Back in Babylon

First let me apologize to all of you that were starting to follow this blog. I tried to keep posting as long as I could, but save for San Francisco, I was in areas of California that had zilch cell service. I did not have an internet connection for long stretches let alone the bandwith to to upload pictures. Forget about videos. Combine that with the fact that at the end of the day, after riding 50+ miles, I was dog tired and the thought of going through the travail of trying to post the day's events became labor and not love. But after 645 miles I did learn some things:

• Trying to do everything I would do on a desktop or laptop computer on only a cell phone is crazy. Typing on a cell phone is not made for those of us with Sasquatch fingers. 
  
• Technology is great, but I am a slave to batteries. I carried a solar charger which worked good when the sun was out. But when it was raining or I was under the canopy of the redwoods, that didn't work. I charged my cell phone batteries wherever I could.
• I learned how to decipher a map. I learned that squiggly road lines meant the road went up or down. Often it meant that there was some pass that I had to go over. Rivers that cross topo lines perpendicular also mean a sharp climb. 
• I learned that having a touring bike would have made the trip much easier. I had taken my old road bike and set it up as a touring bike, which was a compromise at best. I did not have low enough gears for some of those uphills.
• I learned you cannot prepare for all mechanical problems. You can prepare for most but not all. 
• I learned that in addition to the more common bike tools, if I had duct tape, wire, glue, and zip ties, I could fix almost anything.
• I learned that I am not 30 any more. I was tired at the end of the day, and mountain passes could be a pain.
  
• Setting up camp wasn't so bad. Breaking camp was always a pain.
• I learned that the one thing I really needed at the time, was always at the bottom of my bags.
• Why the hell could I not remember which pocket I put that little widget?
• I came to really appreciate well stocked grocery stores as few and far between as they were. A lot of times the local ma and pa store had a limited selection. So a 3 dollar can of chili it was.
• Steep decents an a fully loaded bike are exhilarating one minute, and scary the next. I could really fly down those hills, but always kept in the back of my mind that what goes down has to go up. The steeper the downhill, the more I knew I would have to pay going back up.
• The undeveloped northern Calif. coast is spectacular, and I am glad I got to see it from a bicycle.
• Same goes for the Redwood Forests.
• As good as technology is sometimes Google Maps navigation cannot be trusted.
• San Francisco is like no other city. Bay to Breakers Run....need I say more?
• I didn't realize how much I missed my friend Steve Toole. It has been a long time since we saw each other and spending time with him was a high point of this trip.
• If you have a choice of taking the bus or the train, always go for the train.
  
  
  
  
  
   
    
   
   
   
   
  
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The banana slug express

Day eight. Redcrest to just outside of Garberville. 41 miles

Spent a well deserved night in a cabin in beautiful downtown Redcrest. Amazing what a hot shower, hot meal, and a good night's sleep can do to refresh this old body. Today was the second half of the Avenue of the Giants. I didn't make good time, for I was constantly stopping to take pictures, videos, and explore the surrounding area. The weather was overcast, but that didn't take anything away from the beautiful scenery.  After awhile the Avenue ends, and I was forced to reenter highway 101. I was originally trying to get to Standish Hickey park, but it was getting late and I needed a place to spend the night. Across the street from some of the tourist shops just outside of Garberville was a campground/RV site. Theresa, the manager, took pity on me and let me stay here for half the normal price. Tomorrow, if all goes well, I should make it to the coast. Am shooting for Ft Bragg.

Lost in Eureka

Day Seven. Eureka to Redcrest. 57 miles. Don't know elevation gain or have a map thumbnail because my phone crashed and I had to restart it.

Today I had a fight with the other woman in my life...the bitch on google maps. Maps has a function where you can choose the bicycle mode of transpertation. Once done, Mrs Google will try and find the best route especially for bicycles. The problem lies with the route she picks, ie alley ways, next to RR tracks, down by the sketchy part of the warf, through the cemetary...ARGH!

Finally made it out of town. The route to the Avenue of the Giants requires that bicycles get on highway 101. There is a wide shoulder, and I made good time, but the constant drone of cars and trucks really wears on you after awhile. After about 40 miles, I finally got to exit on the Avenue of the Giants. It is so beautiful.

No traffic, and quiet as I made my way through the thick redwood canopy. About three miles from the town of Redcrest it started to rain. Rented a cabin, got out of the rain, and have nice abode to recharge the horses. Looking forward ride tomorrow.

Big Foot to the rescue

Day 6, Willow Creek to Eureka.

Woke up this morning and the first thing I did was to try and fix the rear brake on my bike. Since there was no way I was going to find a bolt to fit brake, I got out my zip ties and gerry rigged the brake to the frame. I tried it out in the motel parking lot, and it seemed to work, but I had my reservations how it would hold up going down the two passes I had to cross. I was checking out of the Bigfoot Motel, talking with the manager about the two passes, when from another room a voice said "I'm going to Eureka....ask him if he wants a ride." Turns out the voice belonged to Joe, the owner of the motel. He had a truck and said he was leaving in 20min. I ran back to the room and gathered all my gear, threw it and the bike in the back of his truck, and off we went. He dropped me off at a bike shop in Arcata. Mr. Bike got some well deserved attention from Garrett at Revolution Cyclery.

