Biking to Venice - Not Italy

February 23, 2009 - I am finally caught up and current again so here goes today's blog. We woke up this morning with two goals - 1. Fix my car (accomplished) 2. Bike to Venice Beach (accomplished).

We borrowed Mark and Megan's beach cruisers and hit the strand north towards L.A. Little did we know the trip was 15 - 16 miles one way...

Being the HUGE road biker that I am I was able to quickly adapt and take pictures and ride at the same time, I am the man! I LOVE this picture of Sarah.

The funny thing about these two pictures is that I am riding the woman's bike and Sarah is riding the man's bike. I look like an overgrown gorilla on a circus bike. I can tell you that my tush HURTS from riding 30 something miles on a woman's bike.

So we rode up the coast and made it to Venice Beach. If you have not yet visited Venice Beach it needs to go on your "short list" of things to do. When I went abroad to Australia I had a 6 - 8 hour layover in LA and my Dad said should take a cab to Venice and see the place. I was too nervous at the time and totally wimped out, today was my redemption. Venice Beach is like no other place I have ever been. It is filled with drunks, drug addicts, police, muscle heads, weird LA people, tourists, and people on a bike ride. The stores range from head shops to tattoo parlors to frozen yogurt shops. It really is a unique place that is slightly scary in the sense that you feel like you need to be on your toes because you might get shived for your wallet but at the same time totally peaceful because you are in a major tourist area. It is a place like non other. GO!

Here is a great picture of the famous recreational area. Muscle beach is the next picture. Unfortunately the weather was not good enough for all the muscle heads to come out. It was only 68 and sunny, and yes I got a sun burn.

Once we got back to Hermosa I sat down to write my blog updating you all on our weekend adventures at the Hearst Castle and Santa Barbara. Sarah had gone to the store to get supplies for dinner and I had some time to blog in. I went out on the patio to write and wait for UT to come home. The sunset was magnificent and I got this picture once UT got home.

Hope all are well! San Diego tomorrow.....