Day 8 began with the long drive back home. We decided to take a different route this time, heading back through LA on 101 to make a quick stop at my grandma’s. It was great seeing her and one of my uncles, especially after the loss of my grandfather. The visit was a mix of bittersweet emotions, but it was so nice to be with family. The kids had a blast swimming in my grandma’s pool— honestly, it brought back so many childhood memories for me, remembering all the times I’d spent in that pool.
After our quick stop, we hit the road again and headed up to Santa Barbara. I really wanted to take the kids to UCSB since both my husband and I attended there for undergrad, even though we didn’t meet until grad school later on. Funny enough, we were both on the bike team there, Wild, right?
We gave the kids a little tour of UCSB, showing them the campus that was such a big part of my story. We grabbed some UCSB gear for them—a sweatshirt and some hats—to remember the visit. Afterward, we grabbed dinner and continued heading north to a campground for the night, making the most of the journey home.
It was a day filled with nostalgia, family, and new memories—just the way we like to travel.
Run Teach Bike 