Yes, I'm in San Diego, the weather's perfect and the beach is calling my name -- I still haven't gone in the ocean during this trip -- but I know how much all of you have been anticipating the numbers from my journey so I've toiled away here on this gorgeous Sunday morning.
And here they all are...
Total miles biked: 1,984.6
Miles biked in Canada (approximation): 41
Miles biked in Washington (approximation): 364
Miles biked in Oregon (approximation): 410
Miles biked in California (approximation): 1,170
Days of trip: 57
Days on bike: 35
Days of rest: 22
Average miles per day of biking: 56.7
Most miles in a day: 101.7 (the final day)
Longest day on the bike: 8 hours, 34 minutes, 23 seconds (the final day)
Least miles in a day: 13.6 (Crescent City to Redwood hostel)
Nights spent camping: 20 (16 on my own)
Nights spent with friends: 23
Nights spent in hostels: 6
Nights spent in front seats of vehicles: 2
Nights spent in motels by myself: 2
Nights spent in a motel with Dad: 3
Nights spent in Canada: 1
Nights spent in Washington: 7
Nights spent in Oregon: 10
Nights spent in California: 38
Bike maintenance:
-- Bought chain lubricant and tire-valve adapter in Tillamook, OR
-- Got $75 tuneup and new brake shoes in Arcata, CA
Days of biking in the rain: 6
RANKINGS
Hardest day on bike: Day 57 (San Clemente, CA-Border Field State Park, CA-San Diego, CA -- 101.7 miles biked) --This is a tough call, because I had some very difficult days in Northern California and the ride on the final day was relatively flat. But I rank it my most difficult because of the pain I was in and how I had to adjust my riding style for the final 30-plus miles. Plus, it was my longest day on the bike.
Most beautiful state to ride in: Oregon -- This is another difficult call, because much of the riding in California was breathtaking, especially in the northern part of the state. But Oregon, as a whole, was a little more beautiful. I was on the coast the entire time, there was some great ocean-side riding on the 101, and the many rocks sticking out of the water were cool to look at.
Favorite big cities to visit:
1. San Francisco: Great food, chess games downtown, walkable, on the water, great baseball stadium.
2. Seattle: Perfect climate, amazing selection of cuisine, very diverse, laid back, good music scene.
3. San Diego: Still in progress...
4. Vancouver: Only there for an afternoon, but loved how nature blended into the city and the backdrop of mountains.
5. Los Angeles: Way too spread out for not having a car, nothing special about downtown, hotter than the other cities.
Favorite cuisines on the coast:
1. Mexican: A no-brainer. The northern-style burritos are delicious, not to mention huge.
2. Organic: Especially in the big cities, I've noticed many organic grocery stores as well as restaurants. They provide a great selection of nutritious foods.
3. Seafood: I haven't had much good seafood because of the prices...
Favorite highways to bike on:
1. Pacific Coast Highway: The PCH in California was scary at times, but it provided amazing views right above the ocean.
2. Highway 101: Provided great riding in Oregon, where it was just two lanes and hugged the coast.
Most enjoyable day on the bike: Carmel, CA-San Simeon Village, CA -- Obviously, there are a lot to choose from here, but this day takes the cake. The 25 miles up to Big Sur were breathtaking, providing me the most amazing views of the ocean down below and the road ahead. Then I joined up with Erica, Margot and Rusty and had company for the final 60 miles of a long, beautiful 94.9-mile day.
Stay tuned for my final post, featuring final thoughts on the trip and, of course, many thank-yous I need to throw out.
I'm kind of surprised you didn't number crunch how much money you spent, or how many PB&J sandwiches you had.
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