He was impressed with my make do brake rig, but he had the bolt I needed, fixed the brake, trued the wheel, and installed a new cluster with some lower gearing. Much better! I'm staying at a campground  just outside of Eureka.

Tomorrow I head south and into the Avenue of the Giants.

If the thunder don't get you, then the lightening will.

Day 5...Junction City to Willow Creek. Distance 46 miles. Elevation gain 3284 ft. 8hrs. 5 geocaches found.

Got up early and managed to get on the road by 7:30. The morning is really the time to be on the road. The weather is cool, not much traffic, and the local wildlife is out and about. Saw a fox, numerous Heren, and a timid bobcat scooted across the road in front of me.

The first part of the ride followed the Trinity River, so the road west was a gentle downhill. There were a few stretches that required dropping down into my lowest gear, but for the mostpart it was a gentle downhill and I made good time. Beautiful weather this morning with warm temps that changed to storm clouds and rain 5 miles outside of Willow Creek. I had a mechanical failure that put a frowny face at the end of the day. The bolt that holds the rear brake on came loose and dropped off somewhere. I had to limp in to Willow Creek with only the front brake working. What with the rain and mechanical problems I decided to rent a room at The Bigfoot Motel. This isn't exactly The Washington Square but it will do for tonight. I have two more Mtn passes to go over before I reach the coast so it is important that I get the bike situation staightened out. Onward

I made the grade!

Day 4, Lewiston to Junction city.  32 miles, 3609 elevation gain. 8hrs. 8 geocaches found.

Got a late start today, was on the road by nine. I took the locals advice and took the back way to Weaverville.

Princess Lalani Kumoniwannalayya

Glad I did, because there was no traffic on this back road, and it afforded me the opportunity to look for some geocaches. After 17 miles, I made it into Weaverville around two. I decided to see if I could put some more miles on before finding a campground.

I went to the local grocery store to buy dinner, and as luck would have it, there was a Starbucks inside. I don't think I have ever had such a refreshing iced coffee. People kept telling me that there was a mountain pass I would have to go over if I wanted to make it to Junction City. Another pass to go over. This one was just as steep as the Buckhorn Pass from the other day. OK, I think I have figured out the steepness of the roads. 4-5% grade= a grunt, 6-7%= Are you kidding me, and a 8-9% grade = WTF. Dinner is done, dishes cleaned, and I am going to get a good night's rest. Over and out.

Lewiston..a trip back in time

Lewiston, Day three. 

Today was a day to relax and recover from that long climb from yesterday. Turns out that was just what this old body needed. Finally met the campground manager and paid for my two nights. Then I rode into town, and spent the morning taking pictures of Old Lewiston.

Spent quite a while sipping a few cold ones at the old hotel here in town. Tried my luck at fishing the Trinity, but was only able to land a few small ones. Tomorrow the first leg of my ride is the 16 miles to Weaverville. Will see how I feel before making any decisions about how far to ride after that.

Gravity..you are not my friend

Day two  Redding to Lewiston 34.2 miles, 3428 elevation gain, 1 geocache found.

Got on the hound in LA no problems. It was a pretty uneventful ride until we got to Fresno. There we picked up a disruptive passenger. He and the driver went at it for some time, and when we got to the Sacramento station the guy said something to the driver, which I didn't hear, and the driver threw the guy off the bus. Had a two hour layover in Sacramento because the relief driver never showed up. That put me two hours back, and didn't arrive in Redding until sometime around seven. Was not aware that this is the time all the hobos desend on station. They were everywhere.

It took me a good hour to put the bike back together what with having to deal with me new &friends.& Once I got the bike assembled and packed, I headed over to Walmart to get some stove fuel, and then it was off to a bike store called &The Chain Gang& to buy a new pair of bike shoes because I had left home and forgot to bring them. The ride to Lewiston kicked my ass. What in the hell was I thinking, that I could drag my 65 yr old body up that steep grade all the while pulling an anchor.

Every switchback I thought I had arrived at the summit, only to find another 8% grade ahead. I

was so tired when I got into Lewiston, that I bought food and headed to the nearest campground. The campground was empty, and when I could not find the manager, I picked a spot and set up camp. Damn I was tired. All I

know is that I am a long way from home, and my only means of transportation is a bicycle. It is beautiful here, but I miss my wife.

And so it begins...

The day is finally here. The clothes are packed, the camping gear has been stashed in its containers, the bicycle has been cleaned, lubed broken down to fit in a cardboard box. The planning stage has passed, and to quote Bruce Buffer, "IT'S TIME!"  The plan today is to catch a north bound Hound to Redding which should arrive around 5:30 tomorrow morning. Tomorrow, I have to reassemble "Der Weisse Panzer" and head up the Trinity Alps to my first stop, Lewiston. From there, I ride across the mountains to the coast, and then follow the coast all the way back home. Looking forward to a memorable ride.