Saturday, September 27, 2014
Thursday, September 18, 2014
day 13: destination!
day 13: destination! by jheggen at Garmin Connect - Details
Although the CA parks may have shut off their showers, Heaven opened up and provided us our first rain all trip. Normally the piter patter of drops on a tent fly should lull me into a deep sleep....
Each campsite in CA was provided with a rustic wooden cabinet for food storage. I'm used to the bazillion gauge metal bear proof food storage containers designed by a bored engineer, able to withstand opening by any able camper as well as the biggest G-Bear. These units look like they are made from scrap lumber found in a pile behind grandpa's shop. Oh, they are not there to protect our food from bears or other campers, but those furry nuisance night stalkers, the raccoon. Sure enough, even before the last light day fell, we were surrounded by an army of rocky raccoons. There were three shelves in our cabinet. I used the middle one, just in case they managed to pry the bottom or top boards off. Other bike campers attempted to shu them away throughout the night. I caught them looking in my frame bag where my sun blocked used to reside. Alas some raccoon won't be sporting a tan next summer. At one point multiple raccoons were heard fighting one another over the opportunity to foil the fine craftsmanship of the cabinet maker. At one point you could hear success. Then finally the rain won and all fell silent.
Sure enough, the biker who used the lower shelf lost his bananas and other delights to the crafty raccoon. My VIA Starbucks coffee survived.
As it continued to rain all morning I really didn't need my SPF 50 sunblock anyway. We loaded the wet condo cabin (those young biker kids laughed last night when they saw my ROOMY 3 person First Ascent Tent) and packed up the bikes, donned our rain jackets and hit the road. Three miles down the road we stopped in Lagunitas at a small market for breakfast.The best heuvos rancheros ever. Then it started to really rain. The locals were dancing. I'm assuming because it hasn't rained forever, but who knows, we are in the Bay Area.
Our original plan was to work our way towards the Golden Gate Bridge. Looking at our map and route I used some logic and realized we could ride another 25+ miles to the bridge, cross it over to San Francisco, through the city to the ferry terminal and then across the bay to Larkspur terminal and then to our motel. Did you know there are 7.1 million inhabitants in the Bay Area, most of them people? Riding my bike right through the middle of them in the rain scared me to death. OR, we could just turn left in Fairfax, and ride five miles directly to our motel. The shower was hot, the brew cold, and the bed comfy.
Tomorrow, sans bike shorts, although I'm sure no one would notice, we will take the ferry across the bay to the hub of the 7.1 mill, meet D2 and tour the sites. Looking forward to not riding a bike for a couple of days.
It will take some time to download my thoughts and feelings about the trip. Don't ask me if I would do it again. Sure, I would love to tour again. For 13 straight days? Don't ask. Along the OR coast? Sure, sometime, after a while. In CA? Don't ask me yet. I'm thinking north of the boarder towards Banff. Maybe retrace parts of the Lewis and Clark trail. But I'll need a couple of days to think about it.
For now, I can't think of a better way to spend time with Rhonda than on a two week, self supported bike tour. She is my great encourager. I could not have done this without her. I love her so much.
For the record:
676.22 miles
35,525 feet elevation gain
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
day 12: Lagunitas
day 12: Lagunitas by jheggen at Garmin Connect - Details
Our last night out on the bike route. We are camped at the Samuel P Taylor state park outside of Lagunitas. And it's wanting to rain. So we are huddled in our tent.
It was a long day of ups and downs for 4600 feet over 68 miles. There was some spectacular scenery today, especially outside of Ft Ross as we climbed some steep hills and switchbacks. Still not much of a shoulder and the road just drops off a cliff to the ocean. I'm pretty sure there was an Alfred Hitchcock movie filmed around here.
Well, the rain is coming down. And it's really needed around here. Ever since entering CA you can notice the affects of the draught. Especially since many of the state parks have closed their shower facilities. No worries for me, I'm used to stinking on outdoor adventures. Rhonda is learning.
After the hills of Fort Ross we entered Jenner and then started inland towards Valley Ford and Tamales before circling the bay towards Marshall and Pt Reyes Station. The profile looked simple enough but there were enough hill repeats to entertain any spin instructor for a 90 minute class.
