11:04 PM

5:06 AM

6:33 AM

6:54 AM

7:14 AM

7:25 AM

7:32 AM

7:33 AM

7:44 AM

7:54 AM

7:56 AM

9:38 AM

9:39 AM

9:49 AM

10:39 AM

1:47 PM

1:52 PM

1:54 PM

2:23 PM

3:23 PM

3:25 PM

4:58 PM

5:59 PM

6:44 PM

8:05 PM

9:08 PM

9:21 PM

DAY ONE RECAP

Greetings from Seaside (neighbor to Monterey). I rode 128 miles today — one-quarter of the total distance to Long Beach. It was a gorgeous summer (err, winter) day! Despite using sunscreen, a got a little color on my arms and legs. No flats, no rain and no wind — it doesn’t get much better than that. I left my home at 6:30 this morning, and arrived at the Seaside Inn at 7:30 — 13 hours on the road — though “just” 8 hours and 45 minutes actually on my bicycle. I rode the last 20 miles (about an hour and half) in moonless darkness. Fortunately, most of it was on an off-road bicycle path. I’ll sleep well tonight, and it will hurt to get back on my bike in the morning — trust me, there’s no such thing as an “all-day comfort saddle”.

A band of Rickshaw teammates accompanied me on the first leg of the ride, from Peet’s Coffee at the Ferry Building to the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge. Our photo and video expert, Joe Montana, made a splendid video of the send-off.

If you’re interested in my progress during the day, I’m using the Instagram iPhone app to post updates and photos to Twitter (@markdwight) and Facebook (markdwight).

I’m particularly pleased to tell you that my At The Crossroads (ATC) fundraising campaign for homeless youth is presently at $9,500. Just $500 more to reach my official goal of $10K — and I hope to exceed that amount. Sincere thanks to all of you who have donated — the folks at ATC are absolutely thrilled! If you would like to make a donation, please visit my on-line donation page:

http://atthecrossroads.org/campaign/markdwight2

Any and every donation is sincerely appreciated — it is certainly the gesture itself that makes all the difference. And I receive a notice for every donation, which is especially inspiring during my ride. That’s all for now. Time to get some sleep.

Tomorrow’s goal: 125 miles to Morro Bay.

Bicycle Dreams! -Mark

7:36 AM

7:54 AM

8:32 AM

8:36 AM

8:52 AM

9:14 AM

11:39 AM

11:40 AM

11:41 AM

11:45 AM

11:48 AM

4:47 PM

6:21 PM

8:00 PM

8:41 PM

8:55 PM

8:58 PM

DAY TWO RECAP

Greetings from Cayucos, a small beach front town seven miles north of Morro Bay. I rolled into Cayucos around 7:30 this evening, after riding for an hour and a half in complete darkness, with only my bike light and the lights of passing cars to illuminate the final 20-miles through unpopulated coastal pasture land. I rode 118 miles today — bringing my two day total to 246 miles — almost half-way to Long Beach. It was another gorgeous day — sunny and warm. No flats and no headwinds today, but a good number of hill climbs, which slowed my average speed for the day to 13.8 miles per hour — compared to 14.5 mph yesterday. That doesn’t sound like much of a difference, but it is when you’re on a long bicycle ride — and it tells the story of the hills. The downhills were fun and fast, but they don’t make-up for the slow, exhausting uphill grinds.

I left Seaside around 8:00am this morning, after tea and yogurt at Starbucks, so I was en route for 11-1/2 hours, with 8 hours and 30 minutes actually “on the saddle”. Each day is more painful for sitting — but otherwise I feel good.

