Coastline & Quaintness

This morning's rising sun cast an especially moving and warm glow over the ocean of tents in the Paso Robles Mid-State Fairgrounds.

After a quite-scrumptious breakfast of eggs florentine, Cyclists resuscitated their legs after yesterday's challenging route. Today's route was just over a century (100 miles), taking cyclists through some stunning coastal scenery and charming seafront towns. They also passed the halfway point to LA, marked by a banner on a rock overlooking an impressive valley. Of course, there was quite a line for photo ops!

Roadies at many of the rest stops have been "theming" and today was filled with great treats, such as Vegas at Rest Stop Four and the Valentine's Day ladies of Rest Stop Five.

Take a look at the full set of 75 photos from Day Four!

-- Jeff Brock
Webmaster, AIDS/LifeCycle
Reporting from the Kinko's in Santa Maria

Santa Maria Valley lies between the ranges of the Sierra Madre Mountains and the rugged coastline of the Pacific Ocean. Situated on the northern edge of Santa Barbara County, it is centrally located between Los Angeles, 170 miles to the south and San Francisco, 260 miles to the north. Known for its western flair and friendly spirit, Santa Maria's history is grounded in the Old West and agriculture.

Recently, oil and gas exploration and Vandenberg Air Force Base have influenced the valley. Vandenberg is the area's largest employer. HWY 101 runs through the valley, while scenic HWY 1 borders to the west.

The Santa Maria Valley includes the cities of Santa Maria and Guadalupe and the unincorporated areas of Orcutt and Nipomo. The total population of the valley has eclipsed 128,000, with nearly 80,000 living in the city of Santa Maria.

-- Joe Fera