Inland was hot again, even if it was only 10 miles. The coast was even warm, but what views. Coming out at Pt Reyes we stopped at the Cowgirl Cremery on the advice of a guy who reminds me a lot of C.L. Garey, down to the hiking shorts and boots. They even share the same tastes in fine culinary cuisine. We bought the last two epicurean delightful sandwiches and another bowl of quinoa salad, along with a artisan cookie for desert and packed them away in our bags for the last 9 miles of the day.
The bike route leaves hwy 1 and winds back roads and finally a bike path through woods into the state park. We made in time to set up camp, eat our cowgirl picnic, and wash up before it got dark and started to rain.
Tomorrow we navigate an urban environment for 27 miles to find the Golden Gate Bridge, cross it, and find our way through the pier district to locate our ferry back to San Rafael and a shower.
We heard that Tug and Jim may only be a day or less behind us, so we left them some encouragement
Day 11: Manchester Beach - Stillwater Cove
I've been reading my book for the past couple of hours and realized it was getting dark, which is pretty early all of a sudden. We have been in camp since 3:30. What a pleasant ride along CA 1. We travelled roughly 43 miles south into Sonoma County. It was a blue bird day. The sun was hot while standing still, but just enough breeze to cool you while riding. 
We left Manchester Beach and road for 6 miles to a roadside motor lodge with a breakfast cafe near the Point Arena Lighthouse. We loaded up on some thick French toast and wound our way south. The ups and downs don't seem all that bad anymore. Still in our short ride we gained and lost 2500' of elevation.
17 miles into the day, Gualala sported a couple of grocery stores to choose from, so instead of crossing the highway we patroned the locally owned Surf Market. Sort of a non chain store version of Trader Joes. We knew that that there were not going to be many places between here and camp. We packed away some fruit, beef jerky, a tasty and spicy quinoa salad for supper and some breakfast bars for tomorrow morning.
11 miles down the road we came across Stewarts Point. Similar to Elk, they have an old but pristine mercantile (I love that word), complete with squeaky oak floors. If we would have known we could have stocked up here. These two mercantiles are the coolest places we've visited since returning to the coast on hwy 1.
It was either going to an easy recovery day or another long grunt, as camps are fewer between. Some of the state parks have been closed due to budget cuts and others have reduced services. We settled for recovery. So tonight we are in the very nice Sonoma County Stillwater Cove park, complete with hot showers. And we are the only bikers in the hiker/biker camp. Although peaceful, I'm still missing Tug and Jim.
Centuries ago Tug first met Jim at university when Jim was the naive freshman and Tug the sophisticated sophomore. So much more sophisticated, Tug oversaw Jim's initiation forcing him to push a penny across campus with his nose. They have been best friends ever since. Tug became a professor of economics and Jim an attorney. Still, I like these guys and wonder where they are. Their plane leaves San Francisco a few days after we depart, so they have some extra time in their adventure.
Our journey is nearing its end. We have less than 100 miles to go and are now focusing more time in planning the destination. It is our goal to stroll over the Golden Gate Bridge midday on Thursday, giving us plenty of time to weave through city life and find the ferry to cross the bay to San Rafael and our hotel. That means we need to get about 65 miles tomorrow and find camp near Lagunitas ( I hear they make a fine IPA, so I'm told). From Lagunitas it should be a short ride to the big city.
We are visiting our friends, "D Square", Dave and Denise West. They will be our tour guides in San Francisco. I look forward to some Rice A Roni, the San Francisco Treat.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Day 10 Fort Bragg - Manchester Beach
Poor cell coverage and no wifi means you are reading this tomorrow, or later. Today was a recovery day. We strolled a couple miles from the state park unto Fort Bragg and found a cycle shop open! Fort Bragg Cyclery is a cyclist's bike shop. The kind of place I would like to own. The owner is also the mechanic and he knows his stuff. He fixed Rhonda's front derailer, replaced her worn brake pads (remember yesterday's 12 mile descent?), and replaced her second tire. For kicks he adjusted my front derailer and cleaned both chains. While that was going on the shop suggested a fine breakfast locale and told us where the laundramat was located (getting short on clean cycle shorts). Before the clothes were dry the cycle shop called and said all was done. I can't believe that dropped all other work to care for us. When in Fort Bragg, visit the Cyclery shop! 
