Wednesday, September 14, 2011

SANTA CRUZ

We took the Harris grade out of Lompoc for a nice break from the highway and a ride through wine country.  That night, we camped near Avila Beach and hit up the Avila Valley Barn for coffee the next morning.  From there, we pushed north to Los Osos Valley Road and Moro Bay. Then it was rolling hills, Pacific coast ranches, the Hearst Castle, etc.  A short night was spent near Ragged Point and we rode like demons through Big Sur, stopping to rest and soak up our surroundings.



And then Santa Cruz!  We rolled in on Saturday September 10th and performed at the Bike Church during wrenching hours.  They are a non-profit tool cooperative run by some of the nicest people on the planet, and their doors are open to all who need access to tools and bike assistance for a low fee of $5.  It's location really is a sanctuary; it's a few blocks from downtown and shares a building/courtyard with The Fabrica, PedX, Computer Kitchen, and Sub Rosa.





Santa Cruz represented a milestone of the FLUX BIKES tour.  We'd covered over 400 miles of California coast in 5 days, and it was amazing to welcomed by a warm meal and people who felt like friends upon our meeting.  Naturally, we decided to stay a little longer!  Also, our crew doubled when bandmates Adam and Shawn Wille met us on the evening of Sunday the 11th.



From Santa Cruz, the four of us continued north and were fortunate to camp at Freewheelin Farm.  This awesome organic farm delivers their produce to the Santa Cruz farmer's market by bike, and their fruits and veggies grow in a field overlooking the Pacific Ocean (the photo below hardly does it justice).  The next morning, we were thrilled to jump in on their operations, helping out Amy and Darryl with the leek harvest.  It was fun and inspiring, as was our whole stay in Santa Cruz. We can't wait to visit again!