OC Travel Buddies & Local Events!

BIKE CRYSTAL COVE – EZ RENTALS - CASUAL BICYCLING - SOCIAL EXERCISE
10:00 –Ocean trails bicycle tour along the coast. Haven’t ridden a bike in a while? Bike rentals are EZ, and our rides are great for first timers, shy people, and expert riders. Open for all levels but must have a basic level of fitness and be willing and able to ride as part of a supportive group. We are well organized, informal, and have fun exercising while socializing. We have scheduled stops along the way to ‘Group Up’ and hydrate. Bring any kind of bike or rent one. Bikes with gears are recommended. Are you ready for a beautiful fun day?
JUST SHOW UP
If this seems too challenging or uncertain – just come and do the first part. This is how the ride is designed. The point is to get out and show up for social exercise in the beauty of where we live. (EZ Bike Rentals – see end of post)
LEADER
Roz – 714-728-2033
Text with questions. If motivated to support these rides the Zelle is rbileszelle@gmail.com
A MICRODOSING LIFE RIDE.
If you are in a hurry to get somewhere – this is not the ride for you because the journey IS the destination.
We plan the ride you bring the enthusiasm.
- Socialize
- Exercise
- Meet New People
- Sightsee
- Be outdoors and by the ocean.
HISTORY OF OCEAN BIKE TOURS
We have led over 370 bike tours over recent years on bike paths, side roads and paved trails (No PCH) along the ocean from Laguna Beach to the Queen Mary. Meet new friends, like-minded people, exercise and enjoy the beauty of where we live. Please read the entire post.
SELF REGULATED FUN
We ride as a safe, supportive group for casual exercise in well-organized rides and everyone is Self-Responsible. You should have a basic level of fitness and show up with a bike in good working order or rent a bike.
START
10:00 Leaving from the Galley Cafe - 829 Harbor Island Dr in Newport Beach 92660. Come early.
RETURN BY
3:00+/- Route is designed to be individually shortened as needed.
BIKE RENTALS - EZ
Yes – If you do not have a bike - see the end of this post for ALL the details.
THE RIDE
NOT a ‘pack ride’ and no PCH, keeping to trails and side streets. A few hills that are a positive challenge for single speed bikes. Plan for 4+/- hours and 22+/- miles. Leave from the Galley Café to Bayside Drive to The Dunes, Corona del Mar Heights and then the beaches – then to the Crystal Cove bike paths. A long stretch overlooking the ocean is perfect for whale spotting. Back to Crystal Cove beach and return. 18+/- Miles.
PICNIC
We will stop at an oasis at Crystal Cove shopping center for a picnic in a shaded veranda. No bike lock needed. Park our bikes and go get food and return to eat together. Trader Joe’s – Starbucks – Pizza – other healthy carryout places to choose from or pack your picnic with you.
RELEASE OF LIABILITY
Biking and running activities and all outdoor sports outings are rewarding and pleasant activities, but there are common dangers you should be aware of including Covid 19. By signing up for this bike trip, you assume the risks of the outing and agree to release the organization, the trip organizer and other participants from claims for any and all injuries or other losses sustained during this trip. Helmets highly recommended.
BEHAVIOR
Please! – No creepy, negative types, anger issues or controlling behavior invited. This is always a supportive group of like-minded people, and it is important that people feel safe. Some adventurous people are trying Meet Up and a bike ride for the first time and we plan with this in mind.
THE NO’s
No boom boxes
No politics
No using your phone while riding. (No accidents)
No complaining
THE YES’s
Helmets
Shoes – Protect your feet
Pump your tires before
Positive Attitude
BIKE RENTAL PARKING
Park in the Bayside Center Shopping Plaza at Jamboree and Bayside Dr. Walk across the bridge onto Balboa Island on the right-hand sidewalk. 1st building on the right is Sports Rent.
Come early to rent a bike and peddle up Bayside Drive to the Galley Café to be ready for the 10:00 start..
EZ BIKE RENTALS DELIVERED TO THE START
CALL LIAM (owner) before FRIDAY at 12:00 to schedule a rental.
Liam brings the rental to our starting place at the Galley Café.
What Service! Sports Rents – Liam: 714-600-9941 - Balboa Island
www.sportsrentsonline.com

Our friends at PhotoFly Travel Club ( https://www.photoflytravel.com/) an exotic adventure to one of the world's natural wonderlands!

