Thousand Oaks, CA

6.20.2010

Today’s ride was as much fun as the very first day. It was an 85 mile ride from Santa Barbara to Thousand Oaks. The crew told us ahead of time that there would be 3 hills and the rest would be pretty flat. As it turns out, there were 3 mountains and the rest was pretty flat. Instead of the large roads that we have been riding on so far, we were on residential roads for almost the whole day. California 150 wound through orange orchards and mountain passes showing the best that California has to offer. Daisy dukes and bikinis were hard to come by however. The most challenging climb was up a hill at a 17% grade. When we reached the top we were met with a brief downhill followed by a taste of mountain number 3.


Some of the guys stopped to taste the oranges from the orchards, but we regrettably had to push on past that crew stop because we were a little behind schedule. Looking back it would have been nice to eat an orange fresh from the tree. It’s the little things like that that make JOH so memorable. I learned that it’s about the road itself, not how quickly you can reach point B. I guess I’ll have to wait ‘til we get to Georgia and pick some peaches instead.


The friendship visits we had today and yesterday were really great too. We started off the day at a place called the Jodie house, which specializes in rehabilitation for people who have suffered brain injuries. This friendship visit was particularly interesting because the clients had not been born with their disabilities. As we played music and chatted with some of the clients over lunch, they all encouraged us to wear our helmets on our cross country ride. A lesson I will definitely take to heart.


Then we went to what was known as a bicycle rodeo, sponsored by an organization called “Lose the Training Wheels”. Their organization helps people with physical and mental disabilities learn how to ride bicycles. At this visit we took a more active role in the logistics and operation of the event. Some of the cyclists were in charge of parking, some were in charge of spotting the riders to make sure they didn’t fall, while others manned the grill. We even put on a cycling demonstration. After all, a cycling event for people with disabilities is right up our alley. The bikes that the kids used were really innovative. Instead of the standard training wheels, they had a log-looking roller instead of a back wheel. These training bikes allowed riders to lean when they were making a turn, which helped to improve the riders’ balance skills that are so essential for riding a two wheeler. It was a great event and the food was spectacular. I even got an interview for a local news show which was fantastic.


Today, after our ride, we had a friendship visit at a center called “Ride On”. Ride On specializes in rehabilitation and therapy for people with disabilities through teaching horseback riding. The program is similar to the Lose the Training Wheels program in that it provides participants with the opportunity to take control over an aspect of their life. Ideally students progress to a level where they are able to ride the horses on their own. This is a huge accomplishment in itself, but for a person who is used to having others assist them with most daily activities it is especially meaningful. In addition to teaching people to ride, the school also teaches people to walk on their own. A horse’s gait is very similar in duration and stride to that of a human’s. The trainers at Ride On are able to help patients who have never been able to walk obtain the muscle memory needed to take their first steps. They do this by taking participants on what are known as therapy rides. Simply sitting on horseback while a trainer leads the horse around helps many patients learn the motor skills necessary to take their first steps.

I think that’s all I have to share for today. Omar still snores like an ogre.