Alameda de los Gigantes

10/17/11
I woke up just as the sun was shedding its light over the fairgrounds. I still think it was a weird place to sleep, but I made it through the night, so I can't complain. Although I was excited to start my day and head toward the Avenue of the Giants, I instead decided to shower, eat breakfast and charge my phone first. I might as well make use of the resources while they're there.

As I retraced my steps of the previous day I realized I didn't take a single picture. Then I realized that I hadn't really seen anything that blew me away. When I finally did set off on the road, I kept a more watchful eye to capture something interesting, so I ended up forcing myself to take a few pictures before leaving Ferndale. Still though, the pictures couldn't hold a candle to the sights I had seen in the days previous. I was Confident that all thy would change as I was headed toward another Redwood forest.

The first 10 miles of my day consisted of fairly flat farmland, but jut a few miles before I reached the town of Rio Dell, I encountered three steep hills. On the first hill I caught up with a couple of local cyclists who just out for a morning ride. We chatted until we got to the top and then I shot ahead to gather as much inertia as I could before the next hill. The weight of my bike helps me gather speed while going downhill, despite the bags adding wind resistance, but they really deaden my stride when I head back uphill. It was around 10am and I was already breaking a sweat.

As I rolled into Rio Dell I was getting hungry. I stopped to drink some water at an abandoned gas station, and to my surprise almost swallowed a spider that had been taking a dip in my water bottle. Yuck! I spit it out and was turned off of my water for the moment. The main part of Rio Dell is only about 8 or 9 blocks long, so I rode to the end of town to see what my options for food were. My first choice, the 101 Cafe, was closed on Mondays so I headed back the way I had come and decided on getting some pizza.

I had only made it about 14 miles, and it was nearing 1:30. Since the day before wad lacking in scenery, I was getting more and more eager to get to the Humboldt Redwoods State Park (Have I truly told you how much I love the Redwoods?!?!). I was only about 9 miles away, and the ride had some small hills but was pleasant. The whole morning I had managed to avoid 101, but now I would be riding on it. Traffic was actually pretty easy going, and the highway followed along the Eel River which made for some good views.

About 22 miles into my day I had reached the Avenue of the Giants, and I was excited! I have of course driven through the forest a number of times, but experiencing it on a bicycle would be a whole new experience. Just as the sun beat down and the temperature was nearing 85F, I entered the shade of the Redwoods and the temperature almost immediately dropped by at 12 degrees. It was quite the temperature change, but it was very welcomed. Before me lay 30 miles of Redwood forest and beautiful weather. I could easily get caught up in it all, so I had to watch my time because sundown was about 4.5 hours away.

Cars were almost non-existent as I rode amongst the giants. I suppose because it was Monday, although with the weather being as perfect as it was, it was hard to believe that more people weren't out enjoying it. I took every opportunity to stop along the way, reading the signs and visiting the information center. I just felt at peace within the Redwoods. I guess that's where their magic lies. As John Steinbeck wrote, "The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always...From them comes silence and awe...The most irreverent of men, in the presence of redwoods, goes under a spell of wonder and respect."

The last 12 miles leaving the state park was tough. I don't know if I was just tired or if the little hills throughout the day had added up to a lot of up and down. I could actually feel the weight of my bike for the first time as my heavy legs labored to get a few more miles in. By 6pm I had made it out, but I was feeling bold and there wasn't any campgrounds near by so I pressed on for another 8 miles until Garberville.

Garberville gives me the creeps. There's just an eerie grittiness to it that I don't like. Maybe it's the people that are eerie. As I rolled into town I stopped to talk to a group of vagabonds (more like bums) to ask about camping nearby. They said there wasn't much nearby, and so I inquired about stealth camping. They said their were a lot of homeless around, so even if I found a spot in the woods there was a good chance somebody was there. They also told me that I would probably get jumped and that they would steal my bike. I think they were slightly messing with me, but I took it as a warning. One of them them told me about a spot off the the highway that was good, but it kind of seemed like it could of been a setup. He then offered me the joint he was smoking and said it looked like I could use a hit, but of course I refused.

Garberville itself even smells like marijuana. I'm not sure if it's from all the people smoking it or from the plants growing in the hills on the outskirts of town, but one things for sure...it's there. Actually I guess it's a huge cash crop for Humboldt and Mendocino counties. I had just read an article that day about how people will travel across the country to that area trying to find trimming jobs. Needless to say it attracts a lot of homeless. Some of the homeless there were just homeless hippy types, who don't seem to bother anybody except to ask for change, but there's a whole other element of homeless that I noticed in Garberville, the homeless convicts. I understand they're a product of our prison system and they aren't really able to integrate back into society after being released, but those are the ones that I was worried about.

