I passed through the Del Norte Coast Redwoods where there were some steep grades up and downhills. It was quite dangerous along the ocean. I could barely make out the ocean because of the fog which was pretty cool. I went over to the side and looked out at the vast array of white until I saw a glimpse of water. It felt like I was in an airplane. There were many random pullouts in the Redwood National and State Parks. I came to the Trees of Mystery in Klamath where I've been before and snapped a picture with Paul Bunyan (who talked this time) and Babe the blue ox. This was one of those tourist traps. I didn't stay long. It was shortly after this I met up with a trio of buddies touring together. I think it was up one of those grueling 2-3 mile hills on 101. Man, that's a draining road. The heat was pretty killer too. I rode with them for a little ways. We came to Prairie Creek Redwoods and took a small hike to some fabulous Redwood groves. The trouble with these forests is that in order to see the actual giants, you have to get off the beaten path and that is difficult one a bicycle with nothing to lock to. So, needless to say I didn't stop that often and go exploring as I would've liked to. At one point I passed two of the guys who were fixing a flat, the first one of their trip. They asked if I saw the other guy they were with if I could just let him know of their predicament. I did come to my first drive-through tree back in Klamath near the Trees of Mystery. It does cost, but the price is dramatically reduced if you arrive on foot or bicycle and I thought, what the heck!
I took Katie's advice and followed the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway that hugged the coast and went away from 101. She told me this is a must because if I took 101, not only would it be heavy traffic, but the elevation dramatically ascends to high limits. So this was a no brainer.And plus this was a very scenic drive that I did not regret one bit! Plus, my campground happened to be right along this path.
My destination was Elk Prairie Campground in Prairie Creek and it was rightly named due to the amount of Elk roaming the open fields and forests. I didn't see too many that night but did see a lot the following morning. As I made camp, I realized how obnoxious those three guys were. I guess it was because they were flirting with a few girls. I did see the two English gals here. They tended to keep to themselves and after doing my duty and getting ready, I went to sleep because I was feeling a bit dizzy and needed to recharge.
July 16 (Elk Prairie to Arcata, 47.38 miles) - Elk Prairie was a beautiful place. Since I got a lot of rest, I decided to get an early start. I was one of the early ones to leave the hiker/biker sites. I had to capture a series of photographs of the nearby grazing elk. I even got one of two of them butting heads. I felt like Marty Stouffer. Well, not quite.
I had originally planned to stay in Trinidad, but my warmshowers contact fell through. He was no longer going to be in town when I was passing through. It was a cool town though. I got to see the famous Trinidad lighthouse and meet up with my English friends again. I think I also might've seen Arnold here. I ate with another guy at a picnic table outside a food stop. It was also here where I first took notice of a large touring group of teenagers. It reminded me of the Canadian bike trips long ago I used to go on. They seemed very organized. I was glad I was going solo...so much more freedom that way. I am not totally against going with others, if those people are like good friends, etc. But overall, solo is what I'm used to and solo is so rewarding.
I was scrambling to find a place to stay that night. I had a friend living in Eureka at the time but he eventually turned me down because he was living with his girlfriend's house and he checked to see if his pastor had room which was also a no go. But it was a big area, so I wasn't too worried. There was bound to be somewhere to go. I lucked out in Arcata with a lovely Greta. It was perfect timing too. The kids were out of the house and she was alone so there was plenty of room for me to stay. She operated a massage business in her home and had a client over when I was there. It was sad she didn't offer me one. I sure could've used one haha. I laid out my stuff on the big trampoline and Greta said I could either set up camp outside or there's a couch inside if I preferred that. I chose to go inside just for the ease. But first I had to clean my bike outside, lube the chain etc. And her black and white dog helped me. She was playful. I lied on the couch planning the next few days as I drifted off to sleep.
July 17 (Arcata via Ferndale to Humboldt Redwoods State Park at Burlington Campground, 65.30 miles) - Being a farmhand, Greta was up before me. She was running around the house and outside doing chores. After gathering my things up and putting them on my bike I found her and bid her farewell thanking her for her generous hospitality. As I rode on the backroads through Eureka, all I could think of was, "what a dump." This city stunk and was filled with garbage. I know I only had a glimpse but what I saw was nothing to write home about. I was looking forward to getting through.
