Ride Day 157 Refugio to Point Mugu

I got an early start from my campsite and headed down the coast. The riding was long slow grades then a quick downhill for most of the morning. It seemed like all uphill to me. I was getting tired but I pushed on. Finally around mid day there was a 2 mile long 7% downhill grade to glide down. The coast was pretty much the same all along and the colors were all browns until I got to Santa Barbara where suddenly there was green landscaping and flowers all over. I guess that is why the south part of the state needs all the water. I have never liked Santa Barbara and I still can not put my finger on why but the city just seems false and sterile to me. Their forced style of building in the flat roof stucco style they use is really not the proper building for the california Climate. Who am I to complain though, I really do not care much how other people build their homes.

I rode on right through town without bothering to even stop. I wanted to get to Point Mugu and it was a 90 mile ride. I finally cheated and took a bus through town and over to Oxnard which cut my ride by 25 miles. Glad I did it too cause I was tired when I got to Mugu State Park to camp. I set my camp up and was grumbling about paying $35 for it which is just too much money for a primitive campsite. As I was moping over the cash a single guy pulled into camp and I asked him if he wanted to share a site for the night. He said he did want to because it was too expensive.

I am glad he did because he was good to talk to. He was just ending a job back East working on a square rigger. We talked about his job and his plans after it. He is planning to take 3-6 months off and hike one of the big trails. We talked about that for a while and traveling alone as opposed to with others. Nice guy. Then around 6pm I took an allergy pill and in half an hour or so I was out for the night or I should say until my friend woke me up at 3am to tell me it was raining and I should put the fly over my tent so I didn't drown. I was glad he woke me up or my stuff would have all gotten soaked. a few pics