John, who went on a 3 month bike ride four years ago and a 2 month tour last year, remembered how kind people were to him so he invited me to join his family for dinner last night. Today I took their picture . They were camping in tents & a big RV.
The other picture is of UCSB, a bike oriented campus with many confusing bike paths. This time directions didn't help, a tour guide manifested and led me out of that wilderness.
I am in Carpenteria, there were no cheap motels in SB.
Got lost today and spent a few hours doing smart phone things after over two days of bad connections. As usual, the only way to get good wi fi is to patronize overpriced coffee establishments. So, I made few miles today.
I ended up in Guadalupe - no motel and no campground for miles. I asked a fire department if could camp there and Captain Pat said yes, leaving the showers/restroom unlocked. The pic is of him. The other pic is to show how the landscape had changed from Big Sur.
More wildlife today: a stork in flight, 4 vultures eating a car-killed deer, a colony of elephant seals, and zebras grazing on the San Simeon ranch.
I am staying in Los Osos. The picture is of George and Pat who put me up as part of the Warm Showers program that caters to long distance cyclists. It is free but you promise to host other bikers in the future. All that is required is use of a privy, warm shower, and a place to tent bu they also provided a bed, use of a washer/dryer, detergent, and breakfast - plus conversation.
Big Sur lives up to its rep. Here are some pictures of my State Route 1.
Lots of wildlife. Large flocks pelicans, a family of turkeys crossed in front of me, and I could hear sea lions often (not something you'd hear in a car.
I camped in Lucia. There were porposes in view. I didn't use the camp food storage box and racoons got into my food bag. They got my cashews which they only slightly liked, leaving pieces scattered about. They also ate every one of my large cache of prunes - serves them right.
I'm back to taking pictures of vegetation. First fields of strawberries in Watsonville dwarf any other strawberry patch I've seen. (Ditto lettuce and artichokes,all ready for picking). Second, ice plants, in all their invasive glory, are very pretty as they take over Central California sand dunes.
I am staying in Monterey.
Tamara sells pies, pastries and produce. I bought a peach pastry and a brownie tort (one eats in large lots biking - even so I have lost 8 pounds). She gave me a mint leaf and a strawberry to go with the brownie because "bikers like it that way". Then she sat with me to converse while eating a late lunch and gave me a slice of her quiche. The picture is of her behind the counter.
I am staying in Davenport.
I biked around SF rather than take the straight thru route. Here are 3 pics - the Golden Gate from below, Aboard BART, and how a SF residential shoreline looks.
I am camping in Half Moon Bay. Need to visit its bike shop in the morning for minor repairs.
The picture is of the cross Marin Bike Trail. It has been a lovely backcountry day.
I ended the day in grand transit fashion, taking the Larkspur ferry to SF and BART to my relatives in Berkeley.
Spent a rest day with family in Berkeley and two nights in a house well lived in (boys aged 7 & 4).
2 weeks later and hundreds of miles further south, the roadside berries are ready for picking.
I am staying in Bodega Bay.
The fog that's in the picture rolled in. Everything was obscured until 4:30 pm. I got real close to some deer and took about 5 pictures but they are too dark because of the fog.
Yesterday a family of dear ran with me for over 100 feet, crossing in front of me twice before leaving the road.
I am camping in Gualala.
She was right. Tough but it is all fun.
I camped with the couple pictured. Like all the French Canadian cyclists l have met this trip they bring cooking equipment and eat very well.
I am camping in Mendocino.
I am camping near Leggett, a very hot very short day. I started late because of a flat and stopped early because my current campground hostess convinced me I had to. I stopped for water but she said that once I turned onto Route 1 the way to the coast involved at least 4 hours of hard riding, climbing two mountains, and then another dozen miles to the next campsite. It was 4:30 so l stayed.
Route 256's entire 30 miles is in old growth Redwood forest. One of my nicer days, plus it got warm toward the end of the day. It was cold and foggy wet the last day and a half - my campsite in the morning was in a ground level raincloud, l packed some wet gear
I am camping in Redway.
3 vultures started to follow me on this side road that was perched on cliffs and had sudden gravel or dirt patches at the bottom of descents with sharp turns. This made me carefull. Twice l told them not to bother with me. Two flew away when l pulled the camera but if you look hard you can see the third.
Eureka is a small city with fishing and lumber as major industries. I snaped a shot of both logs and planks.
The detail map for Eureka was unclear so I had to ask directions: "My way in Eureka I have lost it." (One must take advantage of every opportunity that arises.) I am camping in Ferndale.
It was a low mileage day but one of the best. I have been in Redwoods National Park a lot which has been nice but the best road went through Prairie Creek Redwood State Park. I found myself slowing to a crawl as the silence overwhelmed me. I am providing 3 pics, two of the same tree (bottom and top).
I am staying in Orick.
Amazing beaches, rocks, forests, views.
Had a 3 hour lunch with Robert Jackson, who traveled 4 hours round trip just to see me. I felt complimented. Andy did it too, earlier in the trip.
I am now in Cresent City which along with Bandon has one of the moat breathtaking beaches I have ever seen. Too bad l have pictures of neither.
Favorite small town so far is Bandon. in a Mayberry sense. Canon Beach reeked of money but I liked it too. .
I did not take the small detour to the Oregon Dunes Recration area. Here is a pic from the backside with people on dune buggies recreating (they are specks between the two sets of trees).
I camped just shy of Bandon.
Had a flat. Stopped by the
Green Bike Co-op in Waldport to buy tubes. Ric then lubed my chain and drivetrain and repositioned my front derailier for free. I took pics of some amazing sights today but Ric's pic gets in the blog, he was the most amazing.
I am camping just south of Florence.tonight.
Aron & Wendy live in Toledo at the end of a logging road. A rest day with pleasant people. Aron picked some sour cherries. I helped pit them. Cherry pie tonight.
Very liesurely day since l only go to Toledo to visit cousins tonight. The Oregon coast lives up to its rep.
The day is only half over but one can only blog from hotspots as one finds them up here.
The scenery at Newtarts estuary is beautiful, peaceful; my favorite so far. Spent the night at Cape Lookout campgroud. 2nd night in a row camping, Susan would be proud.
A short mileage day after a rest day. Not intentional; I spent hours trying to get my travel apps to work.
I did it in a chocolate shop, where I had the best hot chocolate I ever had; and I bought other stuff because I felt guilty spending so much time there.
Oregon's summer beach scene looks like one in LA except for the sweatshirts.
I am now in Astoria. Taking a rest day. Will meet my brother on the
the 5th.
Finished Waskington. Starting OREGON. Here are my itineries
Another mild beautiful day.
It's not what this marker says, it's just that on bike one gets to read all the historical markers. A real treat.
Spent the afternoon with my brother Andy. The trolley had a
"battery".
I did't know the picture labels had to be short.
The lemonade label said they let me rest barefoot.
The prone bike label said l purchased cherries and found a shady spot up the road by blossoming blackberry bushes - if I were riding I in August I would not be buying berries.
Am in Longview. Traveled same road as Lewis and Clark and Oregon trail. Biking it gives a better feel than driving it.
Am now in Shelton. I took a lot of pictures of flowers, stopping every 3 minutes before giving it up to the pros. Deciding what to take makes one aware of their variety. Nice trip.
