A Right Left Tour

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

We had a nice evening in the campground culminated by a beautiful sunset within steps of our site. We never did get talking to the other touring cyclists in camp.

We were on the streets by 8:00 this morning retracing our route back up to the other side of Highway 1. We were unable to ride on 1 through this area as cycling on the expressway is illegal. ACA might want to point this out to touring cyclists. We were 11 kilometers into our day before we finally rode out of Santa Cruz (population 54,593)/Soquel (population 5, 081)/Aptos (population 9,396)...urban sprawl at its worst.

ACA gave us a real treat today. The route took us off Highway 1, partly due I suspect to it being illegal in places, and through Southern California fruit and vegetable growing areas. I had read some blogs that talked about the large strawberry farms and thought, oh ya, how big can they be? Well they are 'huge'! There are hundreds and hundreds of acres of strawberries and they are still in season...maybe they are always in season here...we do not know. We at first thought these would have to be picked by machine but soon saw that the are not. We saw hundreds of people in a field picking. Would that be back breaking work or what? We saw strawberries being mowed down and removed as well as being re-planted. This is a huge business. So the next time you see strawberries in your grocery store they might well be coming from this area. We stopped at a roadside stand and devoured a box of berries. Interspersed with the strawberries were large acreages of artichokes, brussel sprouts, and romaine lettuce. All were being harvested.

Today was a right - left tour. It brought back memories of days past while gravel running. We spent hours riding on deserted roads watching the strawberries and other crops being harvested.

The day was topped off when we found a bike path that followed along beside Highway # 1 from just north of Marina to where we are tonight in Monterey. It was just under 20 kilometers of riding. We saw the odd cyclist but it was primarily deserted. Other than a 'minor glitch' as we entered Seaside it was reasonable to follow. Most importantly we were not 'playing in traffic'.

We are staying at the Munras Inn in Monterey. We had intended on camping but when we stopped at the Visitor Information Office we were told about this motel. It is the lowest price we have paid for a motel on this entire trip and it is nice. We suspect that there is a 'price war' going on at the start of their off season. I hope this continues further south...not holding my breath on that one!

Trip Distance = 68.76 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 52 minutes. Average Speed = 14.08 km. Maximum Speed = 44.56 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Red Tailed Hawk, some kind of burrowing squirrel, Coots, Sea Lions, small lizards on bike path.

Strawberries At All Stages

Spraying Strawberries

Bike Path Along Highway 1

Dodging Brussel Sprouts

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

We enjoyed our continental breakfast this morning in our room. Why our room? Well, the construction crew that were staying at the motel were having a 'safety' meeting in the breakfast room. The room only had about 6 tables and they were using 4 of them. I was tempted to suggest that there was probably more appropriate places to have their meeting and that other people would like to use the breakfast room but I thought better of it. There were a couple of guys bigger than me...so for once I used my 'brain' and not my 'mouth'. I must be getting more mature...nah!

We were on the road by 7:35. We had planned a long day. The riding was really good today. We had long stretches of flat riding through vegetable growing areas along the coast. Every once in a while, just to keep us on our toes, a climb was thrown in. The area is known for growing pumpkins, artichokes, brussel sprouts, christmas trees, and flowers. We saw leaks being grown and transported to market. But the strangest thing was all the brussel sprouts strewn along the side of the road. We saw acres and acres of them being grown and wagon loads being transported down the highway. We were literally 'dodging' brussel sprouts today.

The only town we passed through was Davenport. It had 5 places to eat side by side. It appeared like that was the whole town. Towering over the town was a large cement plant but we were unsure if it was in operation or not.

We were having such a good ride. The sun was shining and the wind was partly in our back. We had cycled 60 kilometers by noon. As the saying goes, all good things have to come to an end. We hit Santa Cruz. Have I mentioned lately the 'distaste' I have for riding in urban areas? Well Santa Cruz presented a new twist. The ACA route seemed to be a good one but it was interrupted by a detour...a bridge was out. Now most detours that we have ever come across put signage up to get you around and back on route. Not in this town. The detour sign pointed left and that was the end of the signs. So that put us off route without a city map. We 'muddled' along and happened upon a Tourist Information place. They got us back on the route and actually the rest of the ride was on a dedicated bike lane...It was almost nice to ride except by this time we were in rush hour traffic. Way too many cars to say the least.

We are camping in the Biker Site in New Brighton State Beach Park. After dark a couple more cyclists have arrived.

Trip Distance = 91.64 km. Time on the Bikes = 6 hours 2 minutes. Average Speed = 15.18 km. Maximum Speed = 50.39 km. Wildlife Sightings = Ruddy Ducks, Shovellors, Coots, Great Egret, Snowy Egrets, Brown Pelicans, Stellar Jay, Oregon Juncos, Monarch Butterflies.

