The Cycle California group arrived in the afternoon having flown to San Francisco from London. They were not hard to spot in arrivals, the wide boxes and bags carrying their bicycles were easily spotted. The team from Rowans Hospice had also decided to wear their fluorescent orange team-gilets for the flight! The gilets did not however give any assistance in working out how to get through the revolving door and onto the airport forecourt…
We loaded up into taxis and the van, and drove a short distance to our hotel for the evening. After some time to freshen up at the motel, the group had a briefing from Tom and Danny before mass-construction of bicycles took place in the motel car park.
It was all hands on deck as the team worked together unwrapping and re-building their trusty steeds. Bernie had the trouble bike, with a twisted chain (goodness knows how it got like it did!) and near threading of the cranks when putting the pedals back on. All in all however, the bikes had made it across the pond in really rather good nick!
The group had their first evening meal together over at a local Mexican where the portions were huge, the habanero sauce spicy, and the appetizers delightful. Fish soup, guacamole, burritos, catfish (?!), almonds and cheese all featured. Soon the team were beginning to feel the effects of their long journey and it was time to retreat to the motel ready for the following day’s action-packed sightseeing tour of San Francisco.
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