Rock Lobster, Bontrager and a Caletti walk into a bakery...

Since Olive has graduated to a 700c hand-me-down Caletti (thank you Cory!), we figured it was high time she experience what it's like to walk into the Monterey Paris Bakery absolutely bonked (don't go calling child protective services on us - we were packing some dried mango and a PBJ). She hung tough through the wind and rollers after locking us in on a pinky-promise of ordering anything she wanted at the Bakery (Doug E. Fresh style).

You never know what characters you might run into on the Monterey-bay-coastal-scenic-rail-Steinbeck-sanctuary-salt water taffy-sardine factory-trail and this family boogie did not disappoint. Our first chatty-kathy was a self proclaimed debt collector from Salinas on an old heat treated Cannondale who we could not shake to save our lives. We tried everything from taking the half mile diversion path to the old fashioned my shoelace came untied trick, and this dude just kept talking the entire time. However, he did set the stage for the rest of our ride by telling us to look out for two specific people on the bike path who would inspire us. All of a sudden we were all ears.

As he slowly pulled away from us on the final climb pedaling his dated machine in leather hiking boots and knee high wool socks he looked back and said, "look for the Latino guy strolling along the path using a walker - he loves to talk to folks, and keep your eyes peeled for a guy as big as all three of you pedaling a bike pulling a cart - he sweeps the pathway for us".

Not only did we find Eduardo and Hawaiian Dave, but we chatted with both of them for a moment and quite frankly felt inspired by their positive demeanor and outlook on life.

how many more miles dad...

is that another hill...

can I get one more cookie...

Eduardo

Hawaiian Dave

For the record: On our way home Eduardo yelled out, "adios Jacobo"