San to San (film)

Words and photos by Patrick McGrady

When you surround yourself with people who go on epic adventures, you get a certain itch of your own. San to San was exactly that for me. It started with the idea: San Diego to San Francisco (San to San). After living in a van in this area for the majority of my van life, I wanted to explore a stretch along Highway 1 with another means of transportation. Bikepacking up the California coast whilst filming the experience was the challenge, and completing a fulfilling project and making a film out of it was the goal. Every day had its own ups and down, and it was one hell of an adventure. It’s hard to sum it up into words, but you can watch it here and scroll down for glimpses into each day while on the road.

“Great stories never come from comfort zones.”

Day 1: I started the day off at my friend Lewis’ place in San Diego. Had a slow morning with lots of filming. Final feelings and thoughts were shared over a cup of coffee and then we were off! The steel Poseidon bike is loaded and balanced with tent, sleeping bag and provisions for the trek. I arrived at San Clemente State Beach campground around 4:10 p.m., just in time to set up camp and catch the ocean sunset. What a day! I’m writing this in my tent and it is 6:30 in the evening. I’m tired, but also fired up for tomorrow. Taking highway 1 for most of tomorrow, all the way to Santa Monica.

Day 2: Started the day at sunrise around 5:50 and broke down camp at San Clemente State Beach. Didn’t get much sleep so the mission was to get to Laguna beach for breakfast and coffee (maybe 2 cups). Two flats today. Tough start but made it through the big city of L.A. Sunset right as I arrived in Santa Monica. 65 miles behind me today, tired though.

Day 3: Feeling it! I started my day in Santa Monica. 6:00 a.m. wake up was brutal but we got complimentary breakfast at 7:00, which we had to take advantage of. Got a boost from calling mom and dad this morning rooting me on from Austria! Onward to Ventura. Traffic was brutal up to Malibu. I can see now why people live here. A beautiful stretch of the country. I could never study at Pepperdine University, because I would be staring at the view all day.

Day 4: Wet and flat! Another day in the books. Started the day in Ventura. Got an early start at 6:20 a.m. and was rolling the wheels and on towards Santa Barbara. I reached the campground weaving through old trails around 4:00. I was drenched. Lots of heavy drops hitting the helmet. It’s been wet, but it’s keeping me distracted from being tired. The rain let off while I was setting up camp here at Refugio State Beach.

Day 5: Short and sweet. We woke up to a rainy Californian coast at Refugio State Park! Hopped on the bike and hit Hwy 1 until we got to Gaviota. This morning was hard to start. Feeling tired and just not motivated to get this stretch down. Pushing through to Lompoc was a blur. Cheers to halfway! 🍻

Day 6: Getting into a groove. I got to sleep 10 hours yesterday. Much needed rest time meant for a big set of miles today. Around 6:30, we (when I say “we” I mean the bike and I hahaha) were on the road again. Around 3:30 we made it to Morro Beach Campground! There was this ginormous rock near the beach. This campground is sweet! Today’s ride was powered by plenty of Sour Patch Kids.

Day 7: Day 7 started out in pouring rain. I mean just big drops and heavy winds made the breakdown of the camp not a dry one. When I thought it couldn’t go further up, the next turn proved me wrong. I was getting slower and feeling the legs from the past few days. Staying at Plaskett Lake Campground in the Big Sur Area tonight. Absolutely cooked. Not very descriptive today.

Day 8: Big push. I got up extra early. At 5:00 a.m. the alarm rang, packed up everything from the campground at Plaskett campground and off we went. I ran into this guy Larry who provided me with a bit of trail magic. Stickers and stories were shared during my lunch near the Big Sur campground. After what seemed the longest time I made it to Carmel By The Sea. Stopping at an inn tonight that is $100—not bad for Carmel!

Day 9: I didn’t want to wake up, but getting up at early hours has had me waking up naturally at 5:30 AM now. I had to move. Maybe muscle memory is setting in. Absolutely defeated. I don’t know how I pushed through the final 10 miles. Kind of a blur. Focused on the route and landmarks to know if I was going the right way. Santa Cruz, I am here.

Day 10: Easy peasy. Slept in a whole hour! Woke up at 7:00 a.m. and was on the road by 8:00. I was still feeling my legs for the first two miles but was getting back into rhythm. Overall, I expect to be emotional when I arrive tomorrow. Mixed feelings of accomplishment and pain will come and mix!

Final Day: Full circle. Today was the last day on the bike to finish the quest from San Diego to San Francisco. I woke up earlier than my alarm. I think I just could not wait to get up and go. Sunrise at the lighthouse was a spectacle! Greeted by the roomies with delirium beer and some cheers made this a super nice ending to the trip. My mind is still racing from the past 11 days of riding.

Each day was one to remember. The support around this adventure was an experience in itself. Always grateful to have people around me who are stoked about adventures like San to San! Here’s to more!

Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.