Cycling nearly 40 miles just to see the beach

I am determined to make it to either Avila Beach or Pismo Beach today for a hike. Since I am still in San Luis Obispo, I have several miles to the beach (about 8.5) and I plan on taking the bus. I attempt to make the 9:38 am bus, but I miss it by 2 minutes, so I hang out in the hostel for a half hour and walk back to the Amtrak station to catch the 10:38 am. The stupid bus driver doesn't notice me standing there, so he just cruises on by despite the fact I am madly waving my arms around. So, I go back to the hostel in the hopes of a getting a ride. The hostel rents me a mountain bike for $10 (I can use it all day). So, I grab a helmet, a lock, and the bike and I head down Higuera Street, then Ontario Road and San Luis Bay Drive. After about 30 minutes of riding my bike I was able to pull myself away from the fear of getting run over, and relax as I pedaled in the actual street and bike paths. I passed a speedometer on a flat road and it said I was moving 13 MPH. I don't know if that is slow or fast, but it made me happy. I NEVER walk that fast! I discovered a great bike path and took that to Avila Beach. After snapping some photos, I road my bike down the busy Avila Beach Drive (which connects to Highway 1) and took the crazy steep Cave Landing Road. This road was the only time I got off my bike, as it ascends steeply at an impossible angle to a gravel parking lot overlooking the bay. The view is incredible, with crumbling cliffs below me and the ocean before me. I felt a little bit like a hiker who ascends Cadillac Mountain after a decent all day hike to discover the tourists at the top who drove there. I carefully steer my bike through a 10 inch wide muddy trail tracing the contour edge of a cliff and then suddenly becoming paved and moderately wider and straight down at a sheer steep angle. I think I could have slid down on my butt...instead I run/walk with my bike down the cliff. Then, there I am following the pedestrian path of a gated community of multi-million dollar homes. I exit this community and walk an oceanside residential street of more moderate homes, until it ends at a public park. I walk inland for a quarter mile and pedal on the bike path of Shell Beach road which is touristy kitch and runs the entire length until I reached the Pismo Beach Pier. I stop and have lunch at Marie Callendars Restaurant, but I am too full from my veggie sandwich to even get a piece of her famous pie. I pedal back on a route fairly similar to the one I took to get to Pismo Beach, except I bypass Avila Beach. All together I pedaled 37 miles today, finding my legs to be strong, my butt to be sore, my palms tired, and my fingers lost their circulation....hmm. I am proud of myself for getting this hike done today, for pushing hard, and for really taking advantage of a beautiful day. I even feel I may have earned some street cred as a cyclist. I followed all the cycling rules, got a peace sign from a serious cyclist who passed me, and a wave from scores of matching clad cyclists as well. Yay me. One guy even wanted to know where I was pedaling from. Maybe I should take up cycling, at least I get that "Im so sore, I got a real workout" feeling after pedaling. I must say that I picked a great stretch of the beach to cycle instead of walk, because this whole hike was above the sand, and I would have had to walk the road anyway...so my unintentional cycling day was a great choice. Tomorrow, the manager of the hostel is taking a bunch of people to see the elephant seals, including me...and then he is dropping me off in Morro Bay. The trail has a missing piece between here and Morro Bay, because Proctor and Gamble is refusing to grant access. I will check out tomorrow morning and check into the Morro Bay Home Hostel tomorrow night. From there, the hiking should be easier...it has been hard being 8-12 miles from the ocean. This has been the only accommodation I have sought this far inland, and I know I won't do it again, if I can help it. I am exhausted, so I update my blog and head to the hostel for some sitting down time. I plan on cooking, eating, talking, and sleeping. I hope I don't find any reason to go out for a movie with the hostel guests, because I fear I may fall asleep. At least I made up for a few days of no exercise!

For once I feel like I have found a sport that will kick my butt. Why is cycling so tiring?