“Life is like riding a bicycle. In order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.”—Albert Einstein
An eclectic group of six bike riders hooked up in Half Moon Bay for an amazing 25-mile round trip ride along a stretch of the Californian Coastal Trail, a multi-use path that follows the former Ocean Shore Railroad route that welcomes bicyclists, runners, hikers, equestrians, and those with wheelchairs. We began on a trail leading up to the Ritz Carlton to Pillar Point Harbor and beyond. The participates were my good friend Jimi Hunter, a former triathlon athlete, who organized the trip, his wife Jennifer, his good friends Jimmy B. and Gary Covell, my friend Bill Rothenberg and myself.
The spacious panoramic views, a diversity of landscapes, beachfront shorelines, breathtaking coastal bluffs, giant cypress trees, lush habitats, soaring red-tailed hawks, and majestic, dive-bombing pelicans along our route made our hearts sing.
As we approached Pillar Point Harbor, surfers were out catching a few waves near the site of the famous Mavericks big-wave surf competition. We enjoyed passing the charming beach houses, inns, and eateries that make up the quaint seaside village of Miramar Beach. We also took in four picturesque beaches that makeup Half Moon Bay State Beach, namely; Roosevelt Beach, Venice Beach, the sandy mounds of Dunes Beach, and Francis Beach. Then, there are the awe-inspiring views of Poplar Beach, overlooking the golden shore and the blue Pacific Ocean. Lastly, the Wavecrest Open Space, the scenic land preserve purchased by the Peninsula Open Space Trust that offers refuge and nesting sites for local birdlife such as northern harrier hawks and barn owls.
What made this extra special is Jimi Hunter’s better half, Jennifer Hunter created a youtube video recording of our little adventure using a GoPro, complete with the music of California by Aden. Jen had a camera attachment on top of her helmet and was our videographer for the outing. The opening narration was done by Jimi, who used to announce running races, triathlons, and red bull sports events back in the day.
After our ride, we secured our bikes and enjoyed a take out lunch from the San Benito Deli in the expansive outdoor courtyard, known throughout the Bay Area and beyond, because of the reputation of its sandwiches.
You can view the youtube video clip produced by my fellow blogger, Jennifer Hunter by selecting the link below.
Jennifer Hunter, LitasWorld.com and @LitasWorld Instagram
