Day 7: Ventura to Los Angeles

This morning we were encouraged to start extra-early to ensure that we reached LA in time for the closing ceremony at 3:30. So I rolled out into the June gloom just after 7:00. The first part of the ride was along relatively quiet country roads through Oxnard. and Port Hueneme, but after Rest Stop 1 we were on the shoulder of busy Highway 1 all the way to Malibu. Plenty of climbs today (incidentally, the entire ride has about 20,000 feet of climbing -- about the same as Denali!) along with lots of gorgeous coastal scenery and copious traffic. After a spectacular last lunch on bluffs below Pepperdine in Malibu, we rolled past Will Rogers State Beach, walked through an underground tunnel, climbed a bit through Santa Monica, and then, just like that, I rode through a big inflatable arch at the finish line and it was all over. 10 months and 1,050 miles of sporadic training, $6600 collected to fund HIV/AIDS services, and 475 miles of riding in one week. Thanks to everyone who made it possible!