Day 36: SLO Rollercoaster, 56km - short but sweet

After an uninspiring breakfast in the Splash Cafe a few buildings down form our motel, we headed out of SLO on Higuera Street. 7 miles or so later we joined the Bob Jones bike trail which wound its way through housing and high class spa and golf resorts. At Avila Beach we slovenly lay on the beach and read until our stomachs rumbled. Responding to the cue we cycled to Port San Luis where we ate tacos in the Fat Cat Cafe.

When we got back on the road I suddenly ended up with suntan lotion in my eyes - I knew Coppertone was a dubious name. I could barely see and had to stop in a cafe to

wash my eye out and sit in darkness for a few minutes. We eventually got going again and turned onto See Canyon Road. From here we wound our way through apple orchards and ranches. Every time we turn on these roads you realise how few people drive in roads other than interstates in this country - they may as well just designate the back roads to cyclists ;-) A mile or so later we endured three steep climbs and various dirt sections. Without the load on my bike after so long I could barely balance my bike and had to stay seated the whole way. This does not make Beth a happy tourer. That said, as I was stinking hot and beginning to wonder why we were doing this route we came to the summit and amazing views out over the nine extinct Sisters Volcanoes.

A long winding descent brought us back down to SLO and past numerous cyclists doing our route in reverse. For all the moaning I have aimed at the lonely planets, I have to give it to them that they always give their suggested bike routes in the direction easiest to complete. I was hot and tired but the ride was great and Tim was storming along.

Our evening reverted the day back to reality - laundry.