Day 22 (The Last Day): San Clemente to Imperial Beach

Miles on the Road: 80

Total Miles on the trip: 1747

Weather: 70's, sunny, and a fierce headwind. We had to earn many of the miles today.

Terrain: Mostly flat with a few minor hills

Songs Stuck N' My Head: "Training Montage" -from Rocky IV

Well, here's how I'll sum this thing up......
In the blog world there's this thing called "100 Things" ....which is basically where you make 100 statements about your life, or whatever it is that you're blogging about. It's pretty cool, at least I think so. Anyways, I won't bore you with 100, but here's my best shot at the Hunger Ride 50!

50 THOUGHTS ABOUT THE HUNGER RIDE......

1. It’s definitely not about the destination….it’s about the journey. And this has been one heckuva journey.
2. Like life, the journey is often more about “whom you walk (or ride) with.” I was blessed to have some incredible people with me on this trip; starting with my riding pal, Stephen Douglas....a great guy and a solid rider.
3. I will say that wearing Spandex every single day is not as uncomfortable as it looks.
4. Once you wear it enough, you forget that people in public are staring at you…and in actuality you really don’t give a rats if they are because there's a 99.9% chance you won't see them again anyways.
5. Why does the world dislike spandex? That’s all I want to know. Can somebody give me an answer?
6. Now, I really don't think spandex is all that bad. Yeah, so it’s really tight…and it makes people around you feel uncomfortable and awkward. But Let’s all embrace this together, shall we?
7. The 2007 Ride was just under 1800 miles, about half the distance of last years’ trip.
8. It is no exaggeration to affirm that a journey by bicycle is like none other; it is a thing apart; it has a tempo
and a style of its own.- James E. Starrs, The Noiseless Tenor
9. At this point, I don’t know if I will ever go on another Hunger Ride.
10. I can’t compare the 2007 HR to last year because they are so different.
11. Oregon takes the cake (again) for the best state to bike thru.
12. Hats off to the entire West Coast for being “biker friendly” states.
13. I grew my beard out this year (again) because I know how much all of the older female teachers at PDS love young men with facial hair. Here's to you, ladies. P.S. I'm laying the sarcasm on right now just like I put syrup on my pancakes. Really thick.
14. It’s not easy to be a sag Wagoner. They are invaluable people. Thank you Rand’s, Douglas’, and TEAM DENVER. I love you all, and owe you BIG TIME for carrying my stuff.
15. I’ve got to give it up for Roger and Rose Rand (my parents)…any sense of adventure that I have came from them. Heck, they met in a bar.
16. “The purpose of running (or cycling) is not to win a race, but rather to test the limits of the human heart.” –Steve Prefontaine
17. I feared going on this trip the two months before I left. But once you get riding, you forgot about how scared you were and it’s just riding.
18. I’m convinced that anyone can ride a bicycle across the country or down the coast…much like running a marathon; it’s more mental than physical.
19. When you bike, pray for a tailwind.
20. And, make sure that you are carrying a very detailed map.
21. But still know that even if you have a great map on a cross-country trip, you’re still going to get lost.
22. “I can’t believe this freakin’ road is not on the map”----the most often quoted sentence by yours truly this summer.
23. I went to the bathroom A TON of times outside...in a bush, near a tree, or under an overpass. Think if we all did this...then we’d conserve a good amount of water. Why don’t the Greenies ever suggest this???
24. Rain isn’t a bad thing when you’re biking….unless it’s 50 degrees and really windy. Then it sucks.
25. I’ve worn the cycling “bibs” instead of shorts 19 out of 22 days on this trip. That was the strategic move of the trip that paid off.
26. If I could have gotten a pair of pink cycling bibs for the trip, I would have worn them everyday. I promise. And I would have fit right in here in Cali.
27. Let me tell you what is also en vogue out here in Cali….tats, multiple piercings, colored hair, uncharitability, dozens of beach towns that look the same, and over-priced food.
28. When you bike, fuel and hydration are so crucial at all times of the day. I’ve eaten food at 3am on this trip several times.
29. I also went to the poddy almost everyday at 3 or 4 am. I hate that.
30. Do you really want me to answer the question, “How bad does your buttock hurt after biking almost 1800 miles in 22 days?” Yeah, I didn’t think so.
31. In two Hunger Ride's, I learned that it's ok to lick your fingers at lunchtime even if they are full of bike grease and dirt.
32. The scariest moment of the trip was probably riding over the Astoria Bridge in Oregon….it’s old, it’s massive, it’s creepy, there’s ZERO shoulder, and the wind was blowing 1 million-google miles per hour when we were on it.
33. The hardest day was the first 125 miler when we rode from Seaside to Morro Bay...because of all the hills and because of how hard we rode.
34. That 125 mile was also one of the more epic and rewarding experiences that I’ve had in long time.
35. Paul White, my friend and co-worker from Presbyterian Day School in Memphis,Tn, is a Hunger Ride Blogging All-Star…..there’s nobody that will ever match his feats in blog comment postings. Paul, I crown you king.
36. Chris Hill is a very close second, with Ted Debiase coming in with an honorable mention award for his late-in-the-ride heroics.
37. I’ve never received one phone number from a girl on the 2006 or 2007 Hunger Ride. I’m sorry to disappoint you, Rev. Hill.
38. I used to care about my tan lines. That day passed about 8 years ago.
39. I’ve thought about entering several science fair projects this fall (4th or 5th grade) after what I’ve smelled from sweaty jerseys and socks and the end of a days’ ride.
40. In two years of summer cycling, I can definitely distinguish between a “nice horn honk” and a “mean horn honk.”
41. I used to want to flip people off who used the “mean honk." Instead, I learned to wave and pretend that we’re really good friends.
42. Traveling with a high-schooler, you learn that you’re not as cool as you think you are.
43. Before the trip, I thought I was cool, but I soon learned that I was old. You have to remember, a high school grad knows what cool is......and you don’t.
44. The bicycle hides nothing and threatens nothing.It is what it does,its form is its function.
- Stewart Parker,
45. Three months ago, I considered not doing the 2007 Hunger Ride…..I was going to quit my job at PDS and take off to hike the Appalachian Trail. Seriously.
46. On a cross-country bicycle trip, really really good food is still just food.
47. If everybody had the spirit of volunteerism like the Sirak family from Beaverton,OR, (the family who has had TWO garage sales for the Hunger Ride) this world would be a lot better place.
48. I arrived in Imperial Beach...from Vancouver.....39 minutes and 24 seconds faster because I shaved my legs.
49. If I wanted to pump myself up while riding, I’d start singing “Daughter” by Pearl Jam. That, or Cyndi Lauper, "Girls just want to have fun." J/K.....you still reading this Heavy D?? AAA??
50. If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading, and thanks for your interest, prayers, comments, and e-mails with this years ride.