Santa Barbera

To borrow briefly from Mark Twain: "Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated".
Although it's been just over a week since I last signed on, I am still alive and well. Though for a while there I wasn't sure how I was going to turn out; a nasty case of heat stroke left me woozy and miserable for 3 or 4 days. Thankfully, I fully recovered now, and ready to complete the final leg of my journey in good spirits.
I had a ripping tailwind coming out of San Francisco, along with a perfect blue sky all day, and this convinced me to try to cover as much ground as possible while the weather was good. Rode just over 90 miles that day, and ended up severely dehydrated, which made the 40 miles the next day to Veteran's Memorial Campground less than enjoyable.
I took a sick day in Monterey, and in the end was glad for it, as I met some very interesting people in and around town. The hiker biker site was full of characters, including Henry, the retired ex-DJ, always ready to offer a bit of his own particular brand of wisdom; Wayne, the wandering rider covering almost 100 miles a day on a bike never meant to roll that distance; and of course Tony, a professional restorer of historic buildings and all-around great guy. Tony is an ex army nurse, and a firm believer in the concept of Karma. Because of this, he's always ready to lend a helping hand to someone in need, and as soon as he heard of my shoestring budget, jumped at the chance to go into town with me and pick me up a load of groceries. Not wanting to accept unnecessary charity, I respectfully declined, but I'm still amazed that someone could be so spontaneously giving towards a total stranger.
After leaving Monterey, I came across another group of riders who amazed me in their own way, namely by setting out to do something I would have never thought possible, or in any event probable: under the banner of the "Funky Monkey Family", Antonio, Jess and their twin children, who are just over a year old, are riding from San Francisco into the heart of South America. Formerly residents of Las Vegas, they've picked up roots, sold off all their possessions, and are headed south to start a hostel in the first suitable city they find. Traveling anywhere with kids is a task, so my respect for these guys is endless!
Today I'm taking it easy, riding the short distance through Santa Barbera and trying to get a taste of the city along the way. I plan on taking a bus through urban LA (weak, I know...), so at this rate I should be just four days from my final destination in San Diego!
-Nick