Since it was already dark I had to figure out if I was going to ride 3 miles up the road and pay $25 to camp or just get a Motel for the night. I opted for the latter, which now because of the hotel stay in Arcata, I was really cutting into my budget. The room was dingy but I felt safe, could get a warm shower, could charge my phone, and would get a good night sleep. After getting some dinner at the Cadillac Wok down the street, I stopped at the grocery store to get some breakfast and snacks for the next day. Then I went back to my dirty motel room and fell asleep.

I'm also very happy to announce that in honor of my completion of 500 miles yesterday, Sandra Jamme decided to sponsor me $1 per mile for those first 500! This is very unexpected and exciting news. I was amazed by her generosity, and very appreciative. I'll soon be setting up a paypal account so that others can sponsor me, to help keep me on the road and keep the adventure going! Thanks again everybody for reading.

Miles: 62

RRD: a pair of reading glasses set atop a mile marker and an unopened can of Coca-Cola.

-D
http://www.trackmytour.com/b5k7d

Lazy Daze

10/16/11
Sleep in a warm, dry hotel room was great. I still woke up around 7:30, and headed straight for the dinning room of the hotel to get my hands on that complimentary continental breakfast. While I was eating, a couple about the age of my parents sat down and we started talking. They were traveling from the bay area and had a son a few years older than me that just finished his degree in anthropology, a lifelong goal, after going back when the recession hit. I guess some good things came out of it all. They were really interested in what I was doing, and told me to keep it up while I can. A lot of people say stuff like that, "Do it while you're young," "Travel while you're still single," and the like. I'm wondering if this is people's actual advice or if they're just paying lip service. I mean, I'm going to do what I do either way, but I'd also like to think that whether I have a family or I'm 60 years old, that I'd still be finding unique ways to see the world. I guess it makes me think that there are a lot of people out there wish they would have seen more, and just kind of give up on making it happen at some point. Or maybe they use certain excuses to self-sabotage themselves from achieving their goals. It's pretty sad really.

Anyway, after breakfast I went back to my room and had to repack all my panniers. I changed up my strategy from the first time I did it, hopefully making things easier to get to when I need them, while also trying to keep both the left and right sides balanced. I also took the opportunity to throw some stuff out. I had some AAA maps that were still damp and getting moldy, and a few other things that the wetness had ruined. I'll be able to pick up more maps for free along the way, so I wasn't worried about it.

I spent all the time that I could getting ready, and checked out precisely at 11:00. From the hotel it was just a few miles to downtown Arcata, and I took the side streets which have a very convenient bike lane. I was actually very impressed with how bike friendly Arcata was, but I guess it makes sense since it's kind of a hippy college town. Anyway, in downtown Arcata it was first goal to get a cycling map of the rest of the way to SF. The first place I went was closed on Sundays, the second place I went was all out, but the third was just right. The kid at Revolution Bicycle Repair was super friendly. Besides helping me with the map, he also gave me the heads up on a stealth camping spot about 40 miles away. I wasn't sure I was going to make it there, but the suggestion was much appreciated.

Across the street from Revolution is Wildberries Market. It's a whole foods-esque place, but probably more like a co-op or something. I got a latte there and sat in the back dinning area where I could also keep an eye on my bike. There were a lot of people on their laptops back there, so it seemed like a good time for me to charge my phone and get caught up on the blog. After finishing two days worth of adventures, I was getting pretty hungry so I decided to get some soup and a salad and stay a little bit longer.

By the time 3:30 rolled around I knew that I had to get out of town if I was going to make any progress. I followed 101 to Eureka. In Eureka the bike route breaks off of the main road, heads through a small industrial area, back around the marina, and then through the old town downtown area. From there I decided to take my own detour and cruise through the old town area. Eureka seemed like a decent town with a little bit of history, but I needed to pedal on!

The bike route follows 101 down until the south Humboldt Bay and then I took the Tompkins Hill Rd exit and followed that for several miles. All the way from Arcata the roads had been pretty flat, and I was making really good time. Tompkins Hill Rd was a nice ride, free from traffic and flows steadily through farm areas. Crossing to the other side of 101 the road turns into Eel River Dr. There was a slight hill on the road, but it wasn't bad considering it was the first one of the day.

Eventually I stopped to snack and decided where I was going to stay for the night. My map said there was camping in Ferndale so that's where I headed. The rest of the ride went through flat farmland. They were mostly cattle farms with the occasional sheep or horses along the way. I've never been one for the smell of a cattle farm. Maybe it's an acquired smell. Either way, I found some the farms I passed by to be overwhelming. I'm not sure if there were just too many cows in a small area or maybe they were just dirty, but I found myself holding my breath as I passed by a couple of them.

At about 6:30pm I rolled into the cute little dollhouse town of Ferndale. It kind of just appears out of nowhere. It seems like a nice town. All the store fronts are well kept and done up in such a way that preserves the towns history, which I guess dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. The town has a few parks and a nice cemetery. Walking through downtown you can notice several church steeples rising above all the shops off of Main St, like there's a city ordinance that prevents buildings from being any taller than the churches. I stopped by a market to get some snacks, and asked if there was any camping nearby. The woman behind the counter didn't know, but was nice enough to call her dad and ask him. They directed me to the Humboldt County Fairgrounds just on the edge of town.