Not far after Eureka and Loleta, was the turn off that would head to the Lost Coast. This was the treacherous but beautiful area that the crazy adventurous guy told us about back in Oregon. The Lost Coast is a huge section of the northern California coast whose terrain was too hilly and rugged that they did not even attempt to build a highway through. Therefore it is called the Lost Coast. There are a few small towns interspersed between the mountainous terrain. The road conditions were ambiguous to me. Some sounded paved, but most sounded like dirt and gravel. It was very tempting to head this way and onto Mattole Road that takes you to Petrolia, but in the end, I deemed it wise not to travel this way on this trip. I did, however head as far as Ferndale because I heard this was a must see town. It was a very cool Victorian looking town. I heard that Ferndale Pizza, Co. was a spectacular place to eat, but the prices were a bit much for me. My splurge was yet to come...And wouldn't you know it, I met up with my two English friends Anna and Anne here of all places. We went our separate ways again until the next time. My road that took me out of Ferndale was Grizzly Bluff Rd. which was a very bumpy half-paved, half-gravel road. The countryside in this area was breath taking. It took me to the small towns of Rio Dell and Scotia where I spotted an old train and some old cars. These were cool towns to pass through. I also spotted apparently where they were taking all those logs from the log trucks. I took a few pictures of this massive log and wood field before my camera battery died for the first time.
Ah, the Avenue of the Giants. This is what I have been looking forward to for some time! This is a 30 mile self-guided scenic tour of the Redwoods that departs from the main highway. The Avenue of the Giants made my day. I stopped at the Eternal Tree House where a motorcyclist was providing a history lesson to his buddy and myself. He was talking about the rings of the trees, etc. He thought they were called halos or fairies or something like that. I forget what he called them, but it was a very interesting talk. My sleep that night would come to Humboldt Redwoods State Park in the heart of the Avenue of the Giants. There's nothing like sleeping under quiet giants like these. It was very peaceful. I felt so small among these trees. It's marvelous. How majestic is the Lord!
July 18 (Humboldt Redwoods to Standish-Hickey State Park, 49.09 miles) - Today was a warm one. Well, all these days were quite warm. They all kind of just blended together I suppose. The further south I traveled the warmer it got, ever so slightly, or at least it seemed to. I finished off the Avenue of the Giants and came back into the light as it were. The Shrine Drive-Thru tree was the second of three trees you could drive through towards the south end of the Avenue. I probably wouldn't pay for them again, but it was nice to see them once. I stopped somewhere around Benbow Lake State Recreation area or the Richardson Grove State Park for lunch. This is such a beautiful area of the country. I know I've said it many times before, but I cannot express how majestic these trees are enough! I met John Paul and a few others I've seen along the way, at Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area. This marked the end of Hwy 101 for a while, well at least for bicycling. California Highway 1 began a few miles down the road at Leggett. I met a man here (can't remember his name, Terry, William, something like that). He was an older gentleman who is an experienced cyclist. I got to talking with him and John Paul some that night. He was telling stories of touring in Europe, Italy in particular. John Paul expressed interest in heading over there one of these days. And, once again, they brought up the Leggett hill. I've been warned about this before and they just reiterated the toughness of this road. So, there you have it. I wasn't exactly worried, but at least I knew what was coming...or did I?
July 19 (Standish-Hickey to MacKerricher State Park, 45.08 miles) - Today marked the day when I really left the Redwood Empire. There were some later on, but not as many. I was moving into new territory. Before I left Leggett, I had to enter the third and last drive thru tree on the corner of Hwy 101 and Hwy 1. After that, it was time I saw what this hill was all about - what all the hype and hoopla was. Let me tell you: they certainly were not exaggerating. The road began just leaving Leggett protruding straight up with a steep grade for miles. There was a sign that read "Narrow Winding Road Next 22 Miles, Watch for Bicycles." The good thing about this road was there was little traffic, at least on this section. Later on it would heat up. Although when cars do come up behind you around the curves, they aren't going slow. I'm not gonna lie: It's a dangerous piece of pavement. There was one instance where a white car was flying by me, startled me and caused me to steer into the ditch. I only did that about 2 or 3 times this entire trip though! The first town with services was 28 miles away. I hope I packed enough food and water to last! Ha.
