Cycle
Day 20
I woke up feeling very refreshed, it’s the best I have felt in the last few days. After a breakfast of fruit and granola, we stopped by the elk to see them once more before we left. I sure love the calm, dark mornings in the redwoods, I’m not sure why, but it’s just easy on my soul.
Departing from camp, we took the windy road through the heart of the redwoods. The road would constantly bring us out to the coast, and back into the forests.
We took a pit stop to check out Sue-Meg State Park and have a small snack. The views of the coastline were unbeatable, so we hung around for quite some time just taking in the view. The relaxed pace of a bike tour has been different, usually, I’m chasing a hiking trail or a ski resort or something like that, but this trip has been more of just enjoying where I’m at, and taking in what people often blow by in their cars.
Not long after this stop we came across an alternative route recommended by my Adventure Cycling Association maps. The route took us into Trinidad and down the Trinidad Scenic Drive, which was more of a trail than a road in some places. My 25 mm tires were getting beat up from the gnarly off-road conditions, but the view was worth it.
Many of my favorite moments have been finding hidden gems off Highway 101. It has me excited to see what the older, smaller, windier Highway 1 looks like south of Leggett.
The scenic drive eventually spit us out just north of McKinleyville, where we stopped for some crazy good fish tacos.Â
The bumpy road we took into town, must have knocked my father’s taillight off so we decided to stop at a bike shop in Arcata to find a replacement.Â
After stopping at the bike shop, we explored Arcata a bit and biked around the downtown area. It seemed like a nice town, and everyone we chatted with was incredibly friendly, and even found a campground through one of the locals.
We rolled into the RV campground, and yes, they are a little more expensive than camping at state parks, but they have some amenities that are nice to enjoy here and there. One was a hot tub, it was nice to relax the body and soak in the warmth under the cool, NorCal air. Also, RV campgrounds typically have a small market, so you don’t have to bike anywhere for a decent dinner. Oh, and I can’t forget about laundry, we were able to freshen up and clean those nasty bike shorts.
Waking up in the middle of the night to my father’s snoring was not on my list of things I wanted to deal with. Fortunately, I came prepared with earplugs and popped those things in and went back to bed.
Tomorrow is a mystery, the lost coast alternative route sits just south of Eureka. I have heard mixed things about the road, that it is too steep, too rough for road bikes, and too remote to bike. I am not sure if it will be something we do, but we’re probably going to give it our best shot tomorrow.
Stats from today:
- 50 miles biked
- 2,000 vertical feet climbed
- 1 new taillight
- 2 ear plugs
