Aug 12, Elk Prairie Campground, 65.6miles, Avg=9.3

We struck camp and left by 7am, in a hurry to get some McDonalds breakfast for a change. Along the way I found some ripe blackberries that enhanced my pancakes considerably. I buried my pancakes in blackberries and then poured on the maple syrup (well, OK, it was maple favored corn syrup). Very nice if I say so myself. The hot breakfast provided a welcome break from out usual boiled eggs and fruit or pastry. After breakfast we set out on what promised to be a long day, still undecided about whether we would go the full way to Elk Prairie or find a closer camp around Klamath. or maybe even around Crescent City. Not far out of Brookings we tried the ACA route just east of 101 but it was too hilly so we returned to 101. Later, we tried the Lake Earl Drive route into Crescent City recommended in the "book" and on the ACA map, it was very nice with only a little traffic and rolling hills. The blackberries were so plentiful that once I stopped and picked the berries without getting off my bike.

We stopped for lunch at Burger King in Crescent City and decided to push on to at least Klamath instead of staying at Mill Creek Campground. That proved a good choice because after some snacks in Klamath we were able to go on to Elk Prairie. The climb over the mountain from Crescent City to Klamath was very steep and long. It took us three hours to go from Crescent City to Klamath, including some breaks and photo ops. After the top 101 returns to sea level along an especially beautiful coast line. Klamath is much smaller than I expected, we found only a convenience store with gas station for groceries. They had a Subway so we got sandwiches for dinner.

We climbed again out of Klamath but it went comparatively easy. Once at the top we congratulated ourselves on reaching the top and looked forward to a downhill run to the campground. We should have looked at the map a little more closely, after turning off on the Newton B Drury Parkway we climbed steeply for a couple of miles, sweating profusely, and cursing our luck. Why of why I asked over and over again, why wasn't I born into a world in which this mill didn't exist, everything else exactly the same, just this hill gone. Finally at the top we started down the last eight miles to camp on a perfect downhill. Not too steep, just right for some light pedaling and slow enough to enjoy the huge redwood trees on both sides of the road. That eight miles was cool, even chilly, shaded and very enchanting as it wound its way through a thick dark forest of giant spruce, cedar, and redwood trees. I think that last eight miles was one of the best cycle miles I've ever had. I remembered this coasting downhill from my previous trip but not all its glory.

Elk Prairie has a great hike/biker area, plenty of room, multiple tables, and food boxes for our groceries. I prefer a more communal campground but the setup is still very nice with a good balance between privacy and community.

 

 

 

 

Aug 13, Eureka KOA, 48.6miles, Avg=8.9

It was chilly and seemed to have rained during the night when we got up started to pack. I was worried about rain but our luck held again and by the time we left, about 8am, we could see the sky beginning to clear. Roy jumped out to an early lead in search of coffee so by the time we left the campground and entered a large meadow we could not see Roy, just two bull elk mock fighting each other. These bull elk were too young to have a heard, they were bachelors banned from the herd by their bigger elders, but their mock battle was still exciting and noisy as their antlers clacked against each other in the early morning light. After that delay Tom and I stopped for some blackberries and then to make a small repair to Toms bike to shorten the plastic tube that contains his chain.

Finally catching Roy, they enjoyed some coffee and me a cinnamon roll at a local coffee shop. Moving on, at Patricks point we switched to the ACA recommended old coastal road which afforded us some wonderful views of the coastline but the route has quite a bit of ups and downs. We then returned to highway 101, missed the first turnoff for Clam beach, we got off at the second and found a bike path going our way but didn't take it for fear of needing to backtrack. It turns out that the bike path goes all the way to McKinleyville and then links to the ACA route on the Hammond Trail. The Hammond Trail and back roads into Arcata were very nice and relaxing. We passed through cattle country and one strawberry farm that we could smell before we saw it.

 

Arcata is a cute little town but we didn't tarry, we pushed on to the KOA about 4 miles north of Eureka. While adequate, the camp space lacks charm, the nearby restroom and shower broken, and the WiFi too slow to be useful. I stayed here on my last trip, camping with two other cyclists, one from Australia and another from near Seattle. The latter turned into a good friend when we joined together the next year to tour from Spain to Turkey.

