger woman who said she was comfortable in following me. When we reached the switchback area, she told me that following me helped her climb that incline. (That was a nice compliment!) Well, I looked up that Vandenberg Grade and said to myself, "I can do that." And I did.
At a curve on the hill, I decided to take a drink from my camelback, and was shocked to realize that it was dry! I had REALLY hydrated!
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Just ahead I saw one of my favorite crew members (he is very popular with all the riders) - "Chicken Lady" had water and even posed for me! (This is the same "Chicken Lady" who "blesses" us each morning as we begin our daily journey). You can see from their attire, that we are regaled at each Pit Stop and Lunch Stop with gaily costumed Crew Members. They often provide singing and dancing for our pleasure, as well! Partially filling my camelback with water, I was able to continue to the top without a problem. There were riders at the summit, again cheering us on, encouraging us to keep pedaling, and assuring us that we could "do it"! There is great camaraderie amount AIDS riders, and I feel so fortunate to be part of this!)
Lunch was held in the Spaceport Inn parking lot - I assume it was still part of the Vandenberg Base, (almost city-like), but as usual, our great traffic crew guided us in to the lunch area. I am so glad I stopped for lunch (I always do!) - I wasn't able to capture ALL the outfits, but here are a few images I'll carry with me.)
There were so many "characters" at this Lunch Stop that it was hard to concentrate on eating, taking care of one's needs, and getting out of there and back on the road! This is one of the times I wished I were a faster rider, so that I could stay around and get to see and listen to all the revelry! "Red Riding Hood" poses on the left, and these gentlemen on the right were full of song and dance, and I couldn't pass them by without capturing their antics!)
This "lovely young thing" was busy putting our "lunch bags" together, but as usual, always had a smile and a kind word of encouragement for each of us. The Crew is incredibly organized at these lunch stops. Ready for us is a plastic bag with plastic table service and napkin, a sandwich and bowl of some kind of pasta. (That's what she's handing me) - passing down the line, we can select any of a variety of chips, fresh fruit (usually grapes) and a drink. It proves to be a very efficient way of getting lunches to the riders quickly.
I finally had to pull myself away from all the fun at the Lunch Stop and head for the goal for today - Lompoc and the campground for the night. It was only 9 or so miles to camp, but we encountered very big rolling hills. When I run into rolling hills, I find that the momentum from the previous decent gets lost on the way up the next rolling hill, and it taxes the energy I had before the hill because it's never just one hill - there are usually many in a row. And that's how it was going into camp. But finally, ahead, I could see that welcome sign - a Crew member in an orange vest. I knew that was my "welcome to camp" greeter and it was a good feeling to roll into Lompoc River Park campgrounds. Just outside of Lompoc, the campgrounds provide an idyllic setting for an "overnight". This must be a great place in the summertime. The park is well laid out, and it looks as though there are lots of services (stores, shops, restaurants, sidewalk eateries, etc.) along the "main drag".
I could not find Alison, and our tent was not set up (first time!), so I put it up, got my luggage and pulled "Alison's" in, too. When Alison returned to the tent area, she told me I had the wrong luggage for her! I found my suitcase close to one I suspected was hers, so I lugged them in! I hope the owner of "Alison's" luggage wasn't looking all over the place for that bag! Unfortunately, Alison had to go back to the gear truck and retrieve her suitcase. I had hoped to have her suitcase at the tent for her. She has always had mine at the tent by the time I arrive in Camp. Here's a picture of my great tent-mate and me. We took off for dinner, which was delicious (a Mexican theme - beans, tortilla, lettuce, tomatoes, and all the works). After the day's ride, we have ravenous appetites! )
I forgot to mention yesterday, that the evening's entertainment consisted of a "talent show". We arrived a little late, but what we saw and heard was wondrous! A young man (with a very pleasing tenor voice) sang an Irish song that was very touching. Another performer (brother of one of our fellow Hackers - who is working on Crew) played an African drum like I've never heard before. It was awesome! A gentleman (who is HIV positive and a member of the Positive Peddlers) sang a song that brought tears to our eyes. His voice and the song (which he said was sort of a mantra for him on the trip) totally blew me away. It was so beautiful. There were other excellent acts, but the one act, almost the last one, was introduced as a "flag dance". When the rider was introduced as a "flag dancer" I did not expect much... I'm not sure why, but "flag dance" just didn't sound exciting. He asked that the spotlight be turned off, and just the stage lights remained on. He held a "flag" in each hand, and as he began to twirl them, we gasped at the beauty of what he could create. The flag material seemed to be light - perhaps nylon or chiffon and what he could do with those pieces of cloth was amazing! He received a standing ovation! There were lots of very good acts, and we enjoyed them all. This "talent" show is composed of Crew Members and Riders. Alison, Michele and I really enjoyed the performances!
Is it possible? Tomorrow night we should be in Ventura. The day after that .... Los Angeles!
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