I've already made a reservation for the Santa Monica Downtown Hostel where I stayed night before last.
Right now they don't have an opening for tomorrow night. If it comes open, I'll stay there 2 nights in a row and get the 2nd night free.
I wanna do the 3rd St Promenade again and see Venice Beach and try to relax which I still haven't done.
My next move will be to the San Pedro / Long Beach HI Hostel if I can get a room there.
Next will be a motel in San Clemente or Oceanside. They're all high as a cat's back but I will likely do a 70 - 75 mile run down the coast to the Motel 6 on Oceanside / Carlsbad.
Finally, I will stay at least 3 nights in the San Diego Downtown HI Hostel IF I can get in.
My endpoint is a Southwest flight out of San Diego the morning of Tuesday 08/07.
I have to hit that...
Everything else is negotiable.
And I'm sending ALL my camping / self supporting items back from the closest FedEx office. Since I'll be Hostel or motel-ing it the rest of the way, I might as well get rid of it. That'll be about 50 - 60% of what I'm carrying.
That way everybody can quit marveling at how much stuff I'm carrying.
So I'll end up with rear panniers only.
So I need to take care of that on the ride back down Sunset / Santa Monica to the downtown SM HI hostel.
Then I've been on the phone with Lifeproof for over an hour because they sent me the wrong headphones and I have to return them AND....
My headphone adapter cable is already messing up again. They have an obvious design error that allows the cable connection with the cable head to be broken easily.
The rep I talked to this morning says they've fixed the problem and they are sending me a new improved set to the general delivery post office in San Diego.
Yeah right. I've asked to speak to their head of design and engineering twice and was told my request was forwarded but no callback yet.
These people have wasted a lot of my time on this trip and really pissed me off so I am going to....
Haunt them.
Yep.... Just like Viola Davis in the Jessie Stone series.
In case you want to know what I'm talking about even though I know you don't, here's the pics of the headphone adapter cable that shows how it screws into the female threads of the Lifeproof case....
That's what makes it waterproof.
I have had to reinforce the cable connection with the head of the cable with electrical tape because everytime the cable wiggles while attached to the case / phone, it would disconnect a call or skip tracks on music or call up Siri.
WTF Lifeproof?
What a poor design!!!!
Hey Lifeproof, you owe me big time for bringing this to your attention and solving your problem for you.
Final suggestion....
Start putting a short section of electrical tape in the boxes with your $75 case so your customers can fix your f'd up design.
This is the kind of stuff that gives Engineers a bad name and it makes my blood boil.
I also had to wash and dry clothes this morning....
So I'm taking a half a day to plan the next 6-1/2 days....
You know since I'm on my soapbox I might as well just keep soaping....
I'm sick and tired of people thinking this whole tour thing is some sort of a freaking vacation.
It ain't....
It's physically grueling....
It's dangerous...
It's mentally and emotionally challenging....
And I've done it all alone...
And not by choice.
If I had my druthers I would have my significant other riding with me or at least some traveling companion who I could share this experience with.
But like Darius...
I Got Nothing....
Nothing but the Red Mule under me...
The Pacific Ocean to the right of me...
The land to the left of me....
And the Road in front of me...
I've tried to socialize on this trip but I'm not much of a social animal....
Thus I ride alone....
I've pissed some people off on this trip and probably made a few enemies....
I've made a few temporary connections...
But for the most part, it's been the hardest thing I've ever done...
Nope.... It ain't been easy.
I've got out of my comfort zone and done things differently....
Planning little, flying by the seat of my pants and the Grace of God...
Free falling down the Pacific Coast like a meteor falling to earth.
It's an Experience of a Lifetime....
And I've chosen my path...
And I've spent a lot of time, energy and money to bring it to my 3.5 readers as close to real time as possible.
Come to think of it, that kinda sums it up.
I'm 50 years old and I got 3.5 people who give a shit about me.
That's what I want put on my headstone.
He died with 3.5 friends.
That's what I got to show for my life...
That and a Bike Ride down the Pacific Coast.
Oh well....
Guess it could be worse.
There....
How's that for a Good Bitch session?
Remember.....
I don't half ass anything.
I know for sure what you have been through on this trip. From the sense of looking at the pictures, it looks like a piece of cake, but I know it has been the hardest thing you have done in your life. There are very few people in your circle that could do what you have done without a lot of conditioning. I am sorry you have had to do this wonderful discovery of the Pacific coast alone with no one to share it with. But when did you ever care about other people . This trip will really make some wonderful stories when you get back with your 3.5 fans. I wonder where I stand in this 3.5 fans status. I know it has been drueling for you. I can see it in your writing and your pictures. I love you brother. Di
ReplyDeleteI met you at Cape Mears in Oregon back in late June, and even took one of the Photos you posted that day. I became an instant fan and have followed your travels ever since. So you can up that count ot 4.5 fans!
ReplyDeleteMadison - is that you????
DeleteI do care for other people...
ReplyDeleteThey just don't seem to care for me.
I do druel a lot too.
ReplyDelete