May 22nd - May 28th, 2025

Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/galapagos-small-group-tours/

Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

The Galapagos is an “up-market” destination but fortunately we’ve been able to create something special at an amazing value! Take a look at the details below and you will see that our small group trip is arguably the best deal out there!

• 7 days
• 3 nights/4 days on Santa Cruz
• 3 nights/4 days on private motor yacht
• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
• Round-trip domestic flight to/from Galapagos
• All snorkel gear

Part 1: Santa Cruz Island & Nearby Gems

Santa Cruz is the most important island in the Galapagos archipelago with the only substantial port town of Puerto Ayora. From white sand beaches teeming with endemic marine iguana, lush highlands where the giant tortoises still roam, turtle coves, thriving reefs, ancient calderas, and sea birds

• Highlands & Tortoise Reserve: Walk into the forest overgrown with lichens, ferns, and tortoises; the pond at El Chato is surrounded by forest teeming with birdlife
• Charles Darwin Research Station: Founded in 1959, it has a Natural History Interpretation Centre and carries out educational projects in support of the Galapagos National Park Service.

Day Boat Excursions

For our two days staying on Santa Cruz, we’ll head off island on exciting day trips via boat and in search of biological wonders!

• Santa Fe Island - White Sands, Cacti, & Giant Iguanas: White sand beaches surrounded by sea lion colonies lined with endemic cactus forests is just one appeal to this natural wonderland.
• South Plaza Islet - Land of Red & Yellow: An impressive cactus forest where colorful yellow and red land iguanas live will be our introduction to this small landmass.
• North Seymour Island: Formed by a series of underwater volcanic eruptions, this island is the home to large nesting colonies of blue-footed boobies, great frigate birds, and swallow-tailed gulls.

Part II: Private Luxury Yacht Island Hopping

Our next experience is very special. We’ll board our very own private cruising yacht and embark on a journey throughout the eastern Galapagos Islands. Aboard the Coral I or Coral II, we’ll live in the perfect combination of classic beauty and exquisite style. Built in Holland, the ship surpasses all the standards you would expect from a high-class yacht, providing a slightly larger than average cruising vessel while maintaining the friendly atmosphere of a small expedition yacht.

Every cabin features handsome wood decoration, along with air-conditioning, a private bathroom, safe deposit box, telephone, and more. Additionally, the boat has plenty of room to relax with three sundecks (some shaded), a jacuzzi, comfortable dining room, and lounge.

• Dragon Hill: Bright, pink flamingos thrive as we walk by a brackish lagoon to the trail which leads across typical dry zone vegetation. Dragon Hill is an important nesting ground for endemic land iguanas, not to mention incredible views & photograph opportunities of the anchored boats and neighboring islands at the top.
• Bartolome Island: Enroute to the summit, impressive views of the surrounding islands, including the eroded tuff cone Pinnacle Rock make for incredible & iconic panoramic photographs. Next, we’ll make our way down to the beach for snorkeling and a chance to see the famous Galapagos penguins, sea turtles, and white-tipped reef sharks among a great variety of colorful fish.
• Rabida Island: Dark-red sand covers the unique beaches of Rabida, home to thriving sea lions colonies. This island is considered the epicenter of the Galapagos due to the diversity of its volcanic geology.
• Santiago Island & Espumilla Beach: This is an amazing location due to the remains of an eroded shoreline, home to seabirds, fur seals, and playful Galapagos sea lions. The white, sandy Espumilla Beach nearby is in James Bay where mangroves and a small palo santo forest lead to salty-water lagoons home to wading birds like pink flamingos.
• Black Turtle Cove: Back on the north shore of Santa Cruz Island and accessible only by sea, four species of mangrove crowd and form an internal lagoon and turtle sanctuary where sea turtles visit the calm waters.

Don’t forget to email us for the day by day itinerary of these Galapagos small group tour (joinus@photoflytravel.com)

***

Join Us!

For our solo travelers, we pair you up with someone of the same sex unless single occupancy is requested.

Price: $4,795
Single Supplement: $1,595

Deposit: $600.00

Go here to sign up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/galapagos-small-group-tours/

Travel friends at PhotoFly Travel Club ( http://www.photoflytravel.com/ ) are bringing back their adventure to Japan!

