I thought I would take a couple of days after getting back to Boulder to reflect on all the experiences that accompanied biking from British Columbia to Baja to launch SWAE Sports before penning my magnum opus. It’s been an interesting couple of days as I’ve readjusted to civilian life. My initial realization was that most importantly, the 2-½ months on the road helped to solidify our team and define the direction of SWAE Sports.

After getting off the plane and driving back to my Rocky Mountain home, I immediately began to miss the other four guys that I’d spent just about every waking moment with since mid June. After feeding off one another’s excitement, sharing the hardships of the road, and waking every morning to the team immediately talking SWAE, life as it was began to seem, well, rather quiet.

When I separate myself from being a part of this whole expedition, it seems truly amazing that a group of five highly dedicated young men would undertake such an endeavor to launch a company.  As a consumer, it would hardly matter to me what it is SWAE was selling because if anyone was really that motivated, odds are that it was something I should be a part of.  I’d rep their shirt. It would get even crazier for me as I started to explore their website and realized that the reason those boys were so psyched was because they held in their hands a truly paradigm shifting business model for the adventure sports industry.  Of course they’d cycle 2,500 miles to spread the good news. It would all start to feel quite logical.

Whenever I return from a big trip it’s always a bit weird to think about the places I just was.  Sailing through the waters of the San Juan Islands, biking through the primordial Redwood forests of Northern California, and camping along the rim of Crater Lake begins to feel like a dream, or clips from a movie I watched before falling asleep. But they are my memories, my life experiences, the way I became a part of an organization that will undoubtedly shape the course of my life.

The greatest thing I’ll take from this trip is being witness to the fact that my actions along the West Coast will not only benefit my own life, but every outfitter, guide, and outdoor adventure school that sat down with us and subscribed to the dream that is SWAE.  I can only believe that they saw in our eyes the motivation to make our company’s principals a reality and that that kind of excitement was something they wanted to attach themselves to. When looking back over my notes, its almost ridiculous to see that the only companies we didn’t partner with after a meeting were those that didn’t want more business.  That’s crazy and yet it’s the truth.

The way people get outside is about to change, and I’m truly humbled to be a part of that shift. It’s happening because the team that comprises SWAE is actually our targeted customer. We live and breathe this lifestyle and we’ve somehow figured out a way to make a career out of doing the stuff we love. I don’t think I could be more stoked.

The successes of SWAE Sports on this West Coast cycling tour can’t just be measured in number of cities or outfitters the team have met, but from the experiences, the adventures, the people and the entire journey itself.

2,500 miles by bike to launch a company says it all and if it doesn’t, the above slideshow will paint a picture of the adventures SWAE Sports went through to promote conservation through adventure.

Daniel wanted to finish the trip strong and everyone agreed. So, with 150 miles from our place in Manhattan Beach, we decided to make the final push to the border in one epic day.

I awoke at 5:30 a.m., Sunday, August 23 in Manhattan Beach. There was a quiet concentration among the group as we packed up and prepared for the longest ride of the trip. We left by 6:15 and began our ride south along the coast. It was a gloomy Sunday morning and the streets were empty aside from a few cars. Beside the fact, we were still had a close call with a bus as it whizzed past on the Pacific Coast Highway. Daniel swerved after the bus came inches away from us as we rode the shoulder of the street.

The flat terrain of Southern California made riding 150 miles seem less daunting and as we pedaled mile after mile, we met large groups of cyclists on morning rides.  This made riding that much easier and all four of us found different groups to keep pace. At this point we had all hit stride, pedaling at a consistent rhythm. After a section of flat riding, we encountered several miles of rolling hills, into San Clemente.

Daniel takes in the view at La Jolla Cove.

Dan and I managed to keep a strong pace with a group of riders for more than 80 miles and decided to stop for lunch at noon in Oceanside. Brendan had busted a tire during the first stretch of the trip and stopped in a bike shop in Laguna Beach to get it fixed, while Will reached Oceanside just a little while after us.

Refilled and refreshed, Dan and I set off from Oceanside into the high noon heat for the second half of our ride to the border. We continued to see cyclists all day while we rode along the marked bike routes running adjacent to the freeway, the surf crashing along the coast to our right.