After a second day of riding in the dark for 90 minutes, I’m going to dial back the mileage a little so I can get the job done before sunset. Tonight was a little different than last night, since I’m on a rural stretch of Highway 1, with small towns spread miles apart, separated by long stretches of uninhabited terrain. With just my bike light, it’s like riding in a dark tunnel, deprived of any visual contact with my surroundings — and my odometer — with only the small spot of light directly before me. In this state, I’m completely “in the dark” as to my progress, and unable to set the small distance goals in my mind that help pass the time. One interesting thing — I became much more aware of the non-visual — the sound of the surf whenever the road took me close to the ocean, the cacophany of crickets and frogs, and warm air patches that settle into the little valleys along the way. It also requires more concentration on the road, to avoid anything that I would normally see well in advance in broad daylight — like rough patches, rocks, broken glass, miscellaneous car parts, and the occasional roadkill. Never mind, it would be awful to get a flat tire in the pitch dark. So, I’ve been lucky two nights in a row — and I’m definitely not a betting man. No more night rides on this trip.

I posted fewer photos and updates today, because there is little or no cell coverage along much of today’s route. I’ll step it up a bit tomorrow. For those of you just joining me, I’m using the Instagram iPhone app to post updates and photos to Twitter (@markdwight) and Facebook (markdwight) throughout the day.

On the fundraising front, I’m thrilled to announce we had a flurry of donations today that put my At The Crossroads (ATC) campaign for homeless youth over my $10K goal. A heartfelt thank you to everyone whose collective donations made it happen. I’m sure you all know I don’t want to stop there, just because we met some arbitrary goal. Besides, it’s the thrill of seeing your donations roll in during the day that keeps me cranking’ down the highway and stopping to post witty updates. And it’s the evening donations that keep me up writing these entertaining daily wrap-ups, when I should be going to sleep. So, here’s my new appeal — “Will Pedal and Post for More Charitable Donations”.

Seriously, thanks again to everyone who has donated so far, and made me a hero for hilling my goal. We are a team of heroes. As I have said before, the good folks at ATC are absolutely thrilled! If you would like to make a donation, and join our heroic team, it’s super easy, thanks to ATC’s on-line donation page:

http://atthecrossroads.org/campaign/markdwight2

Though $10K is a nice collective donation, ATC’s annual needs are far greater. Please consider a donation of ANY amount to help ATC, and to spur me on in my riding and writing.

That’s all for now. Gotta get to bed before midnight.

Tomorrow’s goal: 80 miles to Lompoc — “flower seed capital of the world” and home to many employees of the Vandenberg Air Force Base — and the Lompoc Federal Correctional Complex (perhaps another good reason to lay off the night riding). Besides, there’s a nice Motel 6 with on-site laundry, so I can freshen up my sweaty wardrobe.

Bicycle Dreams!

-Mark

8:51 AM

9:10 AM

9:55 AM

9:59 AM

10:19 AM

10:53 AM

10:54 AM

10:57 AM

11:51 AM

1:45 PM

1:48 PM

1:56 PM

2:00 PM

2:07 PM

2:18 PM

2:48 PM

2:49 PM

4:13 PM

5:04 PM

5:05 PM

5:12 PM

5:22 PM

7:10 PM

DAY THREE RECAP

Greetings from Lompoc, “The City of Arts and Flowers”, and “flower seed capital of the world”. It’s a little early for the flowers, but it’s a great place to clean-up, fuel-up and rest-up for the next leg of my journey. I’m staying at the Motel 6 — clean, quiet and less than $50 per night.

I departed Cayucos at 9am this morning, and busted out 53 miles to Guadalupe, a small farm town in the Santa Maria Valley, where you’ll find some of the best Mexican food north of the border. After my lunch of chips and salsa, carne asada soft tacos, rice and beans, I was ready for the final 29 mile stretch to Lompoc — which features several major hill climbs. For the last 15 miles I alternated between steady uphill grinds, at just 6mph, and speedy downhill runs, as fast as 38mph — which feels pretty darn fast on a loaded bicycle. I arrived at my hotel in Lompoc at 5:00 — before sunset, for a change!

I covered 82 miles today, bringing my three-day total to 328 miles. Two more days and 180 more miles to go. First thing tomorrow morning I have my highest hill to conquer, just five miles south of Lompoc — followed by my scariest downhill stretch — a 7-percent grade (an inscrutable number for anyone but a truck driver) where I have to use my brakes to stay under 40mph to avoid the dreaded “high-speed wobbles”. After that, it’s a relatively flat coastal roadway all the way to LA. My goal tomorrow is 85 miles to Ventura — the famous surfing town, and headquarters of the Patagonia company.

