SD to LA

Today was our first official ride with 24 riders (19 national, 5 portions)! We began our ride from Torrey Pines State Beach, SD. It was a surreal moment for everyone, but especially for those who spent the last year preparing for this moment. Unfortnately it rained through the night until 6AM. It was cold, misty, and full of ocean breeze. We were all optimistic and very excited to start our journey that not even bad weather could bring our moods down. We lined our bikes up on the beach with our full uniforms on, ready to start the coast-to-coast ride. Jess Li's parents were our photographers. We biked moslty along the coast highway. Although we felt the ocean breeze quite a bit, it was the most beautiful ride I have ever experienced. We also biked through Camp Pendelton, which is a training base for the US Marine Corps. There were a couple planes and helicopters flying overhead as we biked and gorgeous views of the ocean and beaches. The day went by smoother than I and others anticipated. There were a few missed turns, forgetten utensils during lunch, and a couple bike troubles, but all-in-all it went GREAT! 

Tonight we are staying with friends and families who are willing to take us in for a couple nights. Tomorrow we are giving a presentation to medical students at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. The rest of the day is free....who knows what we will be up to!