On the way up, I was surprised that I stayed on my bike the majority of the way. There was a time I just had to take a break and rest my sore bum and walk. I also passed that group of teenagers on a cycle tour I mentioned earlier. It wasn't until Westport or shortly thereafter where I passed them again for the last time. Westport RV Park was really cool. It was this long stretch of campground right on the beach. If there wasn't more daylight left, I might've camped here for the night. But let me back up a little bit. That moment after climbing Leggett hill and then protruding downhill for miles and then back up again for miles, doing that a couple of times, coming to the ocean finally after many days of forest riding, was to say the least, spectacular. There wasn't anything like it. That rugged looking coastline was magnificent. I looked back to my right and saw where the Lost Coast was. There's just something about seeing ocean for the first time...it takes your breath away and you sit there speechless and in awe. That's how I felt. I didn't even want to leave.
At MacKerricher State Park and even before that in Westport I believe I met Tyler, a weed-smoking young, energetic cyclist whom I would later catch up with past San Francisco. He's an interesting character. The English folks were here too. Surprise, surprise!! It might've been here where an English chap emerged from the woods...not on a bike, but with a backpack. He was backpacking through the area. You don't see many of those around. They usually tend to stay to the back country.
July 20 (MacKerricher to Elk at Cameron Road, 28.21 miles) - Today was laundry day. I set up today to be a shorter day so I could have enough time to do laundry. I wasn't sure when I would be able to do it next. Therefore, as I rolled into Fort Bragg, I found a small laundromat. It was nice to have a break from the saddle of my bike. As I sat and waited for my laundry to wash and hang dry, I took a few moments to inventory my clothing. I ended up throwing away my yellow shirt because it as showing signs of wear and had a few big holes in it. Plus it gave me an excuse to get rid of some weight, ever so slightly. I got an ice cream cone at McDonald's per my tradition and chatted up a homeless hitchhiker, or rather him me before I merged onto Hwy 1 once more.
In Mendocino I realized there was a huge music festival going on. It was a happening place - so many people walking around and the beach was filled with festivities. I walked my bike around town, looking at the cool shops and people watching which I like to do on tour. As I was walking my loaded bike, a man stopped me and asked if I had a place to stay that night. His son is actually on tour right now across the country and he and his wife have a soft spot for touring cyclists. His wife came and joined our conversation. Unfortunately, I already made plans with a warmshowers host in Elk, but if I hadn't I would've taken them up on their generous offer of lodging. It is always wonderful when you meet kind strangers willing to open up their home to you. With all the terrible things in the world, there is still good left and we ought to recognize that and seek that out and become that! Thanks again stranger-turned friend!
For my lodging that night I had to climb a steep Cameron Road just outside the town of Elk. The host was Judy Bonney and she lived with her parents on a farm. I met her brother and a few other family members I couldn't keep track of as well as a bunch of farm animals and a friendly dog who liked to play catch! Judy and her brother, despite their exhaustion from the day's activities were lovely hosts. They spent the day celebrating a birthday and went on the skunk train as a family and had a lot to eat. So they were pooped. Therefore, they did not have much in the form of food to offer me, but they did offer a salad and wine. I declined the wine, but gladly took some salad. They let me set up my tent outside wherever I deemed suitable. They had a really nice outdoor shower and bathroom I could use too. Before I called it a night, Judy asked if I would be opposed to a thermos of coffee in the morning if she came out to my tent. I was not and thanked her for the offer. Unfortunately, I did not see them in the morning because I had to get on my way, mainly because it was raining and my stuff was getting soaked. As Judy and her brother warned me about: The next day, shortly after Elk, I would encounter the steepest part of the entire Hwy 1. It's a very short distance and doesn't show up on Google, but it is the steepest. And they sure were right! I had fun watching the log trucks trying to make these curves on the mountainous coast.
