 |
| Circle the Tents - Westport, CA |
The day started early at 6:30 AM. The air was still and few of the campers were stirring. A heavy dew had fallen. There was a slight chill in the air. I was eager to get out on the road.
I couldn't believe the number of campers I spotted out on the beaches while cycling down highway one. It was one extended beach party. I noticed that extended families circled their tents. It made me think of the wagon trains of old. I dropped a little garbage and recycling in Westport on my way through town. One friendly resident yelled, "You're up early!" as I passed. The sun was just coming over the hills. It felt food to be moving again. I set my sights on Cleone, a few miles down the road.
 |
| Pudding Creek Crossing - Fort Bragg |
Upon entering the town, I didn't really notice any businesses open. I cut down to the Ten Mile Beach Trail, as suggested by my bicycle map. The trail offered beautiful views of the coast and was exclusively biker/pedestrian. The major issue was the poor condition of the pavement. I've spent so much time on my bicycle the last twenty days, it has really become an extension of my body. Rough road racks my entire system. It was so bad in spots, I wished that I had stayed on highway one. I exited the trail after crossing the Pudding Creek bridge and into downtown Fort Bragg.
 |
| Good Find - Fort Bragg |
Pedaling south on the main street, I quickly found Cafe 1, a breakfast spot. I sat down at a table with an electrical outlet, texted Snelling with directions and started drinking coffee. Charlie soon arrived and we had an excellent breakfast. We wanted to extend our time in Fort Bragg, having been outside for basically a day-and-a-half. Constant sun and wind, as well as sleeping night after night on the ground can be wearing. It's restful to spend time indoors. Snelling found the directions to the public library, which was a short distance away. We headed inside.
 |
| Sunscreen - Fort Bragg |
I spent some time on a public PC, then started browsing the books. I picked up one that was filled with a vast amount of information related to the Dr. Who television series. I have watched a few episodes of the more recent incarnations of the Doctor. I would like to watch more when I return to Whidbey. I left thinking about the Dalek and what they were capable of. Before leaving town, we swung into Safeway for lunch and dinner groceries.
 |
| Dr. Who Tree - Mendocino |
Mendocino was our next stop, ten miles down the road. Snelling poked around while I called home. I had a long conversation with my wife, Christina. Being away for a long time really makes me think about how much my family means to me. I know that I often take them for granted. I am lucky that we are all so close. On the way out of town, I noticed a "Dr. Who Tree" by Julie Galor. I couldn't believe it.
 |
| Albion Bridge from Bivy |
Again, we moved south. At this point, we were looking for a place to sleep for the night. The Albion River Campground presented itself. We rode down a short hill and decided to pay a little extra to stay. After the primitive camping the night before, I wanted to have access to some facilities. We had dinner and talked to Rick. He was traveling north in his orange VW Transporter to Olympia. He planned on checking out the Olympic Peninsula if time allowed. We made a couple suggestions on where to stay in Oregon. He seemed interested. I ended the evening catching a shower and a shave. I felt like a new man.
We cycled forty miles today.
No comments:
Post a Comment