On the fundraising front, we added another $1000 today, topping $11K!!! Thanks to everyone helping make this an epic “I Think I Can” campaign for homeless youth support. Each and every donation is a significant contribution to an important cause, and a great inspiration to me on my ride. If you would like to make a donation, and join our heroic team, it’s super easy, thanks to ATC’s on-line donation page. Just click on this link:

http://atthecrossroads.org/campaign/markdwight2

That’s it for today.Bicycle Dreams!-Mark

8:02 AM

9:37 AM

9:46 AM

9:50 AM

12:41 PM

12:41 PM

12:41 PM

1:03 PM

1:11 PM

1:39 PM

2:10 PM

2:14 PM

4:07 PM

4:24 PM

6:55 PM

7:04 PM

7:20 PM

7:23 PM

DAY FOUR RECAP

Greetings from Ventura — one of those quintessential Southern California beach towns that spontaneously cause your brain to strike-up a Beach Boys soundtrack. This is “California Dreamin’” at its best. Meanwhile, Ventura the birthplace of the Sunkist orange growers association (take that, Florida), and the headquarters of the Patagonia company (which I tend to associate more with snow than surf). The stretch of Highway 101 in these parts is called the “Ventura Highway” — which is familiar to anyone old enough to be imprinted with the 1972 hit song by America (remember “alligator lizards in the air”? — which refers to cloud formations, by the way).I covered 84 miles from Lompoc to Ventura, by way of Santa Barbara (mile 55), where I stopped for lunch at jam-packed Norton’s Deli on Figueroa Street (pastrami reuben sandwich, onion rings, homemade pickles and Dr. Pepper). After my morning hill climb and raucous downhill run to the coast (averaging about 30 mph over five glorious miles of freshly paved freeway), I spent the day cruising along the Pacific Coast Highway, with mountains to my left and sandy beaches (and sun) to my right. Spending most of the day on relatively flat terrain, my average speed was a rockin’ 15.5 mph today.

I rolled into Ventura at 4pm this afternoon. Halfway into town, I took a turn off Main Street, and just happened to see the Ventura Visitors Center — one of those resources you never really think about in your own town — but it turns out, they’re very handy when you’re not from these parts. The friendly concierge directed me to the nearby Best Western Hotel, which to my delight has a heated pool and spa. After checking-in, I went straight to the hot tub.

After my soothing spa, I strolled over to Main Street for dinner. The main drag is a clean, well-lit, one-mile stretch of independent restaurants and lovely boutiques — something for everyone. I found my way to an excellent little Thai restaurant called “Rice”, where I enjoyed spring rolls, coconut soup, spinach with peanut sauce and spicy beef with sticky rice. Yum!

So far, I’ve covered 412 miles in four days. Tomorrow is my final stretch — approximately 95 miles to Long Beach — just in time for my birthday on Monday — and the first day of the TED conference, of course.

My Day 3 update inspired another flurry of donations to my homeless youth fundraising campaign, bringing the present total to $11,300 from 85 donors. We’re posting some very impressive numbers here team, and there’s a lot of cheering an high-fiving over at ATC every time a new donation arrives. Thank you all! If you’re so inclined, Sunday is one of the best days of the week for giving to worthy causes — and At The Crossroads makes it super easy with this link:

http://atthecrossroads.org/campaign/markdwight2

Any amount helps this important effort to assist homeless teenagers. And, if you’re a parent, sibling, aunt or uncle, just ponder the combination of those two words for a second.

That’s it for day four. Time to rest-up for the final stretch of my human-powered cannonball run.

Bicycle Dreams!

