Day 1: Los Angeles to Lake Forest, CA

(Note: Edited by adding donation/info links) 

To donate to Ryves Youth Center (all money goes to them, none to me:) https://secure.qgiv.com/for/ridacrame/

For more information on Ryves Youth Center: https://ccthin.org/ryves-youth-center

  Did you ever run and play so much that you got very tired and wanted to sleep? That’s what happened to me yesterday. it was a long day because I had other work to do before I could ride. First I put my bicycle in a box and my bicycle bags in a big duffel bag—the bicycle was already packed a few weeks ago. Then a friend took me to the airport in Indianapolis. I flew on the airplane to Los Angeles. Once I got to Los Angeles and got my bicycle box back, I had to take my bicycle out of the box, and  cut off all the bubble wrap that I had around it in the box to keep it safe. Here are a few pictures of that process:

Then I had to put the bicycle together at the airport. After getting it together, I had to put all my tools and things back in the bag and get the bicycle ready by putting the bags and some lights on it. It took me more than 3 hours from the time I opened the box that had my bicycle in it until I was ready to go.

Then I rode to Del Ray Beach in Los Angeles to start my ride. It was very foggy in the morning. That was about 5 miles. Then I rode 30 miles up to Altadena. I visited the grave of my great great grandmother there. Her name was Edith. I never met her because she died before I was born, but my grandma remembers her. Edith was my grandma’s grandma! After I put a fake flower on her grave, I rode my bicycle around 60 more miles down to Lake Forest. I was pretty tired after that. Even though I only rode about 95 miles and I’ve ridden farther than that before, what made it very tiresome were all the stoplights. While I rode a little bit on a bicycle trail (which was nice), I was in cities the rest of the time—I didn’t really get to ride in the country because the area around Los Angeles has so many cities that touch each other and go on for miles and miles. Cities have lots of stoplights. When you’re riding with 60 pounds of gear like I am, the bicycle is very heavy and it’s hard work pedaling the bicycle and getting it back up to speed! I had a good rest last night and hoping to make it to Pine Valley tonight to visit my cousin Mark. I hope you all area well. I’ve included a few pictures of me with Cherry Chicken, and later if I get a chance, I’ll post a video of the start of the ride.