Day 3: quadbuster

What is usually the hottest day on the ride was a sunny mild day that made these 80 miles feel like a breeze after yesterday's 110. I rode out with Jon today and spent with him most of the day, through a glorious stretch towards pit stop 1, right before the toughest climb on the ride, renamed Quadbuster. A beautiful ride inland followed the time spent on top of the hill cheering fellow riders up next to Ginger Brewlay, who always is atop the toughest climb to cheer riders. She even had a close encounter with Leeroy Peachy, a conservative trucker from oklahoma that ended with his picture taken with ginger. Lunch stop was in Bradley, population 120. This is the biggest event of the year for this community and it truly touched their lives, even helping the town financially and beyond.

Somewhere on the way between king city and santa maria something changes on the ride and we turn into a community. The fellowship, the stories, the sorrows being shared, form a strange bond that many feel compelled to renew, year afyer year. Tonight's celebrations included the acknowledgment of the Positive Pedllers, and really set the tone and intensity for the days that separate us from LA. Now that the ride is turned again into being that wonderful group of individuals trying to positively affect the world we can spend time reflecting on the lives that this disease has touched, many with a face, riding alongside with you through the beautiful countryside of California. And if we continue riding, talking and teaching about the disease, and raising money to fight it, maybe on day soon we won't have to ride this ride anymore.