A Tuckamore Tree In California

Seals Sunning On The Rocks

Pigeon Point Lighthouse - Now a Hostel

Pumpkin and Vegetable Farm

Sunset Over New Brighton State Beach Park - Just A Few Steps From Our Campsite

The Sun Shone Upon Us

Monday, October 27, 2014

We had a really good day off. We were re-charged for our ride today. We were on the road...I will re-phrase that...we were on the streets by 8:20 and starting to climb out of the downtown area. The climbing went on for more than 4 kilometers to get back 'up and out' and 'over' to the coast. We were at 15 kilometers riding through urban Daly City and industrial Pacifica. Shortly after popping onto Highway 1 some spectacular views re-appeared. We were truly grateful to finally leave the San Francisco 'mess' behind.

We were able to 'stop and smell the roses' today. We had planned a short day. The sun shone and better yet, the wind was favorable...not directly behind us but it sure made riding easier.

After leaving Pacifica Beach where we watched surfers riding the waves, we came upon a tunnel. Usually tunnels are dark, narrow, and scary things to ride through. Not this one! It was a brand new, 1 kilometer long, well lit, wide and fun to ride through. Did I mention that it was also down hill? We were able to coast along at 35 kilometers per hour without a peddle stroke...what fun! This tunnel was opened in 2013 to replace a dangerous section of highway called The devil's Slide Area. The area was prone to rock slides from the hills above. We were having such a good day we actually decided to ride back 'up' the old highway...yes we rode voluntarily up a hill in the wrong direction for more than a kilometer to see the views. The old road is closed and has been turned into a pedestrian/bike path. It was just opened this past summer. The views were spectacular.

The rest of our ride was 'wind assisted' and seemed like it was all downhill. The ACA elevation map begged to differ. It is amazing how easy things seem when you are having a good riding day! We are checked into the Coast Side Inn in Half Moon Bay. There is a story behind this and I will try to be nice to the California State Park System...if I can. We have heard rumours for a few days now of the water being shut off in some State Parks and the outright closure of others. So last night we looked up Half Moon State Park our intended destination. No sign of it having water restrictions or of it being closed on their website. When we rode in we were informed that the campground had been closed since late September and they said that there was another one 60 miles away...that is 100 kilometers down the road. Clearly the young lady had never ridden a bicycle in her life. I pointed out...fairly directly...that they might want to update their 'bloody' website to inform people of the closures. As a result we are in a motel that is not exactly cheap. It appears like we will be unable to trust the State Parks to be open so will have to adjust our plans on the fly. I know that they have a drought but really!!!

Trip Distance = 43.81 km. Time on the Bikes = 3 hours 17 minutes. Average Speed = 13.33 km. Maximum Speed = 52.42 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Blue Heron, Surfers.

P.S. We did enjoy a walk through the historic main street of Half Moon Bay. It is a trendy tourist trap with all kinds of 'high priced' shops. We went into a woodworking/art shop...beautiful workmanship but my credit card limit would have had a tough time in there!

Coast View After Leaving The Urban Sprawl...Never Get Tired of These Views

Surfers At Pacific Beach...Check The Little Black Specks

Tunnel Exit

Coast View From Devil's Slide Area

A Mental Health Day

Sunday, October 26, 2014

After yesterdays verbal 'diarrhea' this will be quick. Today has been a day of chores. We have been for a couple of walks. The weather is beautiful. We are re-charging. Our gear is again dry. We are going to eat in our room and enjoy watching the ball game. We have had a planning session...at least for the next couple of days anyways.

Stay tuned! Leg # 3 begins!

Hello San Fran...Not Sad To See You Go

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Remember that thing called 'drought'...well we can sure fix that problem...all you need to do is call Two Wheels In Transit...guaranteed to produce heavy rainfall. Our stay in the redwoods at Samuel P. Taylor State Park will go down as a memorable one...but not for the right reasons. No showers (of course due to drought)...a disaster for touring cyclists...and heavy rainfall overnight...another disaster for touring cyclists is what we will remember...not the old growth redwoods we were camping underneath. We got up to a partial lake under our tent but not nearly as bad as Chris's. He was totally swimming and more disgusted than me...well maybe not! So we all packed up our 'sopping' wet gear and hit the road by 8:15 to find the first available coffee shop. Thankfully 6 kilometers later we were in luck...about the only positive thing that happened to us all day...well maybe not but things really did deteriorate for us later in the day. We had a pleasant ride for the first 20 kilometers and then the urban sprawl began...have I mentioned how much I dislike city riding? We played 'hop scotch' with Chris for the first 40 kilometers today at times riding together to try to navigate the city 'maze'. We were aided numerous times by people who were going out of their way to help us on our journey. Fairfax and Sausalito have a really active biking culture. We saw incredible amounts of road cyclists...certainly more than anywhere else we have ever been. Chris compared it to riding in Amsterdam. We again said our goodbyes to Chris as he was staying on the north side of the bridge at a hostel for two nights so he can be a tourist in San Fran tomorrow. We hope to run into him again further south. A bond seems to have formed with him as his riding distances are similar and he is a 'fun' guy to be around.