 

 

 

There are no restaurants near the KOA and the camp store has virtually nothing. Hungry, we decided to have a pizza delivered, a large pizza with a two liter bottle of root beer.

Aug 14, Eureka KOA, 17.8, rest day

As our first goal for the day we went in search of a greasy spoon restaurant for breakfast. We searched the old down town area but found nothing and were just about to settle for a Dennys when we finally asked some who directed us to a place that was packed with hungry customers. After our late breakfast we looked for a bicycle shop to get some parts and then headed back downtown for some coffee. Eventually we decided on a movie, a crime drama. Alas, the goofing off had to end so we headed back to the KOA for the night.

Aug 15, Burlington Campground, 56.4miles, Avg=9.0

We left the KOA about 7:30am headed for McDonalds but along the way decided on a better restaurant. We all had a big breakfast and started on the easy part of the day, about 15 miles of flat riding along 101. At Fernbridge we left 101 and followed the ACA route to Scotia. The ACA route passes through flat but poor farmland in which the farms appear to be failing. The cycling is easy and has little traffic, our passage only noticed by the occasional farm dog. After the hills and fog of the last few weeks, I really enjoyed the easy cycling and the warming sunny weather. About 5 miles before Scotia the roads gets quite hilly as it follows the Eel River well away from the broad flood plan of the river. But even here the hills were not too bad, rolling with only a few steep parts. It looks like the Eel River suffers from frequent flooding.

 

 

In Rio Dell we stopped for burgers and shakes for lunch, then in Scotia we got food for dinner and breakfast out of a mini mart. A few more miles on the 101, we then turned off to the Avenue of the Giants. This very pleasant old highway passes through very tall forests of redwood, spruce, and cedar. The road is cool and shady even on a hot day. A couple steep climbs slowed our progress near the end but overall it was easy riding and very beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along the way we were passed by a young woman named Kiki (kiki.bikesacrossthe.us) finishing up her TransAm trip by cycling down the coast to San Francisco. She passed us all on the road but we caught her at a fresh fruit stand where she was eating a blackberry possible. Later, we found her at the campground. She's had lots of adventures along the way and many stories. At one point she became very ill and had to seek help from someone she encountered in a small town. This kind stranger eventually had to drive her to a larger city where she was briefly hospitalized. Left on her own by the cyclists she had joined, she recuperated after some rest and continued on her TransAm trip. She's a strong cyclist who will get to SF in about four days, well ahead of us. Unfortunately, she had not bought any food in Scotia, having expected to find a store closer to the camp so we donated some ramen to her cause.

 

 

Burlingington Campground is set in a forest of thick redwood and cedar trees. These trees have grown from a second growth after an earlier logging. Huge stumps from the original occupants of this forest litter the area, chunky monoliths in deteriorating wood. The kids in the campground keep themselves busy finding ways to climb to the top of the stumps to discover whatever they can find at the top. Not much I suppose but the dream of something exciting seems to provide enough motivation.

Aug 16, Standish-Hickey State Park, 48.4miles, Avg=8.1

We got on the road at our usual 8am, continuing on with highway 254 south. The morning was cool and the road shaded for the most part so we felt no hurry as we rolled into Myers Flat looking for coffee. The morning search for coffee is a new routine for me. My previous trips with other people had the occasional coffee stop but it wasn't as important or not feasible to find coffee early in the morning. I enjoy the stop and the chance to get a nice break. Ideally we don't find coffee until about an hour into the day, a nice time to take a good break. It puzzles me that neither Tom or Roy carry instant coffee to go along with the oatmeal we make in the morning. It seems that getting coffee from a shop or store constitutes an important part of the coffee drinking experience for them.

In the coffee shop I found a young couple who appeared to have slept in the forest with nothing more than a piece of foam and a tarp. They looked a little worn down and in need of a good home. They must be hitchhiking around, carrying a guitar, drum, and tambourine. Unfortunately, the tambourine was broken and the guitar was missing a string. They were young and immature and maybe a little in need. It seemed like they were chatting up the sales clerk in preparation to solicit some free coffee. Alas, they failed.

