For over two years, I've planned to ride my bicycle to visit my aunt & uncle in Simi Valley. This February I finally put plans into action. I figured that riding the 200+ miles to Simi would act as a gateway drug for me to even longer rides across multiple state lines. Longer rides like those of my heroes -
Matt & Siobahn and Justin & Meg and Deanna.
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| the rig as I set out on it Tues 7:15am |
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| 1st stop my weekly game of disc golf with John in Balboa Park |
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| 2nd stop - the secret Neil Blender skatepark in Mission Bay |
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| so much fun - even if you have to wear a helmet - only accessible by bike or RV |
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| the Rose Canyon bike trail leads to the UCSD campus |
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A - pit stop at the Che Cafe
B - quick visit with Jamie & Otis at Zero hq
C - mandatory salad stop at Peace Pies
D - surprise visit with Shanais of Nii Bar on their one year anniversary
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| made it the 43 miles to Dave's by 4pm & had a mellow skate |
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| Dave whipped up a divine dinner from items on hand at the house. |
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| state park between Pendleton & San Onofre |
B - butterfly garden at Doheny State Beach
C - took a wrong turn and went up a crazy steep hill, but it afforded this wild viewpoint of Dana Point harbor
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| day #3 begins down the PCH north of Laguna - found a famous ditch |
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| fanagled my way into this amazing RIOTGRRL art exhibit at the Orange County Art Museum |
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| took a skate history class from Jim Gray & he helped me make my #SkateLabOrBust sign |
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| jokers is a sick shop, one of my favorite clients from the Overboard days |
B - loads of old VHS
C - OHIO SKATEOUT was playing when I walked in - Hosoi with a wallie
D - the JOKERs jeff grosso tee
E - Lucero dropped off his magazine collection - these early Thrashers were some of the gems
F - Michael the buyer and hella cool cat - stoked I caught him at the shop
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| Mother's Market in HB for a salad and a shake |
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| dudes filming at a beachside bench |
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| caught TACO THURSDAY at the Secret Spot - saw Edgar made the Burnout! |
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| took shelter in Long Beach with Viola's mom, Judy! |
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| day #4 begins randomly meeting Amy Caron on the early morning streets of Long Beach |
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| Ferris Bueller's house is not in Chicago... it's in Long Beach |
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| after a 2 skateparks in LBC I spent the rest of the day with Gabe |
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| Smithers on the Matix ramp |
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| quick visit to the museum at South Bay Skates on the ride from Matix to Gabe's pad |
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| lots of rad records emerged from Gabe's vault - tons of Simi Valley stories |
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| day #5 begins with an unplanned visit to Vern's place in Marina Del Rey |
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| he showed off some of his skate art and made a fine tofu scramble |
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| kicked it with my homegirl, POPPY, in MarVista |
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| I borrowed Ben's truck Y& drove to downtown LA for Fauxgazi & it was unparalleled fun! |
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| wanted to go see their 2nd show of the night, but elected to try The Grain Cafe & turn in early. |
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| day #6 send off party of Poppy & Ben - leaving MarVista |
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| tunnel on Sepulveda humping over the hill paralleling the 405 |
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| fuel stop at Follow Your Heart in Canoga Park - aka the Valley |
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| approaching my last hill climb exiting Chatsworth |
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| the last 10 miles into Simi were the most grueling and the last 2 miles the rain came down |
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| spent the next couple days split between working on the magazine collection at SkateLab |
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| the other half of the time I was chilling with my uncle Elias & aunt Jeanne! |
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