Then the 'nightmare' really began. The only positive for the last 30 kilometers was that the sun was shining. I do not even know where to begin with the story. I will try...and hopefully not get too carried away...or maybe I will. ACA should be embarrassed with their route approaching The Golden Gate Bridge. They take you down underneath it down to the water and then up this incredibly steep trail to the bridge. As a road cyclist crawled up the hill he said, "you guys sure picked the most difficult approach to the bridge"...thanks ACA!!! Our second problem started when we approached the bridge itself. There was a wind and I mean a WIND, that was a cross/head wind. It was blowing hard enough that it was difficult to keep the bikes upright. We could not enjoy the experience of riding across the famous Golden Gate Bridge that we had heard so much about. The other problem was the number of cyclists crossing this thing. The sidewalk was busy with people on rented bicycles...'Blazing Saddles' being the most prominent. There were hundreds of them. The sidewalk was too narrow in places for us and them too. Remember we are wider than average and combined with the inexperienced riders fighting the winds made the riding even more difficult. About all we can say is "we have ridden across the Golden Gate Bridge"...I will leave it at that.

Our route out of San Fran was a good one. We had made a decision early in the day to not take a day off in the city. It was a good route with reasonably flat riding...something that is difficult in a city built on the side of hills. Our next major set back was when we arrived at San Fran's beach area. It is a 6 kilometer stretch of beach. Remember that wind we had faced up on the bridge...well it was at its worst for the rest of the day. We faced it head on with sand drifting across the road. It is not enjoyable trying to ride bikes through sand drifts. Even saying the words is weird. We decided to bail into Daly City, a suburb of San Francisco. It has over 100,000 people and very little accommodation as we were about to find out. It was getting late in the day, we were hungry, and we were mentally 'screwed'. We stopped at a mall for directions to a couple of motels we had the names of and no one spoke English...I kid you not we had landed 'smack' in the middle of a Vietnamese area. Sue finally found a closed dental office that a lady opened and provided directions to a hotel that she new of while I guarded the bikes. Have I mentioned that after leaving the sand drift area the climbing began? Well all the elevation that we had gained we promptly lost as we headed back north 'downhill' into the centre of the city. First place...no luck...booked full. It was Saturday night and the World Series is in town and Daly City is a commuter town and much cheaper than staying in San Fran. The first place gave us a few options so we scrambled to ride to the El Camino Inn...success and what a relief. The room is small but good and clean. We are able to scrub two days of grime off of our bodies and go across the street to a Mexican Restaurant for some beer and food...both badly needed.

Overall assessment of our day...it was one of the 'lousiest' cycling experiences of our lives ranking right up there with our ride into Taber Alberta. If every day presented itself like this one did, no one would ever consider tour cycling.

However, we have a roof over our heads, a laundromat within a 100 meters, a grocery store a few blocks away and we are going to take a 'mental' day off...well maybe a 'physical' one too.

Trip Distance = 67.94 km. (Hard fought Kilometers). Time on the Bikes = 5 hours 24 minutes. Average Speed = 12.57 km. Maximum Speed = 55.11 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, Scrub Jay, Raccoon.

P.S. We hit another milestone today as we passed the 2000 kilometer mark for our trip. Even more unique is that it happened right at the Golden Gate Bridge!

P.P.S. We are still having fun despite our 'miserable' day!!!

Bay Bridge to Oakland With Alcatraz in The Forefront

Golden gate Bridge From ACA's Insane Lower Approach

San Francisco Homes On The Hills

Chris Really Is Not a Figment of Our Imaginations

A Tough Day For Us

Friday, October 24, 2014

We had a great evening last night chatting with the fellow cyclists in the hiker/biker. The young couple who had come in late were from Juno Alaska and had started their ride in Vancouver. They were finishing up today just outside of San Francisco.

We were on the road by 8:20 with the sun shining. We soon realized that we were going to face a headwind...whatever happened to the idea that the prevailing winds are to be from the north. Today we truly saw Northern California's ranchland. The last few days was to be only a small glimpse of what we experienced today. Highway 1 headed inland after leaving Bodega Day. Even the town names were reflective of ranching...Valley Ford and Tomales. We saw sheep grazing, huge dairy operations and again thousands of cattle up in the hills.

Marshall was a strange little town on Tomales Bay. All the buildings were built out over the water because the other side of the highway was rock face. Marshall only exists because of the oyster farms in Tomales Bay.

The real surprise for us today, however, was all the climbing. We assumed...I know assuming just makes an 'ass of you and me'...that today was to be a relatively easy day of riding. It was anything but. Chris's GPS clocked us in at 2789 feet of climbing. There were no huge climbs but just nothing flat...at least not until the last 12 kilometers. A nice lady in Point Reyes told us of a flat route to the park. It entailed some back tracking but it was a pleasure to ride culminating in a 8 km paved bike path on an old rail line into the park.

We are camping amongst the redwoods in Samuel P. Taylor State Park in the hiker/biker area. The down side of the park is that the showers have been closed due to the drought conditions in the area...not good for cyclists. We are again camping with Chris and swapping stories of our biking adventures. He has biked in a lot of different areas of the world...fascinating!!!

