Final Day - Dana Point to La Jolla 55 Miles, 1,700' climb

Camp Pendleton - Pannikin Coffee  - La Jolla - Mount Soledad

The final day is a short one so we roll out late, trying to get to La Jolla at 1:00 for pictures before we enter the CAF picnic at 2:00.We ride through Camp Pendleton and through Carlsbad, and Encinitas.  We rode by our Monday Night Pizza spots and down to Pannikin Coffee, where I used to meet every Friday morning for many years before I took the position at Open Doors.  Grammy, George, Vicki, Marion, Jody and Lori showed up and that was just great.  I didn't realize that this was a traditional stop for the CAF ride so we had many other riders with us.

Hannah in front of my fellow riders at Pannikin Coffee House

Grammy, Vicki, me and Lori at Pannikin

So we slowly rode through Del Mar, up the last big hill at Torrey Pines and in to a park to stage ourselves for entry into Kellogg Park. We took a group picture and then we went into the end of ride party.  Another surprise is that the Patel family was there to greet me.  I am so blessed by friends.

Crossing the finish line after 620 miles

Mira Patel, Hannah and Luke and Devin Patel 

The ride raised over $1,400,000 for Challenged Athletes

But I had said that I wanted to finish at Mount Soledad.  I wasn't really tired but nobody I rode with wanted to ride up the 3 mile, 800' it would take to get there.  But my father's military history is on a plaque at the park and my faith, my history and my training seemed to mean that there is where I should finish.  By myself, riding alone but then met by family and friends.  It seemed a little grandiose but I had talked about it and as I want up the hill I felt really strong. 

So now the ride is finished.  A great adventure.  A mixture of an accomplishment and great experience.  Will I ride again next year?  I would think about it.  I have some time to think about it.  But for now, a lazy weekend ahead, trying to overcome the usual letdown after a big event.  I'll probably register for the Carlsbad 1/2 marathon in January and then some other races till I may do the Vineman 1/2 Ironman in Napa in July.  It's Darcy and my 20th anniversary that week and that seems like a good combination to me.  Darcy is still undecided though.

Thanks for keeping up with me, praying for me, supporting me financially and just asking how I am doing.

Blessed,

Tom   

Day 6 - Santa Monica to Dana Point - 72 miles, 1,500 ft. climb

Carnitas, Cervezas and Bill Walton

Ezra Frech of CAF and Chris Self, 7 tours in Iraq, Special Forces and CAF Athlete

I had to have a picture taken with my bike and the mechanics who had cleaned and adjusted all of our bikes, every night of the ride and delivered them to us in the morning. The men from "Onsupport" were great, the loved my old steel bike and kept it running well through the whole ride. Thank you so much.

I had planned on riding with Sully again today as yesterday was my most enjoyable pace of all the days, but as we gathered up some other riders and I rode with some different riders. Duane, a Vietnam veteran, double amputee who had just rode down the coast last week with "Operation Rebound" who was pictured on my sto[ to eat pie on day 3. A little ride time with Tara, who lost her leg in an auto accident and is now a speaker for Challenged Athlete Foundation.  We rode together in our training rides and it was good to spend some more time with her.

(Tara's story is at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/20/san-diegan-reborn-after-losing-part-her-leg/

The ride out of Santa Monica is along the bike path through Huntingdon Beach and a fellow rider, Maggie Osburn wanted to stop at Taco Surf in Belmont Shores but I had lost her during the ride. As we're at a light in Belmont Shores, another rider came up and said that she just saw Maggie, eating by herself at a taco shop.  Maggi said Taco Surf had the best carnitas so I turned around and we had a great lunch and a beer. That sounded great but as we went down the coast the wind picked up but with an even slower paces but higher cadence, we worked our way to Dana Point to our hotel.

In we went to the Laguna Cliffs Marriott hotel, Darcy and the kids were walking up the steep driveway as I rode in. A brief massage and as I was ready to leave, my coach came by after stopping at the $10 Halloween store. Pat Jak is not Superman, he's a great coach though, even if he is from Cleveland.

Great closing ceremonies. Videos from the rides, time with new friends and plans for the next day. But we had spoken briefly to Bill Walton earlier in the week and he was very kind with Luke. So since he was sitting next to us I wanted to thank him and have Luke's picture with him. Bill talked to Luke us for 20-30 minutes. He spoke about to Luke about the pressure to be cool, how tough it is growing up now and the importance of "squares"like the old people in the room. Bill talked about overcoming challenges like he overcame stuttering at age 28. I mentioned Luke's challenge with reading and then Bill really spoke to Luke about how important Reading and Math are and that if Luke ever had problems that he couldn't speak to his dad about that Luke should call him.  Yes, the 3-time NCAA basketball champion, two-time NBA champion, NBA MVP, a student of  the great John Wooden and current NBA announcer said, "call me if you have any problems." That is just so cool. Bill also raised over $140,000 this year alone for Challenged Athlete Foundation. So we all got our pictures taken with Bill. When you see how he hobbles around, both ankles fused together, raising money for CAF. riding down the coast with the largest orange bike you have ever seen, you realize what a special organization this is.

