LA Living

Buses.... it takes a long tiome to get around on buses. theres a metro system too, but it doesnt cover much of the city as it was meant to, i dont think they got around to finishing it off. So yes, the shortest bus ride ove been on is 15 minutes, the longest was 5 hours.. when by the time id got to my destination i was too late, and had to turn straight back. And getting off the bus at the right place is difficult, since everything looks the same. gaaaah. (my first trip to hollywood i overshot it by 5 miles without realising... fool!)

Timo and Mattias have been really kind to me, putting me up, showing me round a bit and putting up with me. Ive met up with nic a few times, but she is staying 15 miles way from where i am, and that makes that difficult. One crazy man sang "Macadamia Nuts Maan!!" to me. I got refferred to as Amigo. I pushed a man in a wheelchair a few blocks who told me being in a chair was a pain in the ass man and i could only agree with that. I went to a famous graveyard which was next to where Mattias lives, and has Marilyn Monroe's grave, and James Coburn and more famous rich people in. I missed Monroes grave, and i still havnt decided whether i like going to graveyards or not, i dont think i do.

I had a good night out on Sunset Strip and Hollywood. I think i spent a lot, but it was great to be there in amongst all that rock n roll history legends and disasters. we went to the Viper Rooms, saw a crappy band, and went to a few bars, one had a mechanical bull in it that you could ride on if you fancied. The 'Power House' had good priced beers luckily. THat night we were walking on all those stars in the pavement on Hollywood Boulevard, but i dont hitnk i paid much attention, theres a *lot* of them. Actually i think im going back there today, so i might have aproper look.

Incredibly, the band that i wanted to see over herewhich id spotted before i left, are playing here tonight and Nic and I have tickets. its going to be amazing! Cansie de Ser Sexy, which is the brazilian group from am old post. Weee!

This weekend just gone, (22nd October) was the anniversary of the Machynlleth Film festival which we won with the Hollywood Sign project thing (itll make much mroe sense if you knew what that was -look at www.onceuponatimeinmidwales.co.uk ). Strange to be here by the real one exactly one year on! Ive takena stack of photos, which i want to make into a film. Itll be sort of s fast paces slideshow i suppose, but with themes and patterns in it to music. You can see the photos from LA by going to www.afilmcalleddads.com/photos/LA Photos THyre not sorted out yet, but youre welcome to look if youre interested. Theres a lot of signs and billboards, if you like that sort of thing. Dont we all????? oh?

Ive stayed a bit longer in LA, ive done a bit of research into animation places here and done a bit of time on the phone with them. Not much has come of it yet, but ive got my stuff around at least. I also wanted to stay for this band, plus of course its Halloween this weekend, which should be pretty crazy here. I thought itd be better to spend that here with friends than be on the road again. Im setting off for San Diego on monday morning.

After that, i think im going to do some volunteer work on an organic farm in Arizona. You can work in the gardens there for a week or longer. Theres a few participating farms, but some are a bit creepy. Religeous and spiritual things going on. (Solar Yoga!!? Ive never heard of that. Morning meditation, awakenings and awareness etc) Still, im sure itd be interesting. Im trying to get one as close to the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley as possible. So yes theresa little alterior motive there, and no i dont think ill get sucked in and youll never hear from me again.

I visted the Getti Centre too (left), which was a fascinating place full of nice things and nice gardens to sit iin.

I went out to a cuban restaraunt last night, and have left overs for lunch. hurrah! Timo has a microwave under the sink.

Now ill go out and get talent spotted for a starring role in The Short and the Hairy - Hitting the Road: The Reckoning

Santa Barbara to L.A. Baby

Santa Barbara gave us a taste of the cash to come... palm trees coming out of our ears by this point, we headed through Ventura (i found a cool shop full of memorabilia tat and old toys). We didnt stop to sleep, but we did explore some 'Thrift' shops, which are big charity shops, and there were lots. Also, just beyond was this marina, which took us forever to cycle around. Silly boat names i saw were Trophy, Sleeper and Xanadaz or something... there wasnt even enough room in the man made marina alleys (it was filtered through peoples back gardens in canals stuffed with yaghts) that a lot were in boat parks. aye aye captn. Although they were obviously clinging onto their roots by calling it Fishermans Yard and things like that. I doubt any fisherman could afford anything within 20 miles of these places.

Going through Malibu was a big dissapointment for me. I think because id confused the drinks Malibu, and Lilt, and stupidly had in mind the old lilt adverts. It was one long stretched out retail park, but with even more benign shops and restaurants. 27 miles of it actually. We stayed in a camp ground there chocked with mega RVs called things like Night Creeper and Navigator (Check out this one's expanding wings! This is Navigator). I did take one picture in malibu, this giant mexican man here. I took a wheel around Downtown at night and came back dissapointed, but i did get a nice Steak Burrito.