Trip Distance = 70.14 km. Time on the Bikes = 5 hours 5 minutes. Average Speed = 13.78 km. Maximum Speed = 55.93 km. Wildlife Sightings = Black Tailed Deer, Sea Otters, Harbour Seals, Raccoon, Scrub Jay, King Fisher, Blue Bird, Great Egrets, Turkey Vultures, Brewers Blackbird.

I believe for the first time on this adventure we are truly tired...our legs will not feel good for our ride into San Francisco tomorrow...YES SAN FRANCISCO here we come!!!

Grazing Land Near Valley Ford

Part of The 2700 Feet We Climbed Today

Large Beef Operation

County Road 40...Nothing Compared To These Climbs

Thursday, October 23, 2014

We had a nice stay at the Gualala (pronounced wa-la-la) Country Inn.

We were on the road a little bit earlier this morning as we knew we had some climbing and a few more kilometers to ride than we have been doing. We hit the road at 7:35.

Todays ride was again through thousands of acres of ranch land. Cattle are not fenced and are allowed to cross Highway 1 when they please. We crossed numerous cattle grates...steel bars with spaces between them that do not let cattle cross. We have been surprised by the ranching that we have seen in California. For whatever reason we have never associated this state with a beef industry.

We spent most of today 400 to 600 feet above the ocean. The day was dull so the hundred's of 'vistas' were not as spectacular. But this area would be stunning on a sun filled day. I am not complaining because the Weatherman called for 90% chance of rain. We dodged a bullet as it only sprinkled a couple of times.

We climbed 2100 feet today. Our information said there would be 2 major climbs before Jenner. After climbing off and on for 12 kilometres we were confused by where exactly the two climbs would have been. It was just a series of climbs that would put the hill on County Road 40 to shame.

We are camping in the Sonoma Coast State Park, Bodega Bay Dunes Campground (now that is a mouth full) hiker/biker site. We were pleasantly surprised to find Chris camping here. And I think we will be camping together tomorrow night. Just before dark another young couple arrived.

Trip Distance = 83.58 km. Time on the Bikes = 6 hours 2 minutes. Average Speed = 13.83 km. Maximum Speed = 44.72 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Coots, Brown Pelicans, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Scrub Jay, Rabbit.

Coast...Up High

Above The Highway...Grazing Land

Coast...North Of Bodega Bay

Just Sticking With The Plan

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

We were slow getting on the road this morning. We knew we had a short day. We were pleasantly surprised that the distance was even shorter than expected. As a bonus the tent fly was dry this morning...the first time on this trip. We said our goodbyes to Chris. We expect that we might not cross paths with him again as he is off to San Francisco, a city that has been on his 'bucket list' for years. It has been fun to make the acquaintance of a fellow tour cyclist for more than one day.

It was almost 8:30 when we hit the highway...and it was cool...but not for long. It started out at 8 degrees and within 30 minutes it was 18 degrees. A couple of stops were required to peel the layers of clothing that we had begun with. Our body temperatures rose way beyond the actual temperature as we continued with the 'plunges' down into the 'gulches' (that is what they are called in California) and then were forced to 'crawl' back up out of them.

We continued through cattle country again today. The ranches are large...one was advertised for sale at 540 acres. Some looked prosperous, some did not. One farm had a mansion up on the hill and a paved airstrip in the middle of the grazing land.

We arrived at our destination, Gualala, before noon. We visited the information centre to find a good place for lunch and a recommendation for accommodation for the night. We are checked into the Gualala Country Inn. It is an old Inn and the rooms are large and decorated with antique furniture.

Trip Distance = a whopping 35.76 km. Time on the Bikes = 2 hours 47 minutes. Average Speed = 12.82 km (We spent a lot of time pushing the bikes around town when we got here). Maximum Speed = 55.54 km. Wildlife Sightings = Black Tailed Deer, Grey Squirrel, Hairy Woodpecker, White Crowned Sparrow, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Ruby Throated Hummingbird, Monarch Butterflies.

California Ranching

Highway 1 Up Out of a Gulch

We Never Get Tired Of The Views of The California Coast

Monarch Feeding On Butterfly Bush

"The Older Canadian Couple Who Stop At All Tourist Places"

Tuesday, October 23, 2014

We left the comfort of our motel at 7:50 to cool 7 degrees but a sun filled sky. It soon began to warm.

Today was a nice ride along the coast line and as a bonus not as far as we thought. We were greeted with one pull over vista after another and I think we stopped at every one. We also rode through cattle country again. The cattle looked really good but what they were grazing on up on the sides of the hills was sure burned off. I guess they should have had Two Wheels in Transit ride through earlier in the year!

Today was a day to 'chat' with other tour cyclists. While stopped at Elk General Store we talked to a cyclist from Montreal who is riding the California coast. Shortly after we were overtaken by two British cyclists who are riding 'light' from Vancouver to San Diego. They were out of our sight within minutes. Since setting ourselves up in the Manchester Beach KOA Campground, Chris the British cyclist we camped with two nights ago has arrived.

