Day 1: Manhattan Beach Pier to Riverside, CA

At 7am, we rode from our hotel in El Segundo to the Manhattan Beach Pier 5 miles away.  Following the ceremonial dipping of the rear wheel into the Pacific Ocean, we climbed an 8-10% grade hill away from the beach and proceeded down the road to Riverside.  The skies were clear and the sun warm.  It would get into the 90Fs before the end of  our 78-mile ride.  Unfortunately, we rode straight into northeast winds that had speeds of 15-20mph on average coupled with frequent gusts strong enough to push a 170lb bike rider sideways.  According to Rick Wardell, our skillful CrossRoads mechanic, it was the toughest ride to Riverside in his 17 years of serving this cross country tour.  

Ceremoniously dipping my rear wheel in the ocean.
No, that is not a euphemism.
Yes, we do wear name tags for the first few days and our bikes have flags attached.
No, I don't usually ride with my shoes on my aerobars.

Milling around Manhattan Beach Pier, chatting with friends, family,
and locals before starting our Day 1 ride.

That's Tim Walmsley from the UK in the foreground.  The trees lining this main street
had purple flowers with a wonderful sweet bouquet.  I could have breathed it all day.

An even better photo of these sweet-smelling flowering trees.

Google Earth View and Elevation Profile
of Day 1 Ride

Tomorrow we ride 92 miles to Indio, CA.  We expect higher temperatures, especially beginning during the second half when we start entering the desert.  We also will encounter more climbing including a 6-mile climb later in the day that takes most riders at least an hour to complete.  I don't mind that, but I am hoping for a change in the wind direction.