Day 13 - Sam Taylor campground to Golden Gate!

This was the longest 30 miles Kristen and George have ever biked.  The route took us through at least 75 turns, each one-half mile apart.  Justin was elated to return to a more developed highway, with fewer hairpin turns.  Traffic and people smacked us in the face like the sudden stench of a city sewer.  On the bike, twists and turns took the cyclists through suburbs, bike trails, and gravel paths that led us to the famed Golden Gate Bridge.  While enjoying the views on the bridge, our exhilaration was stymied by spatially-challenged tourists riding helmet-less and witless on rented mountain bikes.  

Jen and Justin helped us celebrate the successful completion of our 625-mile bicycle odyssey by filming the crossing.  

In all, this adventure had less of a toll on our bodies as it did on our minds.  We would not have been able to complete this journey without the support and comfort of Justin, Jen, and Rosalee the RV.  

Day 12 - Bodega Dunes to Samuel P. Taylor campground

We departed our campsite in the suffocating fog, but soon welcomed the sun as Highway One took us inland to hot grasslands and endless cattle ranches.  George renamed this stretch, "le Tour de Manure."  Tiny, quaint towns where one can get an acupuncture treatment but not a cup of coffee, a gallon of gas, or a paper napkin line this stretch of the route.  Some towns pulled through, however; Tomales (for your organic bedding needs, please visit), Point Reyes Station (yoga classes) and Valley Ford offered yummy, greasy breakfasts  for the weary campers.  A visitor might think that hair stylists are not allowed to practice in these remote regions.  

Manchester to Bodega Dunes campground

After a grueling but satisfying 70-mile ride (our longest leg of the trip), we found ourselves arriving at our fogged-in campsite, fit for a Stephen King novel.

Before the fog set in, however, the ride presented us with some of the most scenic views of the blue-green Pacific Ocean yet.  This stretch is where postcards are made.  A series of hairpin turns carried us onto sheer cliffs 800 ft. above kelp-dotted lapping waves.  We crossed what seemed like dozens of cattle guards and sweated through sections of highway so precarious that they're gated off during strong winter storms. 

At the campsite, the chilly fog, smell of skunk, and the constant cry of children kept our spirits down.  We holed up in Rosalee the entire evening and avoided any contact with the elements outside.  

Day 10 - Mackerricher to Manchester campground (more Hwy One)

Today, the ocean was our constant friend at our right shoulder.  Surprisingly, our bodies responded well to constant ascents and descents, through the rugged coastline filled with gullies to cross and a shoulderless road to navigate.  Today's highlight was a stop in the town of Elk, CA, with a population lower than its elevation (250 ft.)  We munched on scrumptious rhubarb cobbler and talked to a local who wanders the one street, chatting up visitors and merchants.  

Our campsite was rustic, the only so far without running water or electricity, which was a welcome respite from nights of screaming children and drunken teenagers in the bigger state campgrounds.  

Manchester campground is home to many animals; on our evening walk to the beach we spotted fifteen deer, jackrabbits, several red-tailed hawks, and a herd of friendly cattle from a nearby dairy farm.  These curious cows loved us, and followed us for a half-mile down the road from the beach.  Our bovine company were so friendly and cute that we momentarily contemplated becoming vegetarians.  

Standish Hickey to MacKerricher campground (Hwy 1)

Our bike leg this round confronted us with the infamous "Legget Hill"...a "hill" that climbs 2000 ft. in five grueling miles.  After the long uphill haul, a 15 mile decent suddenly returned us to the splendor of the Pacific Ocean, along California's famous coastal Highway One.  Like a Mike Tyson punch to the face, the ocean hit us with a spectacular presence, following several days winding around big trees.  Justin and Jen met us near the top of the hill for a short and welcomed water break.  

After several miles of meandering in and out of small, quirky coastal towns, more cow pastures, and towering groves of Eucalyptus trees, we cycled our way to our resting place, a campground with miles of lapping waves and rocks full of playful young seals.  

Day 8 - Burlington to Standish Hickey campground

We started our ascent into the hills winding from the Redwood groves back to the beach.  We had been enjoying reasonably cooler weather for the first half of our trip, with coastal clouds keeping us safe from sunburns, until today.  Steep climbs up the hot grasslands bordering 101 made us sweat, and Kristen "bonked," in George's words (meaning:  she wasn't sure if she could make it any further.)  To help ease the exhaustion and take more brakes, she stopped to pee more than a 1960's Volkswagen backfires.  