The fairgrounds are kind of a weird place to sleep. Everything is out in the open and there's a lot of activity happening in the surrounding area. I guess the benefits are that there is power and water and you don't have to worry much about critters trying to steal your food. I suppose that this was as good a place as any, so I set up my hammock, ate my food, took a warm shower and worked on the blog before going to sleep.

I also just want to make note that I think I had just passed 500 miles by the end of my ride today. That's another good milestone to get passed. I think the next major road mark will be getting to SF, still about 300 miles away with the route I'm taking.

Miles: 35

RRD: a dead snake

-D
http://www.trackmytour.com/b5k7d

The Redwoods!

10/15/11
I hadn't set my alarm, and woke up in a panic until I realized it wasn't quite 7am. I don't think the sun had broken over the mountains to the east yet and I packed up my tent quick and was ready to go within 20 minutes. I'm pretty sure it hadn't rained through the night, so I suppose that the moisture in the air from the ocean and the nearby creek were to blame for the reason everything I had was covered in a thick layer of dewy wetness. Keeping everything inside and outside of my bags dry seems to be a constant battle while on the road.

I crossed the highway and rolled down to the beach that I had stopped at the night before. As the sky began to blue and more and more light appeared, the horizon to the west filled with a menagerie of colors. From purple to pink and orange to blue, it was actually one of the more impressive sunrises I have ever seen...which hasn't been many. The clouds were sparse, but all seemed to flow in the same direction, which made for an even more impressive sight.

I headed about a mile down the road and stopped to eat breakfast at the Yurok Lagoon wayside. The water in the lagoon was as smooth as glass, and reflected the vegetation around it like a mirror. It really took some effort to realize where the water surface began and where the surrounding flora ended. A somewhat warm breeze came in from the ocean making things tolerable in just my riding shorts and a long sleeve shirt.

I was glad to get such an early start on the day and headed down 101 as soon as I was done with my granola. I stopped a few times to snack at take pictures, but was excited to get to Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. I love the Redwoods. I love the smell deep inside the forest. It smells so fresh, so clean, so natural. The air is crisp, and moist and unbridled by pollutants. These Coastal Redwoods are among my top 5 must see list of places in the US. Anybody who has been there can attest to their majesty and awe. They're not only the tallest and among the oldest living things on the planet, but the Redwood forests have the most biomass per acre of any other place on the planet, including the rain forests of South America.

Taking the 20 mile road through Prairie Creek State Park was simply amazing. The first half of the trip was a climb, but it was gradual. The second half was almost all downhill, no pedaling required. I stopped a few times and explored some of the fern-lined grove trails that weave through the redwoods. I just feel like there is so much history among the trees. I have great respect for the Redwoods, and I'm happy that the conservation efforts began when they did before it was too late. A century of logging had diminished these great trees to less than 5% of what they were, but thanks to some conservationists and some wealthy folks at the beginning of the 20th century, the state parks were establish so future generations could marvel in their beauty. There are actually only 3 types of Redwoods on Earth, found in 3 very specific climates: The Dawn Redwood found in Sichuan-Hubei region of China, the Giant Sequoia found along the Sierra-Nevada range in California, and these Coastal Redwoods found in a select coastal region, about 40 miles wide from the southwest tip of Oregon all the way to Big Sur, just south of Carmel, CA.

By noon I had exited the state park, and decided to stop in the town of Orick to eat some lunch. I couldn't believe it was noon and I had already completed nearly 30 miles. My goal for the day was to reach Arcata, and I was just about half way there.

Continuing south, the weather remained amazing and the temperature perfect for riding...around 68F. Passing through Humboldt Lagoons State Park and Big Lagoon County Park gave me plenty of opportunity to stop, rest and take in the sights. I had a new found appreciation for lagoons, as I had never really taken the time to soak in their serene beauty. Several cars would honk in support as they passed me by on my bike, and although I was a tourist in this land, it made me actually feel like part of the scenery. I think that's the appeal of bicycle touring. You're not in a climate controlled capsule seeing the sights, you truly get to experience the full environment of region you're passing through. It makes you feel part of the experience rather than just an observer of it.

About 5 miles outside of Trinidad, I encountered another bicycle tourist. He had started in Seattle and was heading back home to Southern California. He was staying in hotels along the way, which meant he wasn't carrying much gear and was making about 80 miles a day. We rode and chatted until Trinidad, which made the time go by pretty quick. Once there, he continued on and I stopped to get some food and to charge my phone. Most of the day I had either been without service or without charge, and I was falling behind on taking pictures ad making updates.