Nic and I had a chance lucky meeting at night, as she was stuck at a spooky isolated dark bus stop trying to get back home, just as I decided to take a detour back through the crap shops, and right past the said bus stop. It doesnt sound that remarkable does it? But it was quite. I think i missed some of the thrill there. I will delete this paragraph for the book version.

Traffic increased arriving into LA, and i got buzzed the closest ive ever been by a car, so we quickly found a bike path, which turned into this path.... which was pretty. Then it went on for exactly 15 miles (no exxageration).

It had a few turns in it, but it was sand sand and featureless sand. Oo it was hot too... my head was exploding, but uit was out of the traffic (the highway is off the left here) and it was pretty Glam. people were jogging all over the place... or they were roller blading, or looking silly power walking. I think everyone works out here, all ages. gotta look good for the movies.

We were headed to Hermosa beach, where our hostel was, squeezed between some bars and it was a nice place.

Now ive hooked up with Timo in Santa Monica, whos kindly putting me up in his mini apartment. He tooke me out to lunch to meet up with Jimmy and Mattias, who are friends from sweden days. We whizzed through Westwood at lunchtime which was quite exciting and i felt right like a child amongst all the hoo haa and buzz. It feels amazing to have a friendly guide to show me around a bit.

I dont think ive seen anyting imcredible yet, but i havt seen one percent of it yet. east to west, it is 160km ive been told. Oh the street entertainers and peddlers here in santa monica must have come from a pro school, all verty neat and efficient. today ive had spanish guitar, acrobats, and folk music. And a shoe shop i went in, i met Kerby, who was happy to help me with choosing some shoes, and shook my hand for the commision garauntee he'd been practicing. Its actually all quite dissarming, when shop people ask you about your day, howz it goin, whats up man, and how are you today sir. I dont mind it though, learning that they dont really want to know makes it easier. I think i might even like it... strangers are less friendly here though. Im smiling at less people already, which has been a New Thing that ive been trying, it makes an afternoon into a good afternoon.

Its sad to leave Nic, but she has to stick around and get some work to raise funds for board and things. That feels a bit hard, specially now that i have a comfy place to stay here, but theres no more room at the inn, and she has a friend who will put her up a bit. Shes tough. We'll meet this week. I will bleach her hair and she will cut mine. Ive decided to continue on to San Diego, and probably dip into Mexico while im there. I dont want to stop yet. Ive done 730 miles now, but its all gone fast. Im going to approach a few animation studios here before i leave, may aswell i thought. Theres a few about. I should wash my clothes first though, ay Mum.

Obispo to Barbara

Its all been a bit well flat... and windy since leaving Big Sur. I really enjoyed San Lois Obispo... quite snoozy but still with life and bike friendly (ie no 5 lanes to cross to get your paper).

We did pass through an incredible place called Guadelupe... which was founded as a Mexican town on a govermnet grant in 1850 or so. Its been the closest toa wild west town... but it wasnt that wild. Theyed filmed the 1920's silent film Ten Commandments there, and made some huge film sets, and then buried them in the dunes outside of town. THeyre looking for them with sonar equipment apparently. We met a great man called Anothony who owned a car repair shop, who came out onto the empty street to meet us and chat. He had a great map of California painted onto the side of his building. We signed his guestbook and i got a nice picture of him waving under the map, which ill put in here once i gat them off the blah blah. I wanted some Root Beer and went into the best dusty cafe ive ever been into. they didnt have any, but i got somethihne else he said was nice, and it was.


We camped in Reffugio State beach, which was a proper posh beach side (really beach side) camp ground, with palms and white sand. Ive never been on a beach like that, so it was quite exiciting. we took two nights, and before leaving left our mark on the well carved picnic bench. Oh had a swim too, and got mushed about and tangled in sea weed.

Today we are in Santa Barbara, almost to LA. theres a artsy fair on, and i will make the most of it by visiting the BBQs. we're mnot stopping here, but will continue south a bit.

weathers been windy.. but thats part of the deal isnt it.

onwards and upwards. down really though isnt it. ?



PS the black thing in the middle here- a dolphin! we were watching a surf competition, excpet there wasnt really any waves, but there were a few dolphins playing about. Corr

Big Sur

Hmm, this is writing about events that happenned 3 or 5 days ago... it would have been great to have written about things while they were so fresh, but in the area known as Big Sur, there wasnt any phones, and since we've been camping for the last while, no easy access to computers. BUT... this has been incredible.