This ride was a culmination of eight weeks of riding. After 2,400 miles, we had been exposed to almost every kind of cycling that could be done on the west coast. We had cycled through heatwaves, up mountain passes, along rolling hills and through long hours of cranking pedals. The road to Mexico threw everything it had at us, but we had prepared.

The sun became intense as the day continued on. Flashbacks of Oregon heatwaves came to mind as Dan and I continued along the bike path. We were already caked in dirt and dripping sweat as the path wound back and forth under the freeway.

We arrived in La Jolla at 4:30, the heat of midday giving way to a warm afternoon as Daniel and I took in the view of people in the water along La Jolla Cove. Just north of San Diego, we only had another 30 miles to reach our goal. The trials of the day’s ride began to take its toll as we began to make our way towards downtown San Diego. My legs were working hard to keep pedaling and my stomach, deprived of any substance besides Clif Bars, began to growl as the sun began to fall along the western horizon.

Dan lifts his bike 100 yards from the border.

Because Dan and I had stayed along the water, we missed the opportunity to shorten our route by heading straight through the city of San Diego. We had some trouble getting back on track, but after asking a few people along the way, we were able to make it to downtown in a reasonable time. I had to stop for a quick bite as I began to run on fumes for the last stretch of such a grueling ride.

We finished our last push to the border as the bright afternoon became a fading dusk. Dan pointed out the rising hills along the horizon which were not part of the U.S. We were close and could both feel it.

Our instincts were correct as we encountered the final stretch of bike path with a sign pointing us in the direction of Mexico. We followed the streams of people heading towards a fenced entrance and found Brendan and Will waiting for us. The black fences and fluorescent lights gave the place a very inhuman glow, but we were too excited to care.

As I sat and watched the people streaming into the border, we touched our bikes as far as they could go without going through the trouble of customs. We had all pushed ourselves to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.

For the next several days, Will, Dan and Elliott will spend time in San Diego working with outfitters before flying home on August 27. What a trip, what an adventure and a great success.

Elliott and Will have split up our last two cities on this trip and Elliott has gone on to the San Diego area to work down south, while Will is concentrating his efforts in Los Angeles. Only one more week remains on SWAE’s summer adventure. It’s strange to think that this tour is nearing it’s end.

The graffiti'd walls of Venice Beach.

Since we have ridden into Southern California, we have made a transition from lawn surfing to couch surfing. Because the sprawl of the cities in So Cal are so expansive, we have been able to contact friends in the cities we ride into, and have slept with roofs over our heads for a majority of the time. Dan’s brother, Josh, took us in for our first night in Santa Monica, and Dan and Brendan have made his apartment their homebase for our time in L.A.

Dan has also been spending some quality time with our programmer Rob, and they are beginning the last steps of testing to completely perfect SWAE’s Web site.

Will and I have been working in and out of Manhattan Beach, where his friend Jordan has been nice enough to take us in. The spread of Los Angeles is quite a bit more intense to try and get around by bike than other cities we have visited along the trip. Drivers barely notice us as we pedal along the shoulder of the road, sometimes only looking one way before turning out into the rest of traffic. It has been quite an unnerving experience and I am looking forward to riding in a less hectic area once we leave L.A.

The neighborhoods of L.A. are expansive and this metropolis is as overwhelming as any we have been in along this trip. The constant bustling of people is almost too much to handle.

We have all made an effort to stay close to the coast and the pristine beaches are an incredible juxtaposition to the concrete jungle further inland. The winding bike path makes moving from one neighborhood to the other less complicated compared to the network of streets and freeways dominated by cars.

While an article on SWAE is still being written in Santa Barbara for the SB Independent, another was written for the Examiner.

Eric Duncan, a Hidden Adventures Examiner, wrote an article on SWAE for the Recreation section of the Examiner’s Web site. Check out the full article here.

We had reviewed the weather for the day’s ride and decided to start in the afternoon on August 13, stop in Santa Ynez and cycle to Santa Barbara the next morning. There has been a drastic change in the terrain from Northern to Southern California. I was surprised to find how extremely flat the road was, which made riding with a tailwind amazingly simple.