After eating a good lunch and getting some ice cream, I called ahead to Arcata to reserve a hotel room. I guess I decided that I needed a warm, dry night indoors and could use the room to clean and air out my bags. I was still about 15 miles out and expected to check in to the hotel around 6pm. About half the ride was on 101, which was beginning to feel more and more like a freeway, and much less bike friendly. The other half consisted of a very nice designated bike path, situated between the highway and the shore, on the other side of some sand dunes. It was well paved and smooth for most of they way, but did have a few rough and gravely moments. I got to the hotel right about the time I expected and checked in.

In my room I immediately emptied all of my bags and set everything out to dry. Some of my things were still damp, and I really needed to dry them out to prevent molding. This was also a good chance to take inventory. In addition to losing my quick release hammock straps, it also appeared that I had lost my windproof/waterproof gloves and my cold weather cycling cap. Both of which I think I should probably replace before cycling through the south. I also figured this was a good opportunity to do laundry and clean myself up, which would prepare me well for the next week on the road I have before San Francisco.

With my laundry done and my bags cleaned and dry, I considered going to downtown Arcata since it was a Saturday night. It's funny, weekends don't seem to matter so much when on the road and I wouldn't have even noticed if it wasn't for the hotel receptionist mentioning something about it. Like I said, I considered it, and although I thought it would be fun I just wasn't up for it. I had been riding all day (all week, for that matter) and was content with eating some junk food and watching some junk tv from the comfort of a warm bed. By midnight I was fast asleep dreaming of my cycling adventures to come...but kind of missed the crisp, fresh air that camping provides.

Miles: 62 miles

RRD: a full US road atlas and a bunch of maps...who needs direction anyway?!?!

-D
http://www.trackmytour.com/b5k7d

Riding too close to the sun

10/14/11
I woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of construction vehicles with my hammock skirting closer to the ground. I had faintly heard the construction going on before falling asleep, but now that the forest and the campground were quiet, that's all I could hear. I couldn't believe that they were still working. I wasn't quite sure of the time, as I drifted in and out of sleep, but the noise finally stopped sometime between midnight and 2am. From then on I slept well, despite the fact that my hammock straps had slid down the tree a little, and my bum was now grazing the ground.

I slept in a little, woke up around 8 and left camp around 9. I decide to go down by the beach before heading off, and found Bullards to be a quiet and soothing beach. I watched the gulls and listened to waves crash against the rocks and the sand. There weren't too many people out that morning, so it was nice to just experience the ocean without too much interference.

I arrived in Brookings at about 10:15. It was a quick 2 mcampfire from camp. At the Fred Meyer i stocked up on bulk food goodies, and wondered where in California I would find a good place to get my trail mix. The woman at the register recommended a place to eat called the Hunger Stop, so I stopped by to get a sandwich and a blended coffee drink. The sandwich satisfied but the coffee drink was way too sweet. After lunch I went by the local bike shop to pick up some more chain lube. Before leaving town I stopped at a Conoco on the far south side, which had free air and water and decided to service my bike and double check my air pressure there. It was probably a little premature to clean a lube my bike, but I found that the all-weather wet lubricant was collecting too much dirt so I used the dry stuff that I had just picked up. I finally got out of town around 1:30pm. I had to make up some time since my morning was filled with errands.

Not long after, I crossed into California. It was a super nice ride from the border to Crescent City. The more scenic bike route separates from 101 and goes about 25 miles through farm country. There weren't too many hills along the way, and hardly any traffic, so the ride went quick. The sun was shining super bright, and I was starting to notice a tan line forming from my gloves and my cycling jersey. At one point I took both of them off and just enjoyed the 75 degree weather.

I arrived in Crescent City around 3:30, and figured I refuel and work on my blog. I got some good old-fashioned simple food at Red's Diner and then headed to the Starbucks to charge my phone and rest with a cup o'jo.

Instead of working on the blog, I ended up sparking up a conversation with and 83 year old man named Sam. He was born in Costa Rica, grew up between Italy and Portugal, moved to the US in his late teens but quickly returned to Europe, worked as a bus driver for number of years in Portugal which earned him his pension, married a woman from the Philippines and was now living in Crescent City not of his choice, but because his wife chooses to "be a slave." Sam was an unabashed socialist and a history buff, and actually seemed to despise the town in which he lived. To make matters worse, his wife was working for Walmart which, as a company, seems to be the opposite of all that he stands for. Although he was receiving a more than adequate pension from Portugal, he was living in the US spending most of it on medications and hospital bills. Apparently in Europe most of his healthcare would be paid for, and he would end up only paying about 1/10 of what he does on medications. We talked about a wide range of topics from travel to history to politics and economics, but somehow they all seemed to fit together. His advice to me was to not pay attention to the domestic media, get my news from an outside source like Europe, and to move to a country where I won't be a slave. Before parting ways I thanked him for the conversation, and he thanked me for being intelligent. I feel for poor Sam, living in a place where he is alone in his ideals, and dreaming bigger than the boundaries of the Crescent Bay would allow.