We made some plans for the next day, said goodnight to some new friends and we talked abut maybe next year, riding again. Some people have asked me if I would consider being a ride leader for the slower groups. I am kind of flattered that people thought of me that way and the fundraising is less so I'll see how I feel  after the ride and when registration opens next

But I would definitely consider it.

Day 5 - Santa Barbara to Santa Monica - 86 Miles, 1,900' climb

We rolled out from Santa Barbara with my friend Sully.  He was having some tendonitis in his legs so we were determined not to go with any faster riders and take our time "meandering" down the coast.  At Pt. Magu Naval Air station, we had our picture taken with a poster of John. He had rode the CAF for the last few years but after last year's ride he found out he had pancreatic cancer. Now, he sits with few days left and his poster was taken down the coast and photo'd everywhere so he could know that he was missed. Special people on this ride. Very special people.

So the presentation at the end of the day was by Sarah Reinertsen. She spoke of her early disability and her desire to run, to compete and eventually be the first women with a prothsetic limb to finish the Kona Ironman. She missed the time cut-off the first time she tried but worked with John Howard (World-record biker from day 1) and eventually finished the Kona Ironman in under 15 hours. She also is on the cover of ESPN Magazine "The Body" issue. What an inspirations speaker. This is exactly why I brought the kids, not the Body issue, but meeting people who overcame great challenges.. These are things that you don't learn in school.


Great hotel again, Le Marigot in Santa Monica.  Great view from our room.  Great ride with a great rider.  It is a little sad since entering LA means that we are nearing the end of the ride.

View from our room at Le Marigot Beach Hotel in Santa Monica

Day 4 - Pismo Beach to Santa Barbara - 118 Miles, 4,500' climb

Wine, Ice Cream, Hills and Freeways 

A little sore from yesterday and today's ride is almost as long and still a lot of climb.  Some of the climb is on 101 freeway and  there are a few miles (25) along that same 101 that is undergoing construction.  So fog follows us again so we are cool almost all the day.  Lunch is at mile 55 and as we headed inland towards the Zaca Mesa Winery, I was really dragging.  Luckily, Glen Fellman was there to pull me up the long grinding hill to the winery.  Glen is from North Carolina and has been heavily involved with Challenged Athlete Foundation since his daughter had her foot amputated when she was 6 months old.  He has ridden with me for many miles and is a really strong consistent rider.

Glen Fellman

The family got a little lost but caught me at the winery as I was finishing up.  Great to have my family here and I am the only rider who brought a spouse and their children for the whole ride.  It wasn't that much more expensive and it was a great opportunity to spend time with the kids before they become true teenagers and don't want anything to do with us.

Me, Luke and "New Bike" Mike Carlson

So again, I ate too much at lunch, but we are sponsored by J & L Pie Company, so we have treats along the way.  So 6 miles from lunch, we stopped in Solvang for ice Cream.  Again the family was able to see me before they got their own ice cream.

So we left Solvang, headed towards the big hill up the 101 and then another 25 miles along the freeway. I got stuck i a group of riders that were much faster than me.  That may seem great but I was using every bit of my effort just to stay on the back of the pack.  The family drove by and was honking but I didn't see them.  I didn't have time to drink or eat either so when we got to the next SAG stop, I let them go and I left on my own down the freeway into Santa Barbara, to the Fess Parker Resort.

View from our room in Santa Barbara

But now the hardest part of the ride is over.  We had one rider go down and break her collarbone after hitting a construction cone.  She was in the emergency room for a few hours but made it back with us but no more riding for her this week.  But she has a great attitude and I'm sure she'll be back next year.
But every night, you realize that you have to get ready for the next day.  Get your clothes ready, take a look at the mileage and climb and try to get some sleep.

But the hard part is over.

Day 3 - 113 Miles - 5,900' Climb - Big Sur to Pismo Beach

Fog, More Miles and Climbing, in one day, than I have ever done in my Life

Another great meal the night before and we start off again, at 7:30 AM with a climb out from the hotel for about 45 minutes.  Straight up. Luckily the fog has followed us so it is perfect biking weather, cool and cloudy.  Not great for the touring Smith Family but great for their Dad. 

