55 miles in 4:46......a milestone was passed today as I now have ridden 10,010 miles in my little retirement adventure. It really doesn't seem like we've been on the road for over a year, nor that I've ridden everywhere I have. The road goes on forever, and the party never ends.
Pam Jeeped me back six miles from the campground to the weigh station where we broke down, and I proceeded on my way from there. I01 rode the shoreline for about ten miles to the California border, which is another milestone. We will be spending the next few months in Cali if all goes as planned, and it also means that we are out of the chilly, wet, northwest. We are not exactly in San Diego yet, but mentally, I'm warmer and drier.
California started with some farm land, including an area that claims to be the Easter lily capital of the world. It was very unique to see fertile farm land along the coast, instead of sand. This coast has such a diversified landscape that you can find about anything. Not long after crossing the border, I began to notice some really big, tall trees near the road. Closer inspection proved them to be redwoods. They became more and more common as I rode. I took a little side trip on Cali Rt. 197 to 199, where I got very close to, if not into Jedediah Smith State Park, and some really big trees, growing right next to the road. I mean 12 inches from the white line. The roads were curvy, as they twisted their way around humongous trees. Logging trucks were definitely the greatest danger, as they ROLLED through the woods. Rv's and trailers were warned by sign, reputation, and word of mouth, to stay off these roads, so the trucks really didn't worry about meeting anything they didn't know about, because I'm sure they were communicating with CB radios. The side trip was gorgeous, however, and I'm glad I went ten miles out of my way to check it out.
As soon as I descended a hill and popped out of the trees of the state park, I was back on 101, and it was a divided four lane highway, like BOOM! I wasn't expecting such a quick transition, but it took me into my first California town in about four miles. Crescent City was a nice harbor town, and I took time to stop at the harbor and take some pictures. There was a lot of construction going on there, and it turns out that there was a tsunami here in 2011 that wiped out the docks. That was news to me. Pam didn't remember a tsunami hitting the USA in 2011 either.
As I left Crescent City, I no longer had to worry about a tsunami repeat, because I went up, and up, and up. I went from sea level to 1350 feet in five miles. 1000 ft in the first three miles. I gradually went inland a little, so there was no ocean after a while. What there was, was very tall trees, as part of the Del Norte Coast Redwoods, and several slides that closed one lane of the two that were ascending. This entire area is filled with not only redwoods, but cedar and Sitka spruce that have grown to be bigger than the average tall tree. The Redwood National Park that runs along the coast, has encompassed many different state parks, and they work in cooperation as one unit. The climb made my legs feel like flimsy swizzle sticks, but the scenery got me to the top. The sixty five degree temperature was suddenly in the 50's, but I worked up a good sweat pedaling uphill. The downhill chilled every bone in my body, but the wind wasn't the only culprit. As I descended, I turned back toward the Pacific Ocean, but it wasn't there! It was like I was in an airplane, looking down on fluffy, white clouds, that covered the entire ocean. It was low lying fog. For as far as the eye could see. At about 400 ft of elevation, I, too was in the fog, and the temps dropped into the 40's. It was cold. I came off the mountain right at the ocean's shore, and didn't even know the water was there, sea stacks and all, except for the noise of the waves. I stopped and took a picture of some pelicans, which I have been wanting to see, perched on a sea rock, but I could barely make them out.
The last few miles into Klamath, California, were at sea level, and in an out of fog. Pam had set up at a campground right on the Klamath River, near its mouth at the ocean. Needless to say, she was fogged in pretty seriously. The fog came and went in waves, as we sat outside the RV. Pam walked over to the river, about 150 ft, and saw an elephant seal in the water (or a sea lion). By the time I walked over, the fog had come in so thick that I couldn't see a fishing boat that was going up the middle of the river.
One nice thing that did happen, is that one of the camp hosts came by, and gave us four coho salmon fillets that he had caught, and a package that he had smoked. Needless to say, we ate great for supper. Pam did a great job cooking it, and it was better than some $25.00 salmon meals I've had here on the Pacific coast.
 |
| We can feel the warmth already!!! |
 |
| Never knew this |
No comments:
Post a Comment