July 21 (Elk to Sonoma Beach State Park at Bodega Dunes Campground, 89.00 miles) - I woke fairly early to a damp tent and a damp ground outside. Sure enough, it had been raining through the night. Fog had settled in and I was quick to pack up my tent and belongings on my bike to get a fresh early start to the day! I slowly went down the gravel road and turned left onto Hwy 1 into the fog. It was actually fairly chilly. I had to wear my jacket and even put my full-fingered gloves on. But I soon warmed up after riding a few miles. After Manchester, I came to Point Arena where there was a cool lighthouse to view.
About 30 miles from Elk I stopped in Gualala (pronounced with a "W" a I was told by Judy's brother) and as I parked my bike outside a grocery store, I met up with Conner from Crescent City again as well as another cyclist who said he was going slow but to me he was making great time. He said he was headed to Sonoma Coast State Park. I for one wasn't totally sure how far I would make it. Only time would tell, right? Conner went in to see if they would take food stamps. I left him and never saw him again. I was always expecting to see him again down the road but never did. I knew I would at least ride to Salt Point State Park. When I arrived, I had about 50 miles under my belt that day. I felt good and it was only about 4pm or 5pm. I rode into the park and around and had a decision to make. I was all about seeing the sights, but I also wanted to make mileage. I went to the entrance of the park and waited for a while. I was hoping I would see Conner ride through. I wasn't sure where he was staying. Being on such a strict budget, he usually found spots on the beach or deep in the woods somewhere. No such luck. I made the plunge and decided to be on my way. After all, it's adventure! I still had another 30 to 40 miles to go before Sonoma Beach.
Somewhere between Fort Ross and Jenner by the Sea the lights went out. And by that, I mean the sun went down and darkness reigned. This wasn't exactly the best place for that to happen seeing that much of this road went straight by the cliff on the oceanside. The upside was I couldn't see it therefore it relieved some of the fear. Although, I could hear the mighty waves crashing into the cliffs. Unbeknownst to me at the time was the sheer length of Sonoma Coast State Park. I was in search of Bodega Dunes Campground that I knew had a hiker/biker site. When I first came to the park, I still had a long ways to go - the southern end. One car was nice enough to pull over and ask if I was okay. I did have my headlight and flasher on. I told them where I was trying to get to and they did their best to help me out but in the end they left and wished me luck. They did help some and told me they knew of a campground close by, but wasn't sure of Bodega. I did appreciate the help. I kept riding as that's all I could've hoped to do up and down the rolling hills close to the cliff's edge. There was one good thing about riding at night: When a car was coming, you knew it far in advance because of the headlights shooting around the corner.
When Bodega Dunes campground came into sight, I was so relieved I could almost fall over. I pulled in and lifted my bike over the sand and heard a voice say, "Hey," through the night as a fellow cyclist was giving his greeting. I looked over and it was John Paul! I was beat and did not want to set up my tent in the dark, so I just laid my mat and bag on the sand and went quickly to sleep under the stars. The German pair were here too. I hadn't mentioned them before but I've encountered them a few times as well. Maybe some others, but it was dark and I was blurry-eyed. It was good to be here.
July 22 (Sonoma Beach to Samuel P. Taylor State Park, 52.09 miles) - After Bodega Bay, for the next 50 or so miles began some confusion leading into the Bay Area. I knew John Paul was heading to Samuel P. Taylor and so was Steven, an older Asian gentleman that I met along the way. Most of these guys had the same "Bicycling the Pacific Coast" book with differing editions, but I just had a few faithful maps whenever Google led me astray. I started off pretty early and Steven had passed me asking if I was okay when I was stopped looking at my map confused. I was okay though, just taking a break. A little ways down the road our roles were reversed. He was stopped and I asked him if he was okay. I stopped and we discussed the route. We were both a little confused. A police officer pulled over and he gave some direction. To my recollection, both ways could get you to the same place. Steven was relying to much on his book than just riding. However the road was really smooth and he was on a roll just plowing through the miles. Arnold came up behind us and was headed where we were at first. When we figured it out, Steven turned around and I continued straight. I rode alone for most of the way. My route took me through Chileno Valley Rd. and Red Hill Road which definitely was a hill for sure. I was in the countryside and looked out behind me at the top of the hill and took in the magnificent view of California. I didn't have much water at this point. It was hot and I was tired.
