Cruising In Cali

I'm attending a conference for a few days here in Long Beach California, and it's blissfully sunny, 75 degrees. Apologies to my friends back home in "The 503" who had yet another horrendous day of rain, wind, and hail. After our 25-days-of-rain April experience, and May starting off just as badly, even the most intrepid Oregonian is begging for mercy. I'll take this sunshine, thank you very much.

We had a full day of school visits, and when we got back I squeezed in a little "alone" time on the beach as the late afternoon became a lovely Southern California evening. Being the predictable person that I am, you can guess what I did.

Intentionally, I wanted to rent a cruiser bike, because it's not what I usually ride. I was immediately reminded how the bike you're riding dictates your riding style. Road bikes are sleek machines designed for speed and efficiency. Mountain bikes are for technical moves over rugged terrain. What the heck do you do with a cruiser bike? Well, you get on and pedal. That's it. Chill and pedal, dude.

My cruiser rental bike was basically a couch with handlebars. For 12 bucks at the waterfront rental you get an hour with a cruiser bike; that's about all you'd really want. An hour was just enough time to cruise the entire length of the Long Beach Bikeway and back.

The Bikeway is a long lovely ribbon of asphalt shared by walkers, runners, skaters, and yes, even cyclists. It goes on for miles, right down the middle of the beach. It's quite invigorating, even at a slow pace. Just taking in the ocean air, the sunshine, while riding this goofy "marshmallow with pedals" was its own kind of treat.

I hear the weather's about to improve in Oregon. You know, I think I'll give it another day or two down here. Just in case.