Just Kidding

Here is another Ohio post, but from our June bike ride. We averaged about fifty miles a day, camping each night (except when we were invited to stay at my neighbor/math teacher's college roommate's B&B in Oxford - bliss!).

GOBA

Camping with shade!

It was hot and humid, which I would pick over rainy and cold. The mosquitoes were not bad and we saw plenty of fireflies.

Guest Blogger

D & A adventure

With months passing housebound due to the pandemic D & A were ready to get out for a mini vacation adventure.

The idea came together on a Monday night.

By Tuesday they had rented a 1997 VW Eurovan camper from a private owner in the neighboring city of Pomona via the website Outdoorsy  which is like an AirBnB for RVs.

Then they looked for some of the best gravel bike rides within a day’s drive.  They found this one in central California, http://sloridetohell.com/ near San Luis Obispo.  This is not far from Paso Robles where we used to do the Great Western Bike Rally on the quad tandem many years ago.  It is also modest driving distance to the Pacific coast.

Next they booked 3 nights on Memorial Day weekend at a KOA campground site that included access to a pool, hot showers, a general store, etc.

They picked up the van Friday morning, packed up and headed out.  

At the campground in Santa Margarita

Saturday they did the main ride

including a stop at the historic Pozo Saloon
(photo from both 1870s and more recently)
where they got root beer floats and listened to live music.  

Summary of Saturday's ride

Sunday they drove the van over to Moro Bay and cycled
along the coast up to Cayucos and back. They met a group of
riders making the trip from San Francisco to Malibu on their bikes.  

Monday morning D rested and A had a wild solo adventure around Lake Santa Margarita.  Then they drove back, unpacked, returned the camper van, and shared their adventure.

Handyman

When I have finished my chores I often do a crossword puzzle, catch up on reading the newspapers, or something else unproductive. D. is not that way. When the weekend rolls around instead of recuperating from a long week he will put fresh caulk around the kitchen sink and tubs, work on bicycles, or keep looking until he finds something else.

A long time ago we were given a set of camping chairs as wedding gifts. We used them for camping, concerts in the park, and trips to the beach.

Unfortunately one of the seats sustained significant damage.

D. was looking for some good canvas and
I suggested one of these bags, which was
part of a collection of bags he had sent
home after cleaning his office.

D. cut off the handles and two corners.

Task completed.
Now he'll have to find something else to do!

Pleasant surprise

It is good to be intelligent (and charming and good looking), but it is great to be lucky!

I took a risk several weeks ago and booked a campsite, the only one that I could find that was available in reasonable driving distance.  And why was it available?  Because there was an out-of-control fire in the area.  It started June 17 and figured it had to be contained at some point.

I finally gave up and at 11am on Saturday was looking into how to get a refund and saw that the status had changed to open!  No one else was home so I called A.'s friend and started packing.

We arrived to perfect weather, a great campsite that included bear boxes, and hiking trail a few steps away.

The hike included a creek crossing ended at a lake.  We saw two people fishing and that was it. So lucky!!

Not surprisingly campfires were forbidden, which made it challenging to make s'mores.  We persevered.

This morning those of us who were able to sleep last night went for a hike in the other direction.  There was a log crossing but nothing exciting before we turned around.

After breakfast, a rousing game of Uno, and cleaning up we set off for home.  I can't wait to return!