Guest Post by Steve Mathias - A Rookie’s View on the Chasing Daylight Tour

Sometimes it’s as easy as asking yourself “Why not?” that can you lead you down the road less traveled. Most people wouldn’t think to explore a large portion of the entire Pacific Coast Highway by bicycle over eight days. Millions of cars annually traverse the winding roads along the ocean and through the hills carrying passengers hoping to get a sense of what the beautiful coastline has to offer. But they aren’t really experiencing it, just like you don’t really experience a city by driving through it at 55 miles an hour.  You need to take things a bit slower and let all of your senses truly digest the experience at hand.

Like the sounds of the ocean crashing on the rocks below, the visual beauty of the colors of the California countryside, or the slow syncopated hum of the chain spinning through the cogs of your bicycle. Or the feel of the wind on your face as you cruise by at 20 miles per hour while you smell the local flora of eucalyptus, strawberries, and pine. These seemingly trivial sensory indulgences will forever be seared into my brain reminding me of the 8 days that were the 2010 Chasing Daylight Tour.

Outside Magazine recently published their Life List issue detailing things one should try to accomplish in life. Number 40 and Number 11 were ‘Raise $2,500 for a Cause’ and ‘Take a Risk’, respectively. I can now say that I have accomplished both of these.  I would strongly encourage everyone to take on some challenge that seems as daunting as deciding to cycle 670 miles, when they haven’t even cycled that distance in their entire life put together.  That’s what I was facing when I decided to sign up for this year’s tour. I was able to learn an incredible amount about myself, my willpower, and overcoming adversity to achieve something I would normally have thought impossible. I am now looking forward to becoming a seasoned veteran for next year’s tour and is inspired to take on other new challenges over the next few years.

I cannot send my thanks enough towards all of the donors, the riders, the organizers, and the 48 new friends I now can count as my own.  All the contributions by these groups of people ensured the overwhelming success of this year’s tour.

Steve Mathias – smathias2@gmail.com