Day 1- Manhatten Beach, CA to Moreno Valley, CA - 85 miles and 2766 feet of climbing

I awoke at 4:00 AM this morning. Immediately, my mind began racing through the pre-ride checklist of essential tasks I needed to complete before peddling off to Manhatten Beach with 21 other tour riders at 7:30 AM. I tried to go back to sleep because breakfast at our hotel didn't start until 5:30 AM, but it was useless. I was not going back to sleep. So I got up and got to it. 

Apply sunscreen, and don't forget your ears; apply chamois cream. Lay out the items you will carry on your bike for today's 85-mile ride to Moreno Valley, CA. Pack up all your device chargers. Make sure your bike's shifting system is sufficiently charged. Try to cram as many essential items into the two painfully small duffle bags the tour company has provided (and requires you to use) for all the clothes and personal items you will need for 48 days. That was by far the most formidable task of all.

I methodically went about my business in our LA hotel room as my wife and daughter slept. 

After a breakfast of oatmeal, a bagel, and a muffin, I brought my bike and the two duffle bags down to the tour truck and got ready for the final instructions from the tour director, Paula.  

By 7:30, all 22 of us were en route to Manhatten Beach for the "wheel dip" that has become a tradition for all coast-to-coast bike trips. 

I chose not to bother with the wheel dip as I was anxious to get riding. I decided to spend those last few minutes hugging my wife and daughter and trying to convince them to make the 85-mile drive to Moreno Valley so we could spend one more night together. My wife said they wished they could she but had "some important shopping to do."

By about 8:00 AM, we were off to Moreno Valley, CA, in Riverside County, California, United States.

It was perfect riding weather, sunny and cool. For the first 76 miles, the ride was primarily flat as we rode through the suburban sprawl of Greater Los Angeles—endless strip malls followed by residential areas followed by more strip malls. For a time, we rode on a nice long bike path followed by more suburban riding as we made our way to the region of Southern California known as The Inland Empire. There were SAG stops at public parks approximately every 30 miles so the riders could refill their water bottles and partake of a large assortment of fruit, energy bars, nuts, and sweets.  

At the 76-mile mark, we started a climb of about 3-4 miles before arriving at the Hampton Inn in Moreno Valley at around 3:00 PM.

I rode some of the day with 4 or 5 other riders. I was on my own for some of the final miles, which was fine with me.

Dinner was provided at the hotel and consisted of Lasagna, bread, salad, and cannolis. It was very scrumptious indeed.

  

I am just getting acquainted with some of my fellow riders, so hopefully, as the days pass, I can add them to this story. 

On to tomorrow and 90 miles to Indio, CA