So... Tonight I'm sitting at a table on the docks in Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, at a restaurant that I last visited with Norma in 1983 or 84. I came back seeking some killer shrimp wontons, and sure enough, they still serve them! It was worth pedalling 10 days from Seattle to just for these! :-)
Today was a better ride than I expected after yesterday's 100 mile cruise inland into the heat. I got up early to beat the temps, and while I started out at 52F at 7:15, it quickly warmed up into to the 70's. I managed to get to the Rt. 1 turnoff by 10:30, and up to the top of the climb over the coast range before 11:00, and was only about 80F. Halfway down the other side, I needed to stop and put more layers back on! At the coast it was back down to 58F :-)
The morning section was all along the Eel River, some on US 101, and some on the old highway. Lots of redwoods and beautiful river views. Pretty much all of it with very light traffic!
After getting back to the coast, the landscape was totally different, and just as spectacular!
This was a fantastic road to ride, and there were quite a few cyclists out today. I had lunch with 5 others riding along the coast, two from Seattle, two from the SF Bay area, and one from Germany! The German guy had ridden all the way from Atlanta! I got a lot envious looks at how light I was traveling. I only have about a dozen pounds of gear (one change of riding clothes, and one set of street clothes, + a few tools and spare tubes), but everyone else seems to be hauling everything but the kitchen sink! They are all camping and each person looks to be carrying 50lbs+. Makes for a lot slower going, particularly in the hills, of which there are plenty!
Tomorrow should be an easy day -at only 41 miles, the shortest of the whole trip... Sort of a rest day after the last two. So that's it for now, as I need to head back to my hotel & wash laundry ;-)
I bet they were jealous of your light travel, especially as they slowly hauled it all up the coastal climbs. You did it well Scott.
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