Leaving Monterey (arriving was another event, but its a bit complicated to explain) was a great, rich, route known as 17 Mile Drive, which had so much money on display, you could see the gold sparkles in the pavements. If we were in a car, we wouild have had to pay to go along it. Famous Pebble Beach golf course is contained within the headland/end of the bay, which i suppose explains all the hard cash (the US open is held there, or masters, or whatsit called). But the more amazing thing happened- I ran off along the beach because a lady said to keep your eyes on the sea today, and i saw a whale! it blew its top and did its thing and was quite amazing. I was hopping and pointing, but i was alone. which i think made it a bit more special in a way. who knows... it was nice though :)

the Big Sur climbs, cliffs, beaches, bridges, forests, birds, elephant seals has all been overwhelming. I mean really overwhelming, we were really quite speechless. its been really really tough, ups n downs (and no they dont cancel each other out), but "hoo heee" i had a real wash of just incredible warmth and excitment, whizzing down a little too fast to keep my eyes just on the scenery, glancing back for potholes nd things and just wanting that euphoric feeling to last for ever. Theres some bad musiuc playing in the hostel here where im writing, so i cant come up with any damn words, but it wasnt som,ething to forget.

Its funny the songs that run through your head on the road here, Born to be Wild, straight to Frosty the Snowman.

Campsites along the way have been really fun- meet lots of people. At Kirk Creek i rolled in feeling pretty battered, and got chatting to a lady. I didnt tell a woeful tale or anything, but crikey, she was offering up a fresh homegorwn salad, hot tea, and wood for a fire. THat day started bad (wet) and ended up being very very veryt nice. I climbed downa path marked dangerous do not use, but i didnt htink it was really. But it did mean i had a small beach to myself, and swam naked as the sun sploshed into the pacific. ooo postcard! but better because it wanst a fakedc post card. Not with me in it hey, but other than that, it was very beautiful.


next morning was a note from Suzanne and Wayne (the samaritans) on our table inviting us to their trailer for pancakes with homemade jam, tea and coffee!



all the photos form this big sur bit are here, and might make things a bit clearer, so i hope you can seem them alright-

www.afilmcalleddads.com/photos/set3

right, time limits, puncture to mend, hostel full of interestingt people to see and so i go.

Oh, im in San Louis Obispo, which if youve seen the film 'Side Ways', it was set here. Theres some Wineries on the road out of town tomrorow morning, so ive proposed a short 15mile day, witha few stops.

One for the road!

Santa Cruz to Monterey

Now we have arrived in Monterey, and are set up at the campsite. Its at the top of a giant hill, and after a 60 mile day i wasnt in much of a mood for it. Its called Veterans Memorial Camping Ground, and when i cycled in there was the sound of a Bugle doing that Do Do Diddle Doo (Song for the lone soldier or Farewell to the Common Man? The one at the end of the day, you know the one). We are serenaded to sleep at night by some very loud sea lions, which must be somewhere down in the bay. I imagine the whole of the city can hear them.

Weve seen so much its all been a bit of a blur.. even at 12mph.

I got a little itchy in Santa Cruz on the rest day, and so took myself off for a ride in Nissine Mark's State Park, which was a beautiful natural park with 30 miles of trails. Unfortunately it turned into an extreme uphil grind and hairy downhill, shakedn to bits by the time id made it to the bottom though. Heres a photo of me at the top, looking a bit manic, but quite pleased with myself. I suppose i liked the challenge. It was gorgeous.

The ride from Santa cruz to Monterey was tough, but it shouldnt have been really. we got a bit lost, and various other situations using the words Lost, Oh My God, Im Hungry, Is That Rain, Where is Nic, I Better get a Move On, Thats a Puncture and so on.

We seem to be leapfrogging a Canadian pair, who are much more kitted out for this, in terms of gear and sense. We left them in Santa cruz, and bumped into them here in Monterey. John and Charlene.

Me as a Zombie in Montery Halloween Superstore

Last night we got raided. We'd been warned about Raccoons and Deer, but the smell of tunafish in a sealed plastic bag obviously brought the Raccoons out anyway. They made a right mess of things outside the tent. I had the earplugs in and hear any of it, but the bike was knocked over and there were shreds of most things all around. They didnt take the Vegetable Flavoured Crackers though.

The Raccoon Tuna Party

Tomorrow morning we leave for the mighty Big Sur section. We have been warned and encouraged abotu this bit, and it is the most difficult stretch of the whole trip. Put in Big Sur into Google images, and im sure therl be plenty of pictures.

The rest of the pictures form this lot are at:

http://www.afilmcalleddads.com/photos/set2/

Ive fixed the images link below to the previous set, that should work now.

200 Miles done so far