Day 5: Vallecitos to Julian: 35 Miles

For the most part, the morning started much like the other three I experienced earlier in the week: 1) 6:00 A.M. wake up, 2) break down camp and load gear into car, 3) service bikes, 4) re-fill camelbacks, and 5) grab some breakfast. Although this list suggests a linear order to each morning activities, the morning generally consisted of doing all five things simultaneously. And, given my inclination to start doing 3 or 4 things at once, I frequently forgot what I had started several minutes earlier, resulting in chaos. Despite being an absurdly bad idea, each morning our ride began en masse which typically resulted in several crashes, near misses with cars, and ridiculously slow riders darting out in the lead later to be overtaken by everyone else. Yes, it was annoying, and frustrating, and irritating, but the feeling I got being in that pack of 150 riders made it worthwhile. Because you see, a line of cyclists several hundred yards long isn't 150 riders, it is a living, breathing organism sharing an incredible moment in time. To serious cyclists, the peleton provides a respite from the wind; for us, it was a few minutes of unity, a few minutes spent exulting our connection to each other, our neighbors, our brothers, our sisters. But after 5 minutes the peleton typically broke apart into small packs of riders--the speedy, the grinders, the gutty, and the the same handful who were always the last to roll in each night, but who inspired us with their determination. Conversations ebbed and flowed with each turn of the crank, but ironically, most of the riding day was spent in solitude. We typically rode in a group of 6-9 adults and kids, but silence commanded our attention. What do I really want from my life? Am I a good father? Partner? Son? Brother? Have I really given all of myself to this life? Will my ass ever stop hurting? Why does everyone at each stop give us the wrong mileage to camp? These heady cognitions kept me occupied during day, but most were forgotten by the time I reached the sleeping bag each night and were replaced with thoughts of what the morning would bring.