Another highlight today was the town of Elk/Greenwood. It is a town that is confused about its name. It was originally called Greenwood but when it went to register its name years later there was already a Greenwood so the name was changed to Elk. But the locals still call it Greenwood 60 years later. We stopped at the General Store. It has just recently been bought by a young couple. One of the display coolers was manufactured in 1929 and another in 1937. We bought 'dagwood' sandwiches that they make while you wait. What a great lunch! The owner told me that Elk/Greenwood's heyday was in 1927.

Now for the title...While stopped we were approached by a couple who said "you guys must be the 'older' Canadian couple who stops at all tourist places. We have been talking to some other cyclists who have mentioned you guys". I guess that is just a nice way of saying we are 'old' and we are 'slow'. Both would be correct!!!

Trip Distance = 64.92 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 49 minutes. Average Speed = 13.47 km. Maximum Speed = 52.30 km. Wildlife Sightings = Coots, Black Tailed Deer, White Crowned Sparrow, Red Tailed Hawk.

California Coast

Multi Million Dollar Homes Overlooking The Ocean

Burned Off Grass That Cattle Are Trying To Feed On

A Day Off To Do Chores...And Maybe To Rest Our Weary Legs

Monday, October 20, 2014

We decided last night that we needed to take a day off. Our laundry was in dire need of doing. Our groceries, Sue says, have never been this low. And of course it poured rain overnight. The tent handled the overhead rain but did not like the river that flowed underneath it. So we are wet! We have moved into Fort Bragg to the Motel 6. It has lousy Wi fi so we are heading to Starbucks to hopefully post the last 3 days of blogs. We have clean clothes and are heading out to do the grocery shopping.

Just FYI. Chris told us last night that his GPS bike computer said we would have climbed almost 3500 feet yesterday. I guess that is why our legs need a rest.

We are surprised by how much rain we are experiencing here in California. This area has experienced almost no rainfall this year. Things are parched. I guess it is like a friend said to us when we crossed Canada, "You guys should start a second career as 'rain makers'...Two Wheels In Transit guarantees rain"! And as I write this the thunder is rumbling...and remember California does not get thunderstorms...at least until Two Wheels In Transit arrives!!!

The Leggett Hill..Not That Bad...But We should Have Paid Attention To The Detail About The Coastal Part

Sunday, October 19, 2014

I had a good chat last night with two of the tour cyclists. They were both from Los Angles and were not climbing the big hill as one of them had parents who lived further down 101 and they were going to take a couple of days off there and then rejoin the coast a little further along. I hope to see them down south somewhere.

We were on the road by 8:00 and starting our climb on Highway 1. Either we are getting better at this 'hill climbing thing' or it was not that bad. It had some steep sections of course but after 7 kilometers it was conquered. Then came the downhill. It was a 16 kilometer plunge. It was unfortunate that we had gear, the road was 'slick', and there was too much traffic. We were hard on our brakes to say the least. It was actually difficult to control the speed to get around the 'hairpin' curves. But what a pleasure after the climb.

The second climb was more difficult. Maybe the % grade was greater, maybe the legs were a little tired, but it 'taxed' our abilities...but no walking was necessary!

After riding up in the trees for days we popped out onto the coast...actually we climbed back up to the coast. We were again greeted by a magnificent view...where I promptly ran into the back of Sue's bike snapping off her back light. I knew she was stopping but I was taking in the view and not paying attention...I did not fall!!! So now Fort Bragg Cyclery hopefully has a new tail light. Otherwise I will be 'rigging' something up with the old one.

We had made it up the big hills but what we did not anticipate was just how much climbing was going to take place between Westport and Fort Bragg. The scenery was great but those climbs out of the ravines were a lot more than we expected and there were a lot of them. By the time we arrived at MacKerricher State Park we were tired. We did, however, enjoy the ranch land that we rode through getting here. We are set up in their Hiker/Biker Site with Chris, a British cyclist that we met a few days ago outside of Eureka. The forecast is for rain. We hope not.

Trip Distance = 75.73 km. Ride Time = 5 hours 34 minutes. Average Speed = 13.59 km. Maximum Speed = 61.22 km (I guess I was not on the brakes all the time). Wildlife Sightings = Black Tailed Deer, Red Tailed Hawk, Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, California Quail.

Out On The Coast Again

Up, Down And Around...Along The Coast

Up, Down And Around Part 2...Parched Land

A Unique Bicycle Ridden By a Fellow From Germany

A Short Day...The Set Up for Tomorrow

Saturday, October 18, 2014.

We took our time leaving the 'expensive' Best Western this morning. Now I should back up and say that the room was actually as big and nice as anything that we have stayed in...also the most expensive. We found out that the town hosts a 'marathon' each year that is run through the Avenue of the Giants. I suspect that the rates were 'jacked up' due to the demand...what a rip off. We did 'pig out' (at least I did) on their continental breakfast...us and the marathon runners...the 'hippies' were no where to be seen. We left by 8:30 and rode two blocks to a grocery store to replenish our lunch supplies. Then we made our escape from one of the strangest towns we have ever visited.