As we cycled the day heated up. At Phillipsville we returned to highway 101 with it's traffic and scorching sun. Just outside of Garberville I started down a small hill and noticed a severe rhythmic rubbing coming from my rear wheel. Inspection showed the the rim of my wheel had split, through metal fatigue or wearing down from the brakes. The 3 inch split had not damaged the tire yet so I disabled the rear brakes, reduced the pressure in the tire and rode into Garberville hoping this small town of 1300 people had a bike shop. It didn't have a dedicated bike shop but the back of the local sporting goods store had some bike parts and a person who repairs bikes so I was able to get a replacement wheel. Unfortunately, it's an 8 speed wheel, slightly larger than my 9 speed hub. We had to spread the frame a little to get the wheel on, so now it's a two person job to change the tire. The new wheel didn't work correctly with the brakes so I had to change the shims on the brake shoes. My Vision bike requires and nonstandard dishing of the rear wheel Between a couple trips to the shop and messing with the brakes and cassette it took us about three hours to get back on the road again.

I felt particularly lucky to find a wheel at all, and lucky again that the bike mechanic was willing to come in on his day off to remove the cassette from my old hub. I had to ask him to come in because they would not loan me a cassette removal tool. They blamed it on insurance restrictions because of liability issues. I'm not sure I completely believe that but it's believable in our overly litigious society.

We met Kiki again in Garberville where she had spent some time at the library catching up on the internet. We all gathered at the Gitty Up drive in for burgers and shakes while I fixed my bike. I guess my sadness at losing this nearly perfect wheel plainly showed as everyone seemed to go out of their way to cheer me up. It was a sad loss. I had the wheel made in 2001 for my trip in 2002 from Spain to Turkey. Since then I've used it for a trip in Mexico and last summer in the US, along with countless training rides. It had seen maybe 10,000 miles and was still just as straight and true as the day it was made.

Highway 101 has some very narrow and steep sections south of Garberville but the traffic thinned out a little which helped. The alternate route starting in Benbow was nice because of the shade and reduced traffic. The alternate didn't last long and we missed the next turn off just north of Piercy so we cycled the rest of the way on 101. We finally got to Standish-Hickey about 7pm. We had purchased some chicken and potato salad in Garberville but could have waited till Standish-Hickey because the little store outside the camp entrance had a better than normal selection for a mini-mart. We found the camp mostly empty with only a single cycle tourist at one table and what looked like a hobo at another table. We took up the third table which we shared a little later with a father-son team that rode in about 7:45pm. The young man in this team is big for 16, already taller than myself. He has waist length brown hair that he braids into a pigtail while cycling. Nice kid but struggling with the early risings that work best with cycle touring.

Aug 17, MacKerricher State Park, 54.4miles, Avg=8.7

Today was the day Tom and Roy dreaded, the day we climbed Leggett hill. In fact, there are two parts to the climb. The climb up Leggett was moderate, it probably took me about an hour. Much of it was shady but already hot in the early morning so my shirt was pretty wet by the time I got to the top. We then started a very long fantastic downhill, almost to sea level (from about 2000 ft) with lots of hair pin turns and some rough patches. It was quite a bit of fun and not too steep. I often could let go of the brakes and just coast without gathering too much speed. As we dropped the temperature fell dramatically so that eventually I had to stop and put on some more clothes. By the bottom we were covered by a thick damp fog from the ocean. Climbing up the next hill warmed me up quite a bit. This second climb has a rather steeper grade than the previous Leggett hill but not as long.

From the top of the second hill we coasted on in to Westport and found a not very adequate store with not much to eat. They had some expensive sandwiches for sale, in the end I settled for a $5 mushroom/pesto calzone which tasted good but not so filling as I might have hoped. While we were there some passing cycle tourists called out "do they have super tea?" I responded that I didn't know what super tea was, to which she responded "I mean tea or soup"! It's really clear we're in California now. This shop plays Bob Dylan on the stereo, produces vegetarian fare, and sells hippie garb and souvenirs.