I didn't get back on the road until around 5:30pm. I knew of a place to camp for free right outside of town but thought that I could make it to a state park where I could have fresh water and a shower. As I entered into a dense redwood forest, the shoulder became non-existent the hills steep and the trees blocked out any bit of sunlight that remained. I passed one state park which was closed, but had one in mind just a little further ahead. As the sun continue on it's descent, the road I was on grew darker and darker. Eventually my little bicycle headlight wasn't doing anything to help except to let other cars know I was on the road. I couldn't avoid potholes any longer because I couldn't see the road, and the ride was getting way too scary and way to rough. I think I passed the campground I was looking for, but eventually made it out of the forest to a small beach which had posted signs that camping was not allowed. The only thing left of the sun was just an orange line along the horizon. I was without cell service, didn't know how far until the next town or state park, my map of California wasn't much help, and I had to decide if I was going to take my chances with the road ahead or try to find a spot for my yet.

I wasn't super happy about it, but decided to stealth camp. I crossed the highway, headed down a small road and quickly found another little gated off service trail that I headed down. I didn't get far before it ended, and I could still hear the ocean from where I was. I set up camp, with my hammock in tent position, ate a snack, and decided to sleep in my riding clothes for a quick get away. I hoped that no people or animals bothered me in the night, and fell asleep to the sound of the ocean, a nearby creek, and the light traffic from the highway.

Progress: 45 miles?

Random roadside debris: a mailbox in the middle of nowhere.

-D
http://www.trackmytour.com/b5k7d

King of the hills

10/13/11
As the sun rises I can hear at least 4 distinct different kinds of birds praising the light. In my still asleep state these chirps weave themselves into my subconscious and everybody except me in my dream starts speaking in a kind of bird language. Before I have a chance to be confused by this I awaken and find myself in my cozy cocoon on the ground. I actually slept really well with my hammock/tent in that position. Although I don't think it's ideal, it's good to know that I can set my hammock up just as a regular tent if I need to again. I think the wood chips lying on the flat and well manicured ground helped out a bit too.

I hear rustling down the hill, which means that my Canadian neighbors must be awake too, although I can't see them because there are bushes in the way. I start packing up my stuff and mix myself a little breakfast. As I eat my granola I wonder what the day will bring. I'm eager to get an early start and quickly finish up everything that I need to in order to get back on the road. As I start to leave I stop in to wish the other cyclists a good trip, which soon turns into a 40 minute conversation. We swapped stories and tips and compared gear...the usual cyclist stuff. I found out that this retired couple had just taken to bicycle touring about 3 years ago, but had made quite the hobby of it. They highly recommended a place in Montreal called The Green Route, or Route Verte, which has over 4000km of dedicated bike path. A place I hope to make it someday.

Back on the road the air is cool as I ride in between hills in a canyon-like area that the sun hasn't been able to reach yet. About a mile out and I finally hit and opening and feel the warm rays of the sun. I close my eyes and take it all in. It's a beautiful morning, which will eventually turn in to a beautiful day. As I mentioned before, south of Port Orford gets hilly and the hills start right away. They don't bother me much, I suppose because it's morning and I'm full of energy. I have about 22 miles until I reach Gold Beach, and I plan on arriving there by noon. The coast line is pretty amazing the whole way. I ended up stopping a lot to take pictures, but the pictures just never seem to capture the beauty. More unique coastal rock formations are around every bend and over every hill, the kind you can only find on this coast. There's still an early morning mist hanging around the mountains, and as I look down the coastline, the beaches are hazy but I can clearly see the peaks I'll soon be climbing. Hills upon hills, all day long.

A few miles before reaching Gold Beach there's a road called Old Beach Rd which splits off of 101. I take it the rest of the way until it leads me to the North jetty of the mouth of Rogue River. I didn't remember the Rogue being so wide, but I'm glad to add the view of it to my memory banks, especially on a day a beautiful as today.

I'm not sure how I feel about Gold Beach. It's a small town, and I feel if you were social enough you could get to know just about everybody in a short amount of time. I grabbed some snacks at McKay's Market, and overheard a lot of small town gossip. I guess that's the problem with small towns like this, everybody is in everybody's business. I headed down the road and was enticed by a pizza place that also serves ice cream. My two favorite foods! Haha. I took my time to eat, enjoyed the food, and hit the road again around 2pm. At this point I was trying to make it to Harris Beach Campground, which was still about 30 miles away. I should have plenty of time.

Similar to Port Orford, Gold Beach as a town didn't impress me much, but directly on the south side is another amazing beach. It's the kind of place that if you lived there you would take people who are visiting and say: "See, this is why I live here." Just amazing. Actually, the entire trip from where I started until now had been breathtaking.