We spent most of our day off of Highway 101 riding all by ourselves on 'automobile free' roads. It was probably the original highway. What a pleasure again. Today's solitude (of course there was another bike nearby) allowed me time to ponder why we take on these adventures. Before leaving home I came across this passage that really does sum up for me what bike touring is all about. "The slower pace but more challenging effort of a bike tour can be good for your body, mind and spirit. Pushing those legs and lungs fuel the mind and boost the soul. Seeing sights only possible by sitting on a post, taps into unknown energy that keeps you pedaling when you might otherwise feel too tired. Best of all, on a bike tour, your problems and stress disappear. The main reason for this: the bicycle itself. The bicycle...the most amazing transportation device ever discovered. It is a discovery machine able to move you from place to place without making you feel like you have skipped anything in between. When you are riding along at 15 km. an hour, it is hard to miss things."

Our ride today was a short one. It was a set up for the longest and highest climb of our trip tomorrow... the dreaded Leggett Hill... not looking forward to the climb but it has been described as an absolute 'blast' to go down the other side.

We are camping in Standish Hickey State Recreation Area. We arrived early and have a beautiful site. The park is virtually empty...at least at this point. Tomorrow will be a test of our 'legs' and maybe more so our 'willpower'...so we are told.

Trip Distance = 39.00 km. Time on the Bikes = 2 hours 59 minutes...nice! Average Speed = 13.01 km. Maximum Speed = 53.70 km. Wildlife Sightings = Red Tailed Hawk, Red Shafted Flicker, Unidentified Sapsucker, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Black Tailed Deer and her 2 fawns.

P.S. We encountered another tour cyclist today. Frank is from Germany and had crossed Canada...absolutely raved about how nice Canadians are...and then he turned south. His blog can be found at www.crosscanada2014.blogspot.com Since setting up today 5 more cyclists have also arrived. I am sure I will get chatting with them before the evening is up.

Looking Down on the Eel River...It Is Almost Dry

Beautiful Campsite at Standish Hickey State Recreation Area

The Avenue of Giants...WOW!!!

Friday, October 17, 2014

The Scotia Inn was great! It is one of the highlights of the places we have stayed.

We were on the road by 9:00. Obviously that is later than normal. We took advantage of the continental breakfast and of course it took a lot longer to get the gear and the bikes to the front of the Inn so we could begin our ride. We were in no hurry as we had planned a really short day...plans change!

We started the day on the expressway but then turned onto The Avenue of Giants. This is a 55 kilometer road through the preserved redwood forest. We assume it used to be the old highway. WOW! Do not know what else can be said. It drizzled as we rode along but we hardly noticed. Picture taking is impossible because pictures cannot do this road justice. The trees are massive and the road has been built around the trees. We enjoyed every pedal stroke. We intended on stopping at about 35 kilometers at a campground but we were enjoying the scenery and the ride so much that we decided to not stop and to ride the rest of the Avenue of Giants.

We eventually rejoined Highway 101 and were treated to the sighting of a Black Bear and her cub, the first bear sightings of the trip. It also began to rain more heavily so we have bailed into a motel again tonight. We are in Garberville, 'Hippyville USA'. I kid you not this place forgot to get out of the 1960's. People are wearing headbands and dressing in 1960's style clothing. Everyone speaks like they are 'stoned'...maybe they are. We had to wait in the lobby of The Best Western for our room to be made up. We were amazed by the people checking in. About 75 % of them were paying cash...the anti-establishment lives on! We are confused as to why the town is so busy as it only has a population of 1200. There are a heck of a lot more people in town tonight than that. Since our arrival the rain has continued to get heavier...I guess the credit card touring continues!

Trip Distance = 72.01 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 43 minutes. Average Speed = 15.23 km. Maximum Speed = 47.55 km. Wildlife Sightings = Mallards, Turkey Vultures, Great Egrets, Black Tailed Deer, Black Bear and her Cub.

That was truly an experience today riding through the giant redwoods!

The Avenue of Giants

Medium Sized Redwood

Black Bear and Her Cub

Fantastic Scenery...And You Will Not Believe Why

Thursday, October 16, 2014

During the night I came up with a change of plan...I know most people sleep at night...I do too but it is also when I do my best thinking. So after consulting with Sue this morning we decided to cut our ride short today, stay at a recommended Inn (Thanks Don), and get ready to enjoy 'The Avenue of Giants' tomorrow.

We left the room this morning without the bicycles to go next door to McDonalds to use their Wi fi. Sitting in the parking lot in the dark did not appeal to me...especially in this town. By 8:30 we were on our bikes and riding through the old historical district of Eureka. This town has a tremendous amount of wealth built on the lumber industry. As I was told it is 'old' money. However, it also has a 'homeless' problem like I have never seen anywhere in my life. Both ends of town were filled with 'street walkers' as a 'local' told me they are called. The town has a serious methamphetamine problem and very little is being done about it.

