The Last Day 51

I woke up late to the final day of this trip. Got on my bike and left. Didn't eat a thing. Didn't give a damn. Today, I could finally piece together 51 long days into one moment of joy.

Got to the San Pablo Bay and my adventure cyclist route map said to take the ferry. At first I was reluctant to take a boat so I asked around but the locals said it was impossible for me to cross over on a bridge unless I wanted to die. One of the bridges was an interstate which didn't let cyclists on and the other one had no shoulder and was deemed way to dangerous. Didn't exactly want to die the day of, so I took the ferry. Plus, I could save a couple miles this way.

On the ferry, I met this Chinese teacher from Shanghai, Angel, who I chatted with and even rode

with for a while. She rented a bike and we both rode to the Golden Gate Bridge. We had to part ways after a bit though. When I got to the bridge, there was a Chinese newspaper reporter waiting for me there.

He asked me some questions, but I was mainly too happy to think properly. Afterward, my dad met me, we took some pics, and then I biked across the Golden Gate bridge.....

and back.

It was sort of disappointing since there was thick fog and I couldn't see anything, but I was too upbeat to even care.

After about 20 minutes, I got back to the South side. I still had to make it official and get to the Pacific Ocean. Half an hour later, after climbing these two gigantic hills, I made it.

When I first heard the ocean, I wanted to jump for joy.

When I first smelled the ocean, I wanted to run in circles.

When I first saw the ocean, I wanted to do somersau lts.

(All things I can't do while on a bike)

And when I first felt the ocean, I was the happiest per

son in the world.

So concludes my 51 day bike across America.

Distance traveled: 36 miles
Time outside: 5 hours

Fairfield, CA >> SAN FRANCISCO, CA

(Almost there...)

(there)

~Chris Xia

Counting Down the Days Day 50

Woke up late and left around 9. I knew this was the second to last day and it would only be a matter of time until I hit the Golden Gate Bridge. I basically ignored all knee pain and even though I was tired, I raced along to my first stop, about 15 miles away, Sacramento.

This city was great - it had it's own bike route made solely for un-motorized vehicles that ran the entire city. I met Tim, another cyclist who showed me around the confusing paths and after a while, had to leave for work.

I made great time speeding along at around 15 mph for about 10 miles, and then slowed down since I burned too much energy. I don't know what it was, but I didn't feel like conserving energy at the time, I was just too caught up in a sort of good mood because I knew I was almost there. If I had knee pain, which I did get, I knew it would be over in 2 days. If I got headwinds, well, that was going to be over too.

After I went trough Sacramento, I came to a place called Davis. One of the colleges there, UC Davis had their own bike team and I was able to talk to a guy named Chris who told me a bit about the school. While biking through flats, I saw the team doing time trials and I became engrossed in the sort of race. Maybe I'll get a $5000 bike someday and go join a team.

Anyway, it soon became dark and I still wasn't at a campsite. There were two that I could have stopped at. One was only 85 miles but I was in such high spirits that I decided to make it to the one that was 97 miles away. That, and I didn't want to bike that much tomorrow.

On the way to the last campsite, I got this humongous cramp in my right thigh. I've never gotten cramps on this trip, which surprised me, but this one was like, all the cramps I should have gotten put into one. It took at least 5 minutes before I could get back on my bike again, but it was alright, it's not like I was in a rush since it was dark already anyway. Ate a banana for the potassium and was on my way again.

Distance traveled: 97 miles
Time outside: 12 hours

Shingle Springs, CA >> Fairfield, CA

(Hit my leg against the pedal)

The Last Long Climb Day 49

Began the day by going to McDonalds. Yay... Instead of waking up and getting right onto my bike, I went to Lake Tahoe to take in the view. It's honestly one of the most gorgeous lakes I have passed this whole ride. The water is so pure that you can actually see the small fishes swimming on the bottom.

Went to the library afterward to get some work done but I basically stayed there just so my iPod could recharge. Anyway, left around two and started on Route 50 up to the Sierra Nevadas. The only problem is that when I got to the base of the mountain, people down there told me that biking up the 5 mile stretch would be practically suicide - there is no shoulder and the switchbacks leave no warning to cars coming from behind. I was lucky though, I met a cyclist, Emma who lead me up a shortcut that paralleled 50. It was slightly steeper but having someone to talk to really took my mind off the climb. She had to leave for work after the climb.

Got to the top in one piece and I just so happened to run into Lisa and her boyfriend, Kevin. They let me rest up a bit since I was tired as anything. We talked for about half an hour where we traded stories and shared what life was like living on separate coasts.

After we said our farewells, I headed on down a great 5 mile downhill only accompanied by a soft nagging headwind. After interchanging flats and downhills, I got to the last climb of the Sierra Nevadas, and basically the last mountain of California. Not going to lie, it was one of the hardest and most steep climbs I have ever come across. Half an hour and four miles later, I was at the top.

Route 50 became an interstate highway with a sign that said "no bicyclists" but I went on it anyway. If I was going to get a ticket on my bike, I would have framed it on my wall. For the next 10 miles, I averaged 25 mph until I got to a town called Placerville. On Google Maps, there was supposed to be a campsite there, but there wasn't, so I biked another 10 miles through rolling hills to make it to Shingle Springs where I stayed at an overpriced KOA campground. I had cheeseburgers for dinner...Big surprise.

Distance Traveled: 67 miles
Time outside: 9 hours

South Lake Tahoe, CA >> Shingle Springs, CA

(Dog at Lake Tahoe)

CALIFORNIA! Day 48

I felt so high crossing into Cali, not that I know what it feels like, but if I were ever high, I'm pretty sure that's what it would feel like. I literally biked down the road screaming, "I BIKED HERE FROM VIRGINIA. GRAH." - beast mode. Basically, I was just too happy.

Anyway, start of the day, was pretty much flats with some rolling hills until Carson City. Minor headwind, but hey, I've honestly gotten used to them on flats by now. Stayed at the state capital for a while to take in the sights. Bought new biker shorts because pretty much all the other ones were breaking in some form or another.

As soon as I left Carson City, there was this 9 mile climb into pure 15 mph headwind. The gradient was no longer 6%, it felt like 9% the whole way to the top.

It was so frustrating at some points that I actually biked faster out of anger. So many times, I just wanted to turn around and go downhill. Can you imagine how fast I would go with that tailwind? After about an hour and a half of climbing, I finally made it to the top. On my way down, I saw Lake Tahoe - it was one of the most beautiful sunset rides I have ever done.

Got to the state border around 9 and had only 2 miles until I hit the campsite. The whole way there, I couldn' t help but look at the beautiful lake lit only by a full moon.

Distance Traveled: 61 miles

Time outside: 9 hours

Silver Springs, NV >> South Lake Tahoe, CA !!!!

(STATE BORDER)