Of course, right out of Gold Beach I start up another large hill. I think I was continuously climbing for about 5 miles, until finally after 45 minutes, I reach the top where I ran into another young cycling couple. They were from Eugene, OR and had been on the road for two weeks. They admittedly, were traveling very slow. They expected to be on the road for about 8 months and planned on heading down through Texas, the south and then back up with their end destination in Maine. They had a puppy with them which the woman pulled in a trailer, and the man was the first person I'd seen so far touring the country in a recumbent. They seemed experienced with bicycle touring and gave me a few warnings about cycling through California.

The ride down the hill was a lot of fun, and I again I was able to reach speeds of around 35mph. The beaches and coast looked spectacular, I just couldn't take enough pictures...yet still, the pictures hardly did it justice. Around 4pm I started becoming pretty fatigued. I think all the hills of the day were catching up with me. I was estimating that I still had about 15 miles to go, but couldn't be sure. By that time I decided to just stop and snack and hydrate wherever and whenever I wanted. It had felt like I had accomplished a lot already, and with almost 3 hours until sundown I had plenty of time to make it to my destination.

At one point I took a detour to check out Cape San Sebastian. I'm not sure why I was inspired to do so but I just went with it. As soon as I turned off of 101, I was staring straight at a 16% gradient...which looks almost vertical from a bicyclists perspective. I fearlessly decided to continue on as shifted gears, except I shifted the front derailleur the wrong way! So instead of getting easier the climb became impossible. I tried to recuperate by zigzagging up the road as I attempted to quickly switch into the lowest gear possible, but I didn't have enough inertia or time. Before I knew it I had come to a complete stop, and my back wheel wasn't turning. I fiddled with the break, thinking it was stuck, but to no avail. I looked back at the wheel and realized it had tweaked. At that point I couldn't tell how it tweaked. It could either be a 5 minute fix or I could be thumbing a ride the rest of the way to Brookings. Luckily the wheel had just shifted off the hinge. Maybe the combination of the gear fiasco and the hill has put some strain on it. I was able to fix it by taking off all my bags and just repositioning it. Phew!

Now determined to get up the hill, I started again. I was surprised to find that there weren't any cars at the top. As for the view...I could see for miles both up and down the coast. Apparently this cape was tough to deal with for early coastal land travelers. They had to make a decision to either deal with the soft sandy coastline, find a route up and over the mountain, or head all the way around inland. Although the view was amazing, I wasn't quite sure it was worth the effort, especially since I was already getting fatigued from all the hills. With the said, the ride down the hill was super fun in that scary roller coaster kind of way.

The coast continued to surprise me. Places like Arch Rock and Whaleshead kept me inspired to continue on despite my dropping energy level. They also gave me a good reason to stop, rest and take in the view.

A little before 6:30 I finally reached Harris Beach. Instead of heading straight for camp I decided to sit on the grass and watch the sunset. I'm not sure why, but at that moment I wished I was traveling with somebody. I guess it's moments like sunsets that make me wish I had somebody else to share it with. I remember feeling the same way when watching sunsets when I was traveling through Mexico. Either way it was peaceful to watch, and a great end to a great day.

After the ride today, no matter how exhausted I felt by the end, I think I can safely say that I could ride that same stretch of highway 1000 times and not get sick of it. The views were stunning, the weather couldn't be better, and ride was amazing.

Progress: 50 miles

Random roadside debris: a left rain boot standing straight up.

-D
http://www.trackmytour.com/b5k7d

Inching closer to California

10/12/11
Today is end of day seven. My first week on the road. I'm pretty amazed at how little free time I have on this trip. I brought three books with me, a couple of notebooks, some dice and a deck of cards because I figured I might have nothing to do in the evenings. I haven't touched any of them. If I'm not riding, eating, sightseeing, fooling with my tent, maintaining my bike, or blogging then I'm probably sleeping. I noticed that my sleep schedule has changed considerably on this trip. Where as I've always been a night owl, most days now I'm in my hammock by 10pm and up before 7am. I've found the I sleep really well and that I like to have about 8.5-9hrs of sleep.

Going into the trip I figured I'd average 40-60 miles a day. I've been pretty right on in my prediction. If my calculations are right I've gone about 322 miles, which puts me right at an average of 46 miles a day. I never intended this to be a race, I always just wanted to see everything at my own pace. I think I've been doing that for the most part and I'm looking forward to what the next week brings.

I woke up with the sun today, bright and early. I've come to realize that it takes me about an hour to pack up, freshen up and eat something before heading out, so I was on the road by 8am. Just two miles up the road from camp was the city of Bandon. Bandon is a beautiful and clean town. I got the impression that they have more money than some of the other coastal towns. Just before coming into the heart of town I stopped briefly at a little area perfect for bird watching at the Bandon marsh. The tide was low and I think it was heading in, so there were lots of birds walking around poking their beaks in the muck. Now I kind of wish I knew what kind of birds they were...whatever, they were marsh birds.

