We stayed in campsites at night and sampled the local food along the way.
I can't express the exhilaration one feels when they are on a bicycle miles from anything familiar, surrounded by sea cliffs, and coasting down a steep hill on Pacific Coast Highway, keeping pace with the motorists while feeling the sea breeze. It's incredible.
People talk to you on a trip like that. When you cruise through their town with windblown hair, having not showered, and obviously in no hurry to get anywhere. So I made the habit of surveying strangers along the road about their thoughts on a simple question.
What is Best in Life?
At the time I thought the half remembered query was something I had learned of in my study of Talmudic Judaism. Rabbis used to ask one another philosophical questions and gauge where they stood on important issues, this was similar. I'd probably plagiarized it.
And it worked, people opened up. At lease some people did. Some people had fascinating stories and lifestyles and philosophies. Some people were boring and gave vague non answers like "love" or "happiness" that they didn't care to expound on.
But the best answer, my favorite answer came from the owner of a Mexican bakery in Carpinteria.
"What is best?" I said philosophically. "You mean… here?" she responded, in a thick Mexican accent, as if unsure her English was doing the question justice "No" said I "…in life. What is best in life?"
"OOOOHHHhh in life!" she said "Ina all life?"
"Yes, What is best in all of life?"
She stared off to her right for a moment, and then gestured emphatically with her left hand.
"Tamales!"
It was funny at first. but the truth is that that's very deep. That woman has it figured out. She knows what's best in life, and she got it, and built a life around it, and now she keeps it just in front of her and to her left where she sells it for 65 cents to anyone interested.
What about for you? What do you think is best in life?
PS: Yes, I bought a tamal. Yes, it was delicious.
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