BOOK EXCERPT
California Love
Dhruv Bogra spent 400 days cycling from the Arctic
to the Andes. Passing through California, he took shelter
in a church, rode through the giants of Redwood
ForestStatePark,andmoreThe road ran flat and the sun was out and there
was not a speck of cloud in the sky. The air was cool
and the ocean looked spectacularly blue instead
of a dull grey as it usually does on an overcast day.
I was in California and it could have not been a more
perfect start to an exploration of the Golden State’s
coastline and dream about its sunshine! My spirit lifted
and I felt relieved to feel the gentle warmth of the sun
on my face and body. Crescent City was only 48km away
and I pedalled along beautiful meadows and streams
with pretty views of the ocean. Further on, I was about
to cross a narrow bridge when I observed a bright yellow
signboard telling me to ‘Push Button to Advise Motorist
or Bicyclist on Bridge’. I loved these little, thoughtful
details on the highway engineered for the safety
of cyclists and oncoming cars. The bridge was rather
narrow and long and I was relieved that there was such