In old town Bandon I stopped for coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Both satisfied me as I simultaneously updated the blog and the Facebook. After breakfast I called a few people, and then figured it was a good time to service my bike. I cleaned and lubed my chain, gears, brakes, cables and pedals which takes about an hour. I had a very leisurely morning and by the time noon came around I headed on down the road.

Bandon has a wonderful scenic route, which is the norm for most of the cyclists passing through. The route takes you along the coast line and I was awestruck by the crazy rock formations shooting out of the water. I can't remember ever stopping to look at those rocks, even though I've driven up and down the coast several times. There are some really unique formations in that area that show a rich geological history of volcanoes, earthquakes, and erosion. One rock in particular, called Face Rock, looks like a face emerging from the water and staring straight up into the sky. Another must see for people passing through.

About 8 miles down the road Beach Loop meets back up with 101, and there is a small Mexican restaurant there. Even though it was already past one o'clock and I had only gone about 10 miles, I couldn't resist getting some tacos to fuel my trek down the coast.

Now full and wanting to make some progress, I was off! The next 8 or 9 miles was filled with beautiful rolling countryside. There were cranberry and blueberry farms, sheep and cattle farms, and just country houses mixed within the hills. Along the shoulder there were quite a few cranberries that must have fallen off of trucks transporting them or something. Every once and a while I'd aim to roll over one of them, because the make a pleasing popping sound getting squished by my tore that can only be liked to squeezing bubble wrap. Other times I'd have to jolt my tire out of the way because I realized that the cranberry was actually a rock.

After about 13 miles I saw some bikes outside of a market, which were obviously of people riding down the coast. I stopped to say hi and fill my water. It was a foreign couple around my age that had started in Bellingham and were traveling down the coast. I think he was Irish ad she was something else, maybe an Aussie. Come to find out I had talked to the man the day before in Charleston, although he didn't make it known that he too was cycling down the coast. They were stopping to snack, and I just wanted to say hi and then keep going.

After another hour of riding I ended up at Port Orford. I didn't think too much of the town until I reached the south side. The sun was shining and the sky was blue when I reached Battle Rock Beach. Again, the rock formations at this place are amazing. Plus there is a nice beach which would be wonderful to hang out at in the summer. Today it was full of surfers and the waves actually looked really good. I thought that the surfers must be thrilled to be catching such tasty waves on a day like today. I watched for a bit and kind of wished that I had a surfboard to join them. Although, today was not the day for surfing it was a day for cycling. So on I must go!

The time was 4:45, and I was kind of at an awkward point. I could travel 6 miles up the road and set up camp or try to make it 25 miles up the road before dark. I guess I would decide when I got there.

Just in case you were wondering, the rumors are true. There are a lot of hills south of Port Orford. I had heard other cyclists mention it, and now I was experiencing it. It wasn't such a bad thing, but I was moving kind of slow. The best part was coming down one of the biggest hills. I had to stop at the top because there was only one lane of traffic due to construction, but as soon as the light turned green I shot off down the hill. I think I reached 35mph, which isn't crazy fast, but on a fully loaded bicycle it felt fast enough. There were several curves that were fun to maneuver because no cars were on the road, and eventually I was led to the entrance of Humbug Mountain State Park. Feeling like it would be wise to stop, even though I still had another hour and a half until sundown, I decided to call it a day.

The campgrounds are nice, and they were apparently renovated just this year or last. The hiker/biker area was renovated too, and it's the first one of it's kind that I've seen actually have areas sectioned off for the individual campers. I was greeted by an older Canadian couple that had started cycling in Seattle and are heading to the Redwoods. I think I'm starting to see more cyclists because the weather has been really nice. My only complaint is that the hiker/biker lacks trees. Since I brought my hammock to sleep in on this trip, I was a little disappointed. Luckily I can use the hammock as a sufficient enough tent and it doesn't appear like it will rain tonight, so I don't have to worry about waking up on soggy ground. We'll see how well I sleep...

Progress: about 40 miles

Random roadside debris: a full skeleton of some dead animal...maybe a dear?

-D
http://www.trackmytour.com/b5k7d

Damn those devils!

10/11/11
At an hour when most people are deep in REM and the late night bartenders of the world are just getting ready for bed, my camp was visited by thieves. You know the kind, with their bandit eye covering and their sneaky little hands. Those furry little critters with triangle ears that live in the trees. There were three of them and they somehow managed to get into my food. I'm still trying to figure out how they were able to reach behind the rain cover, up and under the top lid, inside the small collapsed hole at the top and from there rip a hole in the trail mix bag and scoop it out.