Flat roads leading us to Santa Ynez

Although there were a few hills to climb, this type of riding is nothing like climbing a mountain pass or getting a rhythm of the rolling hills earlier on our trek. We pedaled and cruised at speeds upwards of 20 miles an hour. At one point, Dan and I hit 33 miles per hour on flat ground! Our group had a consistent view of a cloud of smoke caused by a raging fire farther inland, just over the ridges between SLO and Santa Barbara.

We stayed with some of Dan’s family friends in Santa Ynez, in a gorgeous house with a pool and a cozy bed to sleep. I would again like to thank our hosts for their generosity and kindness at letting five smelly guys sleep in their home. Thanks Cyndy!

We left Santa Ynez early, our stomachs full from a delicious breakfast in Cyndy’s house. Although we only had 30 miles to Santa Barbara, there was a mountain pass between us and our destination. It felt great to ride San Marcos Pass, which was a consistent incline for nearly 15 miles. Dan whipped me into shape early in this trip and I have since become a “monster” on the bike.

I arrived in Santa Barbara with some good news via a voicemail. Katherine Perry from the Santa Barbara Independent was going to meet with us in the afternoon to do an interview for the local paper. Elliott met and signed the Santa Barbara Surf School, Fly Above All Paragliding and Circling Hawk Paragliding.

Will met with Eagle Paragliding, Santa Barbara Adventure Company and Captain Jack’s Santa Barbara Tours and signed all three of the outfitters. We had quite a bit of success in SB and our living accommodations were out of this world.

Jane Gottlieb and David Obst house at the top of the Rivera neighborhood.

In the evening, we biked up Mission Drive, up a long winding hill to a ridge in the Riviera neighborhood and stopped in front of a purple fence. As the gate slid open, we were greeted by five barking dogs and a smiling couple. They stood on steps that led up to a house that looked like it had been painted by a pack of wild Easter bunnies. The garage was lime green and bright pink. The window frames were sunshine yellow while the rest of the house continued in the same motif. Colors from across the spectrum were symmetrically painted onto different parts of the structure. I could barely comprehend living in a home of such colors, but the longer I stared, the more I got used to the idea.

David Obst and Jane Gottlieb had been living in Santa Barbara for years. They each have had successful careers in writing and photography respectively. Jane’s inspiration for the house came from her art, which was displayed throughout the inside of the house. Photos of lawnbowlers and vintage cars, splashed with hues of green, yellow and blue. She had spent years traveling around the world, and growing up in Berkley in the Sixties, was inspired by the age of love, peace and revolution.

Dave is a writer and journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize in 1969 for his work in the Pentagon Papers investigation. He is also the producer of the movie “Revenge of the Nerds,” and helped with the movie on Woodward and Bernstein. Amazing people, amazing experiences and just as hospitable as all of our hosts throughout this trip.

We had stepped into another world of bright colors, trippy sculptures and a scenic view of the ocean.

The Santa Barbara Mission.

Brendan Mulholland, Dan’s childhood friend, joined us in Monterey for the final leg of our trip to Mexico. He had just finished Alaska fishing season and was preparing to disappear in South America for an extended period of time. Needless to say, I finally had a photography buddy to explore Santa Barbara.

Our first full day in town we spent the afternoon at the famous Mission and rose gardens in Santa Barbara. The afternoon sunlight was a golden-orange, which was absolutely gorgeous to shoot in. The rows of different colored roses outside the mission glowed brightly and the mission’s spires cast some interesting shadows all around.

Brendan and I then made a trip to El Presidio, an old fort in the middle of Santa Barbara and then explored Stearn’s Wharf. I enjoyed blending in the a crowd and having hayday with my camera. Check out all the photos in our “Rad Photos” section.

Well the truth is that I wrote that paragraph upwards of a week ago and I’ve probably had a least 50 similar moments since then.  I just so happened to be in front of my computer when it struck me that the series of events taking place around me should be captured in words.

