Distance today = 51.73 km; Total distance = 2437.11 km; Location = Lompoc – 34 39.841′ N, 120 27.489′ W; Start time = 0835, Finish time = 1616

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/151813883

A very hot day today (for winter), with the temperature reaching 82F, which is about 28C. Always a bit of a challenge when you've been used to cooler temps.

I began the day just north of Guadalupe. I later learned that the sand dunes nearby are where the early movies requiring desert and sand dune scenes, particularly biblical themed movies like Ben Hur and the Ten Commandments, were filmed. The support crew drove out to have a look. Apparently the props were buried in the sand when they finished filming, but some are now exposed. Pity I missed it, but I had some running to do.

Early on a news crew arrived from KSBY to do an interview and some filming. That news item has already appeared on the nightly news.

The rest of my day was spent in reasonably remote environs. I passed through the Vandenberg Air Force Base (the public is allowed on the roads that pass through the base). This base is where many US satellites and rockets are launched, and I believe the space shuttle used to land here when conditions were adverse on the east coast. The base is an official NASA facility.

I finally survived the heat to arrive in Lompoc ahead of the support crew (first time so far), and am currently enjoying a cold beer.

I think I have worked out the problem with the Garmin data (don't upload at the same time as logging in to Garmin). And the official distance for the day is 240 metres less than what today's Garmin data is showing – I explored a back road before seeing a sign indicating all non US Air Force personnel were to keep out. So I had to turn back, but luckily I hadn't gone too far, and only had a small amount to subtract from my total.