-Mark

9:00 AM

9:04 AM

9:05 AM

9:06 AM

9:07 AM

9:08 AM

9:08 AM

9:26 AM

9:27 AM

9:29 AM

9:35 AM

9:36 AM

9:39 AM

9:46 AM

10:12 AM

10:24 AM

10:38 AM

10:42 AM

12:25 PM

12:28 PM

1:09 PM

1:29 PM

2:19 PM

3:59 PM

4:05 PM

4:06 PM

4:10 PM

4:12 PM

4:17 PM

4:23 PM

4:49 PM

6:02 PM

DAY FIVE RECAP

Greetings from Long Beach — the end of the line for my “TEDride2012″. I covered 93 miles from Ventura to Long Beach today, making my 5-day total mileage for this trip 505 miles. This was my fourth “TEDride” — which I have been doing each year since TED relocated from Monterey to Long Beach four years ago. This year I had perfect weather, no flat tires and no mechanical problems — all good!

So, what can I tell you about Long Beach? First and foremost, the Port of Long Beach is the second busiest container port in the USA, after the Port of Los Angeles, which is right next door (and I’m not sure why they’re separate entities). In addition, Long Beach is the host of the Long Beach Gran Prix car race and the permanent berth for the RMS Queen Mary (the famous 1936 Art Deco ocean liner — now a hotel).

While we’re on fun facts, I thought I would share some math trivia about my trip:

How many turns of the crank did it take for me to get from SF to LA?

If you bicycle long distances, you get into your own rhythm — cyclists call it “cadence”. Your cadence depends upon how fast you like to crank your pedals, and how much energy you like to expend at any given moment. In fact, cyclists generally fall into a grove of pedaling frequency and physical exertion, and keep the two fairly constant by changing gears. We “down-shift” to climb hills, and we “up-shift” to gain speed on downhill runs. To pass some of the time during my ride, I counted my cadence on uphill, downhill and flat terrain, and I found that I was quite consistent in the range of 75 to 85 turns of the crank per minute — let’s call it 80 turns per minute — which is a little faster than the “one-one-thousand, two-one-thousand, three-one-thousand” we’re taught as kids to count off seconds. From the trip computer on my bicycle, I know how much time elapsed with the wheels spinning, which is essentially how much time I spent pedaling each day (minus some downhill coasting). My total “ride time” for all five days was 34 hours and 33 minutes, or 2,073 minutes of actual pedaling time. So, if I pedaled 80 times per minute, for 2,073 minutes, I turned the crank 165,840 times to cover the 505-mile distance. If your daily workout routine includes 30 minutes on a stationery bicycle, 5 days per week, it will take you nearly 14 weeks to ride the equivalent of 505 miles. For a less strenuous endeavor, if you try to count out loud to 165,840, it will take you about one week of non-stop counting — and a lot of coffee.

How many turns of the wheel did it take to cover 505 miles?

When you set-up your trip computer, you measure the outer circumference of the inflated rubber tire — which is simply the distance covered by one revolution of the tire. A small magnet attached to one of the front wheel spokes, matched to a sensor mounted on the front fork, registers each turn of the wheel, which is how the trip computer calculates speed, distance, and ride time. My tires have a circumference of 2,096 mm (= 209.6 cm = 82.52 inches = 6.877 feet). So the circumference of my tire is almost 7 feet — the height of a really tall basketball player. One mile is 5,280 feet, so 505 miles is 2,666,400 feet — more than 2.5 million feet from SF to LA! Dividing the total distance travelled (2,666,400 feet) by the feet per wheel revolution (6.877 feet), yields 387,727 revolutions. That should make your head spin.

Okay, now for the really important numbers:

As of this writing, total donations to my “I Think I Can” campaign for homeless youth are $12,880 from 92 donors — absolutely spectacular! As I finish this final account of my trip, I feel obliged to make one last donation appeal — especially since tomorrow (Monday, February 27) is my birthday — and we all know birthdays are especially good days for giving gifts to worthy causes. If you would like to make a donation to help push the total past $13,000, please click on this link:

http://atthecrossroads.org/campaign/markdwight2

Well, that’s it for my “TEDride2012″. Thanks for following my updates, and special thanks to all of you who donated to ATC, making this my personal-best “I Think I Can” fundraising campaign. Together, we’re making an important contribution to improving the lives of homeless teenagers who face heartbreaking challenges everyday.

Bicycle Dreams!

-Mark