The Central Coast of California has to be one of the most captivating and yet best-kept secrets in global travel.  The Mediterranean climate and access to pristine natural resources has attracted everyone from world-class surfers, kayakers, and paragliders, to world-class observers like John Steinbeck who wrote Cannery Row while living in the Wharf District of Monterey.

One particular character who deserves mentioning in this Central Coast short story is Hugh Murphy of Surf the Sky Paragliding. I had arranged to meet him around lunch on a high dune on the southeastern stretch of Monterey Bay to check out his outfit, learn a bit about the sport, and talk to him about what we’ve been up to at SWAE.  Elliott and I had gotten up around 6:00 a.m. to catch some amazing head-high waves off Pebble Beach and needless to say I was already in a very good mood before biking back out towards the beach.

As I helped Hugh set up several of his wings and listened to him explain the idiosyncrasies of human flight, the correlations between his passion and surfing became readily apparent.

Both involve tapping into nature’s raw energy and riding that line between bliss and absolute destruction.  After he had got all of his students into the air, Hugh asked me if I wanted to get out and see what it was all about.  As we strapped in and the wing’s airfoil lifted towards the sky, I could almost hear Pink Floyd’s “Learning to Fly” playing in the background.

It’s hard to explain the feeling of lifting off the ground, watching the cliff pass behind you, and riding those invisible currents that move like the hand of God over the waters.  It was amazing, serene, and one of the most powerful feelings I’ve ever experienced. Others have described this moment of taking to the skies much more eloquently and it is with the sentiments of DaVinci that I’ll leave you:

“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always want to be.”

Ghost Tree is one of the prime locations for big wave surfing, the jagged branches give justice to the name.

Alex and I left before everyone, hoping to find a campsite and settle in for the evening. We were given directions from a cycling shop employee, who was nice enough to show us a route that would help us avoid Highway 1 for the stretch to Carmel-by-the-Sea. We were told to take a road called 17 Mile Drive, through Carmel and out onto Highway 1. We saw Ghost Tree, a hallowed surf spot for some of the best big wave surfers in the world. The name fit the area. The cliffs was littered with jagged trees while the fog created an eerie sense of menace in a section of Monterey Bay where waves can reach up to 50 feet high when they break.

After two hours, we had rode through several golf courses, including the legendary Pebble Beach, before we looped back up to the same spot we started.

The road was not called 17 Mile Drive for nothing and Alex and I had managed to ride a huge circle in those two hours. Distraught and frustrated, we sat at the side of the road hoping to figure out what to do when Elliott and Will came riding out to where we sat. Our detour through the ritziest golf course in the country made for a good laugh and an extra 20 miles on top of the 35 we had to do.

Highway 1 produced beautiful scenes of the ocean break along the cliffs of the Pacific Coast as we rode to Big Sur.

We split off into pairs for the ride to Big Sur. Elliott and I led the pack for the ride, pedaling at a consistent speed of approximately 16 miles an hour. Like the rest of the California Coast, the highway to Big Sur was set in rolling hills and a shoulder inches wide at certain points. This stretch of the Central Coast has been some of the most beautiful riding we have experienced. You almost become adjusted to the magnificent scenery. From the panoramic grey-blue skies and thin white clouds across the horizon, to the beaches, trees and mountains which surround the highway, it took all my effort to pay attention to the road and not the stunning views.

Elliott and I arrived in Big Sur by 6:00 p.m. We had calculated we were far enough ahead of everyone to sit down for a beer. Luckily enough, the pub we found was right in the middle of happy hour, and a pint of their best-selling Hemp Ale from Humboldt Brewing Company was a tasty reward for an afternoon of some good cycling. The beer was dark and delicious, but not overwhelming in the slightest.

Our free campsite, 200 yards from Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. We fell asleep to the rushing sound of waves crashing on the beach below.

Will and Alex arrived just as Elliott and I were ready to leave, and I decided to humor Alex and sit with him for another Hemp Ale. Will and Elliott rode the last 10 miles to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, where we would camp for the evening. After another pint and some nachos, Alex and I left the pub to finish the ride.

