Today started like any other; with some domestic and cycling challenges. After many days of riding, everyone’s bike shorts were in desperate need of a wash, so Jimmy thought he would get ahead of the curve by starting laundry at 6:30 am.  Too bad the AirBNB’s fancy washing machine’s typical cycle is 63 minutes, and since we had a strict departure time of 8:30 am, he thought he would outsmart it by pulling his clothes out 5 minutes early. Sadly they hadn’t been through the spin cycle so they were dripping wet but he was able to get them dry in time as Dr. B was rushing to load the van. Unfortunately, Celina had taken the liberty of spilling an entire cup of coffee on the van seat and despite the cleanup that ensued, a T-shirt had also suffered during the great coffee flood, and so Jimmy’s dry shorts sat right on top for the ride to our starting point and he boasted a lovely stain for the first hour of the ride. 

We were one member short today as Maureen had some online learning to do… today was me, Jimmy, Dr. B, and Celina, with Teena my fearless mom acting as pit crew. We started the day off at the south end of the Hammond Coast Trail. This ran about four miles adjacent to the highway and allowed a nice easy start to the day. It was still foggy and slightly chilly, but the scenery was nicer than a highway shoulder. Eventually the trail ended and we hopped on the 101 heading south. Luckily the highway today was filled with wide shoulders and plenty of straight sections- the perfect antithesis to yesterday’s route. We eventually pulled into Eureka where we rolled onto the Elk River Access Area-Hikshari’ Trail and got to see the sights of downtown for a bit.

Despite getting a warm start to the day, I decided mid-morning that it would be best to don my Diestco Weather Chaps which wrap around my lap, legs, and feet to provide a toasty warm layer that protects from the elements on a long day’s ride. After these were in place, we trekked along back toward the highway, and were approached by a  representative of Caltrans who had heard about the ride and asked for my opinion on a project called an “Active Transportation Plan.” I’m looking forward to filling out the survey given my lengthy time on the California roadways. 

The back and forth between trail, town streets, and highway were dizzying, but we managed to find our way onto some back roads that took us past the College of the Redwoods and led us into the small town of Loleta, where we stopped for lunch and a warm-up in the van (the fog really did bring our temps down but on the plus side the redwoods get more than half their moisture from it!). Once we had full bellies and some warmth in our bones, we hopped on the 211 south towards Ferndale. 

The highway into Ferndale was a quick and easy few miles, starting with Fernbridge - still the longest functional poured concrete bridge in the world. Despite its “functionality” the bridge is very narrow and quite long, and the cyclist warning light didn’t accommodate my 7 mile per hour speed. Luckily drivers were very gracious and patiently waited to pass us along the way. As we approached Ferndale, the sun made its first appearance of the day, shining down on the tiny town of some-odd 1,364 residents. The area is chock-full of Victorian-style houses and  shops along the main drag, as well as the historic cemetery (which tends to make the top-ten list of things to see in the town). If you’re ever in need of something to do in town, grab an ice cream at the Cat Shack and make your way to the cemetery for a spooky walk!

The last major section of the day was by far the most peaceful. We rode along back-country roads with scenic pastures filled with grazing cows and the ever-curious sheep who eyed us suspiciously as we passed. Just as we were getting into a rhythm, a large dog ran into the road, hungry for Dr. B’s noodle! He chased Dr. B down but quickly veered off across the road to bark at some neighboring cows and we were spared seeing how long it would take an ambulance to track us down.

Eventually the scenery changed and the last few miles of our route were straight up and down hills. Celina decided to jump ship and hopped in the van, waving as she passed. Without her at our side, we persisted into the town of Scotia, and were back on track for our mileage! Today I pushed my chair and new battery further than I’ve ever gone, and set a new personal record of 44.3 miles! Shoutout to my GreenLiFE Battery for getting me to the day’s finish line! 

The evening was finished off with an outdoor socially-distanced visit with Thomas, an old college friend from my Santa Barbara days. It was great to hang out and relive some good times for a few hours. Tomorrow is likely to be more challenging than the mellow day today, but it’s my birthday, so I’m hopeful for some sunshine and a smooth ride!