Highway 101 became an expressway again as it left Eureka. Usually that is accompanied by wide shoulders to ride on. So was this one. But we were in for a rude surprise as the shoulder pavement was ground down and we had to ride on a surface rougher than we have ever experienced before. It 'rattled' us for over 10 kilometers. While stopped, adjusting our shorts, another tour cyclist stopped to chat. He was from Britain and was on his way from Canada to Argentina.

Our real treat began when we left 101 and followed the ACA route. They got it right! It may not have been the most direct route, but what a pleasurable ride through farm country. The Loleta area is full of small beef operations. The Eel River Valley with Ferndale at its centre is purely dairy. They obviously can grow grass year round because the dairy herds were really large for the number of acres that made up each farm. And by the way they have done okay for themselves. Ferndale is one of the 'neatest' towns we have ever visited. The houses are Victorian style and the main street looked like we had ridden back in time.

After leaving Ferndale we 'slogged' into a headwind most of the way to Rio Dell. And as per usual when the ride has been a good one, some miserable climbing was necessary to get us to our destination. We were up in the hills and below us we could see nice flat 101.

We decided to treat ourselves tonight. We are staying in the Scotia Inn in Scotia. It was built in 1923. It has 12 foot ceilings in each room and the furniture is some of the original from when it was built. Scotia is the headquarters of the Pacific Lumber Company, a name we have been seeing all the way back to Washington. They have been 'raping and pillaging' the redwood forests since the 1860's. They presently employ 1400 people in their 2 mills in Scotia.

Trip Distance = 59.41 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 21 minutes. Average Speed = 13.63 km (I guess we really were enjoying the countryside). Maximum Speed = 51.60 km. Wildlife Sightings = Deer, Oregon Juncos, Cedar Waxwings, Great Egrets, Red Tailed Hawk, Turkey Vultures, Dairy Cattle by the thousands.

Typical Dairy Heard Near Ferndale

Ferndale Main Street

For Our Swiss Friends

"The Land of The Rising Sun"

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Now before anyone thinks I have gone completely off my rocker, the title, I hope, will make some sense later.

Last night was quite the night. It started to rain about 3:00 pm. Thank goodness it was after we were set up. It just got gradually heavier as the evening went on and even harder overnight. We dined on bagels and peanut butter...again...two meals of that in one day is a bit much. It is too bad that the Oregon and California State Parks are not like Washington's. In Washington we ere always able to find a covered picnic shelter to cook supper and to pack our gear in the morning if necessary. So last night it was raining too hard to cook...so peanut butter it was...again! We were in the tent from 4:00 pm for the duration. Fifteen hours in a small tent is a bit much. But our tent withstood the 'barrage' of rain and we stayed dry. We even survived the thunder and lightning that everyone was talking about today. Thunderstorms are a rare occurrence on the west coast we have since found out.

We were on the road by 7:40 this morning. It was still raining. We had not had coffee...a really serious matter...and we had not had any breakfast. That was remedied 11 kilometers down the road in the 'dying' if not 'dead' town of Orick. We stopped at the Palm Motel/Cafe for breakfast. The diner was right out of the 1960's with the stools at the counter and a juke box over in the corner that the cook kept feeding quarters to so that we could be entertained...I guess. While having breakfast the rain stopped and the sun came out. Just as we were getting ready to leave the song "The Land of The Rising Sun" came on the jukebox. Do you think I could stop singing that song for the rest of the day...not a chance. It is a good thing I now ride behind Sue so she did not have to listen!

Now for the rest of the ride. We had some climbing again today up into the redwoods again. But the majority of the day was spent with great views of the coast. We were, however, pounded by our first really strong headwind. Even downhill if you did not pedal you stopped. This lasted for the last 40 kilometers. It took it's toll on us. As a matter of fact for the first time on this journey my legs did not feel overly good...constant pounding into the wind (and yes I was leading trying to shield Sue for this) will do that to you I guess. The bonus today was that the sun shone all day. It was supposed to rain all day.

We are in the Econo Lodge in Eureka. While sitting in the parking lot of the motel posting yesterday's blog (it is the only place that the Wi fi works) a car crossed a raised median filled with rocks crossed two lanes of traffic and came to rest in our motel's swimming pool building just shy of the water. I guess we will not be using the pool tonight!

Trip Distance = 79.93 km. Time on the Bikes = 5 hours 14 minutes. Average Speed = 15.26 km. Maximum Speed = 50.37 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Black Tailed Deer, Roosevelt Elk (by the dozen).

Roosevelt Elk at The Campground

California Coast

And I Thought That We Had Big Trees...Not Even Close

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

We were on our bikes and onto 101 by 7:35. We were hoping to beat the heavy rains which were predicted for mid afternoon. It was raining a little bit and was only 7 degrees as we left Crescent City, a town that has suffered from the decline of the forestry and the fishing industry. It is trying to re-invent itself as a tourist town. Good luck with that!

We knew today was going to be all about 'sweating' up the climbs and 'freezing' going down. And it lived up to just that. The terrain did not allow much of a warm up for our legs. The road began to go up...way up...as the Friendly Giant used to say...the problem...the chair for two people to curl up in was not available...just a damn post...I digress.