It was nearing 1p when we left town and planned for an easy 40 mile ride. No big hills? Right...
We gained over 2000 feet again; the same 200 over and over. At each creek crossing the highway took sweeping curves from the top of the bench dropping fast to sea level. There are no shoulders of course, so with traffic we too must take the sharp turns at slow speeds(good thing Rhonda got new brake pads). Then it was the same elevation gain, only steeper. Most of these were just plain hard, but doable. Until we came to a Elk creek. But before we talk about gravity being the law, let me say something about the village of Elk. Elk, CA is a clean, quaint, welcoming wide spot in the road. The grocery store and deli had all you really need. We were 13 miles from camp so we had the deli make us some awesome sandwiches which we packed away for later. Behind Elk, the hillsides reminded me of Council and Cascade, ID, and I'm sure Wapiti inhabited them.
Just south of Elk is Elk Creek and the highway drops around three sweeping curves, 300 feet to sea level. And then it gains all those and more in about 1/2 the distance. It was the hardest hill I've ever climbed. I'd only come back again just to see Mark Bertram climb it in the big chain ring. It was all mental effort. One car meeting us on our way up stuck their head out the window and whooped and hollered encouragement to us, and that's when I stopped. I lost concentration and I couldn't get my legs to shut up. After a few minutes breather I jumped back on and tried to get the pedals to turn. I was climbing ever so slowly, but with only one foot clipped in its peddle. Then this wall appeared! A black slab of asphalt that stood straight up and was mistakenly called the road bed. Just then I started weaving and a car came up behind me and the hill won! No way was I going to spin myself up that switchback, so I called my manhood into question as I WALKED the bike around the corner. Of course Rhonda motored right on up and stopped around the corner as it leveled out to a normal 10% grade. Without word I mounted the bike and spun it up the remainder of the hill. For the next 5 miles I didn't say a word.
Manchester beach soon called us in. The state park is really primitive (meaning no showers and only pit toilets), so we are camped down the road at a KOA. After eating our awesome sandwiches from Elk and all the hot water you need for a shower we are totally relaxed and recovering for tomorrow.
We are less than 150 miles from San Francisco and I'm just a little impressed how remote the coastal highway is. Not much civilization between us and the Bay Area. Perfect.
Day 9. Garberville to Fort Bragg
Untitled by jheggen at Garmin Connect - Details
There are always days like this when backpacking and climbing. They are usually early on in the trip. Sure the summit push is the toughest day, but that is why we are there. But often the grunt is the approach to high camp. Or it is the slog up a steep hill to our first alpine lake after we leave the designated trail. You know it's coming and there is always that dread leading up to it. The packs are heavy and your legs are untested. That's when Dave Fischer says, "we got it to do".
While planning our trip Rhonda kept talking about the climb out of Leggett. And sure enough the elevation profile shows this anomally, a huge jump in the endless ups and downs. For the last two days we have been climbing along the Eel River valley. It's not a gradual climb. Instead there is this two steps up, one step down approach. If you are a math whiz, you could do a regression analysis and the line would a standard exponential growth pattern. The profile looks like those graphs printed out of your heart rhythm. And then there is this spike, as if the cat jumped out at you at 2am when you get to go to the bathroom. Yikes!
We left Garberville after a good rest and cruised steadly up the road. Lunch was this outside hippy grill near Standish Hickey. A grilled turkey sandwich with avocado (we are in CA) and fresh squeezed organic lemonade to cool the 90 degree temps. Then we left the 101 for the CA hwy 1, and we got it to do.
It was a long and winding grunt up, at 7+%. I found my granny gear and left it there. The sign at the bottom said no motor coaches or pulled campers over 40' but that didn't stop them. Up we went in the heat. We left the hippy grill with our two 24oz water bottles full. The map said 28 miles to the next services and I was worried I would run out. We stopped three times on the climb up, getting the heart rate down and giving the legs a break. As the garmin showed us nearing and going over 1800' ( I know Louie, it doesn't seem that high or tough, but you are not here), I kept thinking the next switchback would be the last. Finally we rounded a corner and there was no more up. Now the reward.