The last 15 miles to camp were up and down as highway 1 winds in and out of small canyons formed by creeks headed to the ocean. The south wind blunted our speed on the downhill part and the very steep climbs out of the small canyon were quite taxing. We got to camp about 3:30pm, setup, dumped our gear, and left for Fort Bragg to get some dinner. Fort Bragg unfortunately has all the fast food restaurants well south of the old downtown. We rode a couple miles through town and still didn't find a McDonalds so settled for a pizza shop.

On the ride we were passed by Rodney Java, who we met again at the store outside the camp entrance and at camp. He's a really interesting character who has invented StickPic, a device that allows you to mount your camera on the end of a hiking pole and take pictures of yourself. He's also made a bunch of custom additions to his helmet and bicycle, has a teepee looking tent that accommodates his bicycle as well as some sort of hi-tec cot at night. We all really enjoyed checking out his gear. The hiker/biker site was pretty full tonight with other cyclists as well, two father/son teams, a young couple, and a single cyclist. With a rest day tomorrow I was able to stay up and enjoy the company for a while this evening.

Aug 18, MacKerricher State Park, rest day

An abandoned highway provides a nice traffic free bike path to Fort Bragg from the campground. The path passes through some sand dunes along a lovely beach, and across a pedestrian bridge over a small creek which affords a beautiful view of a tidal area. Fort Bragg has a touristy downtown with a good collection of souvenir shops and fancy restaurants. Our first goal this morning was a nice breakfast but we couldn't find anything that seemed attractive and in our price range. We settled for a coffee shop that also had some waffles. Next up, a trip to the library. We spent maybe three hours at the library catching up with our internet world. The library restricts out of town visitors to one hour per day on the computers. You can use their WiFi system as long as you want. I had my laptop so I signed up for an hour that Tom used.

I was telling Tom how my thin highly breathable vest was nearly my favorite piece of clothing, after my pants! On cool mornings it offers just the right amount of warmth for a morning ride, without over heating later. It's easy to unzip and zip the garmet as you climb and drop during the day. Tom was inspired to write an ode, and odd to the lowly vest.

Yes, the lowly vest is truly best.
For while it covers only chest,
It leaves bare all the rest.
You can bike and bike with lively zest,
Arms and legs afflail at your behest,
Yet ne'er o'erheating the heaving breast.
-- Tom

Aug 19, Manchester State Park, 46miles, Avg=8.6

Strangely, it was reasonably warm when we got up, it was warmer in the night and morning than during the previous afternoon. During the afternoon the wind blows in from the ocean causing fog and making it rather cold. The wind stops at night and things warm up again until the next afternoon. We got up, ate some breakfast and started into Fort Bragg to find the Starbucks for some coffee. I think we may have idled away nearly an hour chatting and Tom and Roy drinking coffee. While we were there the grandfather-grandson team rode by. We have heard about them because the grandfather rides a recumbent but we hadn't actually met them yet. I had seen them the night before, just briefly and expected to see them in camp but they didn't turn up. It seems they stayed in town. They were not going fast so I expected to catch them during the day but we didn't.

We reached Mendocino by mid morning, it's a cute little town with a New England style. Most of the people look like successful suburbanites, yuppies, but occasionally some derelict looking types would wander into the street. One especially wild looking guy looked decidedly out of place in this town of white picket fences and up scale coffee shops. I got a picture of Tom answering questions from a lady about his recumbent bike, the usual questions about comfort etc. I have been surprised this trip by several people who seemed to think the bike looked uncomfortable. Compared to an upright bike our bikes look very comfortable to me, so the question just seems odd.

 

 

 

We got to Albion about lunch time, the one store in this one store town has a nice deli with a mix of sandwiches and mexican food. I got a beef burrito, it was expensive but tasted good. Actually, it struck me as odd that we found such good food and relative complete market in this wide spot in the road. While I sat eating my burrito I observed a steady flow of people coming in for their lunch. Evidently the quality food attracts customers from the area.