Creek runing near our Hotel

Sun peeking through the fog

So, we were thinking we were pretty special.  620-miles in 7 days.  But we passed 4 bikers in heavy mountain bikes who were travelling from Alaska to Panama in 3 months.  OK, they are tougher than us. Two of them were younger women.  And if biking wasn't hard enough, a group of Challenged Athletes were runing the same route we were going to bike.  10 teams of two runners were going to run from San Francisco to La Jolla and they would be there ahead of us, by Thursday.  We passed their support vehicle with some of the runners who were resting and took this photo.  The excitement was amazing.  These men are heroes.  So never think that whatever you do is tough because there are always those that are stronger, faster and accomplishing things that make whatever I have done look insignifigant.

CAF Athletes, Some Running, Some Biking from San Francisco to San Diego

The family stopped to see the views and aslo saw the elephant seals.  No, I am not in this picture.....

Later that night we met the bikers from the Garmin - Cervelo team.  I rode briefly with them during the day but they are a level of athleticism that is beyond amazing.  Seemed like great guys, in their 20's, which is young for a professional biker, too young to make the Tour de France yet but you never know.  I was going to sneak by on a climb to say that I was able to pass them but nobody would believe it (unless the Cervelo guys were at a stop sign).

The hotel ws great, The Cliffs Resort and I really appreciated that every day we get a 20-minute massage.   The runners ran through the resort on their way down the coast.  Those men are studs. 

Life is great, God is good.

Day 2 - Santa Cruz to Big Sur - 87 miles and 3,200 feet of climb

Big Climbs, Big Descents, Great views, Gun Show

We had dinner with a good friend Vicki Pattersom in Santa Cruz and then another early morning, rolling on the bike at 7:30 AM.  Similar to yesterday in mileage and climb but I was still a lot of construction on the windy roads made it a little hazardous, a little nervous.  The family stayed at the boardwalk in Santa Cruz after I left.  My little Hannah bought a cool scarf in San Francisco so she got to show it off today. She has been so diligent on her homework, she didn't get that trait from Darcy or me.  Luke rode some rides and you can see a litle nervousness in his face.



We went through Monterey and Pebble Beach and I felt really strong as I know these roads, love the area and appreciate that Little Tommy Smith from Poe Drive can visit such places.
We had lunch on the beach in Carmel, just below the Carmel Sands Inn where we used to vacation.  Great lunch again and one of our ride leaders, Brain Brillo was coaxed into giving us a "Gun Show" as he was changing into lighter gear for the afternoon.  Great ride leader with a heart for helping you at just the right time.  A kind, encouraging word, a push in the back to get you caught up with the pack ahead of you and back into the draft of a large group of riders.  Also a stuningly fast biker.

The end of the ride was a climb that included construction but as you see in the photo, we went way out to the top right of the photo.  Very tough climb but the reward was wide, curved roads with a nice consistant slope for 5 - 6 miles.  I don't know how fast I got.  Sully and I got up to 51 MPH on an earlier training ride.  Probably no that fast but faster than smart but the roads were clear, nobody was ahead of me and this is what makes biking great.  The reward for a ball-buster of a climb.  A friend who taught me open-water swimming said that if he had to ride one route for the rest of his life, this would be it.

I agree.  Thank you  God, for Your creation.  May others, in seing Your creation, today, see the Creator. 

Day 1 - San Francisco to Santa Cruz - 87 Miles - 3,500' climbing

Start of 620-mile Bike Ride - World's Fastest Biker - Headwinds

Bloody Mary - Pie

We started out at 7:00 AM Saturday morning.  Pretty exciting and emotional.  100 riders and 10 -20 Challenged Athletes in hand-cycles, tandem bikes and with prosthetic legs.  To start out, I met the man who held the record for the world's fastest bike ride at over 150 MPH.  He won three Ironman Triathlons also.  John Howard is 64 years old and he is still amazingly fast on the bike.  He's a super nice guy also and we have trained together.  But he still kicks my but.

www.johnhowardsports.com

So we left, past the Golden Gate Bridge.down towards Santa Cruz.  Now there are traditions that I don't know of and as I was riding with a large group, we passed the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay.  Suddenly everybody turned in and we had coffee and I split a Bloody Mary with one of my ride leaders and friend, Lynn Lyons.

So we started down the coast.  I got separated from a group and spent 2-3 hours heading straight into the wind.  15-20 miles an hour with nobody to share the load.  But I got through it, slowed down, increased my cadence (RPM on pedalling).  So I got  through the main part of the ride but we are sponsored by J&L Pies, who also ride with us.  Grabbed a piece of pie with Duane Wagner, a double amputee, Silver Star recipient who was wounded in Vietnam. 

http://www.silvermannv.com/downloads/operation-rebound/DuaneWagner.pdf

Yes it was hard, but I trained for 5 months and the views are beatiful and my family is with me.  They toured San Francisco, Lombard Street and then followed me to Santa Cruz .  One down, six mor days to go.  

Hotel in San Francisco - Hyatt at Fishermn's Wharf

Santa Cruz - Chaminade