For the next 12 miles we cruised down and around, clicking off the feet towards the ocean for the first time in 2+ days. My mountain experience and what little physics I had in school taught me that the temp should increase as you descend. At half way down we pulled over to cool the brakes, but also add some layers. Rhonda put on a jacket and I added my vest and arm warmers. Arm warmers could be a stylish shirtless sleeve. Mine are black and cut the wind and keep my arms warm, hence the name.
When people ask me where I grew up, I say, "I haven't". When mom said 'don't touch the stove top because it's hot', I did, and so I just had to see how hot my disk brakes really got. I'm glad I bought my bike with disk brakes. They really work and they get really hot!
By the time we reached bottom the temps dropped to 58 and the marine layer hid the yellow orb in the sky. And then another hill! What? A hard 500 foot climb back up before we could see the sea.
Our water was running low and we still had 9 miles to the next "full service" village, Westport. The one store was able to provide us directions to the garden water spicket and sold us some Grandma's cookies and told us the next town with real food and camping was 10 miles away. Our map said 13, and my legs thought it was 20. From now on the coastal road will be a series of steep curves descending the washes, followed by steeper climbs, one after the other. They would be fun on my road bike with no traffic.
We found a hiker/biker camp with a nearly full service market, with ham sandwiches and a small bucket of potato salad. I'm writing this as proof they didn't give us food poisoning. We shared camp with an older German couple. We shared coffee this morning before we headed into Fort Bragg for a bike shop and bike maintenance, and more laundry.
Our coffee brought back memories of Tug, Jim, and Tina. I hope they are well and wonder where they are. I miss them.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Day 8: Ferndale - Garberville
Day 8: Ferndale - Garberville by jheggen at Garmin Connect - Details
Ferndale was a nice stopover and a rest well appreciated. The town is clean and supported by the surrounding dairy country and tourism.
Refreshed we started out of town on the edge of the marine layer and chilled air. We took the country roads and headed inland following the nearly dry Eel river, through farm land occupied by more California happy cows. The road grade was a generally slight 1-2% grade with the occasional steep bump at 7%.
It was about the second bump that we had our first flat and blown tire. Rhonda's front tire went flat and after two inner tubes we realized the tire's bead had failed. So, after a longer than required break we installed the spare tire and headed up the road.
Soon we entered the "Avenue of the Giants", an off Hwy 101 route along more of the Redwoods. It was a most pleasant ride. The redwoods provided much needed shade as the temps finally climbed as we rode inland. There were some fruit and veggie stands interspersed in between the various small towns, which aided in our scurvy prevention.
Because of the need for another spare tire, and knowing tomorrow is Sunday, we kept the pace to make it to Garberville before their all purpose sport shop closed at 5:30. We made it with 10 minutes to spare.
When not under the shade of trees, the temps rose into the 90's, a big difference from the coastal 60's. For some reason we thought we could make it another 15-20 miles. While eating dinner in town we realized we only had another hour or so of day light and the heat just took it out of us. No safe camping in Garberville, so we are in another motel tonight, and I'm glad this one has AC.
I didn't get many photos today, but took some video riding through the redwoods. That will require me some time at home to edit it all, so come back later at the end of this adventure.
Humboldt county has more than its share of culture, and counter culture. Each of the towns with its own character, or several characters for that matter.
Tomorrow's ride takes us up our steepest, longest, highest hill of the trip, and they say it will be hotter. So it's time to say good night.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Day 7 Trinidad to Ferndale
day 7 Trinidad to Ferndale by jheggen at Garmin Connect - Details
Patricks Point was a quiet nice camp. You could hear the surf and sea lions in the distance. By sunset the marine fog rolled in. Two others were in the hiker/biker camp, one of each. The biker was averaging 80 miles a day, so I feel a little subhuman. Of course he was much younger.
