We rolled out past the lovely Lake Cachuma, and climbed a very Alp-like little stretch called the Stagecoach Road - up a canyon to past the Cold Springs Tavern, and pair of honeymooners trying to negotiate the tight bends and hairpins in a white stretch limo. I climbed up with the legendary Rose, aged 65 (look at her go!), and then we came up to the top of the ridge, and descended the gorgeous San Marcos Road with lots of steep, fun hairpins (and photo opportunities), down towards Goleta.
But we didn't quite come out of the hills at that point - we took the Foothills Road and Mountain Drive along the back ridge of Santa Barbara, one awesome view and fun little portion of the ride, nipping around endless wiggles and turns, before zooming down into Montecito for lunch.
Then we were back on the coast - but it involved a particularly hairy section of freeway riding with tons of speeding traffic - pretty awful, despite being right by the sea and breaking waves! I gritted my teeth, followed Mary's wheel and we made it unscathed to the safety of a cushy beach bike path into Ventura, where we pulled up right to the Inn on the Beach there for the night.
Then it was time for dinner - it's a Firefly tradition, both European and also American, that we speak of why we do this ride. And so I stood on a chair, talked about my brother in law Georg and his battle through inoperable lymphoma to stem cell therapy, my cousin Phil and his same lymphoma fight with chemo, with stem cell to follow, and BBH New Yorker Griffin with his taking on cancer surgery and chemo at a young age too. Tears flowed quickly of course. And everyone else's reasons and eloquence brought more pin pricks to the eyes. It's been emotional. Hard to believe it's almost over...
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