See details below and email joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

Sign-up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/japan-group-tours/

Our Japan group tours are chock full of diverse activities including unique cultural experiences, fantastic landscapes, and all the beautiful temples and architecture which make Japan so iconic.

• 9 nights/10 days
• Breakfast daily
• 1 Lunch, 3 Dinners (Welcome & Farewell Dinner)

Tokyo: 2 Nights

The never-ending hustle and bustle of the city creates an energy that is quite contagious.

Highlights:

• Privately guided tour through parts of Tokyo

– Akihabara: otherworldly place filled with bizarre Japanime, neon signs, and streets & alleys lined with vendors.
- Asakusa Kanon Temple (Sensoji Temple): See and photography Tokyo’s oldest and most famous Buddhist Temple.
– Meiji Shrine: Named for a dynastic ruler from the Meiji period in Japanese history, thus making the shrine one of Tokyo’s most famous landmarks.

Takayama: 2 Nights

The Japanese Alps & Takayama

Central Honshū is home to the Northern Japanese Alps and Japan’s heartland. Boasting some of Japan’s most magnificent peaks and dramatic scenery, the Northern Alps are truly spectacular!

Highlights:

• Shin-Hotaka no Yu Hot Springs: Open air hot spring is in a beautiful setting
• Hirayu Great Falls: This magnificent waterfall is over 200 ft tall and 20 ft across.
• Kamikochi Valley: Inside Chubu-Sangaku National Park, this highland area is home to an amazing walk through lightly forested areas with ponds, macaque monkeys, and curving river with the mountains as a back-drop.

Takayama lies in the heart of the Hida Mountains. Established in the 16th century as a castle town of the Kanamori family, it’s now famous throughout Japan for its old town area of narrow streets containing many well-preserved inns, tea houses, shops and merchants houses.

Highlights:

• Privately guided tour
• Takayama Morning Market: On the bank of the Miyagawa River, the market is fun to observe stands selling local farm produce, flowers and crafts.
• Takayama’s Old Town : Visit and photograph Takayama Jinya, the old government house.
• Optional Hida Folk Village Tour: This open air museum exhibits over 30 traditional houses from the Hida region, the mountainous district of Gifu Prefecture around Takayama.

Hiroshima & Charming Miyajima Island: 1 Night

Despite its tragic past, Hiroshima is now a bustling and vibrant city which has risen phoenix-like from the ashes.

Hiroshima:

*Privately guided tour
– Memorial Peace Park, Museum, & A-Bomb Dome: Experience the poignant reminder that caused Hiroshima’s fame.

Miyajima Island is small sacred island located in the Inland Sea. It has been a holy place of Shintoism since the earliest times.

– Vermilion Torii Gate & Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima: After a ferry ride to this sacred island we’ll visit the world famous vermilion torii gate at this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Miyajima is one of Japan’s three most scenic places.

Kyoto: 4 nights

Home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites, over 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines, this ancient city showcases the heart and soul of traditional Japan.

Highlights:

• Privately guided tour

– Kinkakuji Temple (Golden Pavillion): Covered with 18 carat gold leaf, this incredible building was originally built by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in 1397.
- Okochi Mountain Villa: Form residence of a film star, this famous villa consists of several beautiful gardens and buildings, including living quarters, tea houses, and a meditation hall.
– Monkey Park Iwatayama: We’ll meander up a small hill to reach the park with a nice overlook filled with macaques.
– Gion District & Optional Geisha Cultural Exchange: Walk through the sleepy district where geisha come from all over the country to train. For those interested (not included) we’ll get to have an incredible experience in a local house with a geisha for a cultural exchange and private photo shoot.
– Fushimi Inari Shrine: Filled with thousands of vermilion gates, this hillside complex and temple is enormous and beautiful

• All transfers, rail tickets, public transit, entry fees, taxies and activities as listed in the itinerary included
• International airfare is not included - flying into Narita International Airport in Tokyo (NRT) and departing from Kansai International Airport (KIX) in Osaka.

Email us at joinus@photoflytravel.com for the daily itinerary!

Join Us!

Solo travelers will be paired with same sex unless single occupancy is requested.

Price: $3,995
Single Supplement: $915

Deposit: $600

Sign-up: https://photoflytravel.org/tour/japan-group-tours/