Travel, January 6, 2010 3:57 PM 0 comments

Oregon to San Francisco

Second segment of my bike touring trip from Vancouver to Baja, this portion from Xmas day to just after New Years, where I'm taking a few days off to visit a friend in San Francisco.

Day 7 144km 5:40 26 Dec 09
Just south of Waldport to Florence to North Bend to Sunset Bay Park
6:45 Tent dry again! and I was warm enough at night, but cold in a.m. Usual rice porridge with banana and chocolate, tiger balm on knee does nothing. 8:00 outta camp, few smallish climbs and then flats into Flo, omlette at Chari's Diner and biscuits and gravy, oh Oregon. Stop in at North Bend Moe's Bike Shop, OK store, bought some tubes and lube. Guy didn't want to lend me tools for my BB. Two med. climbs in afternoon, gorgeous morning, 42-49 degrees.

Day 8 146km 6:26 27 Dec 09
Sunset Bay to detour thing to Bandon to Port Orford to just south of Gold Beach
6:45 Rain off and on through night, some condensation in tent, legs sore. Scenic route on plateau clearcuts lovely but a little lost, Bandon Minute Cafe Hungry Digger pancakes and eggs and coffee, overcast, about 40 degrees. Long climb out of Gold Beach and then decent, tucked myself into a pullout and some sand dunes, a bit of shelter, overlooking stormed beach and rock outcroppings that typify Oregon coast. Pretty cold miserable day, 20mph head winds...god need a hotel soon for clothes washing.

Day 9 83km 3:30 28 Dec 09
Gold beach to Brookings to Crescent City
7:00 Hard rain at night, slept with bike clothes on: bad idea. Inside of bag now damp. Brookings Flying Gull for breakfast, not best. Fog and overcast. Two small/med clmbs and then reward: Super 8 in Crescent City. Not the nicest town to stop in (I forgot about that), but $50 room OK, bought a taco and a beer, watched 3 episodes Law & Order. Knee getting all fucked.

Day 10 138km 6:09 29 Dec 09
Crescent City to Trinidad to Eureka
6:30 went to sleep at 3am damn Hunt for Red October. Some weirdos walking highway now. Conti breakfast at hotel. Two big climbs: one outta Crescent, and the one I'd been waiting for into the Redwoods. But was great: almost no cars, good pace. Anothe rear tire puncture thank you iron filings. Medium rains all to Trinidad Eatery (good place on bay). Felt good, a little too cold though. Legs OK, saddle OK. First attractive girl in hundreds of kms. Checked email for first time: no word from Andreas yet. Hotel again: got stuck in Eureka as dark fell, no one offered me place to stay in nice coffee shops in old part of town. Signage on roads sucks in Cali, last bit before Eureka freeway even worse: hella crosswind, no place for humans. Seem on target for Jan 22 La Paz.

Northern California coast: like a giant hippy Nelson town.

Day 11 133km 5:44 30 Dec 09
Eureka to Redcrest to Garberville to Richardson Grove
7:00 up as usual, out by 8:20 after returning to retrieve forgotten booties. Good warm up on flats outta Eureka. Wuick 8% climb traffic thinning, day was mostly flat after that, some of the best Forest detours (take them all next time!). Redcrest Local Store, women cussing outside. Garberville not bad, groceries at ray's Place. Campsite at Grove mostly closed, one other car, 49 degrees. Finally not wearing grey hoodie. Felt lazy today. Knee stupid knee.

Day 12 122km 5:32 31 Dec 09
Richardson Grove to Westport to Fort Bragg Van Damme Park
Rain all night, worse in morning. Armpits developing rash. The Climb: today was the day...right out of Leggett, where 31 splits from #101. Twists and fun and hard. Middle of nowhere. Then up and down ravines along coast that tore my legs apart. No pace. Internet at Chamber of Commerce in Fort Bragg, no word from Andreas or his roomies still! Hammered hard to Van Damme just south of Mendocino. Got myself a big can of Coors at grocery store for a lonely New Year's.

Day 13 156km 7:02 1 Jan 10
Little River to Gualala to Bodega Bay Dunes
Rain harder in a.m. than at night. Last of the porridge. Tent twice as heavy with water. Water pooling in bottom of panniers. Cafe in Gualala slow service, gave me coffee for free and I got my food at the grocery store down the hill instead, ate outside with the homeless. Hardest and wettest morning yet. Constant up and down road. Site near Jenner full and wouldn't let me set up, hammered for darkness to Bodega, which turns out I stayed at four years ago on this leg. Big gaps and sparse towns all day. Brake pads half gone. Campsite full now: getting close to San Fran.

Some nicer weather in San Francisco.

San Francisco.

Day 14 121km 5:12 2 Jan 10
Bodega Bay to San Francisco
6:30 up and out by 7:45, best sleep yet, not worried about sleeping bag knowing I'd take a day off indoors tonight. Check email in my fav. little town, Point Reys I believe it, internet at bookstore they let me use their personal computer and Sarah replied: I have an apartment to stay at. Phew. And then the confusing signs near the bridge, detour around, flooded road soaked me, but finally acorss bridge, more bad signage, but meet with Sarah at Cafe in Lower Haight (hipster gentrification but great area). Will rest more than a day: Andreas not back from Norway for a while.

Visiting my friend Adam at work.