Gypsy General, Pacific Coast Bicycle Route

Pacific Coast Bicycle Route – Day 45 – Rugged Ride to Ragged Point

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With a long day ahead of us (50 miles), we really needed some coffee to start our ride. Unfortunately, there was no coffee in the cabin. As we left Riverside Campground and Cabins, one of the office staff met us at the exit and shared that we could get coffee in three miles and we would have completed most of the first climb by then. We stopped at the Big Sur Bakery at 7:40,

Big Sur Bakery
Big Sur Bakery

they didn’t open til 8:00, so we got our books out and sat at the outdoor tables until they opened. Breakfast food was expensive, so we just settled for coffee. On the downside of the first hill we stopped at Deetjen’s Inn

Deetjen's Big Sur Inn
Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn

for a real breakfast and met up with a couple on a tandem and two ladies cycling from San Francisco to San Simeon.
After breakfast it was off to conquer the rest of the 50 mile ride with a long hill at the end but a nice descent for about 3 miles. Lots of bridges and a few road construction sites were part of the ride today.

The sun came out
The sun came out
Interesting tunnel and slide protection
Interesting tunnel and slide protection
Another bridge
Another bridge

We also met up with a group of 35 dads and sons who were cycling through Big Sur as a Scout Troop.

Boy Scout Troop from Elk Grove, CA
Boy Scout Troop from Elk Grove, CA
Nice to ride with the scouts, knowing this vehicle is behind
Nice to ride with the scouts, knowing this vehicle is behind
Waiting to cross one lane bridge with a few of the scouts
Waiting to cross one lane bridge with a few of the scouts

We rode with them most of the day as they would stop and chat and gave us a round of applause when we cycled into Ragged Point just a few minutes after they had all arrived for their ice cream snack break. They still had about 15 more miles to cycle to San Simeon where they were camping for the evening. It was amazing to see the young men (Scouts) meeting the challenges of the hills and mileage today – glad to see the dads and scout leaders encouraging this type of activity. Hooked on bikes!

Walking around the grounds at Ragged Point Inn
Walking around the grounds at Ragged Point Inn

Tomorrow we have a short ride to Cambria, just past San Simeon and Hearst Castle.

2 thoughts on “Pacific Coast Bicycle Route – Day 45 – Rugged Ride to Ragged Point”

  1. Dear Bill and Karen, it was so nice to meet you along our ride with the Scouts. You are an inspiration, and we wish you safe travels and happy trails to Mexico!

    1. Dear Matt,
      It was great to ride with such a supportive group of fellows -dads and scouts! As I said in the blog, I am the one that is impressed and inspired by the leadership of this troop, its parent support and especially the scouts themselves. I am thrilled to see young folks out on bicycles even in challenging situations, proving that they can do it, overcoming obstacles and just enjoying life. I am grateful to have ridden with all of you and am thankful too for the truck and trailer with the sign “Caution, Riders Ahead”! Hope our paths will cross again sometime.

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