Day 7 - Eureka KOA to Burlington campground (more Redwoods)

Today's leg started out on the highway, but quickly led us to a side trip along winding, country roads through cow pastures and dairy farms.  We saw many American flags, large, muddy trucks, and giant billboards celebrating the agriculture industry.  Kristen encountered her first flat, which George fixed, and we continued our day into the magnificent stand of old-growth Redwoods, along the Avenue of the Giants.  Along our 60-mile trek, we passed at least three "one-tree treehouses," and drive-through trees, with carvings of sasquatches and bears lining the highway.  Redwood kitsch represents americana at its finest. 

Day 6 - Elk Prairie to Eureka, CA

We awoke this morning to characteristic northern California clouds and mist covering the prairie.  Within a few miles, we spotted a giant elk munching on a tree in someone's front yard.  Elk are often spotted in the mornings and evenings at this remote site.  We hardly had time to stop for a breather on our way to Arcata, searching for cell reception so George could phone interview for a new position at Five Oaks.  Near Humbolt State University, Arcata lives up to its "reputation."  The coffee shop we visited for George's interview was complete with several free-spirited, happy, and hungry individuals.  After a quick stop at the local Life Cycle bike shop for a repair on Kristen's shoe, we headed further south on 101, to our one and only KOA site on the trip.  The PR team at the Eureka KOA deserves a gold star.  If you have an opportunity to stay at a KOA in Eureka, please simply sleep in your car near the shoulder of the highway or hole up in a McDonald's bathroom.  When you're dying to play a round of mini-putt on a weathered, warped, plywood course, you'll know where to go.  

 

Day 5 - California border to the Redwoods!

Kristen and George woke up with sore legs this morning, dreading the long 65-mile trek to Elk Prairie Campground in the Redwood National Forest.  One of the highest climbs of their ride lay in this leg of the trip--an ascent through the first of California's coastal hills, just south of Crescent City.  Highway 101 winds uphill on a ridge overlooking the ocean, carrying logging and commercial trucks and RV's down the coast.  The riders motored through the hill at a steady 5 mph pace, into a gorgeous section of forest, where misty fog hangs amongst the mammoth trees (some were three of Kristen's arm spans across!)  

The evening brought the campers to Elk Prairie Campground, a lovely, quiet setting of the Newton Drury Scenic Byway, where campers are nestled amongst some of the biggest Redwoods.  Sun bears, black bears, and elk frequent this area, so "bear boxes" (large, metal, strong) have been constructed at each site as a place to store people food.  

So far, George and Kristen consider the day's ride to be one of the highlights of their trip, with the variety of terrain and incredible views of the largest trees in the world.  The tallest trees reach 350 feet high!  The sad irony is that the lumber industry is still alive and well in these forests, and travelers can still see trucks loaded with one giant redwood.  Paul Bunyan and Babe the Ox even greet visitors at the Trees of Mystery, a tourist site on the Redwood Highway housing art that's been carved out of the wood.  

Still working on posting pictures!  Internet has been spotty and slow at best, but lots of great photos should be coming soon!

Day 4 - Port Orford to Brookings, OR

The Falcon Four launched their fourth morning (Monday) from a quiet, secluded campsite near Humbug Mountain, the tallest on Oregon's coast at 1,700 ft.  George and Kristen headed out on the road for a 48-mile trip on two wheels, while Jen and Justin headed up the peak for a steep hike and then a quieter stroll through a lovely, clear creek near the campsite.  All campers--three of whom are native Oregonians, have discovered that the Southern Oregon coast is quite spectacular. Winding beaches, jagged rock formations, seabirds, green, lush forests, and dozens of sweeping views dot every mile of meandering Highway 101.  

So far, the Oregon coast's fickle weather has been kind to the travelers.  Although George and Kristen have been wearing sunscreen, they haven't been burned yet, or rained on.  The mornings are cooler and a bit foggy, but the clouds burn off towards the afternoon. 

Rosalee's appliances are now fully functioning, thanks to Justin's patience and handiness, and all campers are feeling more comfortable in their home-away-from-home.   

Day 3 -- Sunset Bay to Humbug Mountain

On the second leg of their trip, George and Kristen stumbled on a coffee shop with internet in the cute (and very windy) town of Bandon, OR. At 70+ miles, G & K finished 10% of their total ride! Jen and Justin are reaquainting themselves with Rosalee the RV. Although she's run smoothly so far, her appliances are showing their age; J & J had to visit three R.V. shops yesterday to find a new water pump so the campers can have running water aboard.
Sunset Bay and Honeyman campsites have been lovely--white, sandy beaches, huge dunes to play on, and lots of stars in the dark night sky. George and Kristen even took hot showers last night.
Two injuries so far, neither related to cycling: Kristen was stung by a bee while zooming down Hwy 101, and George has a minor cut on his pinky finger that's healing nicely.
We are collecting many pictures to upload, and are hoping to share these with you in the next few days, when we find our next internet connection.
Love to everyone!
Kristen, George, Jen, and Justin