So far the cycling was quite easy, no difficult climbs or steep descents. I had expected a more difficult day. We expected to find what the Kirkendall and Spring book claims as the steepest climb on the Pacific coast just after Albion, but we only encountered more rolling hills. Finally, a few miles after Elk we dropped into the Elk Creek canyon and discovered the notorious steep grade. Tom started walking immediately, I struggled on a hundred more yards before dismounting to walk, and Roy continued on up. With my last gasp of energy I managed to walk as fast or a little faster than Roy could pedal eventually causing him to give up the effort from too much laughter. Once on the top we had the difficult part of the day behind us and rode into Manchester to get food and then out to the state park for camping.

 

There are very few people here, one other couple cycle touring, a couple of RV's and the camphost. On my last trip I spent a very cold night here on the exposed bluff with the cold wind blowing. Fortunately, tonight it's cold but not windy. Tom and I had enough energy after setting up camp to walk out to the shore to see the ocean. We didn't think it anything special, but pleasant enough. It does strike one as sad to see this beautiful sandy beach basically unusable because it's just too cold.

 

 

 

 

Aug 20, Bodega Dunes State Park, 70.8miles, Avg=9.5

A long day, it went pretty well despite rolling hills. We got off about 7:30am and stopped for coffee at Point Arena. The sky was foggy most of the day which for me and Tom was a blessing because it kept things cool but made Roy pretty sad, he really hates the cold weather and longs for a sunny hot day. Climbing a hill would warm me up pretty good then the inevitable downhill on the other side would coos things right down again. Most of the day was a series of mild up and down climbs and drops as we crossed one small creek after another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The conditions really seem to suit Tom and his bike. Normally I cycle a little faster than Tom. He coasts down hill sections rather faster than myself, but on the flat and the up hill parts I move along a little faster than him. Put together, overall I go a little faster than Tom over most distances. I've found that as a pair we move the fastest if I follow Tom. Tom speeds down the downhill portions and I can either pedal after him and stay in the slipstream or I can catch up later. If I go first then I tend to slow down so as not to run away from him on the flat and uphill portions, and Tom slows in order to build up a gap so he doesn't run over me on the downhill portion. It's a recipe for slow cycling. However, today I had a hard time keeping up with Tom, I had to push myself a little harder than I prefer to keep up. I think partly Tom has gotten quite a bit stronger and the lighter load he carries helps him keep up better than at the beginning of the trip, when I was in relatively better shape than Tom. Also, I think the more aeronautic configuration of his bike fits this type of terrain better than my more upright posture.

 

Just south of Fort Ross we started the only big climb of the day. Highway 1 climbs high up along the coast affording spectacular views of the ocean below with the white line of surf outlining the boundary between water and land. The road has many sharp corners and no shoulder which makes for some nervous cycling. Unfortunately the density of jerks has risen dramatically as we've gotten closer to San Francisco. I still wonder sometimes why some people won't give me the room they would give a dog walking along the road.

Aug 21, Bodega Dunes State Park, rest day

rest day

Aug 22, Samuel Taylor State Park, 57.7miles, Avg=8.8

Roy took off early to get some coffee at the nearby coffee shop. Tom and I arrived maybe a half hour later to join him. Roy was waiting on his bike at the side of the road outside the coffee shop, apparently eager to get going. But Tom wanted some coffee too so we rode into the parking lot, Tom got his coffee, and we all sat outside to talk and drink. I ate a banana and drank some juice. Tom complained about the sassy service he had gotten from the coffee shop waitress which resulted in a conversation about whether he was unlucky or stimulated sassy reactions from store clerks.

Tom finished his coffee and we started south. Along the way we somehow missed the right turn of highway 1 and ended up pedaling into Petaluma. We didn't discover our error until we were actually in Petaluma, way off course. With some directions we started back on the most direct route to the campground which unfortunately involved some serious climbing over steep mountains separating us from the coast. Eventually, 10 miles extra, we made it into the campground, unfortunately with very little food. Thankfully, we found about an old railroad grade trail we could cycle to the nearby town of Lapositas where we got some expensive chile and presto pasta.