The hand of God was surly by my side because as I was about to fall off my bike due to thirst in the middle of the countryside, I make a turn and pass right by a random cheese factory with a little store. It was a nice little community in there and I was in search of a drinking fountain. I couldn't find one and was forced to buy a huge bottle of ice cold water that tasted glorious. I also got some road snacks and an ice cream to cool my throat. It was expensive, but I don't spend much and it was well worth it!
I met up with Arnold somewhere down the road and he was saying he made it half way to Petaluma before he realized he was going in the wrong direction. I told you this area was confusing! Well, I caught up with Steven and John Paul at Samuel P. Taylor State Park where the hiker/biker sites were filling up fast and they sent us down to the end where a second one was opening. The sites here were a little more expensive...they get that way the further south you travel and we were close to San Francisco so that kind of made sense. The three of us shared a campsite and swapped stories from the day because we all went different ways. John Paul was ending his trip in San Francisco so gave me some of his food that was left over, a tomato, peanut butter jar and some honey and tuna can. I was glad to take that off his hands. He was catching a flight back to Idaho. Steven on the other hand was headed all the way into Baja. As we talked on at the table this night, Steven was writing in his journal. He gave us each one of his cards. He's a writer and planned to feature John Paul in one of his books as the "man whose done a little of everything." He's in construction right now but hearing him talk it does sound like he's done some of everything including driving truck. Steven's wife is a theologian and they differed quite a bit apparently. He was from Boston but was living in Astoria working on his writing at the time.
John Paul has made this coast trip to San Francisco many times before. He does it about every 3 years or so when he can get a few weeks off work. He was telling us about a great pizza place in Sausalito just before you get to the Golden Gate. He plans to stop there for lunch tomorrow. We thought that was a plan. Alrighty, time for bed.
July 23 (Samuel P. Taylor to San Francisco, 37.93 miles) - The three of us left at the same time to head into the Bay Area. Let me tell you if it weren't for the well marked signs through these areas, I would get so lost. There are places where bicycles can go easily and others where they cannot. Thank you signs. Steven and John Paul left me in the dust. I was trying, but it wasn't a race. Steven had a full floor pump tied to his rear rack. Pretty cool. Anyway, it was actually a fun ride. Along Sir Francis Drake Blvd. through Fairfax, San Anselmo, Ross, Larkspur, Corte Madera, and Marin City before entering Sausalito. Sometime I would like to explore Point Reyes Seashore and the Marin Headlands and Muir Woods when I have more time allotted. I passed one pizza place but that one didn't seem right so I continued towards the water. As I was slowly riding I glanced over to my right and saw John Paul's bike parked outside a pizza place. I was like, "that bike looks familiar." He waved me in. The whole place here was crowded so it was next to impossible for me to park and lock my bike, so I just kept my eyes glued to it from inside. John Paul ordered a pizza and ate in front of me while I ordered a large one myself. He told me he hadn't seen Steven yet. He bid me farewell and left. That was the last time I saw him. My pizza came and I ate a glorious slice before I strapped the whole thing to the back of my bike and rode toward the bridge.
I met up with those three buddies I saw in the Redwoods. They were crossing the bridge too. Steven also rode up and told me he was delayed due to a flat he just got before entering Sausalito. Annoying flats! But I wouldn't know anything about that! Even the path leading up to cross the bridge was confusing. I saw Steven going the wrong way, but I couldn't yell to him because of the insane traffic volume. He stopped and looked down at this map so maybe he knew what to do. I cross the Golden Gate Bridge and the volume of bicycle tourists (and I mean people who rent bikes here to ride across the bridge) was insane. They were everywhere. One of them asked if I had a chain tool which I did and helped him with his bike on the bridge. The first time I used it and wasn't even sure how, but I think he did. I was finally able to find a warmshowers host in the city. However, he was only able to accommodate me for one night. I was looking to stay there two nights to explore the city and bay. So I was searching for someone else. Mik Kocikowski was a nice young man though. He gave me a bed, use of the kitchen and shower. I was sure stinky after today. And I finally had a chance to charge my phone which was also acting up. I called home for the first time and Dad was surprised I already made it to San Francisco. It was a hectic day and I was thankful to have a bed for the night.