The first climb was relentless. It was 6 kilometers at a steady 6 to 7 degrees. Usually hills have some flatter areas on them but not this one. It was relentless. We were climbing for the first time into the 'Sequoia' (Redwoods for slang) forest. These trees are amazing. They will grow for up to 2000 years and to well over 300 feet in height. This area is known for having some of the tallest trees in the world. As you ride through them you cannot believe their size. Our camera cannot even come close to showing their true splendour. After 1250 feet of climbing we flew down the other side to be treated to some of California's rocky coastline (it looks an awful lot like Oregon here).

Climb #2 found us entering Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. For 800 feet we again climbed up into the redwoods. This time there was very little traffic as we had turned onto Newton B Drury Parkway where commercial vehicles are not allowed. The ride down to the campground was when we really gained an appreciation of just how big these trees really are.

We are camping in Elk Prairie Campground in Prairie Creek Redwood State Park. We were fortunate for a couple of reasons. We were able to see some Elk grazing in the edge of the campground, set up our tent, have lunch, and shower before the heavy rain started.

I am not going to complain about the shower...well maybe I will. In California Parks you have to pay for the showers. The drain in this one did not work very well. By the time the shower was over there was an inch of water on the floor and it was running out under the door. This presented a bit of a challenge when trying to put ones pants back on. Maybe they should spend some of those 'quarters' and fix the plumbing...I am not ranting!!!

Trip Distance = 55.42 km. Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 10 minutes. Average Speed = 13.28 km (I guess that is what happens when you climb over 2000 feet). Maximum Speed = 47.53 km. Wildlife Sightings = Chimney Swifts (a whole flock), Brown Pelicans, Elk, Massive Sequoias.

Sue Dwarfed While Riding Through The Redwoods

Redwoods

And Who Should We Find Among The Redwoods?

Questioning ACA...But Not For Long

Monday, October 13, 2014

We were away this morning from the Westward Motel in Brookings by 7:30. We were anxious to begin the next stage of the journey...CALIFORNIA!

It was a cool ride today as the temperature never made it beyond 10 degrees despite the fact that the sun shone all day. As we left Oregon behind and entered State # 3, we were seriously questioning ACA's route once again. We were taken off 101 and onto this 'twisty', 'shoulder less', and 'hilly' Ocean View Drive. Below us and closer to the ocean was 101. It was flat with wide shoulders and definitely had the same views as we were treated to. Part way along Sue mentioned to me that this was probably the section that a friend of ours had mentioned that made no sense. Next time Brian we will heed your advice.

However, ACA got it right the rest of the day as we crossed 101 and biked through really flat farmland almost all the way to Crescent City. We rode through an area that grows exclusively Easter Lilly bulbs. This area produces 75% of the U.S.'s Easter Lillies. We then rode through a whole lot of dairy operations where the choice of cows was a mixture of holstein and jersey.

Our ride ended for the day in Crescent City. We arrived by noon. It was a strategic day as we decided not to take on the upcoming climb today. Besides, it is to be a BAD weather day tomorrow. We have decided to get a motel room tonight so at least when we arrive tomorrow in the campground (and we have no choice but to camp) we will be starting with a dry tent. I know...we are getting soft in our 'old age'.

We are staying at the Penny Saver Inn. It is an older Motel but in really good condition. As a bonus it has a pool and a hot tub. The hot tub will be put to use after dinner.

As we rode into Crescent City today we saw the now famous 'quad tandem' bicycle sitting outside of McDonalds. I just had to stop to talk to them. It is a 4 person bicycle that has 3 guys and a girl riding it. They have a support vehicle and are raising money for cancer. Their tour is called The Tandem Tour 2 - Canada to Mexico (www.tandemtourtwo.com). The really strange coincidence is that the Tandem Tour 1 was in 2010 when the bike crossed Canada. We saw it in Hope, British Columbia, just as we were leaving to start into the mountains. One of the guys from that ride is also on this one. What a small world!!!

Trip Distance = 58.95 km (It was such an easy ride it seems like another day off!) Time on the Bikes = 4 hours 2 minutes. Average Speed = 14.60 km. Maximum Speed = 42.37 km. Wildlife Sightings = Great Blue Heron, Brown Pelican, Sea Lions, Western Gull.

Something We Have Not Seen For A Long Time...Flat Land

No We Are Not In Oregon...The California Coast In All It's Splendour

The Quad Tandem

Oregon...What a Great Experience!!!

Sunday, October 12, 2014

There are not enough 'superlatives' to describe the coastline of Oregon. Our experiences here have been nothing but positive. The roads at times were rough and sometimes lacked shoulders and the traffic was 'brutal' at times but 'wow' what an experience. It has taken 10 days and 647 kilometers of exciting riding. Now just in case anyone thinks it was easy riding...think again. The coast is extremely hilly. Each day was physically challenging but incredibly rewarding. I guess that is why 6000 cyclists ride the coast each year!

The pictures from the last 10 days really do tell it all.

Oregon's Coast

Sunset At Harris Beach

A Little Later At Harris Beach