At least the cycling was pretty on our detour with a good shoulder for the most part, but very hot. We saw a very large number of cyclists who had cycled up from the bay area for the day. I suppose we presented a rather odd couple with our loaded bikes slowing making it along the road as the speedy roadies passed us one after another.

Aug 23, San Francisco, 35.2miles, Avg=7.2

The last day of cycling, it was an easy day. We packed up and started off at the normal time after a breakfast of boiled eggs and oatmeal cookies. We followed the old rail road right of way to Lapositas and then continued on Sir Francis Drake Highway toward Fairfax. Just outside of Fairfax we found a sign pointing toward a bicycle route. We weren't sure but it was going in the right direction so we took it. The route eventually led onto the ACA route on my map so we continued on threading our way through the sprawling suburban area just north of the Golden Gate.

Our route finding was made easier by the steady flow of cyclists going and coming along our route. At first we encountered mostly fast roadies out for a high speed morning tour but gradually as we passed deeper into suburbanized areas the cycle traffic included families, children, elders and as we neared the bridge a surprisingly large number of tourists on rented bikes. Blazing Saddles evidently does a great business renting bikes to tourists on the south side of the bridge so they can cycle over the bridge and take a ferry back across the bay to SF.

We faced three substantial hills on our route, the last a difficult steep climb up to Golden Gate park and bridge. Tom really showed off his new strength by pedaling the whole way, even up some sections that were at my limit. Over the past few days I've noticed that Tom's speed has increased quite a bit. I think that today he was very nearly as fast as I on the hills and the flat areas. He continues to coast downhill at a much faster rate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crossing the Golden Gate bridge was cold and very windy, just like the last time. Bicycles only on the western side of the bridge so we didn't need to dodge pedestrians but we encountered a steady flow of traffic, some going too fast for the crowded conditions. We could see the ocean below, unlike the last time I cycled the bridge so it wasn't as spooky as before, but still just as noisy and, well, unpleasant. I was glad to get to the other side. Tom and I posed for pictures before we started searching for a way into the city. We should have gone into the parking lot but instead were tempted to turn uphill under the highway by some cyclists we saw approaching the bridge area. So for the final route finding error we cycled up a steep hill then back down under the highway again to Crissy Field and the bike route to the Fisherman's Wharf area. We stopped at the hostel to check for cancellations, alas they were full. They recommended Lombard street, just uphill a couple blocks and the route of highway 101 for hotels. We found a middle class motel, unloaded our gear and walked to Fisherman's Wharf for dinner.

Aug 24, San Francisco, 5.1miles, Avg=4.4

The last day, a day to get the bikes ready for shipping. I feel more worried than in the past because the airline service has deteriorated so badly. Years earlier I had simply cycled to the airport with a roll of tape, purchased a box from the airline, removed the pedals, turned the handlebar sideways, removed my seat, rolled the bike into the box and taped it up. Airlines no longer sell boxes so we are forced to find alternate means. The next easiest solution was to find a bike shop that would pack and ship the bikes for us. Tom had not been able to find a bike shop that would ship our bikes, only pack the bike. Our eventual plan was based on finding a bike shop close to a FedEx-Kinko shop. We went to Box Dog Bikes (I had called two weeks earlier to verify they would have a box.) and got two boxes, carried them the the FedEx shop a couple blocks away, and packed up the bikes in the parking lot.

Because the boxes are so small we had to disassemble the bikes to a considerable degree. Unfortunately, bizarrely, FedEx will not ship packages by surface to Hawaii from a FedEx store, only with their online service. The fee for Tom amounted to over $250 do he decided to take his bike with him on the plane. The taxi carried the boxed bike to our motel without problem and in the morning the shuttle bus also accommodated the bike box without problems. The airline charged Tom $100 for the box. FedEx charged me just less than $100 for both my bike box and the additional box with my seat and some other equipment..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bikes settled. we relaxed with a nice pasta dinner at Fisherman's Wharf. I was happy that the second trip down the coast was just as much fun as the first. It turns out that on this route, the second time is as good as the first.