We have passed the halfway point of our adventure and here are a few ride stats for the last 7 days:
| Count: | 7 Activities |
| Distance: | 386.24 mi |
| Time: | 31:32:46 h:m:s |
| Elevation Gain: | 17,618 ft |
| Avg Speed: | 12.2 mph |
| Avg HR: | 113 bpm |
| Avg Run Cadence: | -- |
| Avg Bike Cadence: | -- |
| Calories: | 10,198 C |
Today's route had a little of everything. Single lane, freeway, road construction, bridges and even some Gravel. The route took several off highway routes and gave us much variety. Breakfast was 8 miles down a scenic road to the village of Trinidad. A nice seaside community. We ate in a small organic counter culture coffee shop and I ate an egg frittata that looked like quiche to me. It was good and the organic coffee even better.
As we neared Arcata, the route took us on a very nice green belt along the outskirts of town. It was nice not to have to worry about the traffic. Arcata is the home of Humboldt State U. I hired and worked with many great Idaho game wardens who graduated from there. A nice looking campus.
Then the route took us to and through Eureka, and that's all I'm going to say about that.
Once again the route left the 101, thankfully! We came upon a nice little old dairy town of Loleta. We saw some California happy cows and toured a cheese factory. We took the old highway out and into our destination for the night.
Ferndale is a great Victorian era town on the Eel River. The county fair campground we planned to stay was hosting a festival, so we are in the Frances Creek Inn, which just happens to be next door to the Ferndale Pizza parlor and across the street from the laundry. If you wonder why we have to do laundry so often, I have two words for you, "bike shorts", and we only carry three pairs with us.
Today's ride was very relaxing. I'm learning. No big climbs today. Although still tired, the legs are not as sore as they have been. Looking forward to a comfortable and restful night's sleep.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Day 6: Crescent City - Trinidad (Patrick's Point State Park)
This is our second day in CA. Oregon set a high bar for a biker friendly ride. A goal that CA will have to work hard to meet. Maybe it's just because I'm tired, for the second day in a row. Last night's motel was a nice respite in crescent city. We had first floor room with a view of the ocean. Nice accommodations and affordable. Even the bed was comfortable. Better than any backpacking trip I've been on. Still, I was not there long enough. Even with sleeping in some, I could use some recovery time. My body is beginning to agree with Rhonda: 'we are not in a race. We can go at our own pace, take our time, enjoy the journey'. And then there is Isaiah who heard The Lord say, "Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you."- Isaiah 46:4
Right off the get go we had a 1000 foot climb at up to a 7.5% grade. And for most of the way up, and in fact for many miles today, there was not a decent shoulder to ride in. And although it only takes one, or in this case, four vehicles decided they were bigger than us and passed with only inches to spare. It just sort of ruined the day. It was stressful trying to keep the rubber side down and watch for those motor coaches with extended mirrors pulling their toys. Because for every hill climb, there is this windy decent down the back side, usually the payoff for the hard work climbing up. There were a few nice descents cruising down with little traffic, especially in Redwoods national park. But enough whining.
I have read about the redwoods since high school. I always expected them further inland (like the Sequoias, but those are completely different critters). Still, these trees are huge and old. It's been cool to ride through them on bikes along the coast. I'm glad someone invented Trex for building decks and some of these giants remain.
The area is also pretty rural between the bigger towns. We knew tonight's camp would be too far to find food near by. So we stopped in Orick. The market was sparse but we found some bars and nuts for the morning. Just enough to get us into the next town 8-10 miles down the road. The Palm cafe sat across the highway and we ate a greesey burger for a late lunch, early dinner. Mark Morgan says I can eat a piece of pie each day. The Palm cafe did make a good homemade apple pie that I shared with Rhonda.
Then it was back on our bikes for 15 more miles and another 1500 feet up and down, winding along the coastal lagoons. We even saw a herd of elk just out of the park. The sign to Patrick's Point State Park was a welcome site. CA parks do meet the OR standard for hiker/biker camps. Rhonda is taking her shower while I type and listen to the surf. I even hear a sea lion every now and then. And I'm looking forward to a Mark Bertram favorite: hostess crumb doughnuts.
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