Halfway through the ride fog began to roll in along the road. Alex and I were engulfed in a damp white cloud as crickets began to chirp, signaling the time when day turns to night. For one third of the ride, we rode in the near dark to the campsite. Elliott and Will had found a cozy spot 200 yards from the entrance to the park. Some passersby had suggested they take a look at it if they didn’t want to pay for camping.

Our ride to Big Sur had been amazingly hyped up as several people told us prior to the ride it was “the most amazing place ever.” I must say, Sur did not disappoint, however it reminded me a lot of the Redwood Forests of Northern California, which I still remember vividly.

Alex and I were relieved to find the crew and we set up shop to prepare for a 100-mile ride the next morning to San Luis Obispo.

Elliott and I destroyed the ride from Big Sur, arriving in SLO in six hours and 30 minutes. We worked as a great team and each took turns setting the pace and creating a good draft for each other. It was a hard ride, but we stayed as consistent as possible through the uphill battles and eventually the flats coming in to San Luis Obispo.

A young lady named Alisa, who we met in Monterey through Will’s friend Alex, and her roommate, Jamie, were kind enough to let us sleep in their yard and of course we obliged. The most comforting feeling is riding into a town you’ve never been and knowing you have a cozy place to go. It made finishing the ride that much more rewarding. Thank you Alisa and Jamie! You guys rock!

A view of the Venetians from our spot at Mr. Toot's Coffee Shop in Santa Cruz.

Although the sun had not joined us on our trip through Northern California, it was front and center as we settled into the laid back atmosphere of Santa Cruz. We spent our first night in a quaint home with a young group of people caught in post-college limbo. A surfer, an artist, a Wisconsonian and a cook let us sleep in their back yard and the next day, SWAE went to work.

Kyle Thiermann, our surfer host, had recently taken a six-week trip to a small town in Chile, where an American coal-mining plant is being proposed. Kyle spent his time speaking with locals about the impact of such a plant and what we in the U.S. can do to help prevent this from happening. Not only is Kyle an awesome surfer, he is incredibly passionate about supporting local industry and business, just like SWAE. Check out the video of his trip at www.claimyourchange.org.

Phone calls, research and meetings. While the sun hit the surf all day on Friday, Will, Elliott and Alex hit the streets to meet with outfitters. Will met and signed Venture Quest Sea Kayaking.

Since he has joined the trip, Alex has worked hard to sink into the pattern of finding outfitters and contacting them. In Half Moon Bay, just outside Santa Cruz, Alex met Chris Manchester and signed his outfit, Half Moon Bay Kayaks. In Santa Cruz, he was able to sign Pacific Yacht and Sailing.

Elliott and Will teach Ed Guzman, our host and surf instructor, how to slack line at his home near Manresa State Beach.

Elliott has had some great meetings since he joined up with SWAE in San Francisco. He got to go hang gliding in San Francisco and in Santa Cruz, met with two legendary surfers in Richard Schmidt and Ed Guzman, who are both owners of two of the largest surf outfits in Monterey Bay. The Richard Schmidt Surf School and Club-Ed Surf Camps are both well-established surf schools in the area. Elliott was able to line up an evening of dinner and videos with Ed, which gave us an opportunity to crash with his surf camp in Manresa State Beach AND take lessons from him in the morning.

There is no shortage of passion for the water in Santa Cruz. The stories Ed told us throughout Thursday night only reaffirmed this fact. Ed has spent time surfing some of the largest waves in California, just north of Santa Cruz in Half Moon Bay, as well as 50-foot swells in Ghost Tree, just outside of Monterey. Ed can talk surfing 24/7 and loves not only to talk about his experiences, but is adamant about helping people get into the water to learn the sport.

The crew get wetsuits as we get ready to surf with Ed, Friday morning at Manresa State Beach.

I am not a surfer by any means. On Friday morning, Ed thrust a wetsuit into my hands, handed me a board and was almost to the point of pushing into the water along Manresa Beach. This was my first time ever holding a surfboard. It felt oddly foreign in my hands, but I’m not one to shy away from an opportunity to learn something new. The waves were small, but surf-able and Ed and his staff are excellent teachers.