When I heard the rustling I was worried that it might have been one of those raccoon's larger cousins, but as soon as I shined my headlamp in their direction and saw those six reflective eyes staring back at me, I was relieved to say the least. I got up and decided I should probably hang my food bag from a tree. As I searched for my paracord in my front panniers I was amazed at the fearlessness the raccoons had, as they reappeared and tried to get back into my rear pannier! Those little devils! Haha. What's even more silly is that as I searched for a strong limb to sling my bag from, the raccoons followed me and watched for about two yards away as I hung their treasure just out of reach. I guess trail mix is the crack of the raccoon world.

After the fun little debacle with the raccoons, I returned to sleep...and sleep did I ever! I decided to stay relaxing in my hammock until 10am. By the time I finally got up, packed my stuff and hit the road it was close to noon. I suppose I needed the rest, but was worried about how I'd ever ride the 50 miles to Bandon before sundown.

Before leaving Winchester I rode by the lighthouse again and marvelled in the view. From there I rode down the hill and by Salmon Harbor again and saw some fish jump. I talked to some of the fisherman there and they said they were fishing for Salmon (hence the name of the harbor). One of them was proud to announce that he pulled an 18lb chinook out of there last week. I left the harbor and rolled through the rest of town, hit the highway, and headed up and over the hills out of town. For some reason I liked this little rundown town at Winchester Bay. Not as a place to live, buy it's a pleasant place to experience the outdoors and take in some gorgeous views.

I hit the next 20 miles to North Bend in more or less one shot. I was again riding through beautiful forested terrain, with a few hills and sand dunes to my right. The temperature was about 68F, a little wind, and blue skies with white puffy clouds blocking the sun. It was really good riding weather to say the least. The ride was very peaceful and although I felt pressed for time, I decided to just ride at a comfortable pace.

Before crossing the bridge into North Bend I stopped at a small veterans memorial on the side of the highway to take in the view. I was super hungry at that time and was looking forward to getting a good meal. The bridge that crossed Coos Bay into North Bend is a decent length. I would have considered taking the walkway, but it was under construction so I had to ride on the roadway, which had no shoulder. Luckily there was a button that I pushed which flashed lights to warn motorists of my presence. Most everybody was understanding including a logging truck, but I did get honked at out of anger once or twice. Calm down people...I bet if you were on a bike you'd be smiling. =)

In North Bend I began looking for a place to eat. I had seen a sign about 10 miles back that advertised Charleston Crab Shack, which sounded really good at the moment. The problem was that Charleston was still another 10 miles away. I decided to get a snack in North Bend before I would feast on crab, so I stopped at a small bakery and got a really tasty panini.

The bike route to Charleston is off of 101 and rides mostly through the city. It leads all the way out to Cape Arago and dead ends at the lighthouse out there. I wasn't going to take it that far, I just wanted some crab. I followed the signs to the crab shack all the way back to the fishing piers and much to my dismay, the place wad closed on Tuesdays. Oh well. I decided that the panini had been pretty filling so I stopped at a little market called Davey Jones Locker and got a clifbar and an ice cream cone.

I finished my cone and looked at my watch, which told me I better get a move on. The place I wanted to camp near Bandon, called Bullards Beach, was still about 20 miles away and it was just about four o'clock. I decided to try listening to some music thinking that it would help me keep my pace up, so I grabbed my iPod nano, put an earbud in one ear and set off down Seven Devils Rd.

I was wondering where that name came from...Seven Devils? I was thinking at first that maybe the road was seven miles long, or maybe there's some funny story about 7 devilish raccoons. I'm sure there must be a story behind it. I soon found out that the devils are the hills. I counted more than 7, but according to the graffiti on the road, that's where the name comes from. Those were probably some of the steepest grades I've had to deal with thus far, but the views from above are amazing. This road has one of the best examples of forested coastal mountains that the sunset coast has to offer. From the top of some of the hills you have 360 degree views of the South Slough National Estuarine Sanctuary. There are no houses out there, very few people, and just a lot of land. It's the kind of place I'd imagine Bigfoot would like to settle down in. I passed by a visitors center for the Sanctuary which I would have stopped at if I wasn't racing against the daylight. Although the hills wore me out (why does if seem like I'm always doing hills at the end of my day?) I was glad to have ridden through the area, and I made back onto the highway in record time...about an hour and a half. From there I only had two flat miles to go until Bullards Beach.

I rolled into Bullards at about 6:30. I was relieved that I beat nightfall. The campground was nice, but bigger and busier than I was used to. The campground was a long way from being full, but I think I had just grown used to setting up camp away from other people. The rangers were very nice to me and wanted to know all about my trip. I put my tent up quick, cooked some dinner, took another long warm shower, made a few phone calls and headed off to sleep. I was really pleased that I didn't have to deal with any rain today, and in fact it was really beautiful. The forecast is showing the next couple of days should be just as nice, if not nicer. I'm really enjoying seeing the world 10mph at a time.

Progress: 50 miles

Random roadside debris: a television

-D
http://www.trackmytour.com/b5k7d