July 24 (San Francisco Rest Day, 42.88 miles) - Mik had to leave early in the morning and told me just to lock the door and gate when I left. It was my first time in a San Francisco apartment...pretty cool. Today was supposed to be my first official "rest day." However, in order to truly explore the city in one day, I would have to do my share of riding. I was finally able to make contact with a warmshowers host: Beckett. He told me it was fine if I stayed, so I had no worries that whole day. I rode up and down the extremely high hills of San Francisco. I saw Lombard Street, the world's crookest street. I saw Colt Tower as I ate a Chipotle burrito. The Palace of Fine Arts was something amazing. The Golden Gate Park and Presidio were outstanding as well as the lakes and Ocean Beach. I saw Alcatraz from across the water and took in views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay Bridge into Oakland. I toured Fisherman's Warf and the ultra-crowded Pier 39. There was so much to do in this city and I had barely scratched the surface. It was difficult because I had my bike and I couldn't really leave it anywhere. The first thing I did actually when I arrived was head into Crissy Field and ate my pizza. It truly was my first splurge. You have to have those little splurges every now and again to keep the adventure real and to keep you sane!
Well this was truly a fun day in San Francisco. The city is very bicycle friendly except for the people. It really is filled with rude people and tourists. But the city itself is magnificent. I wouldn't mind living here for a spell. Well, my fun ended when the sun came down. Becket asked when I was coming and I told him I am on my way but I am across town so I'd be there when I get there. When I arrived in his neck of the woods, I called him and he gave me some sketchy directions. I asked someone on the street but she was from Seattle so that was a no go. He called back and said he would come down in 10 minutes and then later texted me telling me he came down and waited but I never showed, and immediately before my phone died I sent a text and said sorry for the wait, but I'm here now because I just found it. So, I waited...and waited. I was right in front of his place now but my phone was dead and there was nothing I could do but wait. I knew there was probably a hostel nearby, but with no direction, I had no hope. I waited in front of his apartment for a good 2 or 3 hours before I realized he had given up on me. I left his place at about 11:00pm.
What did I do next? Walked the city until dawn. I went to places I knew of. I made my way to the waterfront, to Fisherman's Warf, ate at In-N-Out Burger. I had a milkshake and fries as I watched a homeless couple on the street. The cafe closed at 1:00am so I had to move on. I walked by the waterside which was very calming. I did my best to avoid the sketchy areas of town. I took a picture of the sunrise as it came up behind the bridge. I had a lot of pondering to do as I walked up and down streets, wishing I had just cycled to Half-Moon Bay the previous day. But who knew? I went to Pier 39 which was deserted except for some graveyard workers working on the dock. I found an outlet there outside one the of shops to charge my phone by the piano stairs. I sat down and it was getting pretty chilly so I pulled on my jacket. I was there a few hours trying not to fall asleep. My phone was almost charged when a security guard approached me at about 4:00am asking if I worked there. Then he proceeded to tell me that the pier is closed until about 6:00am when people start showing up. Well, how was I supposed to know? There was no sign after all. So I moved on. I found a Grocery Outlet across town so I made my way there before it opened at 8:00am to buy some food for the day. I came to the Golden Gate Bridge when the sun was rising, ate a bagel and went and bought groceries before I rode to Ocean Beach, bypassed the nude beach and headed south towards Daly City...
It was at this time I had to make a crucial decision (which I had actually made a few days earlier): Was I to cut inland and ride home or was I to continue south? I chose to cycle south and complete the coast. At this point it seemed like the logical choice. I came this far. It seemed silly not to continue, ya know? And inland meant more heat and mountains vs. hills. I wasn't ready to take on mountains. Yes, I would like to see Tahoe and Yosemite, but they would have to wait for another trip. So, my new destination became San Diego and the Mexican Border...
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