After some pointers on the beach, I was in the water, paddling out with Dan, Will, Alex and Elliott to make my first attempt at standing up on a surfboard. Ed spotted a reasonably sized wave and urged me to start paddling.

I stroked my left hand through the water, then my right, then both at the same time and with a little nudge from Ed, I was being jettisoned along the wave. I slid from my stomach to my feet and was surprised to find myself actually surfing and not eating salt water. It was a great feeling and after a few hours in the water, I was truly enjoying the surfing atmosphere with Ed and the SWAE crew.

Ed Guzman preps Alex and Elliott with fiber glass surfboards before we head into the water.

Santa Cruz is beautiful. A cozy town where the beach is one of its prime attractions. The beach, combined with blue skies and sun, make for a relaxed atmosphere where anyone is welcomed.

Although we only spent two days in town, I was inspired by the sights and sounds we were able to experience while we were there.

Saturday morning, we rode 30 miles down Highway 1, to Monterey, where SWAE will spend the next two days taking care of business. More to come as the adventure continues to unfold!

Some of the last scenes of San Francisco as we rode south towards Santa Cruz.

I haven’t disregarded the beauty of San Francico, but I’ve truly become restless with this booming metropolis. I’ve heard the echos of police sirens day and night through the city, seen masses of people stroll the sidewalks and warily watched traffic as I rode the streets. It’s been a great week in San Francisco, but it’s time to say good bye.

Alex and Bates left a day before Dan, Will and me and rode to Half Moon Bay, 30 miles from The City. The duo met Chris Manchester of HMB Kayaks for breakfast. The meeting went very well and Alex and Bates were able to sign HMB Kayaks on the spot.

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Will and Dan met the Oceanic Society, a non-profit devoted to conservation of endangered marine life, stationed in San Francisco. The Oceanic Society is an incredible non-profit that shares like values with SWAE: Conservation and a dedication to local outfitters was what drove the conversation.  The Oceanic Society also organizes expeditions all around the world, from Antarctica to Sri Lanka and Will and Dan got them excited enough to join up as an Adventure Vendor on the spot!

A view of the beaches along Highway 1 were a relief to us as we rode to Santa Cruz.

We rode through San Francisco that afternoon towards our next destination, Santa Cruz. We began by riding south on Highway 35, which would eventually link us up to Highway 1. Dan, Will and I arrived at a junction, but were put into a dilemma as a street sign warned us to stay off Highway 1. Another cyclist confirmed that we should continue on 35 and it would eventually meet back up with our desired highway.

Mile after mile passed with no sign of a junction. We rode so far that we hopped onto Interstate 280, where we stopped a highway patrolwoman to ask her where we were and where we should head next. We were lost. She said we had missed the turn to Highway 1, which meant we had to backtrack three to four miles to continue in the right direction. It was 4:00 p.m. by the time we actually got to Highway 1 and we still had 65 miles until we would reach Santa Cruz.

The sun paints the skies with an array of bright colors. We didn't reach Santa Cruz by sun down.

We ate dinner just outside of Half Moon Bay and continued to ride, the sun slowly setting into the Pacific Ocean, painting the sky in pastel pinks, purples and soft hues of blue. As we rode, the sun yielded itself to a full white moon, rising over the crest of a hill as the evening light turned to dusk.

Unfortunately, we didn’t make it to Santa Cruz Tuesday evening. However, Dan found an awesome place for us to camp, in a grove of trees right along the beachfront. We could hear the ocean waves crashing against the shores, the froth from each surge fizzing as it dissolved into the sand. The wind rustled through the trees around us and kicked up small amounts of sand as we set up camp.

Will woke up especially early the next morning and was on the road by 7:30. Dan and I took a little longer to get packed up, but we still arrived in Santa Cruz at a reasonable time. The weather is as you would expect it in a town built on the beach. Bright blue skies, warm sunlight and a cool sea breeze was in the forecast for the day.

SWAE will be in Santa Cruz for the next several days. More to come as we explore the boardwalk and the beach of the city’s surfer’s paradise.