Our first day was definitely the most hectic, as there was a lot to do before jumping on our bikes. That morning I had to pick up Taylor and my Dad from the airport, build and pack Taylor's bike, then head out. We departed LA by 12pm and endured several hours of cutting through LA traffic. Luckily in Rancho Cucamonga we had several stretches of bike paths to ease the difficult task of riding in traffic with loaded bikepacking setups. Halfway to Palm Springs we ended up on some amazing roads that cut through the vast orange groves this section of California is known for. Riding through San Timoteo Canyon we passed countless fruit stands and hard working folks who looked at us a bit funny for being out there on these loaded bikes.
As we were in the final stretch of day one, just out of Beaumont we discovered our route led us through a Reservation. A quick chat with the guard at the entrance confirmed we were not welcome. Google maps confirmed our fear, which was that we would need to ride a 10 mile stretch of highway into Palm Springs. Taylor and I looked at each other and decided to get this over as quickly as possible. Riding I-10 at threshold for 20 minutes after 4 hours in the saddle was the most painful way we could have picked to close out our first day, but it is something we both will never forget.
We rolled up to our motel, ate at a local mexican restaurant and drank a few margaritas. Well I drank